Oregon State Hospital Spinoff, House Leadership Challenges and Prosper Portland Probe

Oregon State Hospital could soon leave Oregon Health Authority control under a new legislative package pushed by Gov. Tina Kotek, Willamette Week reported.

The state’s highest-level psychiatric institution was allotted 2,995 of the agency’s 5,997 positions this budget cycle. Proponents of the separation argue that the facility has consistently been a mismatch inside an organization whose main focus is health policy regulation rather than healthcare delivery.

“The current placement of OSH as a division within OHA is constraining the focus, capacity, and accountability needed to set a new course,” a spokesperson for Kotek said.

Chris Bouneff of mental health policy group NAMI Oregon said the governance change is “probably overdue.” Bouneff said that while most hospitals have a board dedicated to ensuring they meet their mission, the state hospital effectively has a board of one: the director of the Oregon Health Authority.

He added that changing this dynamic gained momentum due in part to the “ineptitude of our previous OHA director”—Dr. Sejal Hathi—who had “no experience running a psychiatric hospital.”

House Speaker Julie Fahey is facing potential leadership challenges ahead of the biennial retreat where House Democrats will vote on leadership positions in two weeks.

Aspirants challenging Fahey include Rep. Daniel Nguyen, who confirmed his intention to run for speaker to Willamette Week. Mentioning past policy setbacks, Rep. Nguyen pointed to instances like the inability during the last two years to pass a wide-ranging transportation funding bill.

“We are at an inflection point that requires bold leadership,” Nguyen wrote, adding that Oregon’s revenue system is held together by Band-Aids and requires a public discussion on modernizing the tax structure.

Majority Leader Ben Bowman and Rep. Thuy Tran are also in the mix for leadership spots. Meanwhile, Gov. Kotek declined to comment at a recent press conference when asked whether Fahey should continue as speaker.

The union representing employees at Prosper Portland is asking Mayor Keith Wilson and the Prosper board of commissioners to hire an independent investigator to examine three contracts totaling $456,000 awarded by executive director Cornell Wesley to longtime friends during his first year on the job.