
Who We Are
For almost twenty years, our team has worked to support programs and communities working to reduce youth homelessness, increase access to behavioral health services and provide "safe spaces" for youth in Oregon. We worked with local Commissions on Children and Families to mandate locally driven programs. We fought to restore state support for these efforts in 2019. And we've worked to grow state support from barely $600,000 to more than $20 million over the past six years.
Now the challenge is to capitalize on this good work. We believe that it is time for Oregon to step up and commit to providing resources for youth in all 36 counties. This is in the financial interest of taxpayers, not to mention in the moral interests of all Oregonians.
Doug Riggs & Corey Barber lead our team, but our partners are local non-profits, educational providers, health care organizations, local activists and businesses. What do we have in common: we recognize that we will never end ADULT homelessness unless we stop YOUTH homelessness in its tracks. We know that without the necessary behavioral health workforce, we cannot meet youths' needs. And Oregon needs "safe spaces" for high acuity youth.
Our Focused 2025 Agenda
Supporting Oregon's Youth with Comprehensive Solutions
Alliance for Kids is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges young people across our state face. Our 2025 agenda is focused on preventing homelessness, increasing access to mental health services, and enhancing educational and employment opportunities for youth. Together, we’re working toward a future where every young person in Oregon has the support and resources they need to thrive. Explore our resources to learn more about our commitment and how you can get involved in building a brighter future for Oregon's youth.
Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Our legislative request in 2025, includes increased funding for YEP programs (sustaining and strengthening existing programs as well as expanding into unserved areas), and ensuring that programs can reach families with young children. Oregon needs to allocate 30% of housing and homelessness resources to youth.
Youth Behavioral Health Workforce
Nonprofits continue to struggle to hire and train a safe and robust workforce. Our proposal is to provide clear incentives for effective in-house training programs. The proposal also directs funding to existing Local Workforce boards, with the goal of fast tracking a youth specific behavioral health workforce initiative for nonprofits working in this field. There is a particular need for trained, entry level workers, as well as peer support specialists.
Safe Spaces for Kids
The Oregon Health Authority and DHS have identified a huge gap in "residential" placement opportunities for youth. What our state needs is a small but robust group of certified community nonprofits, which can provide safe spaces for kids, instead of placements in ERs, hotels/AirBnBs or homelessness on the street. These need to have flexibility and use national evidence-based models to provide a path to permanency for these high acuity youth.
Join us today and help make a difference and change the future.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Stephanie Alvstad
J Bar J
Dennis Morrow
Janus
Francis Maher
St. Mary's Home for Boys
Craig Opperman
Looking Glass
Doug Riggs
Northwest Policy Advocates
PARTNERS







