Albertina Kerr: Case for Support

Albertina Kerr: Case for Support

EMPOWERING THE MOST VULNERABLE

“Where we are as a family would not have been possible without Albertina Kerr. We need to do whatever we can to make sure this service stays alive and well in the community.” – Parent of a Kerr client

Kerr is here for the people who need us most. We support and empower people experiencing mental health challenges, intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), and other social barriers to lead self-determined lives and reach their full potential.

OUR PROGRAMS

Children’s Mental Health Outpatient Care Crisis Psychiatric Care

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 24-Hour Residential Care Employment Services

Social Enterprise Kerr Bikes

ISAIAH’S STORY “Our son, Isaiah, suffers from autism spectrum disorder. Albertina Kerr literally helps Isaiah walk, talk, speak – everything you take for granted. Having Kerr in our lives has allowed us to be parents and love our child instead of trying to figure out how to be professional caregivers. If you’re coming into Kerr, all I can say is your life is going to change and all for the better.” – Susy Cooper, parent of a Group Home resident

ASHRITA’S STORY “We adopted Ashrita five years ago. She is this amazing loving child, but she just had a hard time fitting into a family and knowing what a family dynamic is. The very first time we went to Kerr and met the staff was one of the first times I felt like our situation was listened to and there was a future and hope. I feel like I’ve gotten my relationship back with Ashrita. She’s really blossomed and she just seems happier.” -Haley Campbell, parent of a Group Home resident

ANIYA’S STORY “As a parent I think most of us have this vision of what we think our children will do and the path they will take. My daughter was really struggling with school, with life and she wasn’t showing that she had much hope for the future. Kerr helped shift how we interact with our teenage daughter. Our family was reknitted so we could really support each other and bring more of that laughter and love and joy into our household. Aniya has mapped out her own path and it’s pretty exciting. All of the services, all of the learning, all of the changes – it’s the magic of Albertina Kerr. -Cate Wilcox, parent of a Children’s Mental Health client

THE NEED

Oregon’s most vulnerable citizens need our help. The statistics are alarming. Oregon’s children experience the highest prevalence of major depression in the United States. Our youth suicide rate is 45% higher than the national average. In addition, children, teens, and adults experiencing an I/DD are offered few meaningful life choices, excluded from community life, and only 17% are employed in an integrated community setting. The traumatic and adverse events endured by these individuals increases their risk for social, emotional, and cognitive impairment, adoption of high-risk behaviors, disease, and social problems. Sadly, youth and adults with I/DD and mental health challenges are significantly overrepresented in Oregon’s prisons and homeless population. In the midst of these challenges, Kerr offers home, community, fulfillment, and joy. Since 1907, we have been empowering and caring for thousands of children, teens, adults, and their families throughout Oregon and beyond.

45% of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness self-report a mental illness.

In 2019, 20% of eighth graders and 19%

72% Suicide rates among youth aged 10 to 14 in Oregon increased 72% between 2012 and 2018

of eleventh graders in Oregon reported seriously considering attempting suicide.

(Source: Oregon Youth Authority. Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan Annual Report; 2019.)

(Source: Oregon Health Authority. Oregon Health Teens Survey; 2019.)

(Source: pdxmonthly.com/articles/4/23/2019/ the-numbers-behind-oregons-homelessness-crisis)

“The staff at Kerr helped my daughter feel like her life was worth living.” – Parent of a Kerr client

of Oregon’s prison inmates have a need for mental health care. 60%

64% of people served by Kerr have a disability.

(Source: Oregon Department of Corrections. Inmate Population Profile; 12/1/2020.)

35% of non-institutionalized Oregonians with a cognitive disability ages 21 to 64 live below the poverty line.

The State of Oregon is legal guardian to 20% of the children served in Kerr’s group homes.

(Source: disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=7)

Children’s Mental Health Services When a child struggles with life’s challenges, Kerr is here. Kerr offers short-term crisis care, as well as community-based outpatient services. We are committed to creating new potential for a healthy, productive life for each child we serve. Albertina Kerr’s Children’s Mental Health Services ensure: • Children and teens in crisis quickly stabilize and return safely to their home. • Children and teens learn the skills they need to stay safe, preserve relationships, and be successful at home and school. • The adults in the child’s or teen’s life are supported in understanding, planning for, and meeting their child’s needs.

I/DD Residential & Enrichment Services For children, teens, and adults experiencing an I/DD, Kerr is home, community, fulfillment, and joy. We offer safe and supportive 24-hour residential group homes and employment training with follow-along coaching support. I/DD Residential and Enrichment Services ensure: • Children, teens, and adults experiencing an I/DD achieve self-determination in caring and supportive group homes that instill the life skills needed to be as independent as possible. • Adults seeking a job are provided structured training and coaching to secure and sustain competitive employment in integrated workplaces.

NATHAN’S STORY Nathan Nelson graduated from Albany High School in June 2019, achieving a milestone his family wasn’t sure was possible his freshman year. “If we had not found Kerr, I would have probably ended up in juvenile detention,” Nathan said. “I’ve gone from a depressed person to a changed, healthy, mature young man.” Nathan had always been a kindhearted kid who loved animals, especially snakes and lizards. By the time he was 14, he had been diagnosed with both autism and bipolar disorder. At school, classmates were bullying him and he found himself in a sad, dark place. “I was a wreck,” Nathan said. “I had a lot of anger, frustration, and other negative emotions.” Before coming to Kerr, Nathan’s outbursts were causing harm and distress to his family, as well as himself. “It was very scary,” said his mother, Kristie Nelson. “I know firsthand what it’s like to sit on the floor in a heap being afraid for your child who is struggling and feels like hurting himself or others.” After three months in Kerr’s Crisis Psychiatric Care unit, Nathan learned techniques for coping with his complex emotions. “Kerr was a safe place,” he said. “They taught me that I don’t need to be perfect, but I do need to treat everyone with kindness and respect.” Kerr’s team approach provided the Nelson family with wrap-around services. “When I sat for the first time around the table with the group at Kerr, I thought we finally have a team,” Kristie said. “They didn’t just stabilize him and send him back into the world, instead they came up with a plan and we started to feel a sense of hope.” Nathan is headed to college to study herpetology (reptiles). “Change is possible,” Nathan said. “The growth I’ve experienced in all aspects of my life is incredible.”

Serving the Community for Over 110 Years Kerr provides services for people with I/DD, mental health challenges, and other social barriers by:

Leading industry discussion, training, and innovation of best practices in programs for children with dual diagnosis.

Providing leadership in statewide policy discussions related to disability and mental health care.

Serving over 53% of the youth in I/DD group homes in Oregon.

Leading the creation of employment and community living opportunities for adults with I/DD.

Operating one of the only stand-alone subacute children’s crisis psychiatric facilities in Oregon.

Practicing evidence-based and trauma-informed care.

OUR IMPACT

Kerr changes thousands of lives each year.

OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS

87 %

80 %

11 %

87% of the children and teens served by Kerr’s Crisis Psychiatric Care program return to a home setting.

80% of the children and teens served by Kerr’s Crisis Psychiatric Care program demonstrate a significant reduction in suicidal thoughts and intentions at discharge.

11% of the children and teens served by Kerr’s Crisis Psychiatric Care program return to an ER within 90 days for a behavioral health issue.

EMPLOYMENT RETENTION OUTCOMES

94% at 6 months 79% at 1 year 73% at 3 years

6 months

1 year

3 years

Since July 1, 2016, 73% of the individuals supported by Kerr’s Employment Services who gained employment were still employed as of June 1, 2019. The retention rate at six months is 94% and 79% at one year. This stands in contrast to a national unemployment rate of 83% for adults experiencing an I/DD.

“We are at a critical juncture in terms of mental health treatment in this state and Albertina Kerr provides the services desperately needed for children and families throughout the entire State of Oregon.” – Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon

OUR REACH

AGES SERVED EACH YEAR BY KERR’S CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

AGES SERVED EACH YEAR BY KERR’S I/DD RESIDENTIAL & ENRICHMENT SERVICES

3 % Less than 6 years old

18 % 41-64 years old

4 % 6 to 12 years old 8 % 65+ years old

66 % 13 to 17 years old

46 % 18-40 years old

31 % 6 to 12 years old

24 % 13-17 years old

OREGON

WASHINGTON

Counties served by Kerr (from July 2014-July 2019) in blue.

LAST YEAR

615

children and teens served by Kerr’s Children’s Mental Health Services children served in Kerr’s group homes adults served by Kerr’s Residential and Enrichment Services

95 306

“It is incumbent upon us as a community to invest in the mental and physical well-being of those who need us most in Oregon and beyond.” – Miki Herman, Chair, Albertina Kerr Board

DELIVERING THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICE Service quality is at the heart of everything we do. Delivering the best possible services means: • Warm and welcoming group homes • State-of-the-art psychiatric care facilities that offer an optimal therapeutic environment • Innovative programs, like Project SEARCH, that enrich the lives of people experiencing an I/DD EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARE Through targeted investments, Kerr is expanding access to existing services and creating new services to fill community gaps. • Expanding clinic-based outpatient children’s mental health services • A new specialized unit for children dually diagnosed, experiencing an I/DD and a mental health challenge • Expanding employment opportunities for adults experiencing an I/DD ENSURING A VIBRANT, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Kerr’s sustainability hinges, first and foremost, on the stability of our caregivers. A thriving workforce will be the backbone of Kerr’s long-term success. Likewise, a strong endowment will provide Kerr with stability in times of need. • Expert staff trained in the latest approaches and evidence-based care • An endowment sufficient enough to ensure continuous support of our much-needed programming • Streamlining operational efficiency through lean continuous process improvement Please consider investing in Kerr’s present and future with an outright contribution or by making a provision for Kerr in your will, living trust, retirement plan, or life income gift. For more information, please contact Anne Adler, Chief Development Officer, [email protected] or 503-262-0185.

SAVE AND CHANGE LIVES

YOU CAN HELP Your support is more critical than ever to sustain and grow our programs to meet the needs of the people we serve. From 2021-2024, philanthropic investments of nearly $30 million will foster the growth and sustainability of Kerr’s services. Your generosity helps to sustain and expand our life-saving care through key programmatic, capital, and endowment initiatives.

OUR MISSION Kerr empowers people with mental health challenges, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and other social barriers to lead self-determined lives and reach their full potential.

424 NE 22ND AVENUE, PORTLAND, OREGON 97232 I 503-239-8101 AlbertinaKerr.org