In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Holly McCown Harris, Health Services Director for Deschutes County, to explore the realities of providing public and behavioral health care in a rapidly growing region. Holly shares her journey from juvenile probation work in rural Texas to leading one of Central Oregon’s most essential health departments, and how crisis response, public health, and behavioral health intersect in ways the public often doesn’t see.

Together, they talk through the challenges of Medicaid uncertainty, the misconceptions around civil commitment, and the deep impact the housing crisis has on behavioral health. Holly offers a grounded look at what the county can do—and what it simply doesn’t have the authority or resources to solve alone.

They also lean into the hopeful side: long‑awaited residential treatment beds coming online, Central Oregon’s first child psychiatric facility, and how collaboration across agencies still sets this region apart. A thoughtful, candid conversation about resilience, policy, and what it takes to care for an entire community.