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Each year, Lines for Life reflects on the progress made toward building a more compassionate, accessible, and equitable behavioral health system. Our 2025 Annual Report highlights work moving beyond awareness and into action. Work that addresses long-standing gaps in access, representation, and trust.<\/p>\n
One of this year\u2019s most meaningful areas of impact comes from our Equity and Cultural Engagement team<\/a>, whose efforts in 2025 focused on strengthening Oregon\u2019s behavioral health workforce and expanding culturally responsive mental health support for communities historically underserved. Two initiatives, the Custody to Counseling Pipeline<\/b> and Charlas<\/b>, stand out as powerful examples of how centering lived experience, cultural responsiveness, and workforce equity in our work reimagines what the future of care can look like.<\/p>\n As highlighted in our 2025 Annual Report, Oregon continues to face a severe behavioral health workforce shortage. One shaped by years of underinvestment and systemic barriers that have excluded people of color and justice-involved individuals from entering the field.<\/p>\n In response, Lines for Life launched the Custody to Counseling Pipeline (C2CP)<\/b>, an innovative workforce development initiative created in partnership with the Oregon Department of Corrections, leading addiction treatment providers, the Mental Health and Addiction Certification Board of Oregon, and United We Heal. <\/p>\n C2CP creates a supported pathway for adults in custody to earn the education, training, and supervised clinical experience required to become Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CADCs)<\/b>. This approach addresses two urgent needs at once: expanding Oregon\u2019s behavioral health workforce and opening doors to sustainable, meaningful careers for people historically shut out of the profession.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are helping meet a critical workforce need while delivering adults in custody with the opportunity they\u2019ve always hoped for,\u201d said Martin Lockett, Director of Equity and Cultural Engagement<\/b>. <\/p>\n The first cohort will begin in 2026 at Oregon State Penitentiary, with 20\u201330 participants graduating into Oregon\u2019s behavioral health workforce each year. Over time, the program will expand to additional facilities statewide, increasing access to counselors whose lived experience strengthens trust, reduces stigma, and supports long-term recovery.<\/p>\n Another key highlight from the 2025 Annual Report is the Charlas<\/b>, a culturally grounded mental health initiative designed to support Spanish-speaking communities across Oregon.<\/p>\nCustody to Counseling Pipeline: Building Equity in Oregon\u2019s Behavioral Health Workforce<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Charlas: Culturally Grounded Spaces for Healing<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n