Oregon’s Management-Labor Advisory Committee (MLAC) had requested, in 2011, that CROET review the State of Washington’s Centers of Occupational Health and Education (COHE) program and make recommendations about how a COHE program could be introduced in Oregon’s very different workers’ compensation program.

Dr. Mike Buck led the review for CROET and is shown here delivering the final report to MLAC, describing the changes made since the draft was commented on by MLAC members. The report recommends considering the most effective components of the COHE, rather than the whole program, and ways their effectiveness might be tested in Oregon. The entire 200-page report will be available on the MLAC website, where you will be able to obtain it by searching at: <http://www.oregon.gov/DCBS/Pages/search.aspx>.

MLAC took the report under consideration and expressed their appreciation to Drs. Mike Buck and Kent Anger, Associate Director for Applied Research at CROET, for the quality of the report.

Dr. Mike Buck is pictured in the foreground with his back to the camera.  Also shown in the picture are MLAC members (from left) Bridget Quinn (NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center), Tami Cockeram (City of Hillsboro), Elana Guiney (AFL-CIO), Theresa Van Winkle (new MLAC Administrator for DCBS), Pat Allen (Director of Department of Consumer and Business Services [DCBS]), John Mohlis (Oregon Building Trades Council; Labor Co-chair), Carol Duncan (General Sheet Metal), and Paul Goldberg (Oregon Nurses Association).  Kathy Nishimoto (Duckwall-Pooley; Management Co-chair), not shown, is on the conference phone.