Portland Group Serving Area Homeless Youth Gets $2.5 Million

PORTLAND, OR – There are believed to be approximately 1,000 youth on the streets of Multnomah County every year who could benefit from counseling. Thanks to a new grant from the federal government, one local group is going to be able to help more of them.

Outside In, a social service agency focused on helping homeless and formerly homeless people become more self-sufficient, find housing, and improve their physical and mental health, is getting $2.5 million from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration.

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Outside In says they are going to use the money to start a program, RISE SUPPORT, that will provide people between 18 and 25-years-old with kinds of therapy that the agency says will help them cope with trauma.

"Many of these young adults have experienced a series of compounding traumas throughout their lives, which have caused wounds that are difficult to heal without effective treatment,"says Outside In's Clinical Services Manager, Amanda Antenucci,

"When people are experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges, it is common for them to turn to substance use and other behaviors as a means for managing symptoms. This grant will allow us to teach these
young people skills that will help them effectively manage stress, and also accomplish goals like housing, education, employment and wellness."

The new program will complement RISE INTENSIVE, which treats people who need a higher level of care. Outside In serves homeless youth from the metro area.

"Outside In's treatment program should serve as a model for our country," Oregon's junior senator, Jeff Merkley, says. "The program is designed to address the unique challenges facing our young people experiencing homelessness.

"When we successfully intervene at this critical stage in their development, we help them build futures that encourage wellness and community connections, giving these vulnerable young people a better chance to end the cycle of poverty."

Portland State University's Regional Research Institute will work with Outside In to evaluate and measure how well the program works.

Photo via Outside In.