OYA is excited to partner with Looking Glass Community Services to launch our first-ever psychiatric residential treatment and subacute mental health residential program. This initiative addresses the growing need for targeted support for youth with severe mental and behavioral health challenges. By diverting youth from correctional settings and into specialized care, we’re giving them an opportunity to heal and grow in an environment tailored to their medical needs.
“This has been a need for a long time,” says Lani Williams, a juvenile parole and probation officer based in Lane County. “We’ve seen a higher acuity level in our local juvenile departments, and trying to refer youth to appropriate services has been difficult because there’s a lack of community mental health resources.” Lani says that these challenges often lead youth to correctional facilities “when there are high-level mental health and safety/supervision concerns and there are no safe alternatives.” “Sometimes it can feel like a correctional facility is the place that their needs will best be met,” explains Lani, but youth development and reformation may actually be set back by their time and experiences in facilities.
The program at Looking Glass provides a safe, structured environment where youth can stabilize and make meaningful progress. Youth will receive psychiatric treatment, medication management, and other mental health support while also continuing their education. “A growing problem we’ve seen over the years is that some youth commit a crime during a mental health crisis,” says Lani. “This program offers a chance to stabilize them and address their mental health needs so they can move forward.”
Looking Glass’s on-site school ensures youth stay on track academically. The program focuses on individualized education with shorter school days to accommodate treatment needs. Karri Robinson, a community resources specialist, notes that, the teachers leading the program, “have worked with an array of OYA youth,” and the combination of planned activities and shorter school hours helps create a supportive environment for learning and growth.
This partnership also reflects OYA’s commitment to building capacity for youth mental health services. The initial program will have four beds – a small but significant step. “It’s a great place to build from,” Karri says. While the need is far greater, this program marks an important starting point for creating alternatives to provide effective medical treatment in correctional settings. We’re proud to partner with Looking Glass to make this vision a reality. We’re excited for all this partnership can offer the youth committed to our care while also contributing to making Oregon both safer and healthier.
