Latest news with #EbonyClarke
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oregon needs ‘urgent action' against behavioral health crisis, audit finds
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Secretary of State's Office released an audit on Thursday, warning the state needs to urgently address the behavioral health crisis as Oregon is among states with the poorest mental health trends and low access to support. The focused on Oregon's behavioral health system and how the Oregon Health Authority responds to behavioral health crises. Among their key findings, auditors say Oregon's behavioral health system lacks data, funding, and a strategic plan to address the crisis. AG Bondi announces 'largest fentanyl bust in our nation's history' spanning 5 states According to the audit, Oregon's health system data has 'significant gaps,' which makes it difficult for OHA and its partners to respond to behavioral health crises. This includes a lack of demographic data on who is calling the 988 crisis hotline. Auditors also discovered that data gathered by different entities is not combined for analysis, while other important data – including outcomes of behavioral health services provided – 'simply does not exist,' the Secretary of State's Audits Division said. 'These data limitations make it difficult for OHA and its partners to understand the full scale of need or even to evaluate how effective their current efforts are,' the Secretary of State's Office continued. 'Worse, these gaps have persisted for 23 years.' Arrest made for driver accused of 'intentionally' hitting Hwy 26 motorcyclist In addition to the lack of behavioral health data, auditors say Oregon inadequately funds its behavioral health response system, the audit says, noting crucial parts of the state's behavioral health system are either underfunded or have no funding at all. This includes funding for Oregon's Crisis Now model, which the state adopted after the Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 was passed. The model is made up of three elements: the crisis hotline, mobile response and crisis centers. Funding was created for the hotline, auditors said, however less funding was provided for mobile response, and no funding was allocated for crisis centers. Shuttered Oregon chateau named among America's 'most endangered' historic sites 'The state needs to adequately fund all three tiers of the system to deliver Oregonians the support they need,' auditors said. Auditors also found a lack of long-term strategic planning in addressing behavioral health along with legal and jurisdictional challenges that limit the ability for Tribes to offer timely and effective behavioral health care in their communities. Overall, auditors offered 12 recommendations for OHA – including encouraging better collaboration with its partners to address the data collection issues, and to develop a strategy to address funding gaps in behavioral health. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In a letter to the Secretary of State's Audits Division, OHA Director Ebony Clarke agreed to the recommendations, noting, in part, steps OHA will take to address data gaps. 'OHA agrees with the need to improve data. The unit will continue to convene discussions and/or listening sessions with behavioral health crisis system partners to better understand the nature and extent of system data, and pursue measures needed for consistent implementation of data collection and analysis for 988 call centers, mobile crisis intervention services, mobile response and stabilization services, and crisis stabilization centers,' Clarke wrote. To develop a funding plan, OHA said, 'The 988 & Behavioral Health Crisis System unit will develop a funding sustainability plan for 988 call centers, mobile crisis intervention services, mobile response and stabilization services, and crisis stabilization centers by the middle of plan will take into consideration Medicaid claims, the 988 tax funds, general fund, and federal funding sources.' Shoofly workers walk out, bid to make it worker-owned In response to the audit, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said, 'We have a behavioral health crisis in our state and too many people are suffering,' adding, 'By implementing these recommendations and treating this issue with the urgency it deserves, Oregon should deliver better services that keep more people healthy, housed, and alive.' The audit comes as Oregon ranks 47th in the nation for its 'high prevalence of mental illness,' and 46th for adults with substance use disorder who needed, but did not receive treatment, according to the Oregon Secretary of State's Office. The office notes that Oregon also ranks 41st for youth who made a plan for suicide and 44th for those who attempted suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, the Oregon Health Authority offers several behavioral health resources. More resources are available through Lines for Life and the 988 Lifeline. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Choreographer has a ball as debut lands panto win
A dancer said winning a top pantomime award for choreographing her debut solo venture was "mental". Ebony Clarke took home the Pantomime Awards best choreography prize for her innovation on Cinderella at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton. Ms Clarke said that after being in the theatre industry for about 10 years, and "looking after people's" work, she decided it was time to do it "on my own". Being involved in the show by Evolution Productions, that ran during December, was "a dream", she said. The winners of the awards were announced at a ceremony in Woking, Surrey, last Sunday. Ms Clarke said she had performed in pantomimes and been associate director and choreographer on a number of hit shows including Romeo & Juliet and Everybody's Talking About Jamie. "I was like 'Hey I want to try and do this on my own and see if I can do it' and Emily and Paul, who run Evolution Productions, were like 'Yeah we're going to give you a shot' and Northampton was the the one and here we are. "It's mental." Her success was down to planning, and "working out what songs we're putting in, how long it's going to be, whose going to be in that number, what the sets look like, what principals are in it, all the logistics, before we start getting creative with the choreography". Working with the cast, including Andy Day from BBC's CBeebies was a joy, she said. "He was so ready for anything I threw at him. "His song, that opened Act Two, Boom Boom Shake the Room, he loved it, he was so good. "The whole process was a dream." She said "it's been a mental couple of week" as she had been to the Olivier Awards 2025, for her work as resident choreographer on the recent West End show, Why Am I So Single, by the same team behind Six The Musical. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. 'Oh yes they did': Pantomime audience rises by 12% Historic theatre celebrates new Christmas show Panto: 'Joy on stage is the tip of the iceberg' Pantomime Awards 2025 Royal Derngate & Northampton Evolution Productions
BBC News
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Northampton choreographer says pantomime award is 'mental'
A dancer said winning a top pantomime award for choreographing her debut solo venture was "mental".Ebony Clarke took home the Pantomime Awards best choreography prize for her innovation on Cinderella at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton. Ms Clarke said that after being in the theatre industry for about 10 years, and "looking after people's" work, she decided it was time to do it "on my own". Being involved in the show by Evolution Productions, that ran during December, was "a dream", she said. The winners of the awards were announced at a ceremony in Woking, Surrey, last Sunday. Ms Clarke said she had performed in pantomimes and been associate director and choreographer on a number of hit shows including Romeo & Juliet and Everybody's Talking About Jamie."I was like 'Hey I want to try and do this on my own and see if I can do it' and Emily and Paul, who run Evolution Productions, were like 'Yeah we're going to give you a shot' and Northampton was the the one and here we are. "It's mental."Her success was down to planning, and "working out what songs we're putting in, how long it's going to be, whose going to be in that number, what the sets look like, what principals are in it, all the logistics, before we start getting creative with the choreography". Working with the cast, including Andy Day from BBC's CBeebies was a joy, she said. "He was so ready for anything I threw at him."His song, that opened Act Two, Boom Boom Shake the Room, he loved it, he was so good."The whole process was a dream."She said "it's been a mental couple of week" as she had been to the Olivier Awards 2025, for her work as resident choreographer on the recent West End show, Why Am I So Single, by the same team behind Six The Musical. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
