Thirty-six Oregon counties have signed updated County Financial Assistance Agreements, completing the state’s transition away from a 30-year-old contractual model for behavioral health services, according to a June 4 news release from Gov. Tina Kotek’s office.
Here are three things to know:
- All counties have signed the updated agreements. The milestone establishes statewide expectations, accountability measures and stronger responsiveness to community needs.
- The agreements provide a statewide view of behavioral health spending and service delivery. State officials said the updated framework allows Oregon to track how counties deploy state-funded behavioral health resources, identify service gaps and prioritize future investments.
- The effort follows significant behavioral health investments. Since 2021, the state has invested more than $300 million to expand residential mental health and substance use disorder treatment capacity statewide. The state also funded 24/7 crisis services, including access through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and expanded behavioral health workforce development programs.
At the Becker's Fall Behavioral Health Summit, taking place November 4–5 in Chicago, behavioral health leaders and executives will explore strategies for expanding access to care, integrating services, addressing workforce challenges and leveraging innovation to improve outcomes across the behavioral health continuum. Apply for complimentary registration now.