ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025
More Than Ever, We Are Ready To Serve
Reflecting on a year of change at Cascadia Health.
Letter from James Schroeder, new President & CEO
Grounded in who we are
Our mission, vision, and values guide every decision and investment we make.
These principles carried us through a year of meaningful change and continue to shape how we meet the highest community needs—with compassion, excellence, and purpose.
Welcoming James Schroeder as Cascadia’s new CEO ensures our vision remains steady while bringing fresh energy to our work.
Behavioral health in our community
Oregon has one of the highest rates of serious mental illness in the nation.
Yet system capacity still can’t meet community need. Many people face long wait times, workforce shortages, and rising emergency visits. Cascadia’s last Community Needs Assessment captured the history and knowledge of local people. Their stories underscore the urgency for stronger, more accessible care across our region.
On average, people living with serious mental illness die 10 to 20 years earlier than those without.
Community needs by the numbers
The below data represents responses from survey participants.
Community needs by the numbers
65% already receive mental health services but still report unmet needs.
60% have called for crisis support.
71% say housing in their community is unaffordable.
What we heard
More mental health, addiction treatment, and crisis services are urgently needed.
Barriers include cost, insurance, stigma, and confusion about where to turn.
Social needs like housing, food, employment, and safety remain critical to wellbeing.
Meeting needs with stability and excellence
Last year, many health and social service providers faced uncertainty.
Looming budget cuts and shifting federal policy created instability across the sector. While others pulled back, Cascadia moved forward by strengthening services and delivering reliable, high-quality care for those with the most complex needs.
Through deliberate investments in people, safety, and infrastructure, we ensured stability and access during a challenging year. Every improvement helped protect continuity of care and expand our capacity to serve.
By the numbers
8,000
received mental health services
1,600
received addiction treatment
3,000
received primary care
7,000
received crisis response through Project Respond
2,150
accessed housing and housing support services
Readiness in action
Foundational investments strengthened our systems, teams, and environments to deliver safer, more coordinated care.
Readiness at Cascadia means building the structure, tools, and culture that make high-quality care possible. Last year, we strengthened how we work together, how we listen to clients, and how we create safe spaces for care and connection.
Team-based care
Fifteen cross-discipline teams now coordinate care around each client. This model puts the whole person at the center and ensures access to timely, connected support across programs.
Client voice
Through our partnership with CareOregon, clients now help shape their own care. Feedback-informed treatment and a new Consumer Advisory Council ensure history and knowledge guide every decision.
Technology
Workday and OCHIN Epic modernized how we manage care and operations. Providers now see the full picture of a person’s health in one system, and clients can access records anytime through MyChart.
Safety
New safety protocols, technology tools, and training help protect staff and clients. Improved communication and updated emergency systems strengthen response and build trust in every environment.
Supporting teams
Cascadia’s strength begins with our people.
In the last year, we continued to invest in staff support, belonging, and professional growth. These efforts build a culture where employees feel valued, connected, and ready to deliver exceptional care.
Employee support team
Cascadia’s colleague-to-colleague trauma support team offers confidential one-on-one and group support for staff experiencing stress, burnout, or critical incidents.
Employee resource opportunities
Cascadia offers spaces for staff to connect, share experiences, and build community. Open to all employees, these opportunities foster belonging and strengthen connections across the organization.
“I’ve never seen anything quite like Cascadia’s trauma support team. It’s an incredible resource for staff who encounter difficult situations every day.”
— Jennifer Crow, Counselor, Project Respond Mobile Crisis Team
By the numbers
20 Strength-Based Leadership graduates
100 Public Service Loan Forgiveness recipients
90 interns supervised and trained
950 hours of paid volunteer time in the community
“The curiosity and passion of our interns remind me why I entered this field.”
— Eric Hedman, Addiction & Recovery Manager
Impact in action
Every story shows Cascadia’s mission in motion, meeting urgent community needs through care, collaboration, and innovation.
Cascadia’s programs and partnerships bring whole health to life every day. From crisis response to recovery support, our teams meet people where they are and help them move toward stability and hope.
Partner spotlight: Oregon Health Authority
Partnership with the Oregon Health Authority expanded access to residential treatment and strengthened whole-person care.
In 2024, Cascadia and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) worked together to expand behavioral health services across the Portland metro area. OHA’s investment helped open new residential treatment beds, improve existing facilities, and ensure people with complex needs can access safe, person-centered care close to home.
Highlights from this partnership
- Opened Treeline at 174th, a new residential treatment facility in east Portland
- Sustained funding through federal and state programs that support integrated behavioral health and primary care
- Expanded supportive housing for individuals with complex needs
- Improved transitions for people leaving the Oregon State Hospital
- Renovated two residential sites for justice-involved individuals
- Began developing ADA-accessible units across residential programs
- Funded a new secure residential treatment facility, “Mountain View”, slated to open mid-2026
Together, OHA and Cascadia are expanding access, improving safety, and strengthening behavioral health services for our community.
Treeline
Cascadia’s newest residential treatment facility expands access to person-centered care for people living with serious mental illness. Treeline opened in summer 2024, adding 10 residential beds for adults experiencing symptoms of serious mental illness and other complex health needs. Surrounded by tall Douglas firs, the setting was designed to feel calm, safe, and restorative.
At the open house, staff, partners, and community members gathered to celebrate the new facility and the partnerships that made it possible. The project was funded through the Oregon Health Authority’s investment in expanding community-based treatment and supportive housing.
“We know that we need programs and organizations that understand the importance of person-centered, holistic care, and that’s what Treeline will do.”
— Ebony Clarke, Behavioral Health Division Director, Oregon Health Authority
Centralized food services
In fall 2024, Cascadia also centralized food and nutrition services across residential sites. Two cooks and a nutrition services manager now prepare and distribute more than 2,000 meals each week, supporting 14 residential sites with balanced, cost-efficient meals that meet a range of dietary needs.
Leading change across Oregon
Cascadia helps shape Oregon’s behavioral health system through advocacy, collaboration, and community leadership.
In 2024, Cascadia leaders shared our experience with state partners to strengthen Oregon’s behavioral health system. Our role in policy conversations helps turn community insight into action, improving safety, supporting the workforce, and expanding access to care.
Key highlights
- Supported a national Center of Excellence for crisis workforce development
- Served on Oregon’s Behavioral Health Safety Taskforce and Talent Taskforce
- Testified before the Legislature on workforce, access, and safety reforms
- Advanced partnerships that improve care coordination and staff well-being
- Earned recognition from the Port of Portland Police for Project Respond
- Strengthened community presence through events and coalitions
How Cascadia leads change
Cascadia’s leadership extends beyond care delivery. In 2024, our teams helped strengthen Oregon’s behavioral health system through advocacy, workforce development, recognition, and community collaboration.
Cascadia’s leadership reflects a commitment to people and progress. Through advocacy, collaboration, and community action, we continue building a behavioral health system that is strong and responsive to those we serve.
Looking ahead
With stability, expertise, and trust, Cascadia is ready to lead the next chapter of behavioral health care in Oregon.
The past year built a strong foundation for growth. We modernized systems, strengthened leadership, and deepened partnerships to ensure stability in a changing environment.
Now, Cascadia is ready to expand access, improve quality, and drive innovation across programs and services. Our priorities are clear: improve health outcomes for people living with serious mental illness, uphold the highest standards of care, and support the teams who make this work possible.
“The work of the past year has positioned Cascadia to lead Oregon’s next phase of behavioral health care.”
— James Schroeder, President & CEO
Culture of giving
Community generosity powers Cascadia’s mission and helps bring whole health care to more people each year.
Over the past year, donors, partners, and friends came together to support Cascadia’s programs and the people we serve. Every contribution, large or small, helps turn readiness into impact by funding care, housing, and recovery services across our community.
2024 Culture of Caring Gala
Cascadia’s eighth annual Culture of Caring Gala was celebrated fully in person for the first time since 2019. Nearly 350 guests attended, raising more than $370,000 to support whole health care. Together, we celebrated resilience through music, art, and stories from clients and staff.
STAND: Celebrating the Life and Art of Bob Volke
Portland artist Bob Volke (1958–2016) discovered painting through a Cascadia art therapy class that helped him manage symptoms of schizophrenia. In May 2025, Cascadia and his family honored his legacy through STAND: Celebrating the Life and Art of Bob Volke, raising more than $11,000 to support Cascadia’s mission of whole health.