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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY27 Annual ReportDeschutes CountyHealth Services FY26 Annual Report Overview Leadership Message Who We Are - Mission, Vision, Culture Key Accomplishments Challenges Public Health Behavioral Health Administrative Services Strategic Initiatives Funding Overview FTE Summary Community Impact Table of Contents As I conclude my first full year as Health Services Director, I am filled with deep gratitude and profound respect for the exceptional work carried out across this department and by the dedicated staff who make it possible. This past year brought challenges few could have anticipated: leadership transitions across multiple service areas, fiscal uncertainty at the federal, state, and local levels, and increasing demands on our systems and our workforce. Through it all, we continued to show up for our clients and our community during some of their most difficult moments, doing our work quietly, consistently, and with unwavering compassion. Our mission to protect and promote the health and safety of our community has never been more vital or more relevant. Over the past year, I have seen our Culture Framework come to life in inspiring ways. I’ve witnessed grace, humility, collaboration, and resilience as we navigated uncertainty together. Teams deepened respect for one another’s contributions, embraced innovation, and approached complex challenges with curiosity. These values guided the accomplishments highlighted in this report.We reduced Emergency Department visits and saved lives through our Prevention and Behavioral Health efforts. Leadership Message We strengthened our commitment to quality improvement, expanded access and residential resources, and worked tirelessly—often behind the scenes—on critical issues such as wildfire response, houselessness, suicide and overdose prevention. We also faced real challenges: fiscal constraints, workforce r eductions, and growing administrative requirements. Yet even amid these pressures, our focus remained clear. We continued to break down barriers to care, prioritize our most vulnerable residents, pursue excellent outcomes, and reinforce the resilience necessary to sustain our work into the future. And we did all of this together—as a unified Health Department. While each service area brings its own expertise, it is our collective strength that enables Deschutes County and the broader Central Oregon region to remain statewide leaders in building a healthy community. Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding access, strengthening coordination, and investing in a workforce that is agile, connected, and supported. In the coming year, we will advance our strategic plan through intentional community partnerships, data ‑driven practice, collaborative care mod els, and operational efficiencies that enhance capacity across programs. These priorities will guide our continued evolution and help ensure that every person in Deschutes County can access the right care at the right time. I am honored to serve alongside the incredible Health Services employees who bring this work to life every day. Together, we will continue building a healthier, more equitable future—one partnership and one act of service at a time. Leadership Message Continued Mission: To Promote and Protect the Health and Safety of Our Community. Vision: We envision a future where every person in our community has access to resources that promote physical, mental, and social well-being. Through compassion, innovation and collaboration we strive to create a healthy and resilient community. Who We Are Within Our Organization: Uniting as a whole around a shared mission and strong workplace culture helps DCHS serve the community-at-large in the strongest, most effective and responsive manner. Within Ourselves: Each staff member at every level is an individual who brings different experiences, perspectives and contributions into the workplace and as such, has a unique opportunity to help build healthy culture. Within Our Teams: Each team contributes a specific expertise and focus to our collaborative service to the community. Culture: Start From Within Key Accomplishments Significant Milestones in Health Services Improved Health Outcomes Through targeted interventions, we achieved a notable increase in community health metrics, demonstrating our commitment to enhancing the overall well-being of Deschutes County residents. For example, our proactive mental health approaches in Healthy Schools helped prevent 84 emergency room visits among youth ages 11–17, saving an estimated $1.5 million and directly improving health outcomes for local students and families. Expanded Service Access We successfully broadened our service availability, ensuring that more individuals in underserved areas can access vital health resources and programs tailored to their needs. These efforts translated into shorter access to care timelines and improved psychiatric support in South County. We also strengthened prevention and early detection by hosting 62 HIV/STI testing events that reached more than 400 community members. Enhanced Community Partnerships Collaboration with local organizations strengthened our community ties, allowing us to implement effective health initiatives and promote a collective approach to public health challenges. These collaborations created stronger, more connected public health efforts, from reaching 44,000 residents through our Tri‑County newsletter to building a shared database of 175 partners that enhances coordination and collective problem‑solving. Challenges Community Access, Demand, and Experience Impacts System Challenges Funding instability and rising costs Workforce shortages and burnout risk Administrative and regulatory burden External system uncertainty - economic shifts, federal changes Community & Service Impacts Insurance and coverage barriers limiting access Growing demand and increasing client complexity Emerging health threats and resource gaps Diversion of staff time from direct services Communicable Disease Prevention & Management These programs prevent and control the spread of communicable diseases and mitigate health threats through surveillance, education, investigation, outbreak control and immunizations. Includes communicable disease, STD, HIV, TB, Immunization programs and access to preventive clinical services. Clinical & Family Services These programs are focused on providing safety-net public health services to individuals and families seeking perinatal education and care coordination, nurse home visiting, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to needed resources. Public Health - Programs Environmental Health, Preparedness & Engagement These Programs advance public health by integrating emergency preparedness, assessment, partnerships, and communication. Environmental Health protects food, air, and water through education and inspections to prevent disease. Prevention & Health Promotion These programs work together to lead work with partners that promotes and ensures practices to improve health and well- being and prevent negative conditions that are harmful to our community both socially and financially. Public Health Administration This program provides leadership, management and oversight for local public health (PH) services and assures that the county meets statutory, fiscal and programmatic requirements. PH Administration works to diversify, leverage and assure effective and efficient use of resources to build foundational programs and capabilities as well as meet community priorities and respond to emerging public health issues. Communicable Disease Prevention & Management responded to 1,605 lab reports in CY25 = 380 communicable disease cases & 629 STI/HIV/Hepatitis cases 44,000 Residents Reached The Tri-County Public Health newsletter expanded reach & improved communication for healthier communities Public Health - Highlights 84 ER Visits Prevented & $1.5M Saved for ages 11-17 due to proactive approaches to student mental health through Healthy Schools and partnerships WIC Caseload increased 23% since 2022 62 HIV/STI Community Testing Events Serving 426 Clients Created a Centralized Database of 175 community partners boosting collaboration Vital Records processed 1981 Birth Certificates & 4396 Death Certificates ED visits -27% EMS Calls -35% Fatalities -34% Overdose Prevention efforts contributed to a drop in: Public Health Prevented 21% of (1 in 5, or 84) behavioral health-related emergency department visits for ages 11-17 in 2024 Performance Measures Crisis This program provides 24/7 crisis response including face-to-face and over the phone evaluations in the community and at the Deschutes County Stabilization Center (DCSC). Program goals include providing 24/7 access to crisis care. This program works to divert individuals with a serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) from the criminal justice and emergency services systems when appropriate. Comprehensive Care for Youth & Families These programs provide specialty mental health care and substance abuse treatment for individual’s ages 0-27 and their families through an array of integrated, intensive outpatient care teams: EASA, YAT, Wraparound, 2 Young Adult Drop-in Centers, 7 School Based Health Centers, and Child, Family & Young Adult Outpatient. Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities This program provides support to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), to enable them to live as independently as possible in the least restrictive environment. Services are aimed at greater access to social interaction, community engagement, and employment opportunities. Access & Integration This program area consists of the Access Team and Clinical Admin Support Team (CAST). The Access Team is the main entry point for most of Deschutes County's Behavioral Health programs, providing screenings, assessments, placement recommendations and referrals for mental health and substance use disorder services. The CAST team provides critical organizational and logistical support for day-to-day operations and projects, which helps reduce administrative burden for clinical staff. Forensic & Acute Services These programs provide treatment, skills training, case management and care coordination to individuals who are involved in legally mandated treatment as a result of their mental illness. The program also manages coordination of residential treatment referrals and placements for individuals with severe and persistant mental illness. Behavioral Health - Programs Intensive Adult Services This program provides intensive outreach, engagement and community based treatment and supports to individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and substance use disorders. Outpatient Complex Care These programs provide evidence based, individual and group treatment, including counseling, case management and peer support services to adults, children and families with mental health and/or alcohol/drug concerns, with a focus on integrated care. Behavioral Health Administration This program represents the managerial and administrative functions for the Behavioral Health Division as well as contracts and the budgetary logistics of pass thru arrangements and Behavioral Health Front office. Medical Team Psychiatry services are seamlessly integrated into all behavioral health clinical teams, providing patient centered psychiatric assessment and medication support services. Behavioral Health - Programs Behavioral Health - Highlights Added Intensive Outpatient SUD services piloted in 2024 for adults and in 2025 for youth New Clozapine Clinic crucial for managing treatment-resistant schizophrenia Doubled Access team staffing; significantly reducing Access to care timelines Increased Psychiatric Care to 20 in‑person hours per week in South County Drop Attendance +40% since adding second location = 1323 visits in 2025 I/DD 15% above target serving 17K encounters Streamlined client transitions between levels of care Secure Residential Treatment Facility 16 beds, opening Winter 2026 Child Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility 15 beds, opening Summer 2027 Secured $7.1M in State and Congressional Funding Behavioral Health Performance Measures Supporting Our Health Mission Administrative services play a crucial role in ensuring efficient operations and fiscal support, as well as oversight of assets and quality. The department encompasses three key areas that work together to support efficient, ethical, and effective operations. Administrative Services Business Intelligence leads fiscal and analytical work, driving strategic initiatives that strengthen efficiency, effectiveness, and overall financial stability. Operations ensures the department is equipped to serve the community safely by managing a wide range of business support services, including tools, equipment, and facilities. Compliance and Quality Assurance provides essential oversight through auditing and monitoring to ensure all work aligns with ethical expectations and complies with local, state, federal, and professional standards. Administrative Services-Highlights Supported strong accountability and compliance by participating in 5 successful external audits Implemented Social Determinants of Health Screenings 62% of clients screened Trained 15 quality improvement facilitators, launched QI initiative resulting in 1 completed project and 9 underway projects Administrative Services Performance Measures Strategic Priorities Strategic Initiatives Access Expand access to health services by strengthening partnerships, improve communication, and bring care closer to where people live. Through modernized systems, expanded treatment options, and coordinated community-based services, we will reduce barriers and improve timely, equitable access across both Public Health and Behavioral Health. Community Through strong partnerships, we will increase residential treatment and housing capacity and broaden care choices so more residents can receive the services they need close to home. Examples include, improving Hepatitis C monitoring and expanding local residential and service options for people with I/DD and co-occurring needs. Outcomes Deepen our outcome‑driven practice by advancing shared data systems, strengthening collaborative and evidence‑based service models, and using improved outcome tracking to guide decisions. These efforts will elevate service quality and ensure more consistent, effective, and equitable support for our community’s most vulnerable residents. Initiatives for the Year Ahead Workforce Expand cross‑training, enhance recruitment and retention, and invest in targeted skill development across Public Health and Behavioral Health. We will replace temporary roles with sustainable positions, provide updated and hands‑on training, and build flexible, well‑supported teams to improve service stability and ensure consistent, high‑quality care. Sustainability Strengthen long‑term sustainability by deepening regional partnerships, expanding diversified funding, and improving operational efficiency across Public Health and Behavioral Health. We will enhance billable service capacity, align workloads, and invest in data‑driven care models that improve outcomes while reducing long‑term costs. Resiliency Building community and workforce resilience by deepening cross‑sector partnerships, advancing state‑level advocacy, and supporting frontline staff as demand for services grows. We will engage regional partners, enhance prevention and response networks, and improve workforce supports to ensure stable, responsive, and durable Public Health and Behavioral Health systems. Strategic Initiatives Initiatives for the Year Ahead FY 2025-26Funding & Personnel Overview 10%Vacancy Rate 9.38%Turnover Rate Proposed These stories reflect firsthand experiences with Health Services and show how accessible care, compassionate staff, and community centered support strengthen the health and safety ..Community Impact I think this partnership with public schools is critical. Students are facing mental health issues due to normal teen social, physical and emotional development, in addition to, escalating news about politics, war, climate change, etc. The exposure to so many areas of stress weighs on all of us. Teens are at a more vulnerable time to start unhealthy behaviors. The partnership offers alternatives and positive resources. - Teacher I attended the Pride festival in Drake Park. HIV testing has been on my mind, but I'd been procrastinating. I was pleased to see it available at the festival. It was my first encounter with the Deschutes County Mobile Health Clinic and I can't express strongly enough how impressed I was. Not only was it a safe, private, and convenient option...but the staff was exceptional. Their encouragement and willingness to share knowledge have prepared me for a more informed conversation with my primary care physician. Redmond Police contacted our office for support after arresting a woman who reported that her adult son, who is on the Autism Spectrum, depended on her for daily care. Our Abuse Screener gathered the information, and an Adult Abuse Investigator was dispatched to assess his immediate needs. Staff quickly reviewed his records, coordinated outreach, and supported him in restarting the eligibility process the same day.This situation highlights the strong community partnerships we’ve built and the commitment of our staff to respond quickly, collaborate effectively, and support community members in need. Public School Partnership Mobile Health Clinic Law Enforcement Collaboration When the ACT Team first met this client, they were living in foster care and struggling with major gaps in the medical system. Missing supplies and frequent hospitalizations made managing their diabetes incredibly difficult. The ACT Team stepped in, coordinating consistently with providers, pharmacies, hospitals, and insurance to ensure their medical needs were met. They also taught the client how to track supplies, communicate effectively, and stay safe despite inconsistent resources. As their health stabilized, their independence grew. They moved from foster care into shared housing, then into a home of their own. They maintained employment for four years, built meaningful relationships, reconnected with family, and found belonging in their church community. They also became a steady presence in ACT groups—both supported by peers and offering support in return. Over time, they developed strong budgeting skills, managed their responsibilities independently, and maintained stable physical and mental health. With continued growth and confidence, they successfully stepped down to a lower level of care. Today, they stand as a powerful example of resilience and what sustained support can achieve. Their journey reminds us why outreach matters and why we remain hopeful for every client we serve. Community Impact Story of Growth: An 8 Year Journey Contact Us Phone Behavioral Health: 541-322-2500 Public Health: 541-322-2400 Email Healthservices@deschutes.org