Our History & Our House

Why was Kinship House created?

Many children in foster care or adoptive homes have been traumatized by abuse and neglect, separated from siblings and birth parents, and exposed to adults using drugs or alcohol. They often exhibit emotional, developmental and behavioral reactions as a result. Kinship House has experienced, capable child therapists who understand these pressures. We are able to provide advocacy in court, give supportive services to caretakers and family, coordinate with community partners, or prepare children for adoption. Too often funding problems, high staff turnover, and overwhelming caseloads undermine efforts to make an impact. Kinship House seeks a better way to address these concerns.

In the mid 1990's, Kinship House was founded by a group of professional women who had observed a significant gap between the delivery of child welfare services and meeting the mental health needs of children in foster care. These founders had seen the impact of this service gap while working for the Department of Human Services, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and area mental health agencies.

Today, the service gap is as great as ever. However, Kinship House is a resource to families and a model for the mental health and child welfare community. Ongoing consultation and educational services provide caseworkers with meaningful therapeutic tools to help more foster, adoptive and birth families.

Why are we in a house?

Kinship House is a place where children may relax, talk, play and feel as though it's their own space. A stable home is something these children long for, and we strive to provide some level of homelike stability in their ever-changing lives.

Kinship House is a warm, welcoming, newly renovated 3-storey house, surrounded by gardens. We're located in a friendly Northeast Portland neighborhood, easily accessible by MAX, bus, bike or car. There is a play structure out back, a picnic table and inviting chairs for relaxing in the shade. Next door is another residential building where the Kinship House Medication Management team operates. Both buildings symbolize Kinship House's approach to child and family-friendly service and have been Kinship House's "home" since we began service over a decade ago.