1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
A-Engrossed
Senate Bill 527
Ordered by the Senate April 10
Including Senate Amendments dated April 10
Sponsored by Senator PATTERSON; Senators FREDERICK, SMITH DB, Representative DIEHL (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards.
Digest: The Act tells the OHA to make grants to certain entities. The Act directs the
entities to use the moneys to create behavioral health workforce training programs for high
school students. (Flesch Readability Score: 62.8).
[Digest: The Act tells the OHA to make a grant program to give moneys to certain entities. The
Act directs the entities to use the moneys to create behavioral health workforce training programs for
high school students. (Flesch Readability Score:61.6).]
Directs the Oregon Health Authority to [develop and implement a grant program to distribute
moneys]award grants to local workforce development boards to partner with certain entities to
[provide] establish and implement behavioral health education and training programs for high
school students. Requires the local workforce development boards to consult with the au-
thority to establish partnerships with specific entities to administer the programs. Requires
the authority to consider recommendations from a statewide organization that represents
all local workforce development boards when determining the amount of a grant to award.
Sunsets on January 2, 2029.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to behavioral health workforce training for students; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. (1)(a) The Oregon Health Authority shall award grants to local workforce
development boards, as defined in ORS 660.300, for the purpose of collaborating with the en-
tities specified under subsection (2) of this section to establish and implement behavioral
health workforce training programs throughout this state.
(b) The programs must be designed:
(A) Based on evidence from existing, successful behavioral health workforce training
models that have demonstrated effectiveness in increasing workforce capacity in behavioral
health.
(B) To provide culturally and linguistically specific training opportunities to high school
students from underserved communities in an effort to increase a culturally and linguis-
tically specific behavioral health workforce.
(2)(a) Local workforce development boards shall, in consultation with the Oregon Health
Authority, establish partnerships with one or more of the following entities to administer the
programs:
(A) Education service districts, as defined in ORS 334.003.
(B) Coordinated care organizations, as defined in ORS 414.025.
(C) Local public health organizations.
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 672 A-Eng. SB 527
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
(D) Local school districts.
(E) The nine federally recognized Indian tribes in this state.
(b) Programs funded by grants awarded under this section shall be based on collaborative
partnerships and efforts between the entities described under paragraph (a) of this sub-
section. The local workforce development boards shall distribute funds to an entity that
partners with the local workforce development board to facilitate the administration of a
program.
(3) Grants awarded under this section may be used only for the purposes of:
(a) Developing, facilitating or sponsoring the programs described under subsection (1) of
this section.
(b) Providing scholarships to students who participate in a program established under
thissection.
(c) Providing for wraparound supports, based on demonstrated need, for students who
participate in a program, including but not limited to:
(A) Technology resources;
(B) Licensing or certification fees;
(C) Course materials; and
(D) Sponsored internships.
(d) Collecting data and reporting measurable outcomes for the activities supported
through awarded grants.
(4) When determining the amount of a grant to award to a local workforce development
board under this section, the authority shall consider recommendations from a statewide
organization that represents all of the workforce development boards that are governed un-
der ORS 660.300 to 660.420.
(5) The authority shall require recipients of grants under this section to report annually
to the authority on the progress of the programs funded by the grants.
SECTION 2. The organization described under section 1 (4) of this 2025 Act shall provide
grant award recommendations to the Oregon Health Authority not later than 30 days fol-
lowing the effective date of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 3.There is appropriated to the Oregon Health Authority, for the biennium be-
ginning July 1, 2025, out of the General Fund, the amount of $3,500,000 for awarding grants
to local workforce development boards for carrying out the provisions of section 1 of this
2025Act.
SECTION 4.Section 1 of this 2025 Act is repealed on January 2, 2029.
SECTION 5.This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
[2]