Youth Villages, New Avenues for Youth and state agencies create temporary housing and community stabilization program to increase services for youth in foster care
Portland, Ore. (Aug. 15, 2017) – In direct response to the urgent need for more placement options for youth in foster care, Youth Villages, New Avenues for Youth, the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) have come together to create an innovative program that will provide immediate short-term housing and youth-centered placement services that follows the youth to ensure success.
Both nonprofits will offer specific services to the youth in the facility. New Avenues for Youth, with more than 20 years’ experience providing transition age youth services, will operate the short-term temporary housing program called Robinswood, providing 24-hour intensive care, assessment and support to youth ages 9 to 20 years old. Youth will be accepted seven days a week with the capacity to serve 12 at a time.
In the same facility, Youth Villages will begin providing critically needed support with its nationally recognized Intercept program. Intercept services will continue for four to six months after youth leave to ensure they have a successful transition into a more permanent placement. Youth Villages’ emphasis is to seek familial placement resources (biological or foster care) whenever possible. Once a longer-term placement is found, the Youth Villages team will continue to provide youth and their families support to ensure success.
Robinswood is located in Clackamas County and is expected to begin accepting youth by mid-September.
For more information about New Avenues for Youth, please visit www.newavenues.org
For more information about Youth Villages, please visit youthvillages.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Crissy Lintner, Director of Marketing & Communications, Youth Villages 503-675-2260, crissy.lintner@youthvillages.org
Angela Pratt, Development Manager, New Avenues for Youth, 503-517-3944, apratt@newavenues.org
Andrea Cantu-Schomus, DHS Communications Officer, 503-569-1123, andrea.cantu-schomus@state.or.us
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