Morrison Child and Family Services, Oregon Health Authority, and Path Home Partner to Bridge Early Childhood Mental Health Support Gap in Shelter-Based Homeless Services
With the support of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Morrison Child and Family Services is partnering with Path Home, a local nonprofit that operates a shelter serving families with children under 18 experiencing homelessness, to provide infant and early childhood mental health consultation as well as workforce development support and training
This pilot partnership — the first and only shelter-based early childhood mental health consultation program in Multnomah County — fills a long-standing gap in services for families experiencing homelessness.
“Children are at the greatest risk for experiencing homelessness during the first year of , yet families with infants experiencing homelessness rarely receive the mental health support they need to thrive (Zero to Three),” said Sarah Heal, Program Director for Morrison’s Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Program.
Morrison’s IECMHC Program is known for its wide-reaching services, offering multi-tiered, prevention-level support to children, families, and providers across education-, community-, and shelter-based settings. At Path Home, Morrison’s bilingual Mental Health Consultant serves families with children ages 0-5 through family-specific support; treatment referrals for young children and the adults who care for them; warm hand-offs to community resources; and in-person Parent Education Classes with incentives like grocery gift cards and free childcare.
“This class was so helpful to help me get out of my head — where the stress lives — and into being an active parent, which has helped me connect with my child so much more,” said a parent who has been attending Morrison’s first parent education class at Path Home.
Morrison’s consultant also works with Path Home staff to provide program-level support, including workplace wellness training and consultation.
“Working with families who are experiencing severe trauma can create a high-stress environment, so we’re striving to provide a space for the staff to get meaningful support, manage stress, and avoid burnout,” said Ramirez Ochoa, Morrison Mental Health Consultant.
Through this innovative partnership, Morrison, OHA, and Path Home are expanding access to critical early childhood mental health services for families experiencing homelessness while supporting the well-being of the professionals who serve them. By addressing both family and staff needs, this pilot program aims to strengthen outcomes for some of Multnomah County’s youngest and most vulnerable children.
