
The 2025 long Legislative Session has started. The House Committee On Behavioral Health and Health Care will be meeting Tuesday and Thursdays starting at 3:00pm. The House Committee On Behavioral Health and Health Care is also meeting Tuesday and Thursdays starting at 3:00pm. For all the other scheduled committee meetings you can go here to OLIS. Lastly, you can see the legislative calendar here where you can track important deadlines during session.
As a Regional Health Equity Coalition OHEA has been advocating for funding in the past two sessions. This year we are coming back with SB 528 and SB 530, both sponsored by Senator Patterson. These two bills will allow us to expand the RHEC reach to other counties, and adjust for the cost of doing business. We are asking for endorsements and support to ensure these get across the finish line. If you are interested in endorsing these bills please fill out this form or reach out to us if you have additional questions.
OHEA: A Regional Health Equity Coalition
Regional Health Equity Coalitions (RHECs) are made up of grassroots community members and representatives from culturally specific community-based organizations who work to identify what the most pressing health equity issues are in their region.
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We work to increase health equity for the communities we serve. Health equity is when each person has a fair and just chance to reach their best health and wellbeing. This is no matter their race, ethnicity, or class.

To increase health equity, OHEA works with community members to name barriers we face to living healthy lives. We also bring ideas on how to remove those barriers. Then we use this information to increase the voices of those who are not often heard in state and local government as well as other groups with power.
Support or oppose proposals for new laws based on the needs of our communities.
Build relationships, collaborate, and support community members to develop certain skills. These are skills on how to:
Give testimony.
Talk to government leaders.
Better understand decision making within government and other systems of power.
Develop relationships with politicians to help move proposed laws forward that will further health equity and justice, based on evidence and wisdom
from our communities.

OHEA represents Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties

