Oregon Public Broadcasting

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A group of rural Boardman residents assemble in a garage to speak with U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley about nitrates in Boardman, Ore., Jan. 20, 2023. | ANTONIO SIERRA/OPB

‘We’re not going away.’ EPA pressures Oregon to clean up groundwater pollution

The EPA can step in and require the state to clean up pollution under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Mar 23, 2023

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An empty hallway is pictured at the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities (NORCOR) jail in The Dalles, Ore., Monday, July 31, 2017. | CONRAD WILSON/OPB

Bill to create a commission overseeing health care in Oregon jails has died

HB 3391 would have created a commission to set standards and also conduct inspections

Mar 23, 2023

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People in rural communities have higher incidents of overdoses, alcohol related deaths and suicides, than those living in more urban areas. Suicide risks are particularly high for men working in fishing, farming and ranching industries. | EMILY CURETON COOK/OPB

In rural Oregon, there’s a higher need for mental health care, but few options

OPB concludes its series on holes in the mental health system with a look at the stresses and wider lack of mental health services in rural Oregon

Mar 21, 2023

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Patients fill in their answers to the prompt, “I dream to someday…” in a hallway at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem, March 8, 2023. | KRISTYNA WENTZ-GRAFF/OPB

Oregon doesn’t have enough treatment or housing for people with mental illness

OPB takes a look at two profound problems in Oregon’s mental health care system, as well as two promising solutions

Mar 16, 2023

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MARCELO IKEDA TCHELÃO/PIXABAY

Illegal substances are part of addiction problem in Oregon, but alcohol is biggest killer

PROBLEM: Roughly one in five Oregonians has a substance use disorder

Mar 15, 2023

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Words of encouragement are added to an anonymous message on a display at the Youth Villages office in Lake Oswego, March 2, 2023. Youth Villages supports kids up to 18 with emotional or behavioral problems through their in-home Intercept program. | KRISTYNA WENTZ-GRAFF/OPB

Oregon kids in crisis are not getting the help they need

PROBLEM: There are not enough beds — or therapists — in the state for children with the most intense needs

Mar 14, 2023

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MIKA BAUMEISTER/UNSPLASH

Oregon will lift mask mandate in early April for health care settings

The requirement to wear masks when visiting doctors, dentists and other health care professionals soon goes away

Mar 3, 2023

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Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at a roundtable on youth mental health on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Portland, Ore. | ELIZABETH MILLER/OPB

HHS secretary, Gov. Kotek highlight youth mental health needs at Portland school visit

Secretary Xavier Becerra and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek heard from Portland students and others on what’s needed to help young people access mental health support

Mar 2, 2023

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Oregon State University in Corvallis, with Weatherford Hall on the right. | M.O. STEVENS/CC BY 3.0/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Former Oregon State University College of Pharmacy dean wins retaliation lawsuit

OSU says it plans to appeal the jury’s decision in favor of the whistleblower allegations

Feb 28, 2023

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Abortion pills. | PHOTO BY VALASIURUA/WIKI COMMONS

Oregon and Washington sue FDA over restrictions on abortion pill

Mifepristone, a medication used to end pregnancy, is more tightly regulated than other medications and 12 state attorneys general are registering their objections

Feb 25, 2023