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July 3, 2023
In this issue ...
July in Oregon is a time of enchantment and exploration, where nature's splendor, cultural festivities, and culinary delights unite. Whether strolling through blooming gardens, berry picking, immersing oneself in vibrant powwows and festivals, or savoring the flavors of the season, the beauty of July captivates the senses and fosters a deep appreciation for the state’s unique charm.
July is an important month that holds immense significance for the disability community worldwide: it is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions, and unique experiences of people with disabilities. This month provides an opportunity to promote inclusion, raise awareness, and challenge societal misconceptions surrounding disability. Disability Pride Month reminds us to appreciate the remarkable resilience, strength, and diversity within our disability community, and to advocate for a more inclusive and accessible society.
As we celebrate, it is critical to reflect on the progress made in terms of inclusivity and accessibility, but also acknowledge the work that still lies ahead. In 2021, Senate Bill 5529 directed us to identify barriers to access for receiving mental health treatment services, and the work continues. In May I had the opportunity to present to the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services with Family and Community Advocate Alisha Overstreet, the System of Care Advisory Council, Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and our State Medicaid Director on this report and you can view the recording here. We must strive for a society that values and embraces diversity in all its forms. This involves actively listening to the voices of individuals with disabilities, involving them in decision-making processes, and working together to create inclusive policies, practices, and spaces.
If you would like an opportunity to provide valuable input for a national study investigating services provided to teens and young adults who have intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and co-occurring mental health conditions (dual diagnosis), the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) has partnered with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) to identify best practices in crisis intervention systems for teens and young adults. Volunteers must be a behavioral health/mental health professional, parent/advocate, educator, emergency services personnel or first responder who works with or has provided services to this population.
There are many ways for us to show up, walk with each other and do better. I hope you take time this month to do just that.
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You are all welcome to join Chelsea Holcomb to kick off a conversation about what’s next for the CFBH strategic direction.
- Time: July 20, 2023, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Meeting ID: 161 947 8533, Passcode: 910990
- Dial in: (669) 254 5252
We were excited to have 23 people join us at our first meeting on June 1 for a conversation that focused on celebrations, successes, and gratitude. It was an upbeat meeting acknowledging the resilience and youth and families along with the importance of family peer support. The group heard an overview of the current CFBH Roadmap 2020–2024 and will dive into informing policy work in the coming meetings.
The next meeting is set for July 5 from 4 to 5 p.m. on Zoom.
- Please email Hilary Harrison for the link and more details, if you are a family member and would like to be involved.
- The focus for July and August will be conversations around the continuum of care pathway in the Roadmap.
If you are a part of a family group in the community then we would welcome your engagement in this work. In the development of the next version of the Roadmap, it is especially important to ensure that we hear and center the voices of the Tribes, communities of color, those experiencing developmental disability and others who have been historically marginalized.
We are happy to come listen to your group’s insights on system needs for both mental health and substance use disorder for young people, from infancy through age 25, or to facilitate a guided conversation.
At the end of May, the CFBH unit met in-person to focus on community engagement and to discuss the ongoing work of our Roadmap. The Behavioral Health Equity and Community Partnerships unit joined us by video call to share their valuable insights into community engagement.
It was a fantastic day that brought together individuals with a shared passion for making a positive impact. The day provided a unique opportunity for members of the unit to connect, collaborate, and cultivate a deeper understanding of community needs. Through immersive discussions we explored innovative strategies to engage with and support the local community. Our unit works remotely, and these retreats help to foster a strong sense of unity and inspire everyone that attends. The bonds formed during this retreat fueled a collective commitment to sustainable community engagement, ensuring a lasting impact beyond the event itself.
As a unit, we also took some time to reflect upon the composition of our team and recognized a lack of racial diversity within our ranks. We acknowledge that diversity is not only crucial for fostering a fair and inclusive work environment, but it also leads to enhanced creativity, innovation, and overall success. Therefore, we are committed to actively addressing this and making a conscious effort to increase the representation of racially diverse individuals within our team.
We also discussed the responsibility for the team to actively engage with, develop relationships, build trust through action, and show up with communities of color. We understand that creating a diverse team requires more than just passive acceptance; it requires a proactive and intentional approach. Our commitment to diversity extends beyond mere tokenism. We want to create an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and experiences.
 From left to right the CFBH team: Hilary Harrison, Sam Haskins, Jessie Eagan (back), Kathleen Burns, Shanda Hochstetler, Jessica Stout, Summer Hunker, Brian Pitkin, Chelsea Holcomb, Jill Baker, Beth Holliman, Bernardino De La Torre, Sage Neilson, Amy Chandler, Fran Pearson, Tamara Bavaro, John Linn, Christie Taylor
There has been a growing recognition of the importance of inclusivity in various aspects of society, including programs and services. One area where inclusivity is of utmost importance is in programs that cater to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). I/DD inclusivity refers to the integration and accommodation of individuals with I/DD within programs, ensuring their rights, dignity, and equal access to opportunities.
The CFBH team has been working to ensure that we are creating more access and inclusion for this population.
Starting this summer, the CFBH will offer I/DD consultations. These consultation calls:
- Are geared towards providers, clinicians, skills trainers, and those who work in juvenile justice.
- Aim to inform the mental health (MH) workforce and dispel the myth that the I/DD population does not have MH concerns, while also helping the I/DD workforce better understand and recognize MH conditions.
Each month, experts in the field of I/DD MH will give a presentation on a specific topic to be followed by an open consultation related to that topic.
The first call will be on Thursday, July 13 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. with Lara Palay, MSW, LISW-S. The topic will be Trauma and I/DD.
Link to consultation meeting:
Or call in (audio only):
Some future topic examples include:
- How trauma presents in this population
- Adapting therapy interventions
- Recognizing symptoms and emerging MH conditions
- Safety planning and dignity of risk
I/DD inclusivity in programs contributes to a more diverse and inclusive society. When individuals with I/DD are included in various programs, it promotes a greater understanding and acceptance of their unique abilities and challenges among the general population. This increased awareness helps break down stereotypes, reduce discrimination, and build a more compassionate and inclusive society where everyone is valued for their contributions.
By prioritizing I/DD inclusivity, we can build a more inclusive and compassionate world where individuals with I/DD can thrive and contribute their unique talents and perspectives. Embracing I/DD inclusivity in programs is vital for creating a society that values diversity, promotes equality, and respects the rights and dignity of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed will be in Oregon August 7-10, providing training to better support individuals dually diagnosed with mental health conditions and I/DD.
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Monday and Tuesday, August 7 and 8: Clinical track for therapists, social workers, and other Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHPs)
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Wednesday, August 9: Track for foster parents and host home parents within the Oregon Department of Human Services and Office of Developmental Disabilities Services systems
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Thursday, August 10: Direct support track for Personal Support Workers, Direct Support Professionals, Skill Trainers, and other Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA)-level professionals
All trainings will be free of cost and held at the Oregon Garden Resort in Silverton, Oregon. Register by following this link.
Please reach out to Jessica Stout at jessica.l.stout@oha.oregon.gov with any questions.
The CFBH Unit, Office of Recovery and Resilience, and the Behavioral Health Equity and Community Engagement Team hosted community conversations on the topic of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). ABA is a therapy-based treatment provided primarily to people diagnosed with autism and is currently an Oregon Health Plan (OHP) benefit.
The community conversations took place over the course of six virtual, public meetings in November 2022 and January 2023. Participants included persons with lived experience of autism and ABA treatment, parents, caregivers, ABA therapy providers, advocates, and community members.
Participants were asked to provide information about their experiences with ABA, especially regarding access, quality, and oversight of services. Participants were also asked to consider what is important for the Oregon Health Authority to consider in implementing the ABA model in Oregon.
Themes that emerged from these conversations included:
- Recommendations for building a responsible, effective model.
- A need for transparent data and metrics, standardization of services, and the inclusion of persons with lived experience in every step of the planning process.
- The historical harms that ABA has caused and the need for caution, education, and accountability in order for ABA to be a useful tool for those who desire to use it.
- Concerns about access to ABA, with some participants encouraging increased funding for alternative therapies.
- Recommendations for increased training and compensation rates to improve and stabilize existing ABA services.
The full list of recommendations can be found by following this link.
One strategic pathway in the CFBH Roadmap 2020 – 2024 is data-driven policy decisions. We have now created a list of performance indicators that we are monitoring for regular review. We plan to refine this list down to some key performance indicators. Comments are welcome: Please send them to kidsteam@oha.oregon.gov.
Capacity monitoring for Intensive Treatment Services
Intensive Treatment Services capacity remains a critical concern to CFBH. Each week we receive data on capacity for acute care, sub-acute and psychiatric residential, as well as substance use disorder residential programs.
- OHA monitors these data to understand patterns and to offer help in keeping programs operational.
- Members of the CFBH unit continue to work on a monthly dashboard, as well as a way to display real time program bed capacity. Discussions are underway on how to display additional data points collected, such as total referrals received, total weekly admissions, and total weekly discharges. Next month we will display a table of total monthly admissions and discharges to the programs that participate in our data collection.
- There was outreach done this month to additional psychiatric residential programs in order to get them involved in our capacity monitoring. Our goal is to have 1-2 more Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTF) programs participating in these efforts by August.
- There continues to be progress made on the referral management system, which will collect data on referrals to PRTF in real time. The CFBH team has seen some preliminary examples of what this software will look like and is excited to share more concrete updates as they are available.
The graph below shows capacity over time.
- The top line represents the goal for the system established in 2020, of having 286 beds available for youth.
- The line below shows the highest possible capacity that could have been available, given full staffing and removal of all other barriers.
- The bottom bar chart represents a monthly summary of reported weekly operational capacity, a combination of beds in use and open beds. In the last 12 months the largest impact on capacity has been the ongoing struggle to fill workforce vacancies and manage staffing levels.
There continues to be a steady increase in both the number of youth served in these programs (represented by the green columns) and the number of psychiatric beds that programs in Oregon have available to youth (represented by the dotted red line).
OHA is seeking a permanent director. We would like your input to inform the search. Motus Executive Search will host listening sessions to gather the perspectives of community partners to identify the key attributes and skills you would like to see in the next OHA director.
The Motus team will facilitate a 60-minute listening session, guided by five structured questions. The questions will focus on the health challenges and opportunities facing Oregon communities in coming years, the type of leadership style you would like to see in OHA’s next leader and the experience and track record of engagement they should have in diversity, equity and inclusion.
All listening sessions will be conducted and recorded virtually via Zoom. The listening sessions will be held:
- July 10 from noon to 1 p.m.
- July 12 from 6 to 7 p.m.
- July 14 from 1 to 2 p.m.
To attend via phone, the toll-free number to call is 888-788-0099; you will be prompted to enter the meeting ID and passcode.
- Meeting ID: 766963 0318
- Passcode: 987654
OHA’s mission is to ensure that all people and communities in Oregon can achieve optimum physical, mental, and social well-being through partnerships, prevention, and access to quality, affordable health care. We appreciate you sharing your time and your perspectives as we recruit a new permanent director.
This could be the most beautiful homeless shelter you have ever seen, and it’s getting results: CNN meets with Brandi Tuck of the Path Home in Portland, and the beautiful shelter built in 2018 from an old church.
Oregon lawmakers make deal to end Senate walkout. Here’s how key bills were changed: Oregon Public Broadcasting discusses the road back from the six-week long Republican walkout.
Find events, opportunities, trainings and resources in last month’s posting. Many of these trainings are also on our website. We will send updates mid-month — Look for the next one in your inbox on July 17.
For feedback and suggestions for our newsletter and information: kids.team@oha.oregon.gov
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