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Oregon and Southwest Idaho by providing quality services in a fiscally responsible manner.
Lifeways’ purpose is to provide community-based behavioral health services that promote and support wellness. As the State contractor for mental health services in Malheur County, the agency is committed to establishing programs that meet the needs of all members of the community regardless of age, gender, disability, religion or ethnic background. National best practices continue to be the standard for treatment, as well as a catalyst for regional studies.
Barriers of geography, poverty, language and program resources are overcome, in order to bring state of the art comprehensive services to the people who need them. Lifeways synergizes its efforts with partnerships in the community, creating a system of care tailored to individual needs.

History

Lifeways began in 1964 as Malheur County Mental Health with 14 employees. Because we are rural (10,000 square miles, 32,000 people), prior to 1964 people had to seek services from a medical doctor, or travel to Portland, Oregon (400 miles), or Boise, Idaho (50 miles). In October of 1997 Malheur County Mental Health privatized and incorporated. It became Lifeways, Inc. and now employs 45 people. In 2003 the agency moved to larger quarters, in order to better serve the region. Services have expanded from just mental health and alcohol/drug counseling to also include:

 

• psychiatric services
• forensics (crime-related) treatment
• problem gambling treatment
• developmental disabilities: counseling, residential and employment support
• chronically mentally ill community support services
• respite care
• critical incident services
• community education and support

All treatment adheres to evidence-based best practices, as specified by the National Department of Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In 2005, Lifeways, Inc. established mental health services in Umatilla County, as well.

(“Umatilla County”)