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Board approves extension of Oregon Health Authority behavioral‑health agreement while county finalizes local plan
Summary
Deschutes County authorized a contract amendment to extend its existing OHA behavioral‑health financial assistance agreement through Dec. 31, 2025, giving staff time to complete a local plan while negotiating contract language about fund availability and priority populations.
The board approved an amendment to the county’s Oregon Health Authority (OHA) financial assistance agreement for behavioral health services that extends the current contract through Dec. 31, 2025. County staff sought the extension to allow additional time to negotiate contract language and complete a required county “local plan” before signing a longer replacement contract.
Holly Harris, interim health director, told the board counties around the state raised two concerns in negotiations: removal of “subject to availability of funds” language for four high‑priority populations (aid‑and‑assist, Psychiatric Security Review Board/PSRB, civil commitment and crisis populations), and a prioritization structure that could force counties to divert money from upstream preventive services to cover those four groups if state funding falls short. To avoid locking counties into contract language that might unintentionally force service reductions, OHA and county representatives agreed to a six‑month extension to continue negotiations while local plans are drafted and reviewed. A draft of Deschutes County’s local plan was due Oct. 1 with a final by December.
Why it matters: The extension preserves continuity of behavioral‑health funding while staff and OHA resolve language and process issues. County leaders said they want to protect preventive community services even as state and judicial pressure around inpatient aid‑and‑assist cases grows.
Board action: The board voted to authorize the chair to sign document 2025‑768 (the OHA amendment) extending the existing OHA agreement through Dec. 31, 2025. Commissioners asked staff to return with highlights of the draft local plan before finalizing a longer contract.
Ending: County staff said they will continue to work with the Association of Oregon Counties and peer counties on contract language and will brief the board before any multi‑year contract is presented for adoption.
