3
street roots
Nov. 8, 2013
Oregon prepares for $20 million mental health roll-out
BY JASMINE ROCKOW
House Bill 3601. The bill imposed a new tax
on cigarettes, adding another $20 million to
regon’s mental health care systems
OHA’s mental health budget for the 2013-
gained attention and new money
2015 biennium.
from the 2013 legislative sessions -
“We still have a long way to go,” says
and more is on the way. While this is good
Oregon State Rep. Peter Buckley
news for Portlanders, especially those
(D-Ashland). “I think it’s a good step, but I
experiencing homelessness, mental health
think $20 million gets us about a third of
problems or addiction, it’s not enough to
the way of where we need to be, with a
meet the region’s growing need.
comprehensive statewide system.”
An estimated one-quarter of the nation’s
The budget money, plus $10 million of
homeless population lives with some kind of the cigarette tax money, is available now.
severe mental illness, according to The
OHA spent the last month posting requests
National Coalition for the Homeless.
for proposals to their website. The money
And it’s costing them their lives. The
has been divvied up by different types of
National Association of State Mental Health
services — supported housing, crisis
Program Directors has found that on
services, jail diversion, among others — and
average, people with severe mental illness
any organization that provides those types
die 25 years earlier than the general
of services in the community can apply for a
population.
piece of the funds.
These facts have policy makers and
“What we are aware of is that there are a
health care providers searching for
lot of systems that are doing a lot of great
solutions. Both groups agree that tackling
work,” says Pam Martin, Addictions and
such a complex problem requires three
Mental Health Director at OHA. “Rather
things: money, effective policies and
than being overly prescriptive about where
efficient execution.
this money needs to go, we’re putting out
Many mental health care workers are
requests for proposals and saying to
cautiously optimistic. Health care reforms
community mental health providers: What
ushered in the coordinated care
do you need and where are your gaps? How
organizations and their integrated model of
would you use these funds to complete your
care. The Affordable Care Act allowed for
program?”
the expansion of Medicaid, extending health
The remaining half of the cigarette tax
care coverage to Oregon’s poorest citizens.
money, another $10 million, has been set
And 2013 brings an influx of funds to mental aside for new development in supported
health care after years of cuts. But even
housing. The state legislature will
with the boost in funding, some say that it’s
decide what that development
nowhere near enough.
looks like in the regular February
“It will be drunk up very quickly,” says
session next year. National
Jason Renaud of the Mental Health
Alliance on Mental Illness, or
Association of Portland. “It’s about one-
NAMI, plans to re-submit their
tenth of what’s needed.”
In July the state’s legislative budget
allocated $65.1 million to the Oregon Health
STAFF WRITER
O
"We s till have a long way to
go. I think it's a good step,
hut I th in k $ 2 0 m illio n gets
ns about a th ird of the way of
where we need to be, w ith a
comprehensive statewide
system."
— STATE REP. PETER BUCKLEY
(D-ASHLAND)
proposal that went unnoticed in this year’s
legislative session, HB 3332.
NAMI’s proposal would install a
specialized housing fund. Each region in the
state could then apply for funding on
projects that meet the specific needs of that
population. The state would fund 20 percent
of the project’s total cost, and developers
would obtain the remaining balance through
conventional sources.
Supported housing is affordable housing
and the services that help people stay in it,
all under one roof. Each housing project will
vary according to the specific population it
serves, with services ranging from peer-
delivered services, addiction support
groups, job training or child care.
In the past, alcohol and drug treatment
has been kept separate from mental health
services. But the reality is that many
people have co-occurring addiction and
mental health issues that also co-occur
with chronic health issues like
diabetes, lung disease, HIV, Hepatitis
C, etc.
co m m u n ity m e n ta l h e a lth p ro v id ers and
A u th o rity for in v e stm e n ts in m e n ta l h e a lth
Martin hopes they will have access to funds
by January. The state legislature meets in
February, with NAMI’s supportive housing
proposal on the table.
services. The Oregon Health Authority, or
OHA, is a government agency that oversees
state health care programs including
Medicaid. When legislators reconvened for
September’s short session, they passed
Attention poets!
Street Roots is proud to
announce the upcoming release
of "I Am Not A Poet," an
anthology of selected poems
from our first fifteen years of
publication. All proceeds from the
anthology go to support our
mission to create income
opportunities for people
experiencing homelessness and
poverty. As per our standard
publication agreement, all poems
previously published in the paper
are eligible for inclusion in the
anthology. If your poetry has
been published in the paper,
but you wish not to have it
appear in the anthology, please
notify Cole Merkel, 503-228-
5657, BY NOV. 15. The names of
poets whose work has been
selected for publication will be
available at the Street Roots
office.
I
Oregon’s changing health care system is
finally starting to catch up with what mental
health advocates have been saying for years:
mental illness, addiction, physical health and
homelessness are irrevocably entwined.
Supported housing and peer-delivered
services offer the most hope for people
dealing with these issues.
Jamie Montoya says supportive housing
helped her escape homelessness and lead a
healthier, more fulfilling life. Two years ago,
she was living in a homeless shelter and
wrestling with severe symptoms of bipolar
disorder. She obtained transitional housing
through Cascadia Behavioral Health.
“That opportunity made it so that I
haven’t had to go back to a hospital,” says
Montoya. “My mood has been stable. I’m
not worried if I am going to get hurt out on
the street. Having a stable home not only
helps with my symptom management, but
also with my self-esteem, which led to me
starting to get off disability and getting a
job”
Today, she works as a Peer Wellness
Specialist with Cascadia Behavioral Health.
The position is an important part of the
recovery care model. Cascadia’s Senior
Director of Peer and Wellness Services,
Meghan Caughey has been a leader in
bringing peer-delivered services to Oregon.
“For some people, having a Peer Wellness
Specialist means they are much more
comfortable engaging with what can be a
pretty intimidating mental health system,”
says Caughey. ‘‘Someone is coming across
from their own depth of experience, and
they have some real tangible empathy,
rather than any kind of hierarchy there.”
The next few months will reveal more
specifics about the direction Oregon’s
mental health care is going. In December,
OHA will begin awarding contracts to
A benefit to
support
Street Roots
Kristina Wright | Real Estate Agent
Bellmoore Realty
503/479.5764
Kristina@PortlandHome6alxom
* Kevn Kinney
'lik e ” on Facebook @ Portland Home Gal
•
a knavtedgeabte marketer
•
with a desgieTs eye
•
a professional photographer
Ashleish Flynn and
Chris Funk
Artis the Spoonman
• arxi a response aged
All wrapped into one
SM
ALTO?*
T h e n e w C hinook Book is here!
Get yours today and j
help the sustainable |
economy grow
Featuring poetry from our Art Partner, Street Roots
. ...__...... ...... . . .
/
Purchase your tickets today at
www.albertarosetheatre.com