URGENT: School-Based Health Funding Needs Support! (HB 4070)

On Monday, February 5th, the Legislature will convene and school-based health centers are first on the agenda. We need your written testimony – letters of support – submitted immediately. 

What Does HB 4070 do?

HB 4070 (bill language found here) asks for four things:

• Planning grant opportunities for local communities to implement a school-based health center or school nurse model according to their priority needs. ($1,400,000)
• Inflationary increase of 10% to the school-based health center base rate, and tied to inflation moving forward. ($936,000)
• Increase the school-based mental health fund to provide additional mental health and substance use services in schools either directly or through SBHCs. ($7.85 million)
• Bonding for school-based health center capital construction including pre-built modular clinics to go on school campuses. ($10 million)

How do I Submit Written Testimony?

1. Click here to go to the online portal for submitting testimony.
2. Choose the committee “House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care”
3. Choose meeting date “2/5/24, 3:00pm”
4. Select HB 4070. You can copy and paste into the online form or upload a pdf of your testimony. Please make sure that you check “support”. 

Note: As of 11:00 am on Friday, 2/2/24, the committee hearing was not yet available online. If you would like OSBHA to submit your written testimony for you, please send your letter to maureen@osbha.org and your testimony will be submitted as soon as the hearing is loaded into the legislative system. Thank you!

What Should I Say?

A template is provided below. It’s most effective to make it relevant to you and your organization or perspective.

“Chair Nosse and Members of the Committee:

My name is [_____], and I am [a student, teacher, representative of an organization].

I’m writing in support of HB 4070, which provides critical resources that youth and families across Oregon need now. Oregon is ranked last in the nation for youth mental health, and it’s showing in our schools through rampant behavior issues and high rates of chronic absenteeism. HB 4070 provides evidence-based resources that will be quickly available for schools to support youth mental and physical health. A study conducted in Oregon found that youth are 10-21x more likely to seek mental health support at a school-based health center (SBHC) and that SBHCs that increased mental health capacity were 12% less likely to report a depressive episode; 16% less likely to report suicidal ideation; and 18% less likely to report a suicide attempt.

[Personalize here]: I support this bill because [why you think school health resources are so critical, and the benefits to students and faculty in your local school system.] 

Our youth need this now and these resources will allow for an immediate increase in our capacity to support them. I urge you to vote yes on HB 4070.”

Thank you,

[Name]