OR counties unite to modernize state’s contract on mental health
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, December 24th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News Featured Stories More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Health Authority announced a shared path toward updating the county financial assistance agreements (CFAAs) with Oregon’s 36 counties regarding mental health and addiction care needs throughout the state.
Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer said the state had been trying for 18 months to rework the agreements, but could not agree because of the risk of unmet costs falling to the counties.
“Basically, it just boiled down to dollars and cents – who pays for those services,” Shafer, who was chair of the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) at the time, said. “The counties all stood up and held a wall. We stood firm and we didn’t give.”
Shafer said that in his entire tenure as a county commissioner, he had never seen all of the counties in lock step on a single issue until now. He added that when the official agreement comes to the county, the Board of Commissioners will approve it.
The agreements support a more coordinated and responsive system of care that its creators believe will improve performance and ensures the strength of a safety-net system. In a news release, Gov. Tina Kotek stated it would build a system that is easier to navigate, flexible to the unique needs of each community, more transparent, and better equipped to serve people with mental health and addiction care needs.
EMG file photo of Commissioner John Shafer
