New Department of Human Services Facility opens

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) cut the ribbon on a new building in Brookings on August 5, 2024.

The new Brookings building will help the south coast community by bringing together many ODHS programs in one place. This means people won’t have to travel far from Brookings and nearby areas.

People will have one place to sign up for critical benefits like SNAP, Oregon Health Plan and childcare. They’ll also be able to meet someone who can talk through options for an aging loved one or for someone with a physical disability looking for work. All of these services will be available at the new Brookings location.

“This new building will improve access to our services and make them safer and more accessible for everyone,” said Josh Harlukowicz, the local Chief Operations Officer at ODHS. “This new center is the result of listening to the community and finding solutions together.”

According to the agency, two-thirds of Curry County’s ODHS clients are in the Brookings area. By looking at future projections, they determined that with an aging population and many already signed up for the Aging and People with Disabilities Program, that Brookings would be served well by a new facility.

The new facility will have space for family visits, support for those impacted by domestic violence, interview rooms, and conference rooms for community groups.

The opening was conducted in partnership with the ODHS Tribal Affairs office.