The Oregon Health Authority is launching a five-year, $850 million plan to add residential beds for addiction and mental health treatment in the state, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported Sept. 30.
The plan was unveiled at a Senate Health Care Committee hearing. Here are six things to know:
1. The Oregon Health Authority does not build or operate facilities; instead, it awards state funds to projects. Most residential facilities are operated by nonprofits, healthcare providers or others. Therefore, to meet the increased demand for beds, the private sector will need to be involved, according to the report.
2. Oregon needs to double the number of staffed beds of people in residential care. The current capacity is 4,033 beds with another 356 expected by the end of 2025. However, the state is still in need of 3,714 beds to meet demand.
"We know how critical facility-based care is," Ebony Clarke, behavioral health director for the Oregon Health Authority, told lawmakers. "We are navigating and trying to climb out of the hole that was created during the pandemic and even pre-pandemic."
3. The agency has received 63 submissions across 19 counties to fund new facilities. If each were fully funded, it would cost $400 million. The health authority said it plans to work with the governor's office to budget proposals for the upcoming session.
4. The Chronicle estimated that Oregon needs to increase mental health residential facility beds by 10% while secure treatment facilities need a 34% increase in beds.
5. Residential drug treatment centers expect to open an additional 1,418 beds, but the state needs an additional 2,357 beds over that amount. This year, legislators approved $121 million for addiction treatment centers, recovery housing, crisis stabilization centers and primary care clinics.
6. Although the facility and beds are being funded, critics said not enough is being done to find workers to run facilities and treat patients.