SALEM, Ore. — After making record profits over the COVID-19 pandemic, the companies that administer Oregon's Medicaid plan will commit $25 million to expand behavioral health services in the state. Gov. Tina Kotek's office announced the plan on Thursday, saying that the funds will focus on services for youth.
“Oregon needs more treatment options to help young people in our state who are struggling with serious behavioral health issues,” Governor Kotek said. “The state and CCOs developed a plan to reinvest surplus Medicaid dollars into Oregon communities, and this partnership will support youth behavioral health projects that we desperately need.”
Oregon offers health insurance to low-income residents and people with disabilities through the Oregon Health Plan, an expansion of Medicaid. But the plan is offered through a number companies, called coordinated care organizations (CCOs), that operate regionally throughout the state.
CCOs made "record, unanticipated profits" during the pandemic, Kotek's office said. While they demonstrated that funds are being reinvested into the community, Kotek's office said she asked that they work together to specifically put another $25 million into behavioral health services.
The Oregon Health Authority, CCOs and health care providers signed a memorandum of understanding on the partnership Thursday.
“I commend CCOs for working as a system to be a part of the solution for our statewide challenges,” said Ebony Clarke, OHA’s behavioral health director. “These investments will help spur and close projects that will propel the state forward in closing key program gaps that have been exacerbated by fentanyl in recent years. I look forward to this partnership making a real difference in Oregon communities.”
In the Portland metro area, $13.2 million will go to Trillium Family Services in order to expand capacity for psychiatric residential treatment beds. Another $2.3 million will go to expand that capacity in Lane County through Looking Glass Community Services.
Funding will also go to more rural areas of the state. In Douglas County, $7.5 million goes to a project by Adapt Integrated Health Care, which is already working on a new campus to support more treatment beds. Out in Morrow County, $2 million will go to a Community Counseling Solutions project in order to close a funding gap for new residential treatment beds.
"This resource will result in access to life saving care for those who need it, when they need it," said Dr. Greg Brigham, CEO of Adapt.
According to Brigham, the funding will enable them to replace antiquated facilities and more than triple residential treatment capacity from 40 beds to about 118 beds, located on a 40-acre campus just east of Roseburg.
“We are excited to see the positive impact that these investments will make in our state," added Sean Jessup, CEO of Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization.
