LifeWorks NW

At LifeWorks NW, our mission is wellbeing for all. We know wellbeing is more complicated than just the mental healthcare you need in one moment: often, it means developing new habits, gaining new resources, and maybe even a change in your education or employment. Our supported employment team helps many clients chart new paths forward; check out this success story from one client, who is now working to finish her degree:
https://www.lifeworksnw.org/2024/07/15/eventually-i-want-to-start-my-own-business-a-supported-education-success-story/

Great news! Oregon will join eight states who provide free Medicaid coverage to returning community members who are due to be released from jail or prison in 90 days. Previously, Medicaid coverage was denied to these folks, limiting their connections to care. Now those nearing discharge who meet income requirements will be eligible for health screenings, mental health assessments, medication management, and more. We hope this step will increase wellbeing and access to care for returning citizens.
Read more: https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/07/03/federal-officials-allow-oregon-to-offer-medicaid-services-to-those-behind-bars/

Happy International Self Care Day! This date was chosen to symbolize the concept that self-care can be practiced “24 hours a day/7 days a week.” Self care is so much more than a hot tea or a bubble bath (though we highly recommend both). At LifeWorks NW, we take self-care seriously. Our staff receives four wellness days a year, in addition to vacation days and other paid time off. Flexibility and time to spend with self and family are core to good self care.
Learn more about the rich history of self care, and how it ties to communal care:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/the-power-of-self-care-a-bridge-to-communal-care/

July is Disability Pride Month, commemorating the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—and a good time to highlight work being done to promote healthier, happier lives for those living with disabilities. We are grateful to the activists who continue to advocate for a community where everyone has equal opportunity.
The City of Portland offers some great accessible recreation resources! Find everything from the best places to enjoy an outdoor concert from a wheelchair, to adaptive opportunities to experience indoor skydiving.
https://www.portland.gov/officeofequity/disability/accessible-recreation

Did you know that summertime can affect your mood, just like wintertime can? Changes in light, sleep patterns, and changes in your daily routine can activate seasonal affective disorder symptoms in some folks. Learn more about how the summertime blues can be treated through mental healthcare in our newest blog post:
https://www.lifeworksnw.org/2024/07/16/summer-seasonal-affective-disorder/

Tomorrow, on Saturday the 19th, join friends and neighbors for the Portland Trans Pride March. This year's theme is "agitate and celebrate!", with a rally starting at 2pm and the march kicking off at 3:30pm. Trans community members have unique experiences and challenges that all of us can learn from, and LifeWorks NW is proud to stand in solidarity with our trans neighbors.
Learn more: https://portlandpride.org/2024-portland-pride-official-events/portland-trans-pride-march

Looking for a sober-friendly opportunity to celebrate your Pride? This Saturday, BuzzCutt's Summer Fest will connects lovers of fun with the finest in non-alcoholic beverages, local bites, and music by DJ Jess the Ripper. A portion of the raffle-prize proceeds will be donated to True Colors Recovery, a Portland-based organization that provides substance use support, mentorship, recovery meetings, and events for the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
Learn more: https://portlandpride.org/2024-portland-pride-official-events/buzzcutts-first-annual-summer-fest-pdxs-alcohol-free-pride-party

Clackamas County Care: Our Gladstone location, 18907 Portland Ave, offers culturally-sensitive, trauma-informed services to support those raising children, from before the child is born until the age of 18. The Children’s Relief Nursery provides respite child care for overwhelmed parents as well as skills training for those seeking to improve their relationship with their children. The Youth Outpatient Substance Abuse Disorder program serves families dealing with teenagers affected by substance abuse disorder. Families with young children, ages 2 to 7, benefit from the Parent Child Interaction Therapy program with weekly sessions as well an in-home practice. Visit us at LifeWorksNW Intake or give us a call at 503-645-9010 to learn more. At LifeWorks NW, we know stronger families create stronger communities and make life work for everyone. .

One great way to support your mental health is by supporting your physical health! Today at Griffith Park (4731 SW Griffith Dr., Beaverton) you can participate in a free session of Yoga in the Park, starting at 6 p.m. The district is also hosting several Walk with Me events. Led by a THPRD fitness instructor, the walks offer the chance to combine benefits of nature, physical activity, and community. They are also a great opportunity to learn about some of the many parks, trails, and nature areas in the district.
Learn more: www.thprd.org/events

It's Pride week in Portland! At LifeWorks NW, we're proud to stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ neighbors. There are opportunities to celebrate your Pride in community all week and this weekend. For a little bit of history, check out this Oregonian article on 7 things to know about Portland Pride (did you know there are alcohol-free and family-friendly options?)
https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2024/07/7-things-to-know-about-portland-pride.html

Often, new clients come in with more than one big problem they want to solve. That's why LifeWorks NW offers integrated care, including mental healthcare, physical healthcare, addiction care, and other services. Check out this success story from a client who had multiple goals for her services, and was able to work toward all of them:
https://www.lifeworksnw.org/2024/05/29/i-am-strong-no-matter-what-one-clients-therapy-success-story/

Most of us have heard the headlines about how tech consumption, especially social media scrolling, can impact our mental wellbeing. We've learned that children and teens are particularly impacted, but that all of us might experience depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, and other symptoms linked to high consumption of digital media. NPR's Life Kit recently explored how screen time impacts our physical wellbeing, too; take a minute to listen:
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1197225703/screen-apnea-breathing

BEAVERTON: get help close to home! Accessible on the Number 54 TriMet bus line, our Beaverton location is a westside hub to access a wide range of services that make life work. Our understanding and knowledgeable counselors provide mental health and financial counseling. If gambling has become a problem for you or someone you care about, treatment is available. Families can find support at the Beaverton location as well, including in-home services for parents with children. Learn more about our mental health services:
https://www.lifeworksnw.org/mental-services/

For those who suffer from the less common form of Seasonal Affective Disorder, the summer months can be a mentally challenging time. Symptoms can include insomnia, crankiness, and even thoughts of su***de. As with all depression, there can be biological causes—and mental healthcare can help. If you're feeling these symptoms, reach out to us at 503-645-9010, or try calling or texting 988.
Learn more about Seasonal Affective Disorder and how it can impact behavior:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder

Find safe places to cool off, get hydrated, and stay in the shade! It's important to take good care of your body when temperatures rise this high. Use this link to find resources in Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas Counties:
https://www.washingtoncountyor.gov/public-health/hot-weather

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🔥😎 It’s going to be hot.
Share these ways to beat the heat.
Check on your family, friends and neighbors.

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🔥😎 接下來的天氣會很炎熱。
請分享這些方法，以對抗高溫。
請注意家人、朋友和鄰居的安全。

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🔥😎 이제 더워집니다.
이렇게 무더위를 이길 수 있는 방법을 공유하세요.
가족, 친구, 이웃을 살펴주세요.

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🔥😎 Будет жарко.
Поделитесь этими способами борьбы с жарой.
Проверьте на своей семье, друзьях и соседях.

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🔥😎 Trời sẽ rất nóng.
Hãy chia sẻ những cách này để đánh tan cơn nóng.
Hỏi thăm tình hình của gia đình, bạn bè và hàng xóm của quý vị.

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🔥😎 Va a hacer calor.
Comparta estas formas de combatir el calor.
Contacte a su familia, amigos y vecinos para chequear como están.

SHARE:🧊Multnomah County will open cooling centers starting Friday, July 5, at noon, and will extend hours into the evening at two large libraries — providing respite for community members as a dangerous heatwave threatens to send temperatures well over 100 degrees.

The County is recruiting community volunteers to support our emergency cooling sites for our activation starting Friday, 7/5. Visit https://bit.ly/4cPLbJi for more info about the General Staff role, links to sign up for shifts, and details about trainings!
Find other cool spaces and splash pads at: https://bit.ly/3zI2tr3

Today and throughout the heatwave, outreach workers are providing hot weather gear like water, cooling towels and sunscreen to vulnerable people across the County.

📍 The three cooling centers will be open noon to 10 p.m. Friday, July 5:
✔Cook Plaza, 19421 S.E. Stark St., Gresham
✔Portland Covenant Church, 4046 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland
✔The Hugo, 6221 N.E. 82nd Ave., Portland

📚 Friday (July 5), Multnomah County Library will also extend hours at the Central (801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland) and Gresham (385 N.W. Miller Ave., Gresham) libraries until 9 p.m., with bottled water on hand, to provide additional places where people can go during the hottest parts of the day and evening

Need a place to cool off? Cooling centers in the Tri-County area of Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties offer safety from extreme heat when temperatures hover above 90 degrees.
To find the closest spot to escape the heat, find an interactive map based on your location at:
https://qrco.de/StayCool
You can also call 211 to find help for anyone who is suffering from the weather. At LifeWorks NW, we know life works better when we all look out for each other, and we encourage everyone to take good care in this heat!

Thank you Ellena for sharing your powerful story!



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Supporting children also requires supporting parents and caregivers so they can provide safer, more stable home environments. The Family and Community Alliance from has received funding since the start of the Levy. The program enhances parenting skills and connects families to resources by providing home visits, case management, parenting classes, outreach and more.

“It wasn’t until my third meeting with Jesse (LifeWorks advocate) that I started to open up about life, my children and the help I really did need even if I was stubborn about it,” said Ellena Brown, a program participant. “I literally looked forward to my meetings to vent, to be helped, and be OK with being helped.”

Learn more about the impacts of 20 years of the Levy on Ellena and others: bit.ly/PCL24

📸: Ellena Brown

Thank you Ellena for sharing your powerful story!

2024 Community Report: Celebrating more than two decades of investments The 2022-23 year allowed many programs to make significant progress toward pre-pandemic goals, and we celebrated over two decades of investments in our community.

Tomorrow, in observance of the federal holiday, all LifeWorks NW outpatient clinics will be closed. We will open at our regular time on Friday, July 5. LifeWorks NW clients who need assistance in the meantime can call Lines for Life. Any community member can also reach out to 988 for assistance with mental health concerns.

Supporting children also requires supporting parents and caregivers so they can provide safer, more stable home environments. The Family and Community Alliance from LifeWorks NW has received funding since the start of the Levy. The program enhances parenting skills and connects families to resources by providing home visits, case management, parenting classes, outreach and more.

“It wasn’t until my third meeting with Jesse (LifeWorks advocate) that I started to open up about life, my children and the help I really did need even if I was stubborn about it,” said Ellena Brown, a program participant. “I literally looked forward to my meetings to vent, to be helped, and be OK with being helped.”

Learn more about the impacts of 20 years of the Levy on Ellena and others: bit.ly/PCL24

📸: Ellena Brown

2024 Community Report: Celebrating more than two decades of investments The 2022-23 year allowed many programs to make significant progress toward pre-pandemic goals, and we celebrated over two decades of investments in our community.

Our Rockwood location offers a wide range of mental health care services less than half a mile from the Rockwood Max Station. Our knowledgeable, trauma-informed staff offers care at whatever level needed to make life work better. Because we believe in a holistic approach that recognizes the healing power of the mind-body connection, the Integrated Healthcare Team at Rockwood provides physical health care alongside behavioral health services. Rockwood clients can also access a pharmacy on-site. Let us know how we can help by calling us at 503-645-9010 or email us at: [email protected]

The rocket’s red glare and bombs bursting in air symbolized by the fireworks set off on the Fourth of July can activate PTSD and post traumatic stress symptoms. While this is common among combat veterans, the loud sudden noises, flashes of light, and gunpowder-like odors can also affect gun violence survivors and those who have experienced other traumas. At LifeWorks NW, we offer trauma-informed care that recognizes that what is celebration for some can cause suffering for others. If this time of year is challenging, our caring, knowledgeable LifeWorks NW team is here to help.
Find out more about our mental health services: https://www.lifeworksnw.org/mental-services/

According to The Trevor Project, LGBTQ+ youth are at risk because of a lack of acceptance, understanding, empathy, and compassion. That lack comes at a great cost: a national survey conducted in 2023 found 41% of LGBTQ+ youth have seriously considered su***de in the last year. LifeWorks NW is proud to participate in Zero Su***de, a nationwide initiative to bring together care providers and communities to end su***de. One tool our communities can use: 988. Call or text to connect with a trained counselor and local services, including specialists in youth or LGTBQ+ care. Learn more about 988 in Oregon:
https://www.lifeworksnw.org/.../988-hotline-offers.../

TIGARD: Young people in your life can access care in your neighborhood. Our Tigard location offers trauma-informed, culturally sensitive services that focus on child and youth development, and growing social and emotional skills. Our Healthy Families program can also offer family services right in your home, with a visiting clinician who can work with you and your kids. The earliest interventions have the most impact, so get in touch for child and family related services. Give us a call at 503-645-9010 or email us at: [email protected].

As we enter the warmest weeks of summer, many of us take to the water to cool off. Whether you're choosing the Pacific coast, a neighborhood pool, or the newly opened Cathedral Park Dock near St. John's, make sure you and your family are prepared to be safe while swimming. Polish your safety skills with this new children's water safety quiz from NPR's Life Kit:
https://www.npr.org/2024/06/07/g-s1-3389/quiz-parents-how-much-do-you-know-about-water-safety-for-kids

For community members reaching out for help during a behavioral health crisis, it might be easy to feel alone with their symptoms or their circumstances. Peers, trained behavioral health experts who also have firsthand experience with mental health or substance use recovery, are critical to helping community members feel supported and understood. We're so grateful to see that pathways to becoming a peer are becoming more inclusive! Check out this article from the Lund Report about how people with living experience can get certified as recovery mentors (image credit to the Lund Report):
https://www.thelundreport.org/content/prison-pipeline-could-help-meet-oregons-behavioral-health-workforce-needs

ST. JOHNS: Even under the best of circumstances, parenting is hard. Our St. Johns location offers support for families focused on keeping children safe while giving families what they need to thrive. The children’s relief nursery provides respite childcare for overwhelmed parents as well as therapeutic classrooms for students up to 5 years old. The support doesn’t stop at our door: we offer home visits to families in need of parenting resources. The Family & Community Alliance is focused on helping families who have become involved in Child Protective Services. Advocates with the Family Support & Connections program work with families to enhance their life skills and achieve their parenting goals. Let us help make parenting a little less challenging give us a call at 503-645-9010 or email us at: [email protected].

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth is our country’s second Independence Day. It marks the day in 1865 when the Union Army troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas and announced that the 250,000 people who were still enslaved in the state were free. This announcement came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. Oregon made Juneteenth a state holiday in 2022.
To learn more about Juneteenth, visit: National Museum of African American History & Culture - https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth.
At LifeWorks NW, we offer culturally-sensitive care that acknowledges the damage done by institutional racism. We also applaud the commemoration of the darkest era in our country as well as the healing offered by Juneteenth celebrations.