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 Dec. 2, 2024
In this issue...
Reflections from Oregon Health Authority's (OHA) Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Service Delivery
I’m Christa Jones (she/her), and I serve as the Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Service Delivery. Our newly formed unit includes both adult and children’s behavioral health services.
It’s been an incredible journey — offering opportunities to meet talented and compassionate individuals, deepen my understanding of Oregon’s child/family and adult systems of care, and learn more about the issues, challenges, and successes impacting our state.
This season is a time of festivities, connection, and community for many. For others, it can bring feelings of isolation, grief and stress. The season comes at some of us seemingly all at once. As we navigate the highs and lows, we recognize that so much is beyond our control. To regain control, I’ve found it helpful to set personal intentions: to commit to one thing, no matter how small, that I can prioritize during this season.
As we enter December, I’ve been reflecting: What is December about? What word first comes to mind for you?
In my early years as a psychologist-in-training, I was eager to soak up every technique and manualized treatment I could find. I believed that if I applied the right tool or said the right thing, I could make a difference in someone’s life. Over time, however, I came to realize that while techniques are useful, it’s the relationships we build that truly foster healing. To be seen, to be heard, and to feel that our strengths and goodness are recognized — that’s what makes the real difference.
For me, this December is about relationships. It’s about my relationship with myself — prioritizing self-care, personal growth, and the activities that bring me joy. It’s about my understanding of my struggles — finding grace and connection even in difficult moments. Grounded in authenticity and trust, it’s about how I relate to friends and family. It’s about my connection with my community, founded on empathy and mutual support.
What is December about for you?
If you find this time of year especially challenging, please know that you’re not alone. There are many individuals and programs across Oregon ready to support you. Some resources to consider:
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While this newsletter reaches many, I hope to connect with you and explore how Child and Family Behavioral Health (CFBH) can support you in achieving your intentions for this season and beyond.
Take care,
Christa
Protective factors that support good mental health often come from strong social connections. One place to build those connections is through sports, where playing a sport helps both the body and the mind. OHA is supporting Marion County Health and Human Services in work with the Capital Fútbol Club to promote mental health awareness. Their first action in this partnership is to display the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on the soccer fields. Large banners in both Spanish and English are now up around the complex to let the community know where they can go for help if they, or someone they know, is dealing with a mental health challenge.
“Mental health is just as essential as physical health in youth sports. When we support the emotional well-being of young athletes, we empower them to enjoy the game, build resilience, and reach their full potential on and off the field,” says Collin Box, Executive Director for the Capital Fútbol Club.
For the future, the partnership is considering mental health training for coaches, referees, and parents. “We are grateful for incredible community partners dedicated to the health of our young people,” says Kelly Martin, the Marion County Health and Human Services, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Coordinator.
 From left to right Collin Box, Likus Hafeni, Kelly Martin, Mike Cowan, Gian Munguia
We have been facilitating multiple community engagement sessions to gather feedback for Fidelity Wraparound and Intensive In-Home Behavioral Health Treatment (IIBHT). These sessions included providers, coordinated care organizations (CCOs), community mental health programs (CMHPs), peers, parents/caregivers and youth. The feedback has been documented and reviewed, and clear themes emerged for both programs.
IIBHT is in the process of updating the Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) to address these themes. There will be one additional community engagement session that will be held in December 2024. Additional information will be posted to the OHA Rules Advisory Committees and Community Engagement website. Please contact Beth Holliman with any questions: Beth.Holliman@oha.oregon.gov.
Wraparound is in the process of analyzing and reviewing themes before drafting potential rule changes. The community will have an opportunity to comment on proposed rule revisions in the first half of 2025. For more information, please contact Christianna.C.Rhoads@oha.oregon.gov.
Psychiatric residential and day treatment services for children and adolescents rules are also being reviewed. We are beginning to engage the community in discussion and gather input regarding potential changes to OAR 309.022 (Children & Adolescents: Intensive Treatment Services rule). Sessions are planned for the following dates: Dec. 5, 11, 13, and 17. Beginning in mid-January we will invite participation in the official Rules Advisory Committee. Anyone with an interest is invited to attend. For more information, please contact Julie.Graves2@oha.oregon.gov.
We are seeking to increase the number of beds and location of Young Adult in Transition Residential Treatment Homes (YAT RTH). These homes are for young adults (17 through 24 years of age) who experience complex behavioral health challenges. They are also called Transition Age Youth Residential Treatment Homes (TAY RTH). YAT RTH providers focus on helping residents develop the skills they need for a successful transition into adulthood and provide 24-hour supervision and support.
To increase YAT RTH capacity, we have issued a new Request for Information (RFI). The deadline for completing and filing the RFI is Monday, December 16.
Please contact Christie Taylor at Christie.taylor@oha.oregon.gov if you have any questions or concerns.
In his recent advisory, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy addresses the growing mental health crisis affecting parents and caregivers. The advisory highlights the significant levels of stress that parents are experiencing, with new findings showing that 33 percent of parents report high levels of stress, compared to just 20 percent of other adults. This chronic stress is not only detrimental to parents' mental health but also has effects on their children's well-being. Children of parents who struggle with mental health issues are at higher risk for symptoms such as depression and anxiety, and they are more likely to experience these challenges earlier, more frequently, and for longer duration.
Supporting parents' mental health is crucial, as it directly impacts the health and development of children. The advisory calls for a series of policy changes and expanded community-based programs to address these concerns. These include ensuring parents have access to paid leave to care for a sick child, affordable childcare, reliable mental health care, and opportunities for social connection through supportive community initiatives.
"The well-being of parents as caregivers is a critical and underappreciated public health priority,” says Dr. Murthy.
The stress many parents face often stems from unrealistic expectations, which can lead to exhaustion and burnout. The challenges of raising children vary at each stage, from sleepless nights in the early years to navigating transitions and dealing with adolescent risk-taking behaviors and peer pressures. Additionally, the added pressure of social media in today’s world has compounded these challenges.
We hope that you will take the time to review the full Advisory to learn more about this “urgent public health issue.”
From L to R: Jessie Eagan, CFBH manager, Representative Rob Nosse, Bernardino De La Torre, CFBH Youth Young Adult SUD Program Policy Coordinator
Held at the University of Oregon (UO) on Oct. 28, the Youth & Young Adult Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Symposium marked its second annual year. This annual event is a collaboration between UO College of Education and the Mental Health and Addition Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO) and provided attendees with continuing education credits.
The symposium featured opening speaker Ebony Clarke, OHA Behavioral Health Director, and keynote speaker Oregon State Representative Rob Nosse. Youth and young adult panelists from 4D Youth Recovery Center, Harmony Academy, and the Center for Community Living Above shared their lived experiences in recovery and commitment to substance use prevention. Other presenters included Claire Raujol, Chair of Oregon Coalition of Prevention Professionals, who introduced the Oregon Prevention Framework, Dr. Tony Biglan of the Oregon Research Institute, who led an interactive session on evidence-based practices in school substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, and Dr. Ana Hilde, who presented on creating school-based behavioral health programs.
The 2024 symposium was shaped by feedback from the 2023 survey. The collaborative was established to engage youth, community members, and other providers in improving Oregon’s substance use systems of care. The presentations were recorded, and links will be on the CFBH website as they become available.
Working closely with our residential providers, we are implementing a new referral management system. This will enable us to centrally gather data on referrals, admission and program capacity. This system will provide insights, including:
- How many young people have been referred to a residential program at a given time.
- How long it takes for a referred youth to be admitted to one of these programs after referral.
- Real-time updates on census and bed availability in these residential programs.
The aim for this work is to determine the optimal number of residential beds that Oregon needs to have available for children and adolescents.
- The goal capacity number was established in 2019 after discussions with multiple child serving systems.
- 286 was determined to be the number of psychiatric residential beds needed for youth in Oregon.
- Data collected in RCM will help OHA and Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) reassess and adjust the goal as necessary.
Currently, five of eight psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTF) are actively using RCM and submitting this data daily. Two programs are submitting data outside of RCM to decrease administrative burdens. We are working with the eighth PRTF provider to create a plan for data submission.
Three substance use disorder residential treatment programs are learning to use RCM. They continue to partner with us to provide data and explore how to integrate RCM into their work.
 The graph presents data from the past six months for bed capacity. The x-axis represents time (in months), while the y-axis indicates the number of residential beds available. Each bar represents the number of beds available in a given month.
Explanatory detail for the graph:
- In June 2024, Embark Behavioral Health youth residential program in Bend, Oregon began participating in data collection. They are licensed for 50 beds but their program capacity is 16. Since becoming licensed as a PRTF, they have not been able to serve more than 10 youth at a time, due to direct care staffing and therapist shortages.
- In July 2024, the Clementine West Linn program began participating in data collection, adding 12 licensed beds. Clementine is a specialty program for youth whose primary diagnosis is related to disordered eating. Clementine is often able to serve youth 12 at a time, as they have experienced some stability in their staffing that other programs have not been able to achieve.
- In October 2024, Looking Glass raised their total number of program beds from 18 to 22. They now have 18 beds available to youth referred through the Child Welfare Treatment Services team, and an additional 4 beds available to youth referred through their CCO.
- The number of program beds has risen from 200 beds to 238 over the summer and has settled at 236.
Please note that the Madrona Recovery beds are being counted in both the psychiatric residential data as well as the substance use disorder residential data. This is duplicative and can cause the total number of youth residential beds to appear inflated. Madrona does not designate a certain number of beds specifically to mental health or substance use treatment, so there is not currently a way to split out those beds. The CFBH team is working to find a more accurate way to display this data in the future.
 Terminology
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Licensed beds: The maximum number of beds a program can operate as a Child Caring Agency through ODHS.
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Program beds: The number of beds in the residential program that the agency strives to have available. Also known as highest possible capacity.
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Maximum operational capacity: This number the maximum number of beds filled during a given month. This is calculated by adding the census of each program together for each day of the month and then identifying the highest number.
Our partners at the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide are pleased to have new leadership, Charlette Lumby (Chair) and Don Erikson (Vice-Chair). OHA, and the Alliance, appreciate their willingness to commit the time and energy to advancing the mission of suicide prevention. Our deep gratitude also goes to Galli Murray, LCSW, for their dedicated service and commitment during their time in this role.
Charlotte Lumby is the co-founder of Incite Agency for Change and a Cardiac Rehabilitation RN with 15 years of experience as an Intensive Care Unit and Rapid Response Nurse. She is involved in Oregon’s Youth and Adult Suicide Prevention Plan as a certified trainer in multiple suicide prevention, intervention and postvention programs.
Currently, she collaborates with United Way on curriculum for case managers working with the homeless community. Her work has earned multiple awards, and she brings invaluable personal experience as a mother of a young adult in recovery.
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Don Erickson is a retired mental health therapist and consultant specializing in Somatic Trauma Therapy. Formerly Chief Administrative Officer at ODHS, he initiated the creation of Oregon’s first Trauma Aware program, a pioneering policy in state government. The program has trained over 10,000 ODHS staff in trauma response and suicide prevention techniques, including QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer).
He also co-chairs the Workforce Development Committee for the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide.
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The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has announced the authorization of three ODE approved recovery high schools in Oregon. Under House Bill 2767 (2023), ODE plans to open a total of nine recovery high schools within the next five years. |
Recovery high schools are designed to provide students with a specialized high school education experience. This is tailored to meet the needs of students in recovery from substance use disorder and co-occurring behavioral health challenges. Recovery schools are traditional high schools that deliver high-quality education leading to an Oregon high school diploma. Additionally, they support students in recovery from substance use and co-occurring mental health challenges. They provide supports within the school day to promote a safe and supportive environment, which helps students maintain abstinence and stay in recovery.
Recovery schools are schools, not programs; students choose to attend. These schools are not treatment programs and students are not placed or forced to attend. Students must be ready to make a life-changing decision and choose recovery. Students can stay in a recovery school all four years and graduate with their peers who are also on the recovery journey with them.
Recovery schools can be sponsored and operated by school districts, education service districts (ESDs) or public charter schools. Applications will open in January 2025 for the authorization of three more recovery schools.
Currently. ODE-approved recovery high schools in Oregon are:
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Harmony Academy, located on the Marylhurst University campus in Lake Oswego, serving approximately 50 students. Harmony Academy opened its doors in 2019 as the first recovery high school in Oregon. Now the school is accredited through the Association of Recovery Schools (ARS).
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Rivercrest Academy, located in Northeast Portland, serving approximately 30 students. Rivercrest is starting its second year as a recovery high school and transitioning from a program of Multnomah Educational Service District.
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Discovery Academy, located in Salem, will be operated by the Willamette Education Service District (WESD) and will open their doors in spring 2025.
If you are interested in learning more about Oregon recovery high schools or want to know how you can help support a recovery school in your community, please visit ODE's Recovery Schools web page.
Burnout and How to Complete the Stress Cycle on "Unlocking Us with Brené Brown"
In this episode, Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski discuss burnout — what causes it, its effect on our bodies, and how to overcome emotional exhaustion. The sisters emphasize the importance of completing the stress cycle to prevent burnout and achieve well-being.
Find events, opportunities, trainings and resources in last month’s posting on our newsletter page. Many of these trainings are also on our training opportunities web page. We will send updates mid-month — Look for the next one in your inbox on December 15.
For feedback and suggestions for our newsletter and information: kids.team@oha.oregon.gov.
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