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The Lars Larson Show Interviews
Aaron Mesh — Oregon Promised 689 Mental Health Beds. Why Are Only 377 Projected?
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Oregon lawmakers poured hundreds of millions of dollars into residential mental health treatment, promising 689 new beds by October 2026. But the state now projects just 377 beds, with more delays ahead. Aaron Mesh, managing editor of Willamette Week, joins Lars to explain why the state is falling short, what the delays mean for people too mentally ill to stand trial who remain stuck in jail, and why officials keep promising results that never seem to arrive. Send us Fan Mail