In a speech to Oregon lawmakers, state and local leaders assembled at the Oregon Capitol on Monday, Governor Tina Kotek reaffirmed her historic commitment to keep housing, mental health, and public schools at the top of her agenda.
In her speech, she made the most explicit new pledges and suggestions on mental health care, namely with making care earlier and easier to get for those who are homeless or leaving it.
Kotek said that the state is moving closer to her objectives. However, she noted that development is brittle and that we must all be tenacious and avoid distractions.
She cited initiatives to reduce homelessness, stating that by July, her emergency program from two years ago is expected to have rehoused 3,300 households and prevented another 24,000 from becoming homeless. Although those figures are small in comparison, the most recent comprehensive point-in-time count, conducted in January 2023, revealed that over 20,000 Oregonians were homeless on a single day, with 13,000 of them sleeping outside instead of in a shelter.
Kotek noted that under her direction, the state has identified treatment needs in behavioral health and has established a goal to create 465 more treatment beds by the end of 2026. She told lawmakers last month that the budget for 2025–2027 will include $50 million to hire and retain mental health providers, as well as an additional 360 treatment beds.
She stated that we are starting to see a hint of a more promising future. Let’s keep our feet firmly set on the path of diligence and cooperation while keeping our eyes on the horizon.
In order to help people stabilize before things worsen, Kotek contended that the state should do a better job of linking homeless persons with mental health treatments when they seek refuge.
She claimed that because those involved in the legal system are using almost all of the beds in the state psychiatric hospital, it is practically impossible for Oregonians to receive long-term psychiatric hospital care unless they are accused of a crime. According to her, around 75% of the patients at the state hospital who require treatment to support their criminal defense were homeless or in shelter at the time of their arrest.
She suggests lowering the legal barriers to ordering people to undertake mental health therapy, a procedure known as civil commitment, and assisting Oregonians who are homeless in obtaining trustworthy mental health care sooner in order to free up space at the Oregon State Hospital.
According to Kotek, I want Oregon to take more deliberate and calculated steps to support people who are dealing with severe mental illness. Why is it acceptable for us to see people who are severely sick hurt themselves because we can’t or won’t provide them with the medical attention they so desperately need?
During her first two years in office, Kotek has concentrated on raising reading levels among Oregon’s elementary school pupils. In order to properly reflect the actual costs of ongoing services, programs, and class sizes from year to year, she is arguing for technical changes to the state’s school funding system during this legislative session.
However, she stated on Monday that this is not a blank check. Kotek demanded that the state’s schools be held to higher standards. According to her, the state ought to intervene when evidence indicates that a school is not doing enough to support children’ academic success.
She stated that greater responsibility must accompany increased investment.
“This is the bottom line,” she continued. There will be mandated, direct support to ensure that all resources are focused on improving student outcomes when a district’s student performance data indicates failure. This assistance will not be requested willingly.
This tale is still in progress and will be updated.
