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State of the Union: Meet Oregon's special guest who helps with homelessness, addiction

Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer invited Glen Suchanek as a special guest for Thursday's speech. He's helped people dealing with addiction and homelessness.

PORTLAND, Ore. — President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday will feature a handful of political leaders and honorable guests. That includes one member of the Milwaukie Police Department who has made it his mission to help people dealing with addiction and homelessness.

Glen Suchanek works for the police department as a behavioral health specialist, where he helps with diversion programs aimed towards avoiding unnecessary arrests and expanding addiction services. He's also the deputy director of LoveOne, a Clackamas County nonprofit that works closely with homeless people.

Suchanek will be attending Thursday’s speech as a special guest for Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican who represents Oregon's 5th congressional district. They met recently at a listening session, where community leaders came together to discuss topics such as addiction and affordable housing.

“She said, ‘We’ve got a lot of work to do together.’ I really appreciated that,” said Suchanek. “She really heard us and wants to work together.”

In December, the House passed Chavez-DeRemer’s HOME Act, which provides financial and transitional housing support for unsheltered veterans. She also introduced the bipartisan DIRECT Care for the Homeless Act, which seeks to expand resources for mental health substance use disorders.

LoveOne was one of the few Oregon groups to endorse the legislation, and it’s something that resonated closely with Suchanek.

“I come from over 21 years of addiction, incarceration, houselessness, family trauma; when I got out of incarceration, I wanted something different.  I did a program in Salem called SOAR — Student Opportunity for Achieving Results,” Suchanek said. “During that program, I found out I liked to learn who I really was. I started using at such a young age, that I didn’t know who I was.”

In a press release on Monday, Chavez-DeRemer said she’s welcoming Suchanek as a special guest because of his shared commitment towards solving many of the issues that the state is facing.

“Oregon continues to experience significant challenges in addressing mental health and addiction, and we need more people like Glen to step up to the plate and assist those who are facing hardship in our communities,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “I truly appreciate his exemplary service, which has helped countless individuals find a path toward healing and resilience.”

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