Oregon is 3k mental health beds short
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
BOSTON – The Public Consulting Group of Boston has issued a preliminary study of what Oregon needs to help solve its mental health crisis. The answer is, Oregon needs a lot.
The study said that over and above the expansion of mental health beds funded by the state since 2021, 3,000 more beds are needed at an estimated construction cost of $500 million or more. The biggest shortage named in the study are residential beds for substance use disorders and withdrawal management. That accounts for more than 80 percent of the projected cost. The state currently has 4,800 beds with only about 1,600 being used for substance use and withdrawal disorders.
Of course, getting the beds is not enough. The preliminary study for the Oregon Health Authority doesn’t include staffing and operational costs for the facilities. Nor does it discuss how to fund developing the needed skilled workers to staff them. A more detailed final version of the report will be released in June.
