Stakeholders split on SB 610 amendment to change Measure 110 funding formula; counties seek halt and reset

Senate Bill 610 with the dash‑1 amendment — a proposal that would establish an advisory board at the Oregon Health Authority and adopt an interim funding methodology for Behavioral Health Resource Networks (BURNS) — drew mixed testimony at a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response.

Sponsor testimony and several county officials urged lawmakers to pass SB 610‑1 to avoid large and sudden funding losses to local BURN programs, while statewide provider groups and some county partners urged caution, arguing a mid‑cycle change would upend contracts and damage nascent local service capacity.

Senator Campos (sponsor) told the committee the 2025‑29 funding formula applied by the Oversight and Accountability Council (OAC) contained a data error and produced disproportionate funding changes that would leave 18 counties with reduced funds. The dash‑1 amendment creates an advisory board of stakeholders and directs the Oregon Health Authority to adopt a funding formula by June 1, 2029; until then the dash‑1 would apply a temporary methodology (the public‑health modernization formula with a stabilizing cap and base funding) to limit abrupt shifts.

County leaders described real-world impacts. Washington County Director of Health and Human Services Amira (Amira Samantel on the record) presented a methodology overview and told the committee the…