Friends of the Children is working to address our nation's unprecedented youth mental health crisis. We provide children facing the greatest obstacles with a paid, professional mentor, called a Friend, from kindergarten through high school - 12+ years, no matter what. For over 30 years, our model has specialized in serving children and families with significant barriers to access - things like cost, transportation, and provider shortages - that make it hard to access health and mental healthcare. Friends provide healing-centered services for 3-4 hours each week at home, at school, and in the community, promoting protective capacities and expanding the continuum of mental health support.
Across Central Oregon, children and families face growing mental health challenges—but access to care often depends on where you live. Waitlists are long, and providers are scarce. At Friends of the Children Central Oregon, we believe every child deserves the support they need to heal and thrive. That’s why we’re expanding our trauma-informed model to bring care directly to youth and build local behavioral health capacity.
Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) shows that early trauma can have lifelong effects—but consistent, relationship-based support can change that story. Our professional mentors (“Friends”) are trained to provide trauma-informed care and, through our partnership with Juniper Mountain Counseling, receive monthly clinical consultation and referral support for the 97 youth we serve across the tri-county region.
Now, we’re taking the next step: embedding credentialed behavioral health roles within our mentoring model to provide long-term, sustainable access to care—and strengthen the rural mental health workforce.
We want every child in our program to recognize their own unique abilities, have the skills to navigate life's challenges, succeed in school, and have a plan for the future. Unfortunately, exposure to adversity - poverty, violence, substance use in the home - can increase the risk of experiencing a mental health challenge. By the time we meet them between the ages of 4-6, children in our program have experienced on average four adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Our paid, professional mentors represent the communities and experiences of the youth they serve. Using a strengths-based approach, Friends also work to ensure that children enrolled in our program know who they are and have the tools not just to survive but to thrive.
Throughout a young person’s 12+ years in our program, Friends work within an intentional framework that includes structured relationship-building and pro-social skill building activities. In the younger years, Friends help children process emotions, work through change and practice coping skills that promote healing. As youth get older, Friends create safe spaces for youth to feel seen. They also build community through activities, community engagement and peer connections.
INTERVENTION: IMPROVING ACCESS TO SUPPORTS
Friends are highly trained to recognize and respond to the mental health needs of the youth they serve. Using evidence-based, trauma-informed strategies, they help children build tools for self-regulation, safety, and resilience—while increasing access to specialized supports when needed. Because Friends show up consistently and without judgment, they often become the bridge that helps youth and families engage in care they might otherwise avoid.
Now, we’re expanding this work even further. Building on a successful pilot in Lane County, Friends of the Children – Central Oregon is on track to become a state-approved Behavioral Health Provider. Our mentors will earn credentials as Qualified Mental Health Associates (QMHAs) and work under the guidance of licensed clinical supervisors to deliver care where it matters most—schools, homes, and community spaces.
This expansion strengthens the rural behavioral health workforce and ensures that more children and families in Central Oregon have access to the consistent, trauma-informed care they deserve.
With the help of Friends of the Children’s 1:1 professional mentoring, we know that:
96% of youth made progress on social and emotional development, such as asking for help from a caring adult and practicing healthy ways to cope with stress.
94% of youth in the program report accomplishing something they are proud of.
86% of youth developed relationships with supportive adults and 88% of youth report having relationships with supportive peers.
91% of youth (grades 3-12) report no thoughts of self-harm.
The majority of youth in the program - including 70% of teens - have accessed counseling services when needed.
In 2022 – coming through the hardest years of the pandemic – Friends report that the majority of youth in the program made progress toward feelings of HOPE (When I have tough times, I believe it can get better) and BELONGING (I understand who I am, have a place where I feel accepted, and know that my contributions count).
Due to the pandemic and her family’s overall distrust of systems, Sarah* and her siblings no longer attend public school and have limited opportunities to leave home. In addition to being socially isolated, Sarah has experienced symptoms of depression. The Friends of the Children -Klamath Basin clubhouse has become a safe space for Sarah, and her main place of connection with peers, supportive adults and the community. In addition to her time individually with her Friend, Sarah attends a peer-to-peer mental health support night twice a month called “Head Space.” Through her time at the clubhouse, she also has become a leader that younger children in the program look up to. Even when Sarah has a hard day, her mom prioritizes her time with her Friend, recognizing the benefit it has to Sarah’s mental health.
*The name of the youth has been changed for privacy
JT and his father Thomas, who is raising him on his own, have been through a lot. When concerns about JT’s mental health first came up, it was hard for Thomas to trust that schools and the mental health system had his family’s best interest in mind. When bullying led to serious concerns about JT’s safety, the system took months to respond and Thomas was worried. Friends of the Children - Boston was able to leverage relationships with local clinicians and get support in place for both JT and Thomas right away — a request that Thomas made because the organization had built trust with him and his son.