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Benton County Health Department - Mental Health Division

Mental Health Services

The Mental Health Division must assure the development and coordination of a countywide system of prevention and treatment services for persons with mental health issues, alcohol and other drug addictions, and/or developmental disabilities. The development of this service system must be data driven and outcome focused.

Division programs must promote independence and recovery – providing assessment, support and education, skills training, therapy, medical services and comprehensive case management through individualized care plans that resonate with client voice and input. Each program must design services that are responsive to emerging needs of individuals and promote recovery so individuals are able to carry on without reliance on the division's programs to the greatest extent possible.

The Mental Health Division must train and cultivate staff that is highly skilled, flexible, and forward thinking. Our staff must be able to work in teams in a constant environment of change. They must be able to expand services and programs to fill gaps in the service system and be able to shift away from services that are duplications of services provided by others or those no longer priority or funded. The staff must be able to provide a range of programs and services from assurance and quality monitoring to prevention programs to direct treatment and crisis services. They must be able to provide these services at a range of locations in the community – homes, partner agencies, satellite offices and schools.

Oregon Medical Health Database

HB 3466 passed during the 2009 session and provides a means by which individuals with mental illness can voluntarily disclose their medical information to a Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) that will then be made accessible to law enforcement agencies during an emergency.

The intent of the legislation was to create a way to help responding agencies assist persons with a qualifying illness or condition in obtaining medical, mental health and social services when responding to a request for an emergency service.

If you or a family member is interested in enrolling in this database please complete the Voluntary Consent Form, fill it out, print it and call 541-766-6805 to schedule an appointment.

Volunteer Consent Form

The information in this form will be entered into the Medical Health Database. The information will only be accessed by authorized individuals to provide necessary information to responding law enforcement officers and other responding emergency personnel to assist in an emergency situation.

Oregon Medical Health Database Enrollment Instructions (PDF)

Oregon Medical Health Database Enrollment Form (PDF)

If you have any questions on the form or process, please contact Mitch Anderson at
541-766-6805.

This document can also be provided upon request in alternative formats for individuals with disabilities. Other formats may include (but are not limited to) large print, Braille, audio recordings, Web-based communications and other electronic formats. E-mail dhs.forms@state.or.us, call 503-378-3486 (voice) or 503-378-3523 (TTY), or fax 503-373-7690 to arrange for the alternative format that will work best for you.

Important ORS 181.735 Highlights

(2) Not later than seven days after receiving a completed enrollment form described in subsection (6)(a) of this section, a community mental health and developmental disabilities program director shall enter an individual's information into the medical health database if the director:

(a) Has verified that the individual has a qualifying mental illness; and

(b) Has obtained the express written consent of:

(A) The individual;

(B) A person authorized to make medical decisions for the individual, if  
the individual is subject to a guardianship, advanced directive for health care, declaration for mental health treatment or power of attorney that authorizes the person to make medical decisions for the individual; or

(C) A parent of the individual, if the individual is less than 14 years of age.

(3) To be valid, the express written consent described in subsection (2) (b) of this section must be witnessed by at least two adults as follows:

(a) Each witness shall witness either the signing of the instrument by the individual or the person described in subsection (2)(b)(B) or (C) of this section, or the individual’s or person‘s acknowledgment of the signature of the individual or person.

(b) At least one witness shall be a person who is not:

(A) A relative of the individual by blood, marriage or adoption; or

(B) An owner, operator or employee of a health care facility in which the individual is a patient or resident.

(C) The individual’s primary care physician or mental health service provider, or any relative of the physician or provider, may not be a witness.

 

(6) The Department of Human Services shall develop:

(a) An enrollment form that allows for the collection of information to be entered into the medical health database, and that clearly states that consent by the individual or person described in subsection (2)(b)(B)(C) of this section is voluntary, revocable an dis not a precondition for receiving medical care or mental health treatment or for discharge from a facility or program.

(7) The medical health database must contain the following information:

(a) The individual's name, date of birth, last known address and physical description;

(b) Any pertinent information related to the individual's illness or condition, including related symptoms, that may assist law enforcement agencies in carrying out the purposes of this section;

(A) The individual’s primary care physician;

(B) The individual’s case manager in the community mental health and developmental disabilities program;

(C) A probation officer;

(D) A family member; or

(E) Any other person willing to serve as an emergency contact person for the individual.

(9) As used in this section:

(d)  "Qualifying illness or condition" means:

(A) Dementia;

(B) A developmental disability;

(C) An Axis I diagnosis that is described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric    Association; or

(D) A physical or behavioral disorder that causes disorientation or otherwise may impede an individual’s ability to interact with a law enforcement officer.

The complete text of ORS 181.735 can be found on the Oregon State Legislature website.

Resources

• Mental Health Strategic Plan (PDF)
• Implementation Plan 07-09 (PDF)

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