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Social Determinants of Health

What Are the Social Determinants of Health? 

Figures representing the five kinds of Social Determinants of Health, described below.
Retrieved April 26, 2022, from the Healthy People 2030 website, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

According to Healthy People 2030, the social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions in the environment that affect our overall health and quality of life.

There are five key areas of SDOH:

Our Role

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Social Determinants of Health team strives to be equity in action, in service to Oregon communities. The team shares these foundational goals:

  • Engage Oregon communities through shared leadership and decision-making to address systemic and institutional health inequities.
  • Increase residential treatment facility capacity and supportive housing services to improve housing stability, access to appropriate care, and better overall health and wellbeing.

The team works with community partners to identify funding opportunities that help communities throughout Oregon lead local projects to improve the social determinants of health.

Our Programs

Regional Development and Innovation Initiative

​The initiative is a $130 million investment to increase Oregon’s licensed residential facilities and housing for people with behavioral health service needs. Funds support capital, startup, and operational costs. For 2021-2023, the initiative is funded with $65 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and $65 million General Fund.​

​Through House Bill 5024, OHA awarded $5 million in planning grants, of up to $50,000  to 104 community mental health programs, tribes, Regional Health Equity Coalitions, and community partners. Grant recipients were asked to conduct research to identify community needs, asses the feasibility and sustainability of potential projects, and other planning activities necessary to increase residential facility and housing capacity.

Dec. 30, 2021 – Feb. 14, 2022, OHA issued a Request for Proposals designed for “ready to go” projects ​that could be ready to admit residents within 12 months. This solicitation focused on the following groups of individuals:

  • Aid and Assist: Individuals indicted for a crime and lacking fitness to proceed.
  • Psychiatric Security Review Board Jurisdiction: Individuals found “guilty except for insanity”.
  • Civil Commitment: Individuals subject to a civil commitment order.
  • Children with “Severe Emotional Disturbance” (SED) – children and youth under the age of 18 with functional impairment, in need of psychiatric residential treatment services. 

Supportive housing and licensed residential treatment ​facilities can apply for funds for new construction, acquisition and renovation. Available funds are approximately $25 million. 

Pull dates for applications:

  • July 29, 2022
  • Aug. 19, 2022
  • Aug. 31, 2022
  • Sept. 30, 2022
  • Oct. 31, 2022
  • Nov. 18, 2022
  • Nov. 30, 2022

Award Notices:

Also see the full awardee list ​(updated 3/8/2023)

Application ​​Documents

For supportive housing providers: 

For licensed residential facilities: 

For applicants who are sole proprietors:

For any questions about the grant application, please email Richard Malloy.

Updates

View community partner meetings about this funding opportunity: 

Read the July 21, 2022 update about the Addend​um to the RFGAs

Application may be made for funding to support Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility development projects and start-up expenses​ as follows:

  • July 26, 2022: OHA posts Request for Grant Applications.
  • Sep. 24, 2022: ​Last day for providers to submit their application to OHA.
  • Oct. 1 – 31, 2022: OHA evaluates applications and awards funds.

Award Notice

​Read the notice to applicants​ (11/4/2022)

Resources

​Application Documents

​OHA seeks Applications from eligible individuals and entities who are interested in developing Young Adult in Transition Licensed Residential Treatment Homes or Facilities to increase the number of beds to serve this target population. ​

Round 2 (now open)

​View the Request for Grant Application​ (1/23/2023)

Round 1​​​ (closed Oct. 1, 2022)

Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Oct. 1, 2022​

View the Notice of Intent to Award ​(12/21/2022)

Resources​

​Applica​tion Documents


Community Engagement

The Community Engagement team aims to build meaningful and diverse connections with our current and future community partners to better serve everyone in Oregon.

​Discuss current and future projects, connect with other partners and organizations, and join workshop development courses. ​

​Regular partnership meetings between the Social Determinants of Health team and community partners will be posted here. Updates on the next partnership meeting will be coming soon.  ​


Planning Grant awardees can meet with their assigned Project Development Coordinator for help and support with their community efforts. 

To learn more, email Pablo Garcia ​or Blanca Barocio​.​

​LaDonna Lofland, Program Implementation Lead

Blanca Barocio, Project Development Coordinator, Contract Administrator

Pablo Garcia, Project Development Coordinator, Contract Administrator

Vanlena Le​, Research Intern

Birth Certificate Grant Program

People experiencing unstable housing or housing insecurity may not have their birth certificate. But to access affordable housing or other services, they need it.

To fill this need, House Bill 2402 allocates $50,000 per biennium to OHA. OHA uses these funds to award grants to organizations that will help houseless individuals get their birth certificate. The grantees:

  • Serve areas with the highest counts of people experiencing houselessness throughout Oregon.
  • May only use the funds to order Oregon birth certificates. They cannot pay fees for birth certificates from other states.

To learn more about this program, contact Lisa Espinosa (971-240-7867).

Learn more about ordering an Oregon birth certificate

Rental Assistance Programs

These programs help individuals with a substance use or mental health disorder, and their families, find or maintain stable housing.

​This program funds local partners to provide systems and support to help individuals in a substance use recovery program, and their families. Services include:

  • Rental assistance
  • Housing coordination services (staff support)
  • Residential barrier removal 

Currently 10 local organizations, counties and a Tribe provide these services. The 2021-2013 program budget is $1.2 million.

Quarterly Report Template for Partners

​This program manages Rental Assistance Contracts for SPMI populations throughout Oregon. The program also provides technical assistance for contractors as needed, such as help with invoicing and reporting.

  • How to apply
  • Quarterly Report Template

​Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) administers this program in partnership with OHA and the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). The program:

  • Refers people with SPMI or intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) to participating affordable housing properties. 
  • Provides rent subsidies based on 30% of the individual’s household income. 
  • Currently offers 71 one- and two-bedroom units in 10 properties around the state. 

OHA coordinates with local providers to refer people with SPMI to this program. ODHS does the same for people with I/DD.

To learn more, visit the OHCS website​.

TANF Mental and Behavioral Health Pilot Program

OHA administers thIs program in partnership with ODHS and three coordinated care organizations (CCOs). One of three pilot programs mandated by House Bill 2032 to support Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) participants, the program:

  • Provides CCOs funding to increase access to mental health and substance use disorder services for TANF participants.
  • Requires CCOs to collect and report data about the mental health needs of TANF participants, and the services they complete. This will help OHA understand the barriers that prevent utilization of these services.

Initially scheduled to end June 2022, this program has been extended to June 2023.

Questions?

Team Contact List

News and Updates

Young Adults in Transition Request for Grant Applications now open

SPMI Rental Assistance Program rate increases effective October 1, 2022

Quick Links

Funding Application Resources

OregonBuys

Delegation Agreement and overview of the Delegation Agreement process (coming soon)

For any questions about grant applications, please email Richard Malloy.

Planning Grant 

View the final recommendations (11/9/20222)

These charts capture needs identified by awardees in the Dec. 31 Planning Grant Progress Reports, and during the March 29, 2022 partnership meeting.

Resources

Economic Stability

Assistance Services

Oregon Employment Department

Education Access and Quality

Oregon Department of Education

Oregon Early Learning Division

Health Care Access and Quality

Applying for the Oregon Health Plan

OregonHealthCare.gov

Neighborhood and Built Environment

Affordable Housing

Environmental Public Health

Housing and Community Services

Social and Community Context

Healthy People and Families

Prevention and Wellness