Youth Mental Health: Urgent Request to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to Address Oregon's Youth Mental Healthcare Crisis
Oregon Ranks 51 out of 51 for Mental Health Services for Children and Teens
Many of you know my story of trying to get my two oldest teens, adopted from foster care the Mental Health Services they so desperately need in Oregon 1.
According to Mental Health America2 and reported by The Oregonian3 4 and PBS News Hour, Oregon Ranks 51 out of 515 when it comes to mental health services for children and teens.
I am tired of sitting around so I’m asking Oregonians to write to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and ask her to declare a Mental Health State of Emergency for Children and Teens in Oregon.
Go to this link: https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/share-your-opinion.aspx
Fill out the form and in the message box you can use the following template, with your own name and information.
Dear Governor Kotek,
My name is ______, and I live in ______, Oregon.
I am deeply concerned about the mental healthcare crisis affecting children and teens in our state. According to Mental Health America, Oregon ranks last in the nation for mental healthcare services for young people, as reported by The Oregonian and PBS NewsHour.
As an Oregonian, I am urging you to declare a state of emergency for mental healthcare, particularly for children and teens, to address the following critical issues:
1. Oregon's children deserve timely and accurate mental healthcare.
2. Many parts of our state are rural and lack adequate mental healthcare services. Families should not have to travel to Portland to access the care they desperately need.
3. Oregon has a dangerously low number of psychiatric beds for juveniles. This must be addressed, especially outside the Willamette Valley, so no one has to travel more than 50 miles for essential care.
4. The current revolving door of mental health services for children and teens is ineffective. We need new approaches and solutions to this growing problem.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope we can work together to improve mental healthcare for the children of Oregon.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
https://mhanational.org/sites/default/files/2023-State-of-Mental-Health-in-America-Report.pdf
https://www.oregonlive.com/health/2024/04/without-options-in-oregon-teens-who-need-behavioral-health-care-go-out-of-state.html
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/05/oregons-director-of-youth-behavioral-health-acknowledges-profound-shortage-of-needed-care-q-a.html#:~:text=Oregon%20ranks%20dead%20last%20in,monitoring%20nonprofit%20Mental%20Health%20America.
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023I1/Downloads/CommitteeMeetingDocument/278862#:~:text=mhanational.org-,Oregon%20ranks%2049th%20out%20of%2051%20for%20adult%20access%20to,for%20children%20(see%20attached).