SALEM, Ore. — Oregon’s behavioral health networkers are asking lawmakers to up their biannual budget by $14 million to cover the cost they say early state hospital discharges are putting on them.
“We need more people, and it runs the gamut from qualified mental health professionals that are master’s licensed peer support specialist, contracted forensic, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, we need case managers and housing navigators. We need everybody,” said Cherryl Ramirez, executive director for the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs.
Once discharged, the next step for so-called “aid and assist patients” is intended to be county restoration programs that can range from secure residential treatment centers with locked doors to less supervised supportive housing.
Portions of those services are covered by taxpayers nationwide through Medicaid, whereas the State Hospital is mostly funded through Oregon taxpayer dollars.
The increased State Hospital discharge rate is the result of a federal judge ruling in a case brought against the State Hospital and the Oregon Health Authority by Disability Rights Oregon.
In an effort to reduce the time people with a mental health issue spend in jail, District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman called on the state hospital to start admitting more aid and assist patients.
Because the hospital capacity was not allowing it to comply with the order, in September of 2022, Mosman also ordered a new discharge timeline for aid and assist patients.
Oregon State Hospital Superintendent Dolly Matteucci told lawmakers the hospital is now in compliance with the orders.
But Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson described the downstream effects Oregon counties are feeling as a “behavioral health conveyer belt.”
“We fixed one part but the rest of our system is really feeling it,” she said. “Community restoration is sometimes just not set up for these individuals. They are either denying to engage or in Marion County we have several folks that have come back on community restoration that have committed new crime.”
Clarkson pointed out that the facilities equipped to deal with patients needing the highest levels of care are also the ones with the least amount of capacity.
“I think it’s clear everyone is trying to help. Everyone is trying to do the right thing. Everyone wants people to be healthier and to be served, but there is this black hole of unserved people. That is not happening, and that is what is impacting our jail, that is what is impacting community restorative services in our local county health departments,” she said.
The county also has a pending lawsuit filed in state court against the State Hospital and OHA. It claims the State Hospital is violating Oregon law by not complying with the federal judge’s order and releasing patients before they are fully rehabilitated.