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How To Get Affordable State Sponsored Therapy in Oregon

Many people don’t realize that publicly-funded mental health services are available in their state. People looking for free or low-cost counseling often think their only options are counselors in private practice and don’t know that publicly-funded providers in their communities may also offer counseling services.

While state-based programs are not for everyone, they’re often a great place to start for people who face geographic or financial barriers to therapy. Intake specialists at community mental health programs can help people learn whether they qualify for state-funded services and can refer people who don’t qualify to other low-cost programs that may be able to meet their needs.

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When Should You Go to a State Mental Health Program?

Few private mental health providers are able to immediately serve people in crisis, while most state mental health systems, including Oregon’s, have crisis response systems that help people get mental health care quickly in an emergency.

This usually makes public mental health services the best option if you’re having a mental health crisis and need help right away. The people who answer crisis lines can provide caring attention and support as they help you determine the best response to a crisis, whether it’s inpatient treatment or an appointment with a counselor.

Community mental health programs (CMHPs) in Oregon are publicly-funded outpatient programs that provide mental health care for people with moderate to severe mental health conditions. In addition to affordable therapy, CMHPs provide specialized and intensive services that aren’t available anywhere else or that are hard to find in private clinics.

Consider going to a CMHP if you need intensive treatment, live in a rural area with limited resources, or can’t access mental health care in the private sector due to your diagnosis or financial situation.

Who Is Eligible for Public Mental Health Services in Oregon?

Oregon CMHPs primarily serve people with severe mental health conditions and people who are covered by the Oregon Health Plan (Oregon Medicaid). Some funds are available for clients who are uninsured or underinsured; the number of uninsured clients a program can accept varies from county to county in Oregon. In some counties, CMHPs accept private insurance plans and offer sliding-scale fees to people who meet clinical eligibility criteria but don’t have Medicaid.

To qualify as having a severe mental health condition in Oregon, you need to have a diagnosable mental health condition that puts you at risk of hospitalization or that otherwise significantly impairs your functioning. Some Oregon county mental health programs and CMHPs can provide services for people with moderate conditions or moderate functional impairments when enough funding is available.

If you’re not sure whether you’re eligible for public mental health services in Oregon, the best way to find out is to call your local program or to go to a walk-in center for an assessment. Most county programs conduct free eligibility interviews in person or over the phone and provide free referrals to other programs for people who don’t qualify for public mental health services.

People who work in CMHPs are usually familiar with other local non-profit programs that offer low-cost services; this allows them to quickly help people find an affordable alternative when they don’t qualify for public mental health care.

You don’t have to have a severe mental health condition or insurance through the Oregon Health Plan to use public mental health crisis lines or crisis intervention services in Oregon; you simply need to be experiencing a mental health crisis.

How Can You Find Out More About Local Programs in Oregon?

The best way to find out about your local community mental health program in Oregon is to call the program directly. You can also use one of the search tools on the Oregon Behavioral Health Services website. The Oregon Health Systems Division (HSD) maintains a directory of CMHPs you can search by county.

If you live in Multnomah, Clackamas, or Washington County, you can search the extensive list of contracted providers for these counties on the Health Share of Oregon’s Mental Health and Substance Use Provider Directory.

For your convenience, we have also listed contact information for all Oregon CMHPs and county mental health crisis lines, as well as some contracted outpatient mental health clinics, in the section below.

Oregon Clinics by Area

North Coast and Willamette Valley Clinics and Crisis Lines

  • Benton County Behavioral Health
    • Serving Benton County
    • Crisis Line: (888) 232-7192
    • Main Number: (541) 766-6835
    • Office Location (Use Main Number):
      • Benton County Behavioral Health (Corvallis)

 

  • Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare
    • Serving Clatsop County
    • Crisis Line: (503) 325-5724
    • Main Number: (503) 325-5722
    • Mental Health Office Locations (Use Main Number):
      • Corporate Office (Warrenton)
      • Astoria Adult Outpatient Clinic (Astoria)
      • Child and Family Outpatient Clinic (Astoria)
      • Community Support Services (Astoria)
      • North Coast Wellness Center (Warrenton)
      • North Coast Crisis Respite Center (Warrenton)
      • Seaside Adult Outpatient Clinic (Seaside)

 

  • Columbia Community Mental Health
    • Serving Columbia County
    • Crisis Line: (503) 782-4499
    • Main Number: (503) 397-5211
    • Mental Health Outpatient Office Locations (Use Main Number):
      • Jordan Center (St. Helens)
      • Creekside Campus (St. Helens)
      • Revitalize Wellness Center (Scappoose)

 

 

  • Lincoln County Behavioral Health Program
    • Serving Lincoln County
    • Crisis Line: (866) 266-0288
    • Main Number: (541) 265-4179
    • Mental Health Clinic Locations:
      • Lee Street Clinic (Newport): (541) 574-5960
      • Lincoln City Clinic (Lincoln City): (541) 265-4196

 

  • Linn County Department of Health Services
    • Serving Linn County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (541) 967-3866 or (800) 304-7468
    • Mental Health Office Locations:
      • New Client Services (Albany): (541) 967-3866
      • Willamette Health Center (Albany): (541) 967-3866
      • Linn County Health Services (Lebanon): (541) 451-5932
      • Linn County Health Services (Sweet Home): (541) 367-3888

 

 

  • Polk County Behavioral Health
    • Serving Polk County
    • Daytime Crisis Line: (503) 623-9289
    • After-Hours Crisis Line: (503) 581-5535 or (800) 560-5535
    • Mental Health Office Locations:
      • Dallas Office: (503) 623-9289
      • West Salem Office: (503) 585-3012
      • Monmouth Office: (503) 400-3550

 

  • Tillamook Family Counseling Center
    • Serving Tillamook County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (503) 842-8201 or (800) 962-2851
    • Office Locations (Use Main Number):
      • Tillamook Office (Tillamook)
      • South County Office (Pacific City)
      • North County Office (Rockaway Beach)

 

 

  • Yamhill County Mental Health Program
    • Serving Yamhill County
    • Crisis Line: (844) 842-8200
    • Warmline: (800) 698-2392
    • Main Number for Adult Behavioral Health: (503) 434-7523
      • Adult Outpatient Mental Health Locations (Use Main Number):
        • McMinnville
        • Newberg

Portland Metro Area Clinics and Crisis Lines

  • Clackamas County Behavioral Health Division
    • Serving Clackamas County
    • Crisis Line: (503) 655-8585
    • Main Number: (503) 742-5335
    • Mental Health Office Locations:
      • Clackamas County Urgent Mental Health Walk-In Clinic (Happy Valley): (503) 655-8585
      • Clackamas County Non-Urgent Mental Health Services (Happy Valley): (503) 742-5335
    • Clackamas County Integrated Health Centers:
      • Beavercreek Health Center (Oregon City): (503) 655-8471
      • Gladstone Health Center (Gladstone): (503) 655-8471
      • Hilltop Behavioral Health Center (Oregon City): (503) 655-8401
      • Sandy Behavioral Health Center (Sandy): (503) 722-6950
      • Stewart Behavioral Health Center (Oregon City): (503) 655-8264
      • Sunnyside Health and Wellness Center (Clackamas): (503) 655-8471

 

 

Southwestern Oregon Clinics and Crisis Lines

 

  • Curry Community Health
    • Serving Curry County
    • Crisis Line: (877) 519-9322
    • Main Number: (541) 373-8116
    • Mental Health Office Locations:
      • Brookings: (541) 813-2535
      • Gold Beach: (541) 425-7545
      • Port Orford (Use Main Number)

 

  • Compass Behavioral Health
    • Serving Douglas County
    • Crisis Line: (800) 866-9780
    • Main Number: (541) 440-3532
    • Mental Health Office Location (Use Main Number):
      • Compass Adult, Medical and Crisis Services (Roseburg)

 

 

  • Options for Southern Oregon
    • Serving Jackson and Josephine Counties
    • Jackson County Crisis Line: (541) 774-8201
    • Josephine County Crisis Line: (541) 474-5360
    • Main Number: (541) 476-2373
    • Mental Health Office Locations (Use Main Number):
      • Administrative Office (Grants Pass)
      • Choices Counseling Center (Grants Pass)
      • Creekside Center (Grants Pass)
      • Hillside Center (Grants Pass)
      • Illinois Valley Center (Cave Junction)
      • Bryson Center (Medford)

Central Oregon Clinics and Crisis Lines

  • BestCare Prineville Mental Health
    • Serving Crook County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (541) 323-5330
    • Mental Health Office Location (Use Main Number):
      • Prineville Mental Health (Prineville)

 

  • BestCare Madras Mental Health Services
    • Serving Jefferson County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (541) 475-6575
    • Mental Health Office Location (Use Main Number):
      • Madras Mental Health Services (Madras)

 

  • Deschutes County Behavioral Health
    • Serving Deschutes County
    • Crisis Line: (800) 875-7364
    • Main Number: (541) 322-7500
    • Mental Health Office Locations (Use Main Number):
      • Deschutes County Health Services (Bend)
      • Redmond Behavioral Health (Redmond)
      • South County Behavioral Health Hub (La Pine)

 

  • Community Counseling Solutions
    • Serving Gilliam, Grant, Morrow, and Wheeler Counties
    • Crisis Line: Call 911 and ask to speak to the on-call crisis worker
    • Warmline: (800) 698-2392
    • Main Number for Gilliam, Morrow, and Wheeler Counties: (541) 676-9161
    • Main Number for Grant County: (541) 575-1466
    • Adult Mental Health Outpatient Locations:
      • Heppner Office: (541) 676-9161
      • Boardman Office: (541) 481-2911
      • Condon Office: (541) 384-2666
      • Arlington Office: (541) 454-2223
      • Fossil Office: (541) 763-2746
      • Grant County Office (John Day): (541) 575-1466

 

 

  • Klamath Basin Behavioral Health
    • Serving Klamath County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (541) 883-1030
    • Oregon Warmline: (800) 698-2392
    • Adult Outpatient Mental Health Locations (Use Main Number):
      • Crisis, Psychiatric, Child, Adolescent, Family, Adult, and Walk-In Services (Klamath Falls)
      • Intensive Adult Services, Adult Residential and Adult Respite (Klamath Falls)

 

  • Lake District Wellness Center
    • Serving Lake County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (541) 947-6021
    • Mental Health Office Locations:
      • Wellness Center (Lakeview): (541) 947-6021 x0
      • Recovery Center (Lakeview): (541) 947-6021 x2
      • Family Center (Lakeview): (541) 947-6021 x3
      • Christmas Valley Annex (Christmas Valley): (541) 947-6021 x4

Eastern Oregon Clinics and Crisis Lines

 

  • Community Counseling Solutions
    • Serving Gilliam, Grant, Morrow, and Wheeler Counties
    • Crisis Line: Call 911 and ask to speak to the on-call crisis worker
    • Warmline: (800) 698-2392
    • Main Number for Gilliam, Morrow, and Wheeler Counties: (541) 676-9161
    • Main Number for Grant County: (541) 575-1466
    • Adult Mental Health Outpatient Locations:
      • Heppner Office: (541) 676-9161
      • Boardman Office: (541) 481-2911
      • Condon Office: (541) 384-2666
      • Arlington Office: (541) 454-2223
      • Fossil Office: (541) 763-2746
      • Grant County Office (John Day): (541) 575-1466

 

  • Symmetry Care
    • Serving Harney County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (541) 573-8376
    • Mental Health Office Location (Use Main Number):
      • Symmetry Care, Inc. (Burns)

 

  • Lifeways
    • Serving Malheur and Umatilla Counties
    • Malheur Region Crisis Line: (541) 889-9167 or (800) 995-9169
    • Umatilla Region Crisis Line: (541) 240-8030 or (866) 343-4473
    • Warmline: (800) 698-2392
    • Oregon Outpatient Mental Health Centers:
      • Ontario: (541) 889-9167 or (800) 995-9169
      • Hermiston: (541) 567-2536
      • Pendleton: (541) 276-6207
      • Milton-Freewater: (541) 276-6207

 

  • Center for Human Development
    • Serving Union County
    • Main Number and Crisis Line: (541) 962-8800 or (866) 200-8802
    • Mental Health Office Location (Use Main Number):
      • Center for Human Development (La Grande)

 

  • Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness
    • Serving Wallowa County
    • Crisis Line: (541) 398-1175
    • Main Number: (541) 426-4524
    • Mental Health Office Locations:
      • Main Office (Enterprise): (541) 426-4524
      • Annex (Enterprise): (541) 426-0801
      • Winding Waters Main Clinic (Enterprise): (541) 426-4524
      • Wallowa Office (Wallowa): (541) 426-4524
      • The Center for Optimal Living (Enterprise): (541) 398-2478

Federally Qualified Health Centers

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are another option for public mental health care in Oregon. These federally-funded programs provide medical and mental health services to people in underserved communities. Their goal is to deliver high-quality coordinated care to people with complex needs and to link behavioral healthcare with primary medical care. Each FQHC accepts Medicaid and Medicare and offers sliding-scale fees to people without insurance. You can search for FQHCs using the online search tool on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

How Does Oregon's Public Mental Health System Work?

In the 1960s, Americans started thinking differently about how to treat mental health conditions. New laws required state and local governments to establish community mental health programs as alternatives to institutionalization for people with serious mental illness. Many states’ public mental health programs trace their origins back to this period. Oregon is no exception.

Oregon established its state Mental Health Division in 1961. By the time President John F. Kennedy signed the federal Community Mental Health Act in 1963, Oregon was already operating a few community mental health clinics. However, Oregon did not pass its own state Community Mental Health Programs Act until 1973, and it lagged behind other states in establishing a full statewide community-based mental health system.

Despite the unflattering portrayal of state psychiatric hospitals in the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which was filmed in Oregon State Hospital in 1975, the State of Oregon continued to rely primarily on institutional care over the following decades. Even as Oregon shut down or reduced the size of its state institutions, it did not adequately fund or build community-based mental health programs and other alternatives to institutional care. This has created a system that does not have the capacity to provide mental health treatment to everyone who needs it.

Advocates have filed several lawsuits in state court and federal court over Oregon’s handling of mentally ill inmates and its failure to fully fund or establish community-based alternatives to institutional care. State officials recognize the problem and are taking measures to address the gaps in the system, including hiring experts to help change the system, creating new programs, and building new infrastructure to facilitate new ways of responding to mental health crises. Advocates are also fighting to better fund and develop existing county programs and CMHPs.

Public mental health services in Oregon are managed and overseen on the state level by the Behavioral Health Services department within the Health Services Division of the Oregon Health Authority. Services are provided by a network of about 30 CMHPs. Each of Oregon’s 36 counties has a mental health crisis line and a CMHP assigned to it. Some county CMHPs directly provide mental health services, while others contract with local non-profit programs to provide community-based mental health services.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), only 46 percent of people in Oregon who have mental health conditions get treatment for them. One reason for the care gap is that people aren’t aware of their options for affordable mental health care, including community mental health programs. You can help change these statistics by reaching out and using local mental health resources to get the care you need.

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