Public Journey
Getting discharged from a psych hold or inpatient stay can feel disorienting. This path covers what to focus on in the first few days: getting your paperwork and medications, connecting with outpatient care within 7 days, and finding stable support so you're not navigating the transition alone. If you're trans or queer, affirming mental health options are flagged throughout.
Step 1
Ask for your discharge summary, medication list, and any follow-up appointments already scheduled before you walk out. If you left without it, call the hospital's medical records department, you're entitled to all of it under HIPAA.
Having this paperwork in hand speeds up every step that follows: refilling prescriptions, following up with outpatient providers, and navigating insurance.
Step 2
Get your medications filled on the day of discharge, not later. Ask about a 30-day bridge supply if cost is a barrier.
If you're uninsured: most major pharmacies offer generic psychiatric medications at low cost. Oregon also has a Patient Assistance Program, ask your discharge pharmacist or social worker. If you have OHP, your prescriptions are covered at no cost.
Confirm your OHP is active at one.oregon.gov or by calling 1-800-699-9075. Hospitalization doesn't cancel OHP, but if it lapsed, you can re-enroll any time.
Step 3
Before you do anything else, save the crisis line for your county:
These lines are staffed 24/7. They're not just for emergencies, you can call when things feel hard, not only when they feel impossible.
Step 4
The Mental Health Inpatient Transition Team (MITT) is specifically designed to bridge psych discharge to outpatient care. They connect you with services in the first critical days after release.
Call 503-988-4888 and ask for MITT, or ask your hospital social worker before you leave. This is a free Multnomah County service, you don't need a referral, just a call.
Step 5
Seven days is the clinical standard for post-discharge follow-up. Ask your discharge planner for a referral, or call your county's behavioral health intake line yourself.
Cascadia Health (503-674-7777) has urgent walk-in mental health services Monday, Friday at 4212 SE Division St., Portland, no appointment needed, no cost. They also serve clients from all three counties.
Hawthorn Walk-In (Washington County): 5250 NE Elam Young Pkwy, Hillsboro. Call 503-291-9111 first. Mon to Fri 9am to 7pm, Sat to Sun 10am to 4pm.
Clackamas Stabilization Center: 9200 SE McBrod Ave., Milwaukie. Call 503-655-8585 first. 24/7.
Resources
Step 6
1-800-698-2392. Available 24/7. Staffed by peers with lived experience of mental health challenges.
This is not a crisis line, it's support for any time you need to talk, not just when things are urgent. No appointment, no assessment, no insurance needed. Free.
Resources
Step 7
Housing instability after a psych discharge significantly increases risk of re-hospitalization. If your housing situation is uncertain, address it now, not after everything else settles.
Call 211 or contact the Behavioral Health Resource Center (Multnomah County), drop-in, daily 8am to 8pm at 333 SW Park Ave. They connect people leaving hospitals with emergency housing, shelters, and transitional housing options.
You can also text your zip code to 898-211 anytime.
Resources
Step 8
Most general behavioral health providers have not been screened for trans competency. These explicitly affirming options exist in Portland:
You have the right to change providers if a current provider is not affirming. Any of these can help you make that switch.
🏳️⚧️ If you're on HRT, confirm your prescriptions are still active post-discharge and that your prescribing provider has your updated chart.