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Task force recommendations to improve safety for behavioral-health workers advance in committee
Summary
Sponsors presented House Bill 2203, carrying 20 task‑force recommendations to improve workplace safety for behavioral‑health workers: written safety plans, mandatory training, tracking incidents and protections for staff who report or act in self‑defense. Labor leaders and providers urged support and implementation funding.
Lawmakers heard from sponsors and a broad set of stakeholders on House Bill 2203, a package of recommendations developed by a joint task force aimed at improving workplace safety for behavioral‑health care workers.
Representative Cyrus Javidy and Representative Travis Nelson, task‑force leaders, told the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care the bill packages 20 recommendations developed with employers, workers, agencies and legislators after three public hearings and months of work. The proposals include requiring written workplace safety plans, mandatory de‑escalation training, emergency communication tools for lone workers, incident tracking and protections against retaliation for staff who report safety concerns or use reasonable self‑defense.
Why it matters: testifiers described workplace violence incidents ranging from repeated threats to a staff member murdered in 2023; witnesses said better safety systems are essential to retain staff, reduce burnout and maintain services for vulnerable clients.
Who testified
Lamar Wise, political director for AFSCME Oregon (representing thousands of public‑service and behavioral‑health workers), voiced strong support and asked the committee to fund implementation, including workplace infrastructure improvements, training, and grants to smaller providers. He urged more conversation about the bill’s self‑defense provisions and how to operationalize them safely.
Alex McKibben, a shelter staffer and task‑force participant, described on‑the‑job incidents including a stabbing in a parking lot and threats from a resident with hoarded weapons; he said his location lacked de‑escalation training and a written incident response plan. Eric Savos, chief operating officer at Cascadia Health and a provider‑side task‑force representative, said the bill’s grant and infrastructure provisions (sections 3 and 4) are “long overdue” and urged amendments to require training within the first 90 days of employment.
Workers’ unions, providers and counties
AFSCME and worker witnesses urged the Legislature to authorize grants and state support because smaller providers lack capital for structural improvements and training. County commissioners and the Association of Oregon Counties supported the bill, saying county mental‑health authorities need resources to meet rising caseloads and to keep workers safe.
Committee questions and next steps
Members asked about feasibility for small programs that sometimes operate single‑staff night shifts; sponsors said the bill allows workers to request a second staff member but does not require employers to provide one in every setting and that implementation guidance will follow. Sponsors also emphasized the shared nature of implementation across agencies and the need for sustained collaboration.
Ending: Sponsors described HB 2203 as a “lifeline” to protect a workforce that provides care to the state’s most vulnerable. The committee closed the public hearing and indicated further technical work and stakeholder engagement would continue before any final amendments.
