Kerr’s Crisis Psychiatric Residential Care is an innovative, highly successful program providing immediate safety and treatment for children in crisis and counseling for their families. Children range in aged from 5 to 17 and are either suicidal, in danger of harming others or experiencing an uncontrollable, sudden and dramatic change in behavior.

The goal of the program is to stabilize each child so they are safe. With an average stay of 14 days, the program offers medical & psychiatric assessment, individual, family and group therapy, structured recreation and art therapy. The program excels at crisis stabilization.  It is successful at ensuring, prior to the child’s return home, that caregivers will be capable of providing care and a safe environment to meet the child’s on-going needs. Kerr connects each child’s family with other community resources, such as parenting skills, training and counseling for continued support after treatment.

Achievements:
•      Last year, Kerr’s Crisis Psychiatric Residential Care provided 4,853 days of care for 348 children.
•      97 percent of children successfully moved to a less intensive, less costly type of care. They were no longer a danger to themselves or others.

History: In 1997, the community donated $3.2 million to construct a building and create the first program of its kind in Oregon. The Crisis Psychiatric Residential Care program began operating with the capacity to care for 12 children at one time, later adding six more spaces. In 2005, it expanded to 24 available spaces due to strong community need and demand.