Oregon Health Authority

The number of people seeking health care at Oregon’s school-based health centers (SBHC) has never been higher. Oregon’s 2025 SBHC Status Update shows 43,000 people (mostly school-aged youth ages 5 to 21) sought health care at one of Oregon’s 87 SBHCs, which are located throughout 28 counties. This amounted to nearly 149,000 patient visits: https://ow.ly/P0qF50WujFh SBHCs are clinics located in schools or on school grounds that provide community resources to support people’s health and well-being and have existed in Oregon since 1986. They provide access to comprehensive, youth-centered health services for children and youth, many of whom would otherwise go without care. According to the report: • Overall patient visits increased 15% since the previous year, and the number of patients increased almost 13%, rebounding from declines during the COVID-19 pandemic.  • A similar trend occurred in behavioral health services. Visits for all ages increased about 19% from the previous school year; and the number of behavioral health patients increased by 14%. • School-aged patients accounted for 71% of all SBHC visits and accounted for more than three clinic visits during the year, on average. One third of these patients received an immunization. • More than 2,000 dental visits were made by 1,298 school-aged patients. At a minimum, SBHCs serve students enrolled at the host school. However, many SBHCs serve other populations, such as student families, school staff, students at other schools, or the surrounding communities. Some operate year-round, and others only during the school year. Learn more about Oregon’s SBHCs: https://ow.ly/MLMK50WujFi

The Oregon Health Authority Beneficiary Advisory Committee (BAC) is recruiting! The BAC is a group where people with Medicaid can share their thoughts and ideas with OHA. It gives advice to the Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC) and to OHA about how to improve the Medicaid program in Oregon. You can apply to join the BAC if you are: •    A current or past Medicaid member (including OHP, Healthier Oregon, fee-for-service, or long-term supports) •    A family member of a Medicaid member •    A caregiver for a Medicaid member As a BAC member, you will: •    Share your ideas and experiences to help improve Medicaid •    Go to meetings (online or in person, at times that work for you) •    Serve a 3-year term •    Help make changes to things like: ✔️Services offered by Medicaid ✔️How care is managed ✔️How good the services are ✔️How people apply for and keep their coverage ✔️How OHA and CCOs talk with members and providers ✔️Fairness in health care, including language access and bias ✔️Help staff write reports with your feedback If you are interested in working to improve Oregon’s Medicaid program through the work of the BAC, apply by August 13: https://lnkd.in/gqiivfir **Stipend and/or travel reimbursement available for eligible members.** If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Wetherson at BAC.Info@odhsoha.oregon.gov, 503-793-1920.

OHA is pleased to announce the “988 Oregon: Connect to Hope" campaign, launching with the three-year anniversary of 988. Our goal is to make sure people across Oregon know they can call or text 988 to get free, confidential support - anytime, anywhere.

Investments in treatment are paying off in Oregon behavioral health system. OHA’s Behavioral Health Director Ebony Clarke delivered a powerful message at the Recovery Community Summit in Portland, highlighting how legislative investments in adult behavioral health residential treatment are transforming lives and reshaping the future of care in Oregon. New treatment centers are continuing to open statewide, thanks to investments from the Oregon State Legislature, especially in rural areas hit hard by the opioid crisis. Since June 2024, Oregon has added more than 240 beds and plans are to reach a total of 595 new beds by the end of 2026. • In the 2025 Legislative Session, Oregon passed House Bill 2059 establishing the Residential Behavioral Health Capacity Program within OHA. • The initiative appropriates $65 million from general fund to OHA to increase behavioral health capacity for adults statewide, addressing the critical gaps in mental health and substance use disorder services outlined in the Behavioral Health Residential +Facility Study. This momentum is part of Gov. Kotek’s behavioral health priority and a bold vision outlined in OHA’s Strategic Plan - building a stronger, responsive, and equitable behavioral health system for all Oregonians.

Big changes are coming to the WIC food list—for the first time since 2009. These long-awaited updates give WIC participants access to a wider variety of healthy, cultural relevant foods that better reflect the needs and preferences of today’s families. “The changes bring increased flexibility, variety and choice, allowing families to honor cultural traditions, enjoy shared meals and have healthy and whole food options,” said Tiare Sanna M.S., RDN, Oregon WIC director. “There are even better supports now for special dietary needs, including gluten-free, vegan and allergen-free options.” These changes are a meaningful step toward improving nutrition and food access for families with young children. Hear Perla Castillo, RD, nutrition consultant at Oregon WIC, discuss the updated food list. For more information, read our news release: https://ow.ly/wnim50WkNTr

Every Thursday at noon, parents, caregivers and family members in Oregon are invited to participate in “A Time for Families”—a free online discussion designed to help OHA understand the challenges and questions Oregon families have about behavioral health services for children, youth and young adults. “Hearing people’s stories helps keep us grounded in reality,” said Chelsea Holcomb, co-host of the meetings and director of OHA Child and Family Behavioral Health (CFBH). “Issues we’ve heard about during A Time for Families meetings have directly influenced where we’ve focused energy and influenced policy development.” Issues discussed at A Time for Families have included: • How to access treatment services, especially for those with high mental health needs. • The need for better step-down services after residential or intensive treatment services. • The difficulty parents have finding support if their youth is aggressive. • The loneliness felt by caregivers as they try to find help and support for their child. Details for A Time for Families: • WHEN: Each Thursday, noon to 1 p.m. • HOW: Join via Zoom: https://ow.ly/4ALv50WkKoH • COST: Free If you have questions about accommodations or need any assistance to participate, please contact Hilary Harrison at hilary.harrison@oha.oregon.gov or 503-209-1949 (voice/text). All relay calls accepted. We welcome non-English speakers and request two to three days’ notice to ensure we have interpretation services in place.

OHA is launching a summer Rethink the Drink campaign this week to encourage people in Oregon to consider their alcohol use. More than 2,500 people in Oregon die from alcohol-related causes every year. During summer months, the state sees liquor sales increase, which means there is more alcohol in communities and people may be drinking more. “Whether you’re at home, attending an event or outside at a gathering, it can feel like many of our favorite summer activities encourage drinking,” says Tom Jeanne, M.D., M.P.H., deputy state health officer and epidemiologist at OHA. “With an increase in summer drinking, we see an increase in the harms as well.” Rethink the Drink, an OHA initiative, aims to build healthier communities by decreasing excessive drinking and the harm it causes to individuals, families, and communities. Hear from Dr. Tom Jeanne, discuss excessive alcohol use and ways to prevent it during summer. For more information, read our news release: https://ow.ly/QF3x50WjWX8

OHA and county public health officials have confirmed the first measles case of 2025 in an unvaccinated adult. Anyone who received a measles vaccination at any time in their life has a very low risk of getting measles. But the disease is highly contagious, and the risk is much higher for anyone who has not received measles vaccination and has been exposed to the disease, unvaccinated pregnant people, infants younger than 1 year old and people with weakened immune systems. The best protection against measles is the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. For more information, read our news release: https://ow.ly/3Hnp50WfKSn

OHA is seeking public comment as part of its review of a proposed business deal between Providence Home Health & Hospice and Compassus. National hospice, palliative and home health provider Compassus has proposed acquiring 50% of Providence Home Health & Hospice in Oregon. This would involve Compassus taking over management of Providence’s Oregon home health and hospice agencies, which currently operate in the following areas: • Oregon City • Seaside • Hood River • Medford • Silverton/Mt. Angel • Salem • Portland • Beaverton • Newberg OHA’s Health Care Market Oversight program is reviewing this proposed deal to understand how it could affect people in Oregon, including its potential to impact health equity, health care costs, access and quality. If you have a comment about the transaction, you can email: hcmo.info@oha.oregon.gov, leave a voicemail at 503-945-6161 or fill out the public comment form: https://ow.ly/25qP50We83u

Juneteenth was first celebrated in 1865, when word of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached enslaved people in Galveston Bay, Texas, nearly two years after President Lincoln signed it into law. It has long been a day celebrated in communities across the U.S. but only became an official federal holiday in 2021, and an Oregon state holiday in 2022. While Juneteenth is a time for dedicated reflection and celebration, let’s remember that learning about and working towards racial justice should be an ongoing effort. To learn more about Juneteenth and associated traditions, here are a few resources: • Juneteenth Oregon history: https://juneteenthor.com/ • Juneteenth “Senses of Freedom,” Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC): https://lnkd.in/gqvPZFF