Special Appeal:
Albertina Kerr’s Children’s Mental Health Services

Oregon’s children and teens struggle with mental health challenges at one of the highest rates in the nation—45% higher than the national average. In 2019, 20% of Oregon eighth graders reported they seriously considered taking their own life. This was before the disruptions of 2020. Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death in the U.S. for kids ages 10 and up. 

Kerr seeks to change this.

We are already a leader in Children’s Crisis Psychiatric Care. Each year, Kerr serves more than 300 children and teens experiencing a mental health emergency. Our short-term residential treatment program and 24-hour access to mental health professionals quickly stabilize kids in crisis. As a result, they return home safely to their family. 

In stark contrast, Kerr—and other local providers of preventive outpatient mental health services for children—are experiencing significant difficulties in meeting the growing need for mental health care, due to a dearth of qualified Child and Family Therapists (CFTs). CFTs coordinate and provide mental health services for children and their families using individualized, innovative, and evidence-based practices. CFTs save lives! 

To address the mental health challenges of Oregon’s children and teens, we must find solutions that will attract, develop, and retain qualified CFTs. 

We need your help to seed the creation of a CFT Recruitment and Retention (CFTR&R) Fund. The fund will:
      •  Increase Kerr’s CFT base pay, so we’re competitive with similar providers
      •  Provide licensure support (reimbursement of application, maintenance and other related costs)
      •  Support continuing education 
      •  Offer student loan repayment assistance to incentivize long-term employment
      •  Expand work/life options, such as flexible schedules 
      •  Offer productivity pay for higher volume practice

Right now, children and teens in need of Kerr’s services are on a wait list. Your support will give them access to the life-saving care they need.

When fully funded, Kerr’s CFTR&R Fund will incentivize and support 17 CFTs at $170,000 per year. This in turn will allow Kerr to provide 70,000 hours of vital mental health care for more than 750 children and their families in crisis. 

The incremental cost of implementing our plan is approximately $850,000 over the next five years. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $340,000 to cover the first two years.

If we can successfully solve the dearth of CFTs at Kerr, we can begin to reverse the mental health trends for Oregon’s children and teens.

Thank you!

Please help us reach our goal of $340,000 for the CFTR&R Fund by contributing at one of the following levels: