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I’m Dr. Christa Jones and I have the privilege of serving as the Deputy Director for Service Delivery in the Behavioral Health Division (BHD). If you’ve been following along, you know that each month we’re rotating this newsletter to focus on a different area of work within BHD. When I sat down to write about the Service Delivery area, I knew there was no way to give you detailed insight into all of our work in just a few hundred words. Our unit includes more than 20 programs and 96 staff. Instead, I found myself reflecting on how I could define what connects all of us – whether we focus on youth or adults, contracts or regulations.
For me, it’s the character and vision of our team that unifies us across focus areas. Every time I speak with a member of our team about what brings them to this work, the answer is the same: a passion for tending to community and a desire to channel that into building a behavioral health system of care that works for every person in Oregon. Each person has a story about their lived experience, their convictions about just and equitable systems, and the joy and fulfillment they find in caring for others. After nine months in this role, it’s clear to me that across Service Delivery, our hearts and experiences span as wide as our professional and academic expertise.
In Service Delivery, it’s our responsibility to ensure adequate behavioral health supports and services across the lifespan for all people in Oregon. Centering care and healing in our approach to the work is essential. It allows us to create, monitor and maintain access to services and supports when community members need them most and support our provider community to reach their local goals.
At the end of this newsletter, you’ll find more information about how we organize our work across three core teams and over the coming months I’m committed to diving deeper into specific projects. Thank you for taking the time to read and thank you for bringing your own unique care and perspective to this work. We’re all in it together.
In gratitude,
Christa
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In this issue:
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This month, Governor Kotek released her budget request for the next two-year state budget cycle. The Governor’s proposed budget provides $39.6 billion in total funds ($6.2 billion in state general funds) to OHA for the next two-year state budget cycle. In total, the Governor’s budget represents a 6.7% increase to support OHA's programs, partners, and mission.
The Governor’s budget builds on the progress the state has made to reduce homelessness and strengthen the behavioral health and education systems. Below is a summary of key behavioral health investments included in the Governor’s recommended budget.
- More than $130 million to maintain Medicaid rates for behavioral health treatment programs so they can treat more people who need care and retain committed staff.
- $100 million to expand Oregon’s residential mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment capacity with $10 million dedicated to expanding psychiatric and SUD treatment capacity specifically for children.
- $50 million to grow and diversify the behavioral health workforce through tuition assistance, scholarships, loan repayment and other investments; $25 million will be administered in partnership with OHA through the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
- $10 million to support the Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse and combat opioid overdoses statewide.
- $14.4 million to expand behavioral health services for youth, including $6 million for school-based mental health services and substance use screening and prevention through School-based Health Centers, $1 million to expand youth suicide prevention programs (especially for youth of color), $7 million to deliver intensive in-home behavioral health treatment for children and youth, and $395k for Medicaid Home and Community-based Services for children.
- $49.7 million increase to stabilize the Oregon State Hospital (OSH) and ensure it has the capacity and staffing to sustain compliance with admissions and other requirements, including funding for additional positions, reclassification of some positions, enhanced security contracts, patient vitals monitoring, Native services, some facility improvements, and computer system upgrades.
- $14.7 million for community behavioral health treatment to support local jail diversion and deflection programs. These programs help people who are engaged in substance use and have encountered law enforcement, providing them with needed treatment services, instead of incarceration.
- $14 million to sustain and expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), which integrate behavioral with physical health care.
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Notice of community engagement: Intermediate and skilled nursing facilities (Chapter 309 - Division 048)
- January 27, 2024 from 9:00am to 11:00am
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Meeting location: Microsoft teams
- Meeting ID: 298 884 268 408
- Passcode: QtGRYe
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The two funding opportunities below are only open to centers of higher education in Oregon.
Open Request for Proposal: Develop and operate the Oregon Center of Excellence for Assertive Community Treatment (Oregon Buys #44300-00012003)
The State of Oregon, acting by and through the Oregon Health Authority, Adult Mental Health Program issued a Request for Proposal for an institute of higher education in Oregon to develop and operate the Oregon Center of Excellence for Assertive Community Treatment (OCEACT).OCEACT supports the implementation and sustainability of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) services consistent with ACT fidelity and current research. The primary function is to provide technical assistance support in ways that upholds the evidence practice model of the “Tool for Measurement of ACT” that is recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration.
OHA anticipates this solicitation will award one contract. The initial “Term” of a resultant contract will be from January 15, 2025 through June 30, 2025, for a not-to-exceed amount of $1 million for development of the Center. After development, the contract will continue on a biennium cycle beginning July 1, 2025 with a not-to-exceed amount of $2.9 million for the continued operation of this program.
The full solicitation is available on Oregon Buys, here. Proposals are due December 27 at 3:00pm PST.
Open Request for Proposal: Oregon Supported Employment Center for Excellence (Oregon Buys #44300-00012002)
The State of Oregon, acting by and through the Oregon Health Authority, Adult Mental Health Program issued a Request for Proposal for an institute of higher education in Oregon to develop and operate the Oregon Supported Employment Center for Excellence (OSECE). OSECE supports the implementation and sustainability of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Supported Employment (SE) services consistent with the IPS model and current research. The primary function is to provide technical assistance support based on National best practices and current SE model.
OHA anticipates this solicitation will award one contract. The initial “Term” of a resultant Contract will be from January 15, 2025 through June 30, 2025, for a not-to-exceed amount of $674,981.00. OHA may extend award. OHA may receive over $1.8 million for the continued operation of this program.
The full solicitation is available on Oregon Buys, here. Proposals are due December 27 at 3:00pm PST
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This month we’re sharing an overview of the core teams within the Service Delivery. Future months will feature other areas across BHD. A BHD org chart is available here.
The Child and Family Behavioral Health (CFBH) unit is committed to delivering equitable and effective behavioral health services for individuals aged 0-25 and their families. CFBH utilizes a System of Care approach that integrates developmental science and trauma-informed practices. The unit coordinates care across multiple systems, such as juvenile justice and education, emphasizing community-based interventions and peer-delivered services. It resources a helpline for parents and caregivers to reduce crisis incidents by offering support and resource connections.
CFBH focus areas include:
- Suicide prevention, including aligning with Oregon’s Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan and managing prevention program contracts, collaborating with school districts, and evaluating intervention effectiveness
- Service and program interventions for parent-child relationship issues, addiction and trauma responsive treatment through evidence-based programs like Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Collaborative Problem Solving
- Community-based treatment and early identification, including the Early Assessment Support Alliance and the Oregon Psychiatric Access Line
- School based mental health services
- Juvenile Fitness to Proceed services for youth
- Mobile Response and Stabilization Services that offer community-based alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization
- Intensive In-Home Behavioral Health Treatment for children with complex needs, aiming to prevent out-of-home placement
Through advisory groups, the unit actively engages youth and families in policy development and oversight, providing funding and technical assistance to local communities to promote mental wellness and reduce stigma, emphasizing the importance of social and emotional determinants of health.
The unit is led by CFBH Director, Chelsea Holcomb.
The Adult Behavioral Health unit is dedicated to developing and managing the infrastructure, programs, and services for adults aged 18 and up, focusing on mental health, substance use disorder services and a comprehensive crisis system. This includes building the state's behavioral health crisis system and ensuring services range from community-based outpatient care to secure treatment settings. Their approach prioritizes harm reduction and patient-centered treatment planning, aiming to provide whole-person care across the behavioral health continuum in the least restrictive settings possible.
The Adult Behavioral Health unit plays a critical role in planning and administering federal behavioral health block grants and the State Opioid Response grant for non-Medicaid services. They coordinate the County Financial Assistance Agreements and the substance use disorder Medicaid waiver, working to fill service gaps through federal grants and partnerships with CCOs.
This unit also coordinates the efforts of the Saves Lives Oregon/Salvando Vidas Oregon (SLO) and the harm reduction clearinghouse. SLO is a community led initiative that partners experts in harm reduction across the care continuum and OHA. The clearinghouse offers free naloxone and harm reduction supplies to community-based organizations who serve people who use substances.
The unit is led by Adult Behavioral Health Director, Samantha Byers.
The Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Unit is a cross-division team dedicated to implementing Oregon’s current Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) demonstration program, enhancing the CCBHC model, and expanding the program statewide under a forthcoming state plan amendment. BHD primarily oversees administrative functions, compliance, provider and community partner engagement, and coordinating overall program and policy planning. The CCBHC team comprises subject matter experts from BHD, OHA’s Medicaid and Health Policy and Analytics Divisions, and Office of Actuarial and Financial Analytics. This collaborative approach aims to strengthen the CCBHC model and improve access to comprehensive, coordinated behavioral health services across Oregon.
The unit is led by Program Administrator, Samantha DuPont.
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