Youth Wins National Poetry Contest
Jarvis, a youth committed to OYA’s Rogue Valley Youth Correctional Facility in Grants Pass, has won BreakFree Education’s Words Unlocked Poetry contest. Read or listen to his poem, “Exploring My Life.” Growing up in poverty,My imagination would run wild.Hit by reality,Made it hard to smile. Trials and tribulations,Nothing seemed to help.Experiences of frustration,Cause no-one knew ...
“Breaking Through”: How One Facility Helps Youth from Rival Gangs Mediate Conflict
At Eastern Oregon Youth Correctional Facility, staff have found ways to help youth from rival gangs live together in relative peace. The approach doesn’t erase gang identity or promise long-term change. Instead, it creates a space for short-term stability – and the possibility that short-term success will grow into more. Mediation at Eastern is voluntary, ...
Honoring Our 2025 Public Service Ambassadors
Every year during Public Service Recognition Week, the State of Oregon honors a select group of employees as “Ambassadors of Public Service.” These individuals reflect the best of what it means to serve: creativity, compassion, resilience, and a belief that public institutions can – and should – work for everyone. This year, four recipients from ...
“You’re part of their family”: How OYA Foster Homes Change Lives
May is National Foster Care Month, and at the Oregon Youth Authority, foster care is far more than a place to stay. Throughout Oregon, foster families create safe, loving, supportive homes where youth continue their reformation work and move closer to independent living or family reunification. These youth are on probation or parole, possibly reentering ...
Harm Reduction in Action: Narcan Distribution Supports Youths’ Reentry
Note: April 29 is National Fentanyl Awareness Day. If you or a loved one needs support, Save Lives Oregon has available resources in your community. As youth reenter the community after time in Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) facilities, there are numerous factors that may interfere with them being successful. Roughly two years ago, OYA joined ...