Quick facts about Oregon Health Plan:

• Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is Oregon’s State Medicaid Program
• Under each county in Oregon, Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs) are insurance companies who are responsible for managing and distributing health benefits to medicaid members who qualify. CCOs integrate physical, dental and mental health.
• In Multnomah, Washington & Clackamas counties there are two main CCOs who handle Medicaid benefits: Health Share and FamilyCare Inc.
• There are 16 CCOs that operate in Oregon. Click here for a full list.
• Click here to apply for OHP
• View therapists on PTC that accept OHP

Feeling Stuck

A common experience for enrolled Oregon Health Plan members in Portland is being referred, with little thought, to a community mental health agency, such as Morrison Center, Cascadia or LifeWorks NW. While these clinics provide good care, it is often the case that they’re overcrowded and have inexperienced therapists, many of whom are not licensed. Some clients experience the effects of therapist burn-out after hearing for the third time in four months that they’re getting transferred to another counselor. Feeling depleted from yet another therapist “break-up,” you bang your head against the wall after repeating your story for the fifth time. You may start to feel like you’ve hit a dead end.

And It’s true… navigating the mental health system can feel like a maze of programs and people. It’s also way too difficult to critically think about when you’re already dealing with stress. Because of this, many OHP members settle for the first referral they get. They slug through the agency’s myriad of paperwork and wait lists, thinking that this is probably their only choice. They may think that people in private practice are too elitist to see them or they may have to have that uncomfortable talk asking them to accept a sliding scale. Or worse, they conclude that the stress of getting mental health care is actually making their problems bigger and they give up entirely.

It’s not your fault

The main reason why you can’t find a private practice therapist who takes OHP is simply because they’ve failed to get the word out to the masses. Therapists in private practice have less infrastructure for marketing and, quite frankly, most of them stink at it. It’s not your fault you can’t find them.. but believe me, there are many of them to choose from and they want to find you!

Portland Therapy Center has you covered

Luckily, Portland Therapy Center (PTC) takes care of this problem for you. PTC is a search tool designed to help you find the right therapist. And you don’t need a special referral. At PTC, you can search for an OHP therapist by Coordinated Care Organization and filter by specialty and location. Looking for a child therapist who takes Health Share and deals with depression in SW? PTC is on it. Wanting a psychiatrist who sees adults for anxiety and takes FamilyCare in NE? Boom. It’s there.

Check it out…

Beth Bogdon, LPC in NE Portland takes FamilyCare and is available to help adult individuals through gender dysphoria, PTSD and Anxiety.

Ashley Huddleston, LCSW in NE/NW Portland takes FamilyCare and Health Share and is eager to help you manage your young child’s most difficult behaviors.

Charles Harrison, PsyD is a clinical psychologist who takes FamilyCare and can help adults let go of old wounds and negative beliefs to experience freedom and growth.

…. and the list goes on.

Your benefits

When you see an OHP private practice therapist, you’ll enjoy the benefit of getting to choose a therapist who has curated their career to specialize in clinical issues you may be seeking help with. You’ll never feel “assigned” to anyone. You’ll get to enjoy a comfortable, private, non-stigmatizing environment. And the best part is… drum roll please… you’ll never pay a penny out of pocket. That’s right! Your benefits cover a wide spectrum of outpatient mental health care with varied provider types including LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PsyD and Psychiatry. In most cases, there is minimal limitation on the amount of visits. So, what are you waiting for? Jump on it! View all therapists on PTC that accept OHP.

Ruth Exley, LCSW is a therapist and owner of Restore Therapy, a group private practice accepting OHP and specializing in evidence-based therapy approaches and medication management for children, families and adults. Ruth is also a Pediatric Social Worker at Randall Children’s Hospital, Emergency Department.