Ebony Clarke, the state’s director of behavioral health for just over a year, announced significant changes within her office at the latest meeting of the Oregon Health Policy Board. Clarke explained that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) had brought in a consulting firm to conduct an organizational assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses within the department. With a long-standing consulting contract with Deloitte in place, OHA sought to streamline its operations and improve communication among different divisions.

The organizational assessment led to some restructuring within OHA. The decision was made to eliminate the Health Systems Division and establish a new Behavioral Health Division and Medicaid Division. Clarke will now oversee three deputy directors to ensure a more integrated approach to healthcare services. Despite the changes, no employees were terminated, and the changes took effect on April 1.

Sejal Hathi, OHA’s newly appointed director, acknowledged the challenges of filling key leadership positions such as chief medical officer and chief financial officer, which are currently being filled by interim executives. However, she remained optimistic about the department’s ability to attract top talent. Hathi also highlighted the need for a dental director for the Oregon Health Plan and encouraged anyone who knew qualified candidates to reach out to OHA.

The changes announced by Ebony Clarke and the ongoing recruitment efforts reflect OHA’s commitment to improving behavioral health services and enhancing coordination within the department.