2021 Oregon Legislative Session Priorities

7

Pieces of legislation The Alliance provided testimony on through the session

48

Verbal and written testimony provided for tracked legislation

16

Combined Alliance members, affiliates, and staff provided testimony

6

Pieces of legislation passed through the legislative process that The Alliance provided testimony on

Legislative Efforts the Alliance Led

HB 2315

Requires licensed behavioral healthcare providers to take Continuing Education Units (CEUs) related to suicide risk assessment, treatment and management.

Prior to this legislation passing, assessment and treatment for suicidality was not a standard part of either undergraduate or post-graduate training for behavioral health therapists, social workers, and counselors.  OHA’s 2020 legislative report indicates that without a mandate many behavioral healthcare providers received no recent training in suicide risk assessment or management. Only 33.8% of psychologists, 46.9% of social workers and 37.4% of counselors and therapists reported receiving any training. The Teachers Standards and Practices Commission which licenses school counselors had the highest rate of completed trainings at 74.9%. While this is an excellent start, the reality is that school counselors generally only assess suicidal students and count on being able to refer students to well-trained therapists or social workers. In short, most of Oregon’s behavioral health workforce is unprepared to respond to a suicidal client. This means that, when an at-risk individual is referred to counseling, they may not get the help they need.

We believe that, with the passage of HB 2315, behavioral healthcare workers, who are designated as “experts” to whom those who are experiencing suicidal ideation are referred, will receive the ongoing training they need to understand and convey to their clients that many people live full, productive lives despite living with chronic suicidal thoughts and will be able to help their clients develop the skills to do so.

This legislation increases hope, promotes healing, and increases the times that the right help will be available at the right time. 

Legislative Efforts that the Alliance Collaborated on

SB 563 / HB 2381 – Alliance Supported 

Lines for Life took the lead on this legislation and the Alliance provided support as needed and appropriate. 

Both SB 563 and HB 2381 were submitted to the legislature to expand the age range of the Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan (YSIPP), with HB 2381 looking to cover ages 0-24 and SB 563 looking to cover ages 5-24. By expanding the age range of the YSIPP, more upstream and preventative strategies would be able to be implemented for youth living with suicidal ideation, those who have attempted, and the families / loved ones of those who die by suicide. Sadly, this change is needed because a small number of Oregon children under age 10 have died by suicide in recent years. We don’t know the exact number in Oregon as the data currently being collected starts at age 10. SB 563 will ensure that OHA is able to accurately report these numbers. This will help us to understand the scope of this issue and develop more effective responses.

Elementary age children benefit from prevention efforts to build resilience and social emotional skills, but our schools, behavioral health and health care systems also need thoughtful planning regarding intervention and treatment for those who are actively struggling with suicidality. It is also important that our suicide prevention planning includes support for young children after a suicide occurs in their family or circle. Providing therapeutic and other supports after the loss of a parent or other significant person in a child’s life is a key prevention strategy.

After working with stakeholders, it was decided to pursue SB 563 and expand the YSIPP age range to cover ages 5-24.

SB 563 passed through the 2021 Legislative Session. This can help to increase hope, promote healing, and work towards having the right help at the right time. 

SB 66 /   HB 3037 – Alliance Supported 

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) took the lead on this legislation and the Alliance provided support as needed and appropriate. 

Both SB 66 and HB 3037 were submitted to the legislature as a technical fix to facilitate better communication between medical examiners, local mental health authorities, and OHA after a death by suicide. With passage of this bill, our data will be more accurate. More importantly,
postvention planning and timely, accurate information support a coordinated and sensitive community response to the tragedy of a youth
suicide. These planful postvention strategies are known to decrease the chance of contagion and promote healing. 

The two pieces of legislation were reconciled and HB 3037 passed through the legislature. 

This legislation can help promote healing after a death, and work towards a better helping system for people experiencing a suicidal crisis. 

SB 52 – Alliance Supported 

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) took the lead on this legislation and the Alliance provided testimony as appropriate in support of the legislation.

This legislation directs Department of Education to develop and implement statewide education plan for students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex, asexual, nonbinary or another minority gender identity or gender orientation.

We know that LGBTQ2SIA youth do well when they are affirmed and experience acceptance. In fact, the Family Acceptance Project has shown that even small moves to decrease rejecting behaviors or increase accepting behaviors of the adults in the lives of young people, results in more positive health outcomes. Yet, as summarized in the LGBTQ2SIA Student Success Plan, about 60% LGBTQ+ 8th and 11th graders experienced bullying in the last month, as compared to 20% of cisgender and straight students and twice as many trans/non-binary youth experienced bullying, as compared to cisgender youth. A sobering 50% of LGBTQ+ 8th graders in Oregon have considered suicide and 30% have attempted.

SB 52 passed through the 2021 Legislative Session. This can help to increase hope, promote healing, and work towards having the right help at the right time. 

HB 3069 / HB 2417 – Alliance Supported

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) took the lead on this legislation and the Alliance provided support as needed and appropriate. 

HB 3069 expands infrastructure of, access to and services provided in statewide coordinated crisis services system including 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline. 9-8-8 is a federal mandate and will go into effect in 2022. 

During the legislative session, language around 9-8-8 was added to HB 2417 which looks to expand crisis stabilization services, including crisis stabilization centers meeting criteria adopted by Oregon Health Authority by rule, short-term respite facilities, peer respite centers, behavioral health urgent care walk-in centers and crisis hotline center.

HB 2417 passed through the 2021 Legislative Session. This can help to increase access to the right help at the right time, promote hope and foster healing by having more resources available.

SB 682 – Alliance Supported 

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) took the lead on this legislation and the Alliance provided support as needed and appropriate. 

This legislation would establish the Adult Suicide Intervention and Prevention Coordinator in statute and requires a five-year plan similar to the YSIPP and would be called the Adult Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan (ASIPP).

Currently, there is only an ongoing plan for youth suicide intervention and prevention known as the YSIPP that looks at ages 5-24. With the passage of SB 682, there would also be an ongoing plan for adult suicide intervention and prevention for those 18 and older. 

This legislation did not pass the 2021 Legislative Session.

HB 3139 – Alliance provided technical assistance and testified on

Community members partnered with Representative Noble on this legislation. The Alliance provided technical assistance on the bill’s language. 

This legislation requires mental health care provider who assesses minor to be at imminent and serious threat of attempting suicide to disclose relevant information to parent, guardian or other individuals to engage in safety planning.

HB 3139 passed through the 2021 Legislative Session.