mental health

Coos and Lane Counties Now Lead State in People Sent to State Mental Hospital

People sent to the hospital to be treated after they are arrested for crimes has been a serious problem in Oregon for several years, but while Marion and Multnomah County have made progress, other counties, especially Coos, continue to send more than their share out of their community to the high-cost Oregon State Hospital.

The steady stream of people with mental illness into the Oregon State Hospital has subsided from Multnomah and Marion counties, but two new outliers have taken their

By: 
Chris Gray

A Prescription for Therapeutic Justice

At a time when a third of Oregon prisoners have mental health needs, activists and leaders are looking at alternatives to jail for intervention and treatment for serious mental illness.

In Oregon and other states, mental illness and addiction may land you in jail, or worse.

By: 
Carol Cruzan Morton

Lawmakers Increase Mental Health Investments

A good economy has produced rising revenues for the state of Oregon, which allowed legislators to add almost $5 million in mental health investments.

The closeout budget bill for the 2018 session included a number of new social service items, particularly with investments in mental health.

School-based health centers won their request of $950,000 to hire more mental health therapists.

By: 
Chris Gray

Bill Would Require Emergency Rooms To Adopt Mental Health Discharge Plans

A separate bill from Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer would require CCOs and insurers to cover a behavioral health assessment in a crisis as well as its treatment recommendations.

Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer and Sen. Lew Frederick, both Portland Democrats, are back again this year to close additional gaps in the state’s mental health system.

By: 
Chris Gray

Greenlick Wants State, CCOs, NAMI to Strike Deal on Psychiatric Meds

Psychiatric medications are carved out of the purview of the CCOs, limiting their ability to fully integrate mental healthcare. The organizations have tried repeatedly to remove this restriction, and this year the state will require them to allow any patient to stay on their preferred medication.

Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, has asked the Oregon Health Authority to negotiate with representatives from the National Alliance on Mental Illness if the state agency wishes to give more power to coordinated care organizations to manage psychiatric drugs.

By: 
Chris Gray

Legislators Work to Fill Gaps in State Assistance for Homeless, Mentally Ill

Rep. John Lively wants the state to give free copies of birth certificates to the homeless while the state hospital superintendent testifies that he needs better legal authority to automatically assist discharged patients with federal disability benefits.

The House Health Committee is pushing two simple but possibly life-changing bills for the state’s neediest residents, allowing homeless people to get free copies of their birth certificates and steering Oregon State Hospital officials to sign up patients for federal assistance as they leave the mental hospital.

By: 
Chris Gray

Insurance Commissioner Must Enforce Mental Health Parity Law, Says Provider Group

The Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to cover mental and behavioral health services as an essential health benefit, but the Tri-County Behavioral Health Providers Association is arguing that insurers are using their authorization process to illegally restrict access to these services. The group is asking Insurance Commissioner Cali to order a market conduct examination.

The health insurance industry may be deviating from its regular authorization process for healthcare to routinely but arbitrarily deny mental health services, according to a complaint to the Insurance Division from a group of behavioral health providers.

By: 
Chris Gray

$20 Million in Funding for Mental Health Housing Available

Oregon Housing and Community Services is now accepting proposals for $20 million in state funds to develop mental health and substance use housing across Oregon.

Affordable housing is in short supply particularly for people living with mental illness and addictions. The $20 million boost can definitely make a difference.

By: 
Jan Johnson

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