The Evergreen Behavioral Health Association has its beginnings in 2013, when four Corvallis therapists got together to explore the idea of forming an organization (an Independent Practice Association, or IPA) to support local behavioral health clincians who worked in a private practice setting. IPAs were being formed in other parts of the state, but not in our region.
The Affordable Care Act, the creation of Care Coordinating Organizations, and other changes to the healthcare landscape motivated and informed our efforts to build an association that could preserve clinician independence, improve the quality of behavioral healthcare, and provide support for the success of our members.
Several community-wide, open meetings were held to solicit input and assess interest in the creation of an IPA. Clinicians’ responses were very positive. The original four grew to a group of 10, and eventually a steering committee formed to create the legal and administrative infrastructure for EBHA. Bylaws and other necessary legal documents were completed in 2015, when EBHA was officially incorporated as a domestic nonprofit corporation in the State of Oregon.
EBHA’s administration is currently comprised of a Board of Directors, including a president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary, and three additional Board members. Community provider membership is open to all licensed behavioral health providers in good standing with their licensing boards.