Click image to watch video of Director Hathi in Central Oregon.
Health care leaders in Central Oregon told OHA Director Dr. Sejal Hathi this week that local primary care clinics are giving people greater access to mental health treatment, and more people are receiving substance use services locally because of Measure 110-funding. Community health leaders also expressed concerns about a lack of affordable housing and workforce shortages.
Dr. Hathi’s trip to Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook and Wheeler counties is her latest regional visit to learn about health care challenges and needs in communities across Oregon.
“One of the most consistent appeals I heard was for the state to do its best to sustain some of the services our public health and community-based partners have built over the past few years, with federal, as well as, Measure 110 funding, which continues to fill real and previously unmet needs. Even and especially as federal pandemic-era funding comes to an end, it would be a huge loss to let those services wither,” Dr. Hathi said.
Last week, Dr. Hathi visited health care leaders and organizations in the Portland area, including the Miracles Club, Virginia Garcia Wellness Center and Central City Concern.
If you have ideas about how the state can better grow and retain its behavioral health workforce (ie: social workers, certified peers, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors, etc.), let us know. OHA’s House Bill (HB) 2235 Workgroup invites the public to provide input toward achieving this goal, and is particularly interested in hearing from residents and behavioral health providers and students from rural and marginalized communities.
Lawmakers formed the workgroup in 2023 to identify barriers and possible solutions to rebuild and strengthen a workforce severely depleted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The workgroup meets on the first and third Wednesday of every month, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., through December 2025. The public may join via Zoom to provide verbal comments, or submit comments via email to hb2235.workgroup@oha.oregon.gov.
- To join the first Wednesday of the month, click HERE.
- To join the third Wednesday of the month, click HERE.
Learn more about the HB 2235 Workgroup here, and see a list of members here.
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