Which communities do you belong to? Who is your closest friend? What are your dreams? Who do you consider family?
These were the questions asked of members of the 2025 County College class during an exercise led by a peer support specialist at the Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health. Participants began with a paper star symbolizing their support systems. As points are removed, the pieces represent how losing support can impact a life. The activity helped the group reflect on the lives of individuals receiving care at the hospital and better understand the importance of community and support systems in mental health treatment.
In addition to this exercise, the class toured the Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health, which explores the history of the hospital since its founding in 1862. The museum shares stories of the patients who lived there and traces the evolution of mental health care over time.
This experience was part of the third session of County College, a program by the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) designed to equip new county leaders with training on governance, roles, and responsibilities. The session focused on Health and Human Services — a broad and vital area where counties act as the primary link between state programs and local service delivery. As local mental health and public health authorities, counties are responsible for ensuring that public health, behavioral health, and developmental disability services are responsive to the community’s needs and work in coordination with public safety and other local partners.
“Counties have so many critical responsibilities delegated by the state that it is sometimes hard to track them all,” said Washington County Commissioner Jason Snider. “I really appreciated the thorough sessions on public health, behavioral health, and veteran services. Learning about the long and complicated story of the Oregon State Hospital also helped me connect the current challenges we face with the history of how we got here.”
Throughout the session, participants heard from a variety of agencies that partner with counties to deliver these essential services — including OSU Extension Services, the Oregon Health Authority, the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs, and the Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials. These discussions offered firsthand insights into the collaborative nature of delivering mental and public health services across the state.
Three county commissioners — AOC President and Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer, Lane County Commissioner Laurie Trieger, and Wasco County Commissioner Phil Brady — shared their experiences in meeting behavioral health needs in their communities, offering lessons learned and success stories.
Veterans services, like health and human services, are delivered through a long-standing state and county partnership. Lincoln County Veteran Services Officer Keith Barnes provided an overview of services and assistance available to all who have served and their families
At the national level, the National Association of Counties (NACo) supports counties in the intergovernmental system. NACo’s Legislative Director Owen Hart discussed how commissioners can influence federal policy and access opportunities and resources. Gregory Nelson, director of the National Center for Public Lands Counties, provided updates on how the center coordinates with federal agencies on key issues like landscape health, wildfire mitigation, and economic development.
The session wrapped up with iSector sharing best practices on convening leaders from the private, public, and civic sectors to address challenging issues, leaving attendees inspired and better prepared to tackle pressing issues in their own counties.
Executive Director Gina Nikkel emphasized the important role of intergovernmental collaboration in addressing behavioral health. “County commissioners are uniquely positioned to act as convenors and problem-solvers within their communities,” she said. “Behavioral health is a complex issue and I’m grateful for this county college class’s commitment to understanding it and their willingness to work to strengthen how we support individuals with mental health needs.”
Special thanks to OSU Extension Services and CIS Oregon for their financial support that helps make County College possible, and to all our guest speakers for sharing their time and expertise on behavioral and public health, veteran services, and building strong partnerships that support healthy individuals, families, and communities.
For more information on County College visit: https://oregoncounties.org/ed-events/#countycollege
Contributed by: Erin Good | Communications Coordinator