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 Feb. 17, 2026
The Child and Family Behavioral Health (CFBLH) team at Oregon Health Authority (OHA) focuses on children and young people through age 25, and their families.
For youth, families and community: Discover opportunities to give us your thoughts and opinions, get support and training, and connect with each other.
For providers: Find trainings and opportunities to connect with other system providers and peers.
In this issue...
School-based mental health partnerships learning collaborative
Join us for a monthly learning collaborative covering topics relevant to school-community mental health partnerships. The purpose of the learning collaborative is to share strengths, challenges and creative strategies around providing mental health services and supports in a school setting. Learning collaboratives offer community with others who are supporting school mental health, including support and opportunities for innovation. The collaboratives will also include local, state and national updates related to school mental health.
Please share this invitation with those in your school mental health networks.
Contact school-based mental health program and policy coordinator fran.pearson@oha.oregon.gov if you have any questions.
- Dates: 3rd Tuesdays of each month
- March 17
- April 21
- May 19
- June 16
- Time: noon to 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time
- Location: Virtual, Zoom
- Meeting link: Click here to join
 Virtual learning series for mental health professionals working with youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) is an interactive, community building experience for healthcare professionals in Oregon. The Oregon ECHO Network is hosting an ECHO spring 2026 for mental health professionals who work with youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The 12-session series will help healthcare professionals be more effective and confident providing care for youth with complex combinations of IDD, mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
View all session topics and register online through ECHO Connect. Weekly sessions begin April 7.
On-demand training webinars for mental health professionals working with youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) is offering a free, on-demand training webinar series. The two-part series focuses on making mental health care accessible for young people experiencing IDD and co-occurring mental health diagnoses.
Part 1: Improving mental health care for youth with IDD
- Inclusive care
- Communication strategies
- Relationship building
- Advocating for improved resources
Part 2: Mental health treatment and assessment for youth with IDD
- Disability justice principles
- Trauma-informed, client-centered care
- Case study and practical examples
Learn more about the series and register online through the OHSU training webpage.
Bridging clinic and classroom: Oregon Pediatric Society conference
Oregon Pediatric Society is hosting a day that brings together pediatric healthcare providers and K-12 educators. We’ll share ideas, tackle challenges, and find solutions to support student health.
Topics will include school absenteeism, healthy relationships, cannabis use, section 504 plans and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), anxiety and healthy technology habits.
- Date: April 18, 2026
- Time: 8 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Pacific Time
- Location: Robertson Life Sciences Building 2730 S Moody Ave., Portland, OR 97201
- Visit the OPS conference webpage for details and registration
The Oregon Child & Family Center for Excellence is hosting a free in-person training for staff who work directly with youth. This training is designed to give providers practical tools and strategies they can use right away in their work with youth. The experience will be interactive and include real-world scenarios, role playing and opportunities for reflection and feedback.
- Dates: March 4-5, 2026
- Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time
- Location: 140 S. Holly Street, Medford, OR 97501 (Jackson County Health and Human Services Building)
- Register here
Please contact shawna@oregonalliance.org if you have any questions.
Reach Out Oregon: Family support warmline
Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN) offers a free, family-centered support line to connect parents and caregivers to trained Family Support Specialists with lived experience of Oregon’s behavioral health system. The warmline is a safe, judgement-free space to talk parent to parent, get connected to resources and explore next steps. The warmline is not a crisis line. It provides support, validation, system navigation and referral support to help families feel heard and supported.
Visit Reach Out Oregon for more information or call 1-833-732-2467.
OFSN also offers free trainings for parents and caregivers. Visit OFSN’s training calendar for more information and current offerings.
Workgroup: Families leading children’s behavioral health policy systems
This group provides feedback for the work of the Child and Family Behavioral Health team and our strategic plan, which we have previously been calling our Roadmap.
- Date: The second Tuesday of each month, noon to 1 p.m. Pacific Time
- Upcoming meeting: March 10
If you’re a family member or caregiver, we welcome your input. It’s crucial to center the voices of those who have been historically marginalized and those experiencing developmental disabilities.
Help us improve Oregon’s child and family behavioral health system by telling us about your experiences
Join A Time for Families — OHA’s weekly drop-in hour for parents and family members.
Have questions about mental health and addiction services for children and young people? Want to share your feedback on how OHA can better support youth and families in accessing the right services?
The call is hosted by the CFLBH Director Chelsea Holcomb and the Children's Behavioral Health Policy Strategist, Hilary Harrison. A representative from the Reach Out Oregon Parent Warmline attends and is available to follow up with specific immediate concerns.
Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN) workforce development training
OFSN offers workforce development trainings rooted in lived experience and family voice. Many of the trainings are free and offer continuing education credits. Some trainings support certification and coaching for Family Support Specialists working in Wraparound, Mobile Response and Stabilization Services, Intensive In-Home Behavioral Health Treatment and other community-based programs. Family Support Specialists can also access competency-based coaching specific to working in Wraparound and other child and family serving programs.
Visit OFSN’s training calendar for more information and current offerings.
Ongoing events, training and resources to support professionals working with infants and toddlers
The Oregon Infant Mental Health Association (ORIMHA) is a statewide network of parents and professionals committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of Oregon’s infants, toddlers and their families. Please visit ORIMHA for ongoing events, training and resources to support professionals working in the field of infant and early childhood mental health.
Visit ORIMHA’s monthly newsletter for updates or to learn more.
Trauma Informed Oregon (TIO) trainings
TIO is a centralized source of information and resources for trauma-informed efforts in multiple networks and systems, including housing, culturally specific care, mental health, education, juvenile justice, substance use treatment and others.
If you have any questions or concerns about accessibility or accommodations, please reach out to TIO.
Youth Era learning and development
Youth Era provides comprehensive learning, training and coaching opportunities for Youth Support Specialists across Oregon. For peers in recovery, Wraparound, drop-in center settings and more, Youth Era offers a wide range of training opportunities designed to uplift and sustain the youth peer workforce, offered at no cost. A growth-oriented coaching model emphasizes peer support for peer supports by creating a collaborative environment where specialists can learn from one another, strengthen their skills and foster resilience. Through both training and coaching, Youth Era empowers participants to thrive in their roles, reduce burnout and make a meaningful impact in their communities.
View all trainings and register online through Youth Era’s website.
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Trainer Learning Collaborative
This space is dedicated to BIPOC instructors, facilitators and other trainers who focus on mental health, suicide prevention and opioid misuse, hosted by the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs.
The collaborative focuses on networking, learning best practices, increasing accessibility to relevant community-based trainings, and learning how to identify and decrease barriers to access. Please fill out BIPOC Collaborative Interest form to learn more.
Contact facilitator Canada Taylor Parker at canada.taylor.parker@multco.us with any questions.
Suicide prevention trainings
OHA funds a comprehensive range of suicide prevention trainings occurring regularly across Oregon at low or no cost. These programs equip professionals and community members with suicide prevention, intervention and postvention skills.
For more details, training dates and to access these programs, refer to our interactive PDF with all available programs and resources. Simply scroll over each program to be directed to the relevant web page. Each program provides practical, evidence-based approaches, and enhances skills in suicide prevention, intervention and postvention across a variety of settings and roles.
Metro area training resources
GetTrainedtoHelp.com is a one-stop pathway where anyone who lives and/or works in Clackamas, Multnomah, or Washington counties can access Mental Health First Aid education and suicide prevention classes. It is a collaboration among these three counties to empower community members with skills and information. Classes are free of charge.
Youth SAVE (suicide assessment in various environments) training of trainers
Youth SAVE is a virtual training program designed to help school staff and community-based providers effectively assess, screen and intervene with youth and young adults experiencing thoughts of suicide. Youth SAVE is a program of OHA’s Big River trainings. Becoming a trainer is free.
Please contact youthsave@reapusa.org if you have any questions.
OHA is dedicated to strengthening Oregon’s workforce by sponsoring a range of trainings scheduled throughout the year.
Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) training
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Parent Classes: These sessions are offered at no cost and occur once a week for eight weeks for families across Oregon. For more information, please visit The Riverview Center for Growth.
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Essential Foundations Training (formerly called Tier 1): A 15-hour training on using empathy-driven technique to address challenging behaviors in children. Register here.
Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) learning collaborative
Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) trainings
- NHA is strength-based model for engaging with youth and their families. Parents, teachers and therapists use this powerful set of tools to help children with difficult and intense behaviors.
- For additional information, please contact brian.m.pitkin@oha.oregon.gov.
For feedback and suggestions for our newsletter and information: kids.team@oha.oregon.gov.
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