Outside in outpatient counseling is a program serving homeless youth and young adults in portland, oregon who are experiencing serious mental illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), or…

Outside in outpatient counseling is a program serving homeless youth and young adults in portland, oregon who are experiencing serious mental illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), or CO-occurring disorder (COD). Specialized outreach and care designed to expand access and retention in services for individuals identifying as lesbian, GAY, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or intersex (lgbtqi) is also available. Anticipated treatment outcomes include improved housing stability, reduced substance use and mental health symptoms, and improved functioning in everyday life. Outreach and placements into public housing will be coordinated through the multnomah county homeless youth continuum (HYC), the HUD-coordinated entry system for transition age youth. Additional grant strategies include (1) an expanded trauma-informed, culturally appropriate infrastructure that includes skilled providers with lived experience, (2) integrated behavioral health treatment and other recovery supports, (3) assistance enrolling into resources for health insurance, medicaid, and mainstream benefits, including SSI/ssdi, tanf, snap, and soar, (4) increased access to culturally specific healthcare services, including gender affirming care, and (5) continuity of care for transition age youth moving from transitional living programs to independent housing. Evidence-based treatments include acceptance commitment therapy (act), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI). PSU's regional research institute will track and assess project implementation, sharing outcomes and lessons with outside in and its program partners for planning purposes. The program is designed to serve 40-60 youth and young adults per year for a total of 280 served over the course of the five-year grant. The anticipated project period is september 30,2023 through september 29, 2028.