Relating to behavioral health; and declaring an emergency.
Summary
HB 2015 directs the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to study and report on ways to expand and stabilize residential behavioral health treatment capacity in Oregon. The bill focuses on licensed residential treatment facilities, residential treatment homes, secure residential treatment facilities, and secure residential treatment homes, with particular attention to workforce shortages, reimbursement methods, room-hold payments, discharge and appeal processes, and how to better serve people with high-acuity behavioral health needs. It also asks OHA to examine whether residential behavioral health services for Medicaid recipients can be delivered through federal-law-permitted alternatives to the state’s current waiver or state plan structures.
In addition to the study provisions, HB 2015 requires OHA to adopt rules supporting early transition planning for residents and to create a separate licensing process for transition-aged youth residential treatment homes serving young adults ages 17.5 to 25 with complex behavioral health challenges. The bill includes interim and final reporting deadlines in 2025 and 2026, and it appropriates additional General Fund and federal fund expenditure authority to OHA to carry out the work. The act is temporary, repealed on January 2, 2027, and takes effect immediately as an emergency measure.
Impact
HB 2015 does not directly overhaul licensing or reimbursement statutes, but it temporarily expands OHA’s authority and duties in the behavioral health licensing and Medicaid administration space. It requires rulemaking for early transition planning and a new licensing pathway for transition-aged youth residential treatment homes, while also directing OHA to evaluate alternative reimbursement and service-delivery models that could affect how residential behavioral health providers are paid and regulated. The bill also increases appropriations and expenditure limits to fund the studies and rulemaking, and it may lead to future legislative or administrative changes based on OHA’s reports.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad overall support, as reflected in its passage through both chambers, but not unanimous support. Committee votes were favorable, and the bill passed the House and Senate on third reading with clear majorities, suggesting general agreement that Oregon needs to address behavioral health capacity, staffing, and financing barriers. The emergency clause and immediate effective date also indicate a sense of urgency around the issue.
Contention
The main points of contention appear to center on the bill’s proposed flexibility for facilities and the balance between provider operations and resident protections. The study directive specifically asks OHA to consider alternatives to current nurse staffing requirements, reimbursement rules, and landlord-tenant-like eviction protections, which suggests concern from some lawmakers or stakeholders about reducing regulatory burdens versus preserving safety and due process. Another likely area of debate is how to handle high-acuity residents, discharge authority, and appeal rights, as well as whether alternative Medicaid financing models could improve capacity without weakening consumer protections. The split votes in committee and on the floor indicate some disagreement, though the bill still advanced comfortably.