A victim advocate will guide a child and their family member/s through each step of their visit at Kids FIRST. They will also provide referrals and answer questions families have.
A child-friendly interview conducted by a trained forensic interview specialist. Interviews are recorded to help reduce the number of times a child has to tell their story.
It may be appropriate for a child to be examined by a specially trained physician. The physician determines the child's medical and emotional needs, and gathers evidence.
mental health
Kids FIRST is in the process of structuring and implementing a mental health program at its new center. We are thrilled to request the support of the community at this time for funding this project.
To date, we have received financial support from the following agencies:
Windermere Real Estate
mental health
Kids FIRST is in the process of structuring and implementing a mental health program at its new center. We are thrilled to request the support of the community at this time for funding this project.
To date, we have received financial support from the following agencies:
Windermere Real Estate
mental health
Kids FIRST is in the process of structuring and implementing a mental health program at its new center. We are thrilled to request the support of the community at this time for funding this project.
To date, we have received financial support from the following agencies:
Windermere Real Estate
inglés
Kids FIRST Notice of Privacy Practices
Minor Rights in Oregon
inglés
Kids FIRST Notice of Privacy Practices
Minor Rights in Oregon
If a child's case is accepted for review at the District Attorney's Office, Kids FIRST hosts grand jury on-site for the child and their family in a safe and familiar setting.
Mental health is a new program coming to Kids FIRST in 2021! Our goal is to reduce wait times for children that will benefit from specialized trauma informed therapy.
As the regional provider for northwest Oregon, Kids FIRST is eager to offer support and peer review to neighboring CACs and community partners.
Conoce a nuestro personal
Conoce a nuestro personal
Kids FIRST 2026 Capital Campaign
Expanding access to healing so no child waits for the care they deserve
Healing needs space.
When Kids FIRST added therapy services to its collection of intervention services in 2022, the need was immediate, and it hasn't slowed down.
Children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or domestic violence often need timely, specialized mental health support to begin healing. And while our three therapists and therapy intern are doing incredible work every day, demand continues to exceed what our space allows.
The commitment is here. The expertise is here.
The barrier: space.
Join Kids FIRST this spring as we take on a $1 million Capital Campaign to grow our space. The goal: to expand therapy capacity, reduce waitlists, and provide a calm space separate from our initial intervention services to ensure children receive timely, trauma-informed care in an environment designed for healing.
What's the Project?
This Capital Project will fund the renovation of a recently acquired building located directly across the street from our current facility on 18th Avenue in Eugene. While the location is ideal, the structure itself requires significant upgrades to meet current code and to transform it into a warm, welcoming space for children and families. The former duplex is 1,949 square feet and was built in 1950.
The building sits at the corner of 18th & High Street in Eugene.
The renovation will include:
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Child-centered therapy spaces, including room for group services
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Three therapy treatment rooms
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Staff and intern offices
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Outdoor landscaping updates to create a calm & inviting entrance
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Updated electrical and HVAC systems
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ADA compliance updates
Tap to magnify
What's the Expected Impact?
This past fiscal year, our mental health team provided 583 therapy sessions to children despite functioning within a space not designed to support the scale and sophistication of services being delivered today.
Currently, the team must stagger appointments and share space between two offices and no dedicated treatment rooms. This configuration restricts the number of children who can be seen each week, prevents the launch of group therapy services, limits age and modality-specific treatment environments, and challenges both privacy and therapeutic consistency.
With appropriate, dedicated treatment space, we anticipate increasing therapy session availability, reducing waitlist times, and improving scheduling flexibility.
A dedicated therapy building would allow Kids FIRST to:
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Create child-centered therapy spaces, including room for group services
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Fully utilize current clinical staff and increase therapy internship capacity
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Strengthen confidentiality and therapeutic consistency
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Re-allocate space in our main building to support core intervention services
The Impact on Kids & Families
Caregivers and children who participate in Kids FIRST services often share they feel safe, seen, and cared for while navigating one of the toughest situations they encounter. Our mental health program continues that care through evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment.
During the most recent quarter of therapy services, children in treatment reported an average 37% reduction in PTSD-related symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Clients are re-screened about every four weeks to monitor progress and adjust treatment as needed.
During the same quarter, five children and youth completed treatment with a median reduction of 69% in trauma-related symptoms, with the highest individual improvement reaching 91%—reflecting substantial progress toward emotional stability, safety, and daily functioning.
Dedicated therapy space will strengthen our ability to provide consistent, high-quality treatment, offer additional therapeutic services, and achieve similar outcomes for more children.
What did you appreciate the most about your experience at the Center?
"Compassionate loving space for my child to feel safe and heard."
- Caregiver of a Kids FIRST client
Budget & Timeline
Our immediate milestone is to reach $500,000 by April 17, 2026. Achieving this benchmark is critical, because it positions Kids FIRST to unlock significant foundation funding and accelerate progress toward our end goal of $1 million.
As of February 1, 2026, Kids FIRST has secured more than $170,000 toward our goal because of early contributions from key stakeholders and a committed Kids FIRST board and staff.
If we reach our $500,000 goal by the April deadline, we anticipate breaking ground in May or June 2026. Should additional time be needed to reach this milestone, we will continue building community support through the summer and fall, followed by expanded foundation requests in late 2026. Under this timeline, construction would begin by Spring 2027.
In either scenario, Kids FIRST is committed to completing this project thoughtfully and responsibly, ensuring strong community investment and long-term sustainability.
How You Can Help
Whether your gift is $50 or $50,000, every dollar will give children more space to heal and find hope. Help fund this capital project in multiple ways:
Make an online donation at KidsFirstCenter.net/Donate. Please note "2026 Capital Campaign" in the form notes.
Send a check to Kids FIRST, 299 E 18th Avenue Eugene, OR 97401. Please note "2026 Capital Campaign" in the memo.
Share your gift through PayPal. Please note "2026 Capital Campaign" in the form.
We welcome conversations about customized recognition aligned with each donor's vision and level of investment. Email Jaclyn today or call (541) 682-3938 ext 218 to learn more.