Behavioral Health endorses a recovery philosophy and believes that treatment should be community-based as much as possible to incorporate the child and family's existing support systems. The system of care for children and families serves children and youth up to age 21 through a variety of programs including outpatient, intensive community-based, and psychiatric residential treatment.
We serve Oregon Health Plan members who are enrolled in Health Share of Oregon/Multnomah Mental Health, as well as children and families who need treatment but don't have health insurance.
If you don't have insurance and want help finding the right treatment, call the Mental Health Call Center at 503-988-4888.
For information about getting Oregon Health Plan or other insurance visit OregonHealthCare.gov. For information about Oregon's Healthy Kids insurance program call 1.877.314.5678.
Early Childhood Services
County mental health staff work with organizations such as Head Start and the state Department of Human Services to deliver to children and their families prevention and early intervention services designed to prevent more serious problems later in children's lives. These clinicians deliver on-site classroom consultation, counseling, case management and other services.
Treatment for children and their families is also available through the county's outpatient providers. If a child or family needs services but does not have insurance or other resources the Call Center can help find low-cost options.
View an Early Childhood brochure
Child Abuse Mental Health Services
We also work with the organization Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services (CARES NW) to provide crisis intervention and mental health treatment to abused children and their families.
Child Abuse Mental Health brochure: caresnwpamphlet2 (170.95 KB)
School-Aged Services
County mental health consultants are located in six school districts to reach children and youth who need help but might not come to a clinic because of stigma, problems with transportation, or because their family does not know they need help. Consultants work in schools or school based/neighborhood health centers approximately twice a week performing screenings and assessments, crisis intervention, classroom observation, home visits, and when necessary, brief treatment and case management.
In addition to services, the mental health consultants also advise staff from schools, school based health centers, Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) service systems, as well as other child-serving agencies and community providers.
Community-based treatment and services for school-aged youth and their families are also available at the outpatient provider agencies under contract with us. If a youth needs services but does not have insurance, the Mental Health Call Center can help find low-cost resources.
School-based Mental Health Brochure (995.29 KB)
School-based Mental Health Brochure_Spanish (946.45 KB)
Transition-Aged Youth
Youth from age 18 to 24 may be too old for the system of care for children and families, but not old enough for the adult system. In order to prevent these youth from "falling through the cracks" as they transition from child services to adult services, we contract with providers specifically to reach this population.
Family System Navigators
Families may sometimes find it difficult to know who to talk to and what resources are available for them to access. The county's system navigators are staff members whose job is to guide parents and caregivers through the system of care for children and families so that they can access the services they need.
