Dr. Faraz Ghoddusi

03/07/2026

I would never curse…

03/05/2026

03/01/2026

In case we needed another way to look at how Oregon has been doing (although the measures and way the data was gathered is perfect, we're certainly down there...)

02/28/2026

Arizona Academy of Family Physicians

02/27/2026

In keeping with our theme, even when kids who need help DO make it to the hospital, they often are stuck for days waiting in the emergency room for availability to access the care they need.

OHSU researchers find 1 in 10 Medicaid-enrolled youths in crisis languish in emergency rooms nationwide.

02/26/2026

It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to talk to the cast about adolescent mental health!! Thank you to Broadway Rose for being so supportive and looking out for our community!

The “Dear Evan Hansen” cast is hard at work in rehearsals learning their music and blocking to bring you this profoundly raw and heartfelt musical, beginning March 19. As part of the rehearsal process, the cast and production team welcomed Dr. Faraz Ghoddusi (pictured back row, centered) into the theater over the weekend.

“Dear Evan Hansen” addresses difficult subject matter that many youths face today, including mental health and addiction struggles, depression, su***de, and bullying. Dr. Faraz Ghoddusi—Executive Director of Healthy Oregon, a Family Medicine Physician at OHSU, and Tigard City Councilor—shared important and useful information related to these topics and expressed how musicals like “Dear Evan Hansen” help bring awareness to mental health challenges within our community.

Thank you, Dr. Faraz Ghoddusi, for taking the time to connect with our cast and creative team! 💙

If you or someone you know is struggling or just needs someone to talk to, help is available. The Washington County Crisis Line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 503.291.9111. A national resource is also available 24/7 at 988 by call or text.

02/26/2026

No matter what decade you grew up in, your teenage years were probably rough. However, today’s generation of teenagers have unprecedented challenges to navigate - and it’s taking a profound toll on their mental health.

The numbers are staggering. According to the CDC, 42% of U.S. high schoolers reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2021. Nearly 1 in 5 of them seriously considered su***de.

At the local level, the problem is even more acute. Currently, Oregon ranks as one of the worst states for youth who are struggling with mental illness. It has the third-highest rate of teen addiction. And, according to a national survey of child well-being, 73% of Oregon parents say their child would benefit from some form of mental health care.

Here's an article from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) foundation!

The nation has never seen a mental health crisis like the one our kids and teens now face. OHSU is meeting the challenge head-on through groundbreaking research, expanded services and outreach.

02/22/2026

Those small touches can make a difference!

Our busy lives can make it hard to keep up with loved ones and friends. Make time today to pick up the phone and check on a buddy. You never know the positive impact one call can make.

02/22/2026

How have we been doing in Oregon specifically? Not great. Let's take a look at adolescent mental health.

Depression and anxiety among adolescents was already at crisis levels before the pandemic, but it surged amid the isolation, disruption and hardship of COVID. For our new series, "Early Warnings: America’s Youth Mental Health Crisis,” William Brangham traveled to Oregon to find out why it ranks ...

02/21/2026

For the next few months, I'll be working with Healthy Oregon to help address the mental health crisis in our communities. Why? Because we have needed to do better for years, and things have not improved.

The number of children reported with anxiety and depression increased between 2016 and 2020 by 26% nationally, with 1.5 million more children with anxiety and depression in 2020 than 2016. In Oregon, the increase is even higher.

01/29/2026

And another one, in Kaiser Sunnyside ER (so keep safe, mask up, and vaccinate)

A new measles case has been identified in Clackamas County, and OHA encourages people to make sure they are protected against measles.

The affected individual is unvaccinated. OHA and Clackamas County health officials have not yet determined whether the person has traveled outside of Oregon, or if the case is linked to other known cases including the two previously reported cases — both unvaccinated and with no known travel outside Oregon — previously confirmed by OHA and Linn County on Jan. 10

The good news is that two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97% effective in preventing measles.

If you haven’t received the MMR vaccine or don’t know if you’ve received it, call a health care provider to learn more about getting vaccinated. Protect yourself and your family—get vaccinated.

For more information, visit https://ow.ly/iWl450Y0RUv