Oregon legislature passed many new investments in behavioral health
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The 2021 Oregon Legislative Assembly adjourned Saturday, June 26th, marking the end of this year’s legislative session. Among the many health-related bills that passed, Rep. Rob Nosse said this session featured significant new investments to support the behavioral and mental health of Oregonians.
“The 81st session will be remembered as the one where we finally started making investments to bring about the promise of the deinstitutionalization of people with mental illness and started making community-based treatment an actual reality.”
The legislature invested $474.4 million into a behavioral health bill package this session. Certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs), which provide mental health and substance abuse treatment regardless of insurance coverage, received $121 million. Another $130 million was allocated toward increasing capacity for licensed residential facilities for those with behavioral health needs.