Dear Friends of Kerr,
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a meaningful time to elevate the voices, needs, and experiences of those living with mental health challenges. As the month winds down, let’s keep finding ways to continue this critical work all year long.
Thank you to everyone who joined us earlier this month for A Conversation: Dual Diagnosis—Supporting Youth with I/DD + Mental Health Needs. We were honored to host an incredible group of panelists—Representative Rob Nosse (Chair, House Behavioral Health and Healthcare Committee), Dr. Ajit Jetmalani (Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, OHSU), Chelsea Holcomb (Child and Family Behavioral Health Director, Oregon Health Authority), and Stephanie Smith (Director of Mental Health Services, Albertina Kerr). We’re grateful for their time and insights, which underscored that collaboration is key to building stronger, more responsive systems of care. 
At Kerr, we’re putting that urgency into action. Thanks to funding from the Oregon Health Authority, we’ve launched a Dual Diagnosis Pilot Program to bring trauma-informed mental health care directly into our youth group homes in Washington and Multnomah counties. Over the next two years, this project will integrate clinical and person-centered care into daily supports—where youth already live, learn, and grow—reducing crises, strengthening teams, creating more consistent, coordinated care, and laying the groundwork for a new standard of care across Oregon and beyond. Read more.
We’re also proud to lift the voices of those with lived experience. Mica Dorfman, a mental health advocate and former Kerr client, recently launched Perfectly Imperfect, a podcast helping others feel less alone. Her message—that it’s okay not to be okay—is honest, courageous, and deeply needed.
Our Medical Director, Dr. Naomi Fishman, was invited by mental advocate Tara Rostad to review her new book What to Do Right Now When Your Child Is Suicidal. According to Dr. Fishman, it’s a valuable resource for families navigating crises and tough decisions.
We also remain focused on the essential role of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)—they make our work possible and need our advocacy. Oregon Resource Association’s (ORA) has launched a Voter Voice Campaign urging the Ways and Means Committee for increased funding. The message is ready—you can send it as is or add to it. Send your email here. Please share widely—the more voices, the stronger the impact!
Thank you for standing with us. Together, we’re empowering individuals with I/DD and mental health challenges to lead self-determined lives.
Warmly,
Allison Stark
CEO, Albertina Kerr
Pictured above: Participants in Kerr’s Inclusive Day Services enjoyed a day at the Oregon Zoo—thanks to our amazing donors—your support opens doors to meaningful experiences in the community.;
In collage: Scenes from our recent event: A Conversation: Dual Diagnosis—Supporting Youth with I/DD + Mental Health Needs.