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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Greetings, we are writing to share with you the release of the OHA Ombuds 2023 Six Month Report, which offers member stories, data, and recommendations specific to community-based child, youth and family mental
health in Oregon. This Report functions as a companion piece to the OHA Ombuds 2022 Annual Report, which examined adult mental health, SUD and access to residential care. Please share widely as you see fit, and we welcome further questions. Our report can
be found attached, and on the OHA Ombuds Program </span><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/Ombuds-Reports.aspx"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">website</span></a><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> at this link:
</span><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/OmbudsProgram/OHA%20Ombuds%20Six%20Month%20Report_Final.pdf"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";color:#005595;background:white;text-decoration:none">OHA Ombuds Six Month Report 2023</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Ombuds Office is deeply committed to elevating the voices and stories of our members. This Report is comprehensive and contains the data in which we ground our recommendations. However, the Report also
features a young member’s story about their efforts to access mental health care, which tells us all as much about the state of youth mental health care in Oregon today as the numbers do. Thank you for receiving their story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">With warmest thanks for all of the work you do to serve Oregonians,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Cate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Catherine Drinan, MA
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(she/hers)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Ombudswoman<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">External Relations Division<br>
OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY<br>
</span><a href="mailto:catherine.drinan@oha.oregon.gov"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:blue">catherine.drinan@oha.oregon.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:red">Please Note My New Email!
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Cell: 503-983-0643<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Ombuds Program: 877-642-0450 / 503-947-2346<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Fax: 503 934 5023<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:OHA.OmbudsOffice@oha.oregon.gov"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:blue">OHA.OmbudsOffice@oha.oregon.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
or s<i>end a secure email from the Ombuds website: <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/Ombuds-Program.aspx"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/Ombuds-Program.aspx</span></a><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Hablamos Espa</span><span lang="ES" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222">ñ</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">ol
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Dobra Sarah E <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 31, 2023 1:09 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Oscar Arana <<a href="mailto:OscarA@nayapdx.org">OscarA@nayapdx.org</a>>; NARAYAN Kristina * GOV <<a href="mailto:Kristina.Narayan@oregon.gov">Kristina.Narayan@oregon.gov</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> CURRANS-HENRY Rachel * GOV <<a href="mailto:Rachel.CURRANS-HENRY@oregon.gov">Rachel.CURRANS-HENRY@oregon.gov</a>>; TIBBS Abby * GOV <<a href="mailto:Abby.TIBBS@oregon.gov">Abby.TIBBS@oregon.gov</a>>; Sarah E. Wetherson (she/her) <<a href="mailto:SARAH.E.WETHERSON@oha.oregon.gov">SARAH.E.WETHERSON@oha.oregon.gov</a>>;
Tara Chetock <<a href="mailto:Tara.A.CHETOCK@oha.oregon.gov">Tara.A.CHETOCK@oha.oregon.gov</a>>; Baden David <<a href="mailto:DAVID.BADEN@oha.oregon.gov">DAVID.BADEN@oha.oregon.gov</a>>; Clarke Ebony Sloan <<a href="mailto:Ebony.S.Clarke@oha.oregon.gov">Ebony.S.Clarke@oha.oregon.gov</a>>;
McDermott Shawna M <<a href="mailto:Shawna.M.McDermott@oha.oregon.gov">Shawna.M.McDermott@oha.oregon.gov</a>>; Triplett Gabriel Nickolas <<a href="mailto:Gabriel.N.Triplett@oha.oregon.gov">Gabriel.N.Triplett@oha.oregon.gov</a>>;
<a href="mailto:heather@ocbh.org">heather@ocbh.org</a>; Kirsten Isaacson <<a href="mailto:KirstenI@seiu49.org">KirstenI@seiu49.org</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> OHA Ombuds Six Month Report <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dear Governor Kotek and Chair Arana:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in">O<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext">regon Revised Statute (ORS) 414.712 directs the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Ombuds Program to serve as the advocate for Oregon
Health Plan (OHP - Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program) members for access to care, quality of care, and channeling member experience into recommendations for Medicaid systems, policy, and program improvement.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext">The OHA Ombuds is a formal, internal voice for process and systems improvements responsive to identified trends impacting services
for people in Oregon served by OHP. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext">As required by ORS 182.500, the OHA Ombuds Program provides quarterly reports to both the Governor and the Oregon Health Policy Board
that include:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoBodyText" style="color:windowtext;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">A summary of the services that the Ombuds provided during the quarter<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoBodyText" style="color:windowtext;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Recommendations for improving access to or quality of care provided to OHP members; and<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoBodyText" style="color:windowtext;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Recommendations for improving Ombuds Services.
<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Please find attached the OHA Ombuds report covering the first six months of 2023. This report recommends strategies to prioritize community-based child, youth, and family mental health services. This report
can be found on the OHA Ombuds Program </span><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/Ombuds-Reports.aspx"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">website</span></a><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> at this link:
</span><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/OmbudsProgram/OHA%20Ombuds%20Six%20Month%20Report_Final.pdf"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";color:#005595;background:white;text-decoration:none">OHA Ombuds Six Month Report 2023</span></a><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Sincerely, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><img border="0" width="158" height="46" style="width:1.6458in;height:.4791in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DA17E7.5228A2D0"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Sarah Dobra, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">On behalf of the entire OHA Ombuds Program and the OHP members we serve very day<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Cc:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Kristina Narayan, Health Policy Advisor, Governor’s Office<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Abby Tibbs, Human Services Advisor, Governor’s Office<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rachel Currans-Henry, Senior Policy Advisor, Governor’s Office
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Oscar Arana, Chair, Oregon Health Policy Board<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Kirsten Isaacson, Vice-Chair, Oregon Health Policy Board<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dave Baden, Interim Director, Oregon Health Authority
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Heather Jefferis, Co-Chair, Medicaid Advisory Committee
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Gabe Triplett, Co-Chair, Medicaid Advisory Committee
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Shawna McDermott, Interim Director, OHA Health Systems Division<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Ebony Clarke, OHA Behavioral Health Director
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dana Hittle, OHA Medicaid Director, Oregon Health Authority<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Ellen Pinney, Principal Ombuds</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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