November 13, 2025

RESPIRATORY VIRUSES

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MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

In this issue:

• Innovative high school program equips students for behavioral health careers
• Oregon seeks $1 billion federal investment in rural healthcare
• Saying farewell to our poetry section
• What's new on our social media
• Dr. Steven Nakana named Oregon Health Authority’s Equity & Inclusion Division Director
• Recreational use health advisories lifted for three Oregon waterways
• Q & A
• Respiratory virus and other communicable disease resources

Innovative high school program equips students for behavioral health careers

High school juniors and seniors are gaining real world experience to explore career paths in behavioral health through the High School Behavioral Health Career and Technical Education (CTE) grant program. 

Oregon Health Authority is using grant funding from Oregon Senate Bill 5525 to support programs in Salem-Keizer, Sunset-Beaverton and Lane County school districts. The bill allocates funding to strengthen the behavioral health workforce through incentives and training.

Oregon seeks $1 billion federal investment in rural healthcare

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has applied to the federal Rural Health Transformation Program for up to $1 billion in grant funding to strengthen healthcare in rural and frontier communities.   The funding would support expanding access to care, growing the healthcare workforce, modernizing technology and investing in community-driven wellness initiatives. OHA hosted virtual public forums, conducted surveys and consulted with Oregon’s Nine Federally Recognized Tribes, hospitals, clinics and community partners to develop the application. The conversations revealed that people in Oregon prioritize prevention, healthy communities and workforce resilience.

Saying farewell to our poetry section

Thank you to the Oregon Health News community for exploring the intersection of poetry and wellbeing for over two years. Together, we have shared over 100 poems on the challenges and joys of living and moving through the world.

We're exploring new ways to connect with our readers and will no longer feature poetry in the newsletter. But we hope that you will continue to turn to poetry as a self-care practice. You can learn more about how poetry promotes mental healing from the original 2023 blog post.

Oregon Health Authority has a range of resources available to help you find the mental health support you need.

What's new on our social media

Everyone 6 months and older can get the updated 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine. No prescription needed. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Contact your pediatrician or health care provider with questions. If you don't have a health care provider, contact your local health center or call 211. Use VaccineFinder to find vaccines near you.

Raw dairy hasn't been pasteurized to kill harmful germs, including bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause diseases. Pasteurization kills viruses and bacteria. Symptoms of foodborne illness from raw milk include diarrhea, stomach cramping and vomiting. Learn more about raw dairy's health risks at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raw milk web page.

Dr. Steven Nakana named Oregon Health Authority’s Equity & Inclusion Division Director

After a national search, Oregon Health Authority has named Dr. Steven Nakana the permanent director of Oregon Health Authority’s Equity & Inclusion Division. Dr. Nakana’s arrival underscores OHA’s commitment to creating systems where everyone can thrive.

Dr. Nakana has more than 15 years of leadership experience. He served as Director of Community Health Partnerships – Metro at CareOregon, where he developed health equity strategy in collaboration with local leaders and community-based organizations.

Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions at Portland Community College, Portland General Electric, Port of Portland and Mercy Corps. 

Read a press release about Dr. Nakana to learn more.

Recreational use health advisories lifted for three Oregon waterways

Oregon Health Authority has lifted recreational use health advisories for:

• Bully Creek Reservoir in Malheur County
• Unity Reservoir in Baker County
• Powder Arm of Brownlee Reservoir in Baker County

NOTE: There is still an advisory for the Snake River portion of Brownlee Reservoir.

Only a fraction of water bodies in Oregon are monitored for blooms and toxins so it's important for people to become familiar with signs of a bloom. Avoid swimming in or swallowing water that is pea-green or blue-green, foamy, scummy or thick like paint. Also avoid water with thick brownish-red mats or bright green clumps suspended in the water.

To learn more and to see a list of current advisories, visit our When in Doubt, Stay Out! Cyanobacteria Harmful Algae Blooms web page.

Q & A

Questions are answered by experts at OHA, other state agencies or community partners.

Q:  Why can’t pharmacists vaccinate children under 7 years old for COVID-19? – Jane, Manzanita

A: The State Board of Pharmacists has adopted an Oregon law on vaccines, patient care services, drugs and devices (ORS 689.645). The law allows pharmacists to:

• In general, give vaccines to people aged 7 years and older
• Give the flu vaccine to people aged 6 months or older

The law doesn't allow pharmacists to give the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone under age 7. However, during a public health emergency, pharmacists can vaccinate children aged 3 – 6. But because we’re not in a public health emergency at this time, you must speak with your pediatrician or health care provider about COVID-19 vaccinations for children under 7 years old.

If you have questions about health topics in Oregon, submit your question here. Although we are unable to answer every question, we try to address those of interest to a broad audience. Please understand that we are unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.

If you or someone you love needs mental health support for any reason, help is out there.

Respiratory virus and other communicable disease resources

• Find a vaccine
• Oregon respiratory virus data (COVID-19, RSV, flu), including wastewater data
• U.S. respiratory virus data (COVID-19, RSV, flu)
• Guidance for respiratory viruses
• Communicable diseases in Oregon

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An archive of past Oregon Health News bulletins can be found here.