A partnership among Mosaic Community Health, Sisters School District, and Deschutes County Health Services is expanding substance use disorder treatment for adolescents across Central Oregon, supported by new state funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program. For two years, the partners collaborated on the UpShift program, a school-based initiative providing screening, early intervention, and diversion services for students experiencing low- to moderate-risk substance use (Levels 0–2) at the Sisters School-Based Health Center.
With new funding, the partnership will expand services to include youth with higher-risk (Level 3) substance use needs and extend care to additional rural communities in Central Oregon. Currently, many adolescents requiring intensive treatment must travel outside their communities for weekly services, creating barriers to access, consistency, and recovery. The expansion brings comprehensive care closer to home through both in-person and telehealth options, with enhanced staff training for complex cases.
Lindsey Overstreet, Pediatric Behavioral Health Manager at Mosaic, emphasized the collaborative approach: “This work reflects what’s possible when schools, healthcare providers and public health come together around a shared goal. By expanding services in rural communities, we’re ensuring more young people can access the care they need—when and where they need it.” Jessica Jacks, Prevention and Health Promotion Manager at Deschutes County Health Services, noted the partnership’s ease: “We have a shared mission to serve our community’s youth. I am grateful for the ease with which we can partner with Mosaic and Sisters School District to find innovative ways to address service gaps.”
The initiative is part of a broader statewide effort to improve rural healthcare access and outcomes, particularly for behavioral health and substance use prevention among youth. Mosaic operates seven school-based health centers across Central Oregon, providing services regardless of school attendance or prior patient status.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.bendsource.com/business/businessnews/local-partnership-expands-substance-use-treatment-services-for-youth-in-central-oregon/