Milwaukie Behavioral Health Specialist Glen Suchanek to Attend SOTU as Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s Guest

March 4, 2024 – Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer: Milwaukie Behavioral Health Specialist Glen Suchanek to Attend SOTU as Chavez-DeRemer’s Guest

Today, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) announced her special guest for Thursday’s State of the Union address will be Glen Suchanek, who currently serves as the Behavioral Health Specialist for the City of Milwaukie Police Department, as well as the Deputy Director of the Clackamas County nonprofit LoveOne. Suchanek recently participated in a roundtable discussion held by Chavez-DeRemer, where community leaders came together to discuss policies related to affordable housing, behavioral health, and homelessness.

“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. I truly appreciate his exemplary service, which has helped countless individuals find a path toward healing and resilience. That’s why I’m honored to welcome him as my guest for the State of the Union this year – to show my appreciation and demonstrate our shared commitment to working toward solving some of the most important issues facing our state and nation,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

“People don’t wake up one day and decide they want to be a drug addict or homeless. It’s much deeper than that! Mental health, trauma, access to affordable housing and many other factors play a major role in how lives are shaped. I appreciate Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer’s efforts to recognize these challenges, and I look forward to joining her for the State of the Union,” Suchanek said.

In December, the House passed Chavez-DeRemer’s HOME Act with bipartisan support, which provides financial and transitional housing support for unsheltered veterans. She also authored and introduced the bipartisan DIRECT Care for the Homeless Act – a proposal that seeks to expand care for mental health and substance use disorders by expanding a practice known as street medicine. LoveOne is one of several Oregon community groups that have endorsed this legislation.

More about Glen Suchanek

Suchanek has a master’s degree in social work, along with a Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) license and a qualified mental health professional (QMHP) license. Additionally, he is a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADC III) and Certified Recovery Mentor (CRM II). Suchanek also comes from a life of lived experience in mental health, addiction, houselessness, and incarceration. Suchanek worked closely with local law enforcement for several years supporting the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, which provides service in Milwaukie. The goal of LEAD is to obtain better outcomes while trying to reduce unnecessary arrests and incarcerations. Suchanek is currently the Deputy Director of LoveOne, a Clackamas County, Oregon nonprofit that works closely with the houseless population, and he has served as the Behavioral Health Specialist for the City of Milwaukie Police Department for over a year, where he continues to work closely with law enforcement staff.

An official portrait of Suchanek, as well as a picture of Suchanek with Chavez-DeRemer, are available for download HERE.

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