City Club event addresses Portland’s behavioral health needs

On Wednesday, April 10, speakers from Portland Street Response, Portland Police Bureau’s Behavioral Health Unit, and Cascadia’s Project Respond presented at City Club’s “It Takes a Village” event, which offered multiple perspectives on the challenges in addressing unmet mental health needs in Portland.

The “It Takes a Village” speaker series is organized by City Club’s Health & Public Safety Issue Committee with the intention of illuminating the struggles that public health and safety practitioners address as they support our community members with unmet mental health needs. Topics included what constructive models of community aid might look like and why resources like in-patient rehabilitation beds are a necessity.

Cascadia was honored to take part; we look forward to having more of these vital conversations.

Speakers:

• Lisa M. Stewart, Ph.D, Project Respond Program Manager, Cascadia Health
• Brian Jacoby, Project Respond Program Manager, Cascadia Health
• Lielah Leighton, LCSW, Program Manager, Portland Street Response
• Christopher Burley, Lieutenant, Portland Police Behavioral Health Unit
• Emily Rochon, Service Coordination Team Manager, Portland Police