Multnomah County partners with the cities of Portland and Gresham on violence prevention. A key strategy is empowering credible messengers who work with those at highest risk of being involved in violence. We also focus on providing resources and technical support to community-based organizations. Additionally, we work together to create and improve public spaces that foster safe environments.
Examples include:
- Safe Blocks Program (City of Portland): The City’s Office of Violence Prevention hosts numerous violence prevention programs including the Safe Blocks Program. Safe Blocks supports community members through training and education, place-based security assessments, community building activities, and resources and referrals.
- School-Based Mental Health Services (Multnomah County): Offers mental health services to children and teens in schools throughout Multnomah County. By placing therapists directly in schools, we help families overcome barriers that hinder access to mental health needs.
- Community-Based Mental Health Services for Children and Families (Multnomah County): Provides culturally responsive mental health services for youth in need.
- Pro-social activities to engage and support youth and communities (Portland, Gresham)
- Youth Opportunity and Workforce Development (Multnomah County): This program, administered by Worksystems Inc, provides training and paid work experiences for youth ages 16 to 24. Each youth is paired with a job coach based on their individual needs and circumstances.
- Multnomah County’s Behavioral Health Gun Violence Impacted Families Response Team: The team connects people aged 10 to 25 who have been impacted by gun violence with a specialized team consisting of mental health clinicians who offer easily accessible, trauma-informed and home-based services.
- Multnomah County Gun Violence Review Commission: The District Attorney’s Office has teamed up with OHSU to create a Gun Violence Review Commission, which will apply a public health approach to gun violence by analyzing causes and driving toward upstream solutions.
Additional prevention programs and efforts include:
- Community and Adolescent Health (Multnomah County): works with schools, community-based organizations, and youth to prevent and reduce the impact of violence by providing education and training, pro-social activities and development of social-emotional learning skills.
- Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Community Resource Officers: build relationships and respond to community members seeking assistance.
- Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers
- Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Homeless Outreach and Engagement Team