Cascadia serves approximately 12,000 people each year... people who are vulnerable, and resilient; people who are struggling with mental illness, addictions, physical health issues, poverty and homelessness. We are partners seeking recovery, creating hope and opportunity for people with mental illnesses and addictions and providing compassionate services to individuals and families. Our services include mental health counseling, crisis intervention, addictions treatment, and transitional, residential, and permanent housing for people with psychiatric and substance use challenges, most of whom are extremely low income.

Cascadia 2010 Strategic Goals

1. Race Matters and 'having the conversation': Cascadia is committed to improving race relations among employees and with those we serve. Promoting racial sensitivity, advocacy, and organizational diversity,are essential in addressing the racial inequities and divisions that persist among us. With support from Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy, and with the creation of a Cultural Advisory Committee, Cascadia is determined to analyze its policies, practices, and workforce to identify and address any and all potential evidences of racial bias and/or inequality.
2. Effective clinical services: Cascadia has recently implemented a formal supervision plan geared to greater clinical acumen, with outcomes defined as successful by those we serve. A new access system and process promotes same-day appointments in outpatient services, and timely follow up ensures the formation of good partnerships between clinicians and consumers. Finally, watch Cascadia as it finds innovative ways to integrate mental health, addictions treatment, and physical wellness.
3. Recovery-oriented and Trauma-informed services: Cascadia's Consumer Advisory Councils, with leadership by Amy Anderson and Ryan Hamitt, are working on their own strategic planning in order to increase consumer advocacy and consumer involvement in Cascadia services and help increase a Recovery orientation. Amy Anderson has enhanced Cascadia's awareness of the Cross Disability Movement with her recent appointment to the Board of the first Portland Disability Council. Internally, employees have increasing opportunities for training in Trauma Informed Care and Recovery. Nationally renowned consumer advocate Dr. Ed Knight is scheduled to provide consultation to the Councils regarding maximizing their impact on Cascadia's development.
4. Integration of Housing and social supports: Cascadia is well aware that consumers of mental health services want stable housing and lives that are successfully integrated into communities. Providing a full continuum of services, including supported and independent housing, is critically important to Cascadia's mission. This year brings a focus on improving and expanding support to all those in housing services, with opportunities to become fully participative in the larger community.
5. Fiscal stewardship: Cascadia has been through a lot in the past couple of years. Its financial challenges reflected the economic woes of the nation. We are grateful to those who gave us support, and do not take that for granted. Cascadia is doing well now, and in our recovery, we are mindful of the necessity for transparency and responsibility. We are paying constant, close attention to good financial management and high quality services that are efficient and effective.

Cascadia Services

• Outpatient Services - Cascadia provides a multi-disciplinary treatment utilizing evidenced-based practices for children, families, adults and older adults with mental health issues, addiction issues and dual diagnosis issues. Services include comprehensive assessment and treatment planning, individual and group counseling, case management, skills training, consultation, supported employment, supported education and medication management.

  • Areas of focus
  • Mental Health Disorders
  • Alcohol and Drug Treatment
  • Gambling Treatment
  • Housing Outreach and Support
  • Referrals are received from individuals, families, medical providers, Court including (DUII, FIT), DHS (children and families), Department of Criminal Justice, (Probation, Post Prison Supervision, Community Court, Mental Health Court and others.

  Programs are designed for people of diverse cultural backgrounds, and include specialized programs such as:

  • Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC)
  • Volunteers Involved for the Emotional Well-being of Seniors (VIEWS)
  • African American culturally relevant Addictions Treatment
  • Triangle Project – LGBTQ Adults

  Outpatient treatment is available at three primary locations:

  • SE (Plaza)
  • NE (Woodland Park)
  • North Portland (Garlington)

• Crisis Services - Cascadia provides mental health crisis intervention in Multnomah County through Project Respond mobile outreach team, the Urgent Walk-in Clinic, and the Crisis Respite program:

  • Project Respond is the mobile mental health crisis response team that provides a vast array of crisis and specialized, culturally specific services delivered 24-hour/7-days throughout Multnomah County. We are accessed through the Multnomah County Call Center and provide crisis assessment to individuals and families within the county experiencing a mental health emergency. Our service is for all residents regardless of insurance, age, or income, with a primary focus on clients not currently enrolled in mental health services. Project Respond may provide brief follow up and referral after immediate crisis to ensure resolution. Project Respond also operates a sub-team which provides outreach and engagement to homeless individuals experiencing a mental illness.
  • The Urgent Walk-in Clinic is in Portland, open 7 days a week from 7 AM to 10:30 PM. This key service relieves pressure on hospital acute care systems by assisting consumers in crises before they need to go to the emergency room. The clinic provides counseling, medication gap prescribing, and referrals to continuing and affordable mental health treatment
  • Crisis Respite is a 10 bed residential program which serves as a short term step-down from or alternative to the hospital. Individuals receive assistance in stabilizing symptoms of mental illness
• Residential Services - Cascadia operates approximately 250 units of secure, non-secure, and enhanced care. These programs serve persons with complicated treatment issues such as chronic mental illness, homelessness, severe medical conditions, and alcohol and drug abuse. These individuals are served with the goal of moving to greater independence and integration within the community
• Supportive Housing and Homeless Services, and Housing - These resources include: a twenty bed emergency shelter program; thirty transitional housing units; a drop-in day/evening program; three permanent supportive housing facilities; and the Women's Emergency Services Collaborative - all for people with disabilities who experience frequent homelessness. These programs include focused outreach and support services

• Forensic Services - Cascadia hosts a full continuum of care for people in the Corrections system and who have substance abuse or mental health issues. The programs utilize evidence based practices specific to those in correction. Work in this area requires attention to both treatment services and community safety, and so we maintain close collaboration and communication with referral agencies. Services include:

  • Housing and intensive treatment services for people under the supervision of the Psychiatric Security Review Board
  • Prison-based addictions treatment programs
  • Prescott Terrace transitional housing
  • Department of Community Justice case management and outpatient services
• Medical Services - Cascadia is home to an array of excellent medical staff. RNs provide health assessments and medication support in both clinic and residential sites, and physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants with psychiatric expertise support clients and teams with psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, medication, and consultation.
• Housing Development - Cascadia has been a leader in the State of Oregon in developing and managing safe and affordable housing for people with mental illness and addictions for over 20 years using state and local grants, HOME funds, Community Development Block Grants, the Federal Home Loan Bank program, Department of Housing and Urban Development Capital Advances, Oregon Housing and Community Services Trust Fund and HELP grants, and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. Today, Cascadia operates more than 20 property sites, representing over 350 units of supported and independent housing.