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Dear Friend,
I want to invite you to my upcoming in-person town hall in Salem! Join me on Tuesday, May 26, in Chemeketa Community College’s Auditorium at 6 PM. No RSVP needed. I look forward to seeing you there!
I know firsthand that mental health struggles aren’t always visible. Many people carry them quietly, which is why Mental Health Awareness Month matters. Talking openly about mental health lowers stigma and makes it easier for people to ask for help.
But awareness alone is not enough. People need access to care. As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, I am fighting to strengthen our mental health care continuum, expand access to treatment, and protect services that families rely on every day.
Right now, too many people are being left behind. Cost remains one of the biggest barriers. Millions of Americans live in communities without enough providers. In rural parts of our state, some families drive hours just to reach treatment. At the same time, Republicans’ cuts make these shortages even worse.
Medicaid is the largest source of mental health care funding. Donald Trump and Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill enacted the largest cuts to Medicaid in U.S. history. When that funding is cut, clinics reduce services, treatment beds disappear, and people lose access to care. When treatment beds go away, the need for care does not go away with them. People end up in emergency rooms, in jails, in shelters, or without support at all.
The scale of this crisis demands action from Congress. Here is a snapshot of the work I’m leading as your representative:
I have introduced bills that would…
I have written letters…
If you or someone you know is struggling and needs support, know that you are not alone. Here are some important resources:
Suicide and Crisis Line
Veterans Crisis Line
Oregon YouthLine (Under 18)
- Call: 1-877-968-8491
- Text: ‘teen2teen’ to 839863
- Website
The Trevor Project (LGBTQIA+)
Farm Aid’s Farmer Hotline
- Call: 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243)
- Farm Aid staff answer the hotline Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 7 PM PT
- Spanish Hotline is answered Monday through Friday from 6 AM – 2 PM PT
- Website
SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline
- Call: 1-800-985-5990
- Text: 1-800-985-5990
- For Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL Callers: Please text or call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 using your preferred Relay provider
- Website
SAMHSA National Helpline (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service)
- Call: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- TTY: 1-800-487-4889
- Free service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- English and Spanish
- Text: 435748 (HELP4U) with your ZIP code to find help near you
- Website
National Problem Gambling Helpline
County-Specific Mental Health Resources in Oregon’s Sixth District
SAMHSA Find Support
SAMHSA Find Help
Find Treatment for Mental and Substance Use Disorders
If you have ideas, concerns, or experiences you want to share, I want to hear from you. Your stories shape the work I do in Congress, and they help build a mental health care system that works for everybody.
Be well,
Andrea Salinas
Member of Congress
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