Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed a package of behavioral health bills aimed at expanding the workforce, improving workplace safety and increasing access to mental health and addiction services.
The legislation comes as the state faces significant workforce shortages in behavioral health. The Higher Education Coordinating Commission surveyed 14 behavioral health profession types, finding nine that faced high turnover risk, according to a May 7 news release from the governor’s office.
Here are four things to know:
- The legislation includes House Bill 4083, which streamlines Medicaid credentialing and expands access to clinical supervision for behavioral health providers, and House Bill 4069, which requires employers to implement written workplace safety plans for behavioral health workers.
- Lawmakers also approved House Bill 4115 to streamline background checks for behavioral health workers by extending checks from two to three years and allowing portability across care settings.
- Senate Bill 1547 creates a credential for behavioral health professionals trained to work with adolescents through the Ballmer Institute at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
- Ms. Kotek also signed Senate Bill 1546, which requires AI chatbot operators to disclose artificial interactions and establish safeguards related to self-harm and suicidal ideation particularly for minors.
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