Oregonians have another tool to keep track of the state’s work to expand the state’s behavioral health system.
Oregon is set to add by the end of 2026 another 465 beds for people in need of residential mental health or addiction treatment, according to projections on a new online dashboard that Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Health Authority released on Wednesday.
That amounts to about 13% of the 3,700 adult beds that Oregon needs to add to adequately serve those who need more intensive care, according to a state-commissioned study.
“The state now has more information than ever before to meet the need with precision, and we are taking action,” Kotek said in a statement. “Though we will not close Oregon’s treatment capacity gap overnight, every added bed means more Oregonians will get help when they need it.”
The projection also will change in the months ahead, as state leaders work to fund more residential projects. In a Sept. 23 legislative presentation, Oregon Health Authority leaders said it would take five years and about $850 million total to bridge the gap between the beds that exist now and those needed to serve all Oregonians.