Oregon’s Mental Health Crisis: Millions Spent, No Results?
What’s going on in Oregon? The state throws hundreds of millions at mental health funding, yet real progress feels as elusive as a summer breeze in the dead of winter.
Sheriff Lane Magill from Wasco County has a bold vision: a “behavioral health campus” complete with recliners for short-term stays and 48 beds for longer-term treatment. Sounds great, right? But here’s the kicker—despite the avalanche of political enthusiasm and a mountain of cash in state and federal grants, the project is stuck in neutral.
Right now, all we have is a rundown, asbestos-ridden building sitting on a prime piece of property in The Dalles. It’s a travesty! We’re talking about a 7.3-acre lot just waiting for action, but all we get are empty promises and a hopeful glance at the future. They’re still short about $30 million for funding, and let’s face it—if they can’t even get that together, how can we trust them to deliver real mental health solutions?
Now, while supporters still cling to the dream of opening treatment beds by next year, they’ve pivoted to tackling substance use disorder instead. Isn’t it time we demand answers? Tune in to my interview with Aaron Mesh and find out why we keep throwing money at a broken system. Click to listen now!