Oregon state legislator dismayed as workforce‐boosting bills fail

Oregon State Rep. Ed Diehl expected an easy path this year when he introduced four bills that would authorize the state to join interstate compacts allowing various out‐of‐state mental health professionals to deliver care to Oregonians. Since many clinicians had told Diehl that taking this step would be a wise strategy to combat a mental health workforce crisis, he reasoned that the legislation would earn a favorable reception.