June Behavioral Health & Aging Newsletter |
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Welcome to OCEBHA’s monthly newsletter! Each month, we send out a newsletter highlighting some of the last month’s important news and applicable research in behavioral health and aging, and upcoming events and opportunities.Â
This month, we’re sharing two more confirmed speakers for our September conference, and providing actionable research for practitioners on cannabis use in primary care settings, and the latest trends in behavioral health policy, along with select June events from our partners across Oregon.
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We’re excited to announce two more of our confirmed speakers for OCEBHA’s 3rd annual behavioral health, happening September 15-16th. Meet Dr. Thomas Kinlen and Brooke Sheehan! To learn more about Dr. Kinlen and Sheehan’s work and presentations and to grab your spot (for free!) today, visit our registration page at: https://ocebha.rsvpify.com/
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Recent Research Highlights | |
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Cannabis is the third-most used psychoactive substance in the United States, following alcohol and tobacco. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) presents as a pattern of cannabis consumption that produces clinically meaningful impairment or distress. In 2024, an estimated 20.6 million people ages 12 and older reported past-year CUD—an increase from the 16.7 million reported in 2021.
- Past month cannabis use in older adults in 2024 was 6.9 percent (ages 65 and older).
- Older adults may be more likely than other age groups to use cannabis for medical purposes, including pain relief, managing symptoms related to mental health issues, and improving sleep. Few studies have been conducted on CUD in this population, but research suggests that SUD, including CUD, are underdiagnosed and undertreated in older adults.
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This lack of treatment further amplifies the already elevated risks older adults face from cannabis use, including vehicular accidents, falls, mental issues, cardiovascular events (e.g., stroke, heart attack), pulmonary adverse events, and drug–drug interactions with commonly used medications. Research has also shown that older adults have greater substance use treatment adherence and better treatment outcomes than younger people.
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This report outlines steps that managed care plans, county behavioral health plans, and assisted living operators can take to improve referral pathways, expand use of available funding, and strengthen care coordination. Proposition 1 now requires counties to dedicate 30% of Behavioral Health Services Act funds to housing for people with serious mental illness and substance use disorder beginning in July 2026.
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- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a series of regulatory actions aimed at accelerating development of psychedelic-based treatments for serious mental illness following the recent executive order directed at the US Department of Health and Human Services.
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Federal posture is shifting toward accelerated development and access for psychedelic therapies, with emphasis on Breakthrough Therapy pathways where early signals show meaningful improvement in serious mental illness.
- The current push implicitly responds to the 2024 nonapproval of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, which highlighted design flaws, durability questions, and evidentiary complexities unique to psychedelic-assisted interventions.
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Behavioral Health & Aging News | |
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| Comments sought on Oregon Dept. of Human Services draft State Plan on Aging by June 12 |
Oregon’s draft 2026-2030 State Plan on Aging — which shapes how older adults, people with disabilities, their families and other unpaid care providers are served — is available for review. The public is asked to provide comments on the plan to the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) by 5 p.m. Friday, June 12, 2026. To review the draft State Plan and a summary of the plan, visit the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) community engagement webpage.
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| “The Help That Many Older Americans Need Most” |
Written by Paula Span, this is a profile of an Oregon community health worker serving older adults in rural areas, first published in The New York Times.Â
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| Governor Kotek Signs Bills to Strengthen Oregon’s Behavioral Health Workforce |
As a part of a signing ceremony, Governor Kotek signed 4 behavioral health workforce bills. The bills included streamlining Medicaid credentialing so qualified workers can start serving patients sooner and reduce administrative burdens, a bill requiring behavioral health employers develop and implement written safety policies and plans to protect employees working with high acuity populations, a bill that streamlines background checks for behavioral health workers, and a senate bill that creates a credential for behavioral health professionals from the Ballmer Institute who are specially trained to work with adolescents – expanding the workforce and helping to fill a gap of early intervention and prevention.
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| Overdose deaths in Oregon drop second year in a row |
Overdose deaths in Oregon have dropped for a second year in a row, according to the state’s health agency.
There were 1,100 overdose deaths in 2025, preliminary estimates from the Oregon Health Authority show — a drop from more than 1,500 in 2024 and 1,800 in 2023. The decline marks the first year-over-year decline since 2016.
To reduce overdose deaths, the state has invested in the Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse, which provides no-cost supplies such as naloxone, infection prevention and wound care kits to health clinics, law enforcement, tribes and community-based organizations across Oregon. The state also provides grants to behavioral health providers to support people with substance use disorders regardless of their ability to pay, and it has expanded its opioid treatment programs, prevention programs and peer services.
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Community and Partner Events | |
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June 9, 10:00 am - 11:30 am, “Catatonia in Older Adults: Syndrome of Movement and Behavior”, presented by GOBHIÂ
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This session will review how catatonia presents in older adults, key signs to look for, and how to differentiate it from other conditions. We’ll cover risk factors, assessment tools, practical bedside evaluation strategies, and current treatment approaches. Case examples will help illustrate real‑world application and support clinical decision making. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to recognize, assess, and respond to catatonia in late life.
- Speaker: Ruthy Lindvall MHACHBO CEUs NASW CEUs pending*
- June 15 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, “Creating Connection,” presented by GOBHIÂ
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Loneliness & Isolation are associated with nearly every Behavioral and Physical Health Concern. Older Adults in Rural communities are disproportionately impacted ~ The Surgeon General is calling it a "Behavioral Health Crisis" Learn about Dr. Emily Byerly's "Connection Planning" and Evidence-based Curriculum for Older Adults designed to Create Values-Based Connection, 2 CEUs
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June 15, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, “Enhancing Prescription Opioid Safety in Senior Care,” presented by Oregon Care PartnersÂ
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This training explores the risks and benefits of opioid use in older adults and provides practical guidance on pain management, safe storage, and accountability to help caregivers make an impact on harm reduction. Participants will gain practical tools and strategies to help support safer medication use and protect the well-being of those in their care.
- 3 CEUs, webinar
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June 16, 2:00 p.m. ET, "Voices Unheard: Turning Awareness into Action Against Abuse and Exploitation." by the Administration of Community Living
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This webinar provides an overview of key programs administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) that support the rights, health, and financial security of older adults and people with disabilities. It is designed for both the general public and federal stakeholders, with a focus on how federal policy translates into community-based services.Â
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Presenters:Â Kari Benson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging;Â Rebecca Kinney, OHIC Director and SMP Program Manager;Â Melissa Simpson, SHIP Program Manager; Melanie Kempf, Iowa Deputy State LTC;Â Amity Overall, National Ombudsman Resource Center;Â Sonya Begay, Program Analyst
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June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. |
3% of American older adults experience PTSD, and research suggests that aging interacts with PTSD in a unique way. June is a time to raise awareness and understanding about the intersection of aging and PTSD.Â
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Facts about older adults and PTSD:
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- PTSD increases the risk for neurocognitive disorder in older adults.
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Older adults may be less likely to meet the full PTSD diagnostic criteria but may still have subthreshold PTSD that is impairing their experience.
- Older adults may be more stoic and more likely to focus on somatic complaints, and less likely to identify their symptoms as trauma-related.
- Social supports are an important buffer against PTSD symptoms, and role changes and losses of key loved ones in older adults life may affect PTSD symptoms.
- There has been little research into medication use in older adults with PTSD. In general, older adults may be more susceptible to side effects due to slower metabolism.
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Portland State University | Institute on Aging | Portland, OR 97201-0751 US
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