Protect Patient Access

The Oregon Health Authority is pursuing rulemaking that would disallow associate and intern mental health providers from billing the Oregon Health Plan. This decision will cut off thousands of patients from their current providers and force associates into community mental health settings without addressing the reasons associates leave. We need you to reach out to your elected officials to share how this change will impact the mental health community.

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Your Message to the legislators

Dear (name and title inserted automatically),

I am writing to you today as a mental health professional to urge you to take immediate action to protect access to care for thousands of Oregonians by demanding that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) pause its upcoming rulemaking process that would disallow associate therapists and counselors in private practice from billing Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan (OHP), cutting off a critical source of mental health support for some of our state’s most vulnerable residents.

Oregon already ranks 49th in mental health access—this decision would worsen an already dire crisis by:

- Disrupting patient care: Thousands of OHP patients will lose their trusted providers, further straining overburdened community mental health settings  that cannot absorb the increased demand.

- Destabilizing the workforce: Associate therapists make up the most racially and ethnically diverse segment of providers. Forcing them out of private practice will exacerbate workforce shortages and create financial hardship for those entering the field.

- Harming diversity and equity: Many associates, particularly providers of color, have faced exploitation and unsafe conditions in community mental health settings. Restricting private practice options will limit culturally responsive care and perpetuate inequities in the mental health system.

This rule does not solve the real problem—the need for better pay, supervision, and working conditions in community mental health settings. Instead, it removes an essential care option and forces providers into settings they are unwilling or unable to work in.

We urge you to demand that OHA pause rulemaking until all stakeholders—including mental health professionals, patients, and advocacy organizations—have had the opportunity to discuss an equitable solution that will not harm thousands of patients or the workforce.

Thank you for your leadership on this urgent issue. We look forward to your response and to working together to ensure that all Oregonians have access to quality mental health care.