Our Mission is to help children, youth, and their families with mental health and substance use challenges while working to prevent them from developing in the first place.
Our Vision is that children, youth, and their families will thrive and achieve their full potential when they benefit from our effective behavioral health and prevention services.
1. Non-violence (providing physical, emotional, social, and moral safety for all)
2. Emotional Intelligence (managing feelings well for the care-of-others and self)
3. Social Learning (practicing the utmost respect for the ideas of everyone)
4. Democracy (having shared decision making whenever possible)
5. Open Communication (saying what we mean without being mean as we say it)
6. Social Responsibility (ensuring teamwork that includes everyone’s contributions)
7. Growth and Change (co-creating transformation for a hopeful future)
Our goals include the following:
1. Provide high quality and effective services to children, youth, and their families.
2. Ensure a well-trained, professional, inspired, and supported staff.
3. Maintain balanced budgets to ensure long-term financial stability.
4. Promote our Mission, Vision, Values, and positive contributions throughout the communities we serve.
5. Be an anti-racist community focused organization practicing race equity for all.
E. Our Strategic Priorities provide direction for all programs and services. While not listed in any order, the effectiveness of each are interdependent.
History
In 1947, Morrison Child and Family Services was founded by a group of concerned citizens and physicians committed to providing mental health services for children in the community. Dr. Carl Morrison, one of Oregon’s first child psychiatrists, served as Morrison’s Executive Director for 25 years. In its first year, the Portland Community Child Guidance Clinic, as it was called, served 216 cases from a modest house in downtown Portland.
In 1972, the clinic name was changed to The Morrison Center, in honor of Dr. Morrison’s many years of dedicated service. Throughout the 70s, Morrison began offering programs for children in the juvenile system and became a major provider of and advocate for clinical psychologists. Staff increased twelve-fold to meet the growing demand for services and a second clinic in Gresham was established to work with east county children and families.
In the 80s, Morrison Center experienced significant growth as a result of the organization’s focus on innovative program design. Morrison Center created alternatives to traditional, more expensive institutional care, beginning with programs like the Hand in Hand Day Treatment program and the Counterpoint and Breakthrough programs.
In April 2003, Morrison Center became Morrison Child and Family Services, reflecting the fact that Morrison is composed of many locations, not a single “center,” and that the organization had grown in size, scope and capacity to serve Oregon’s children and families.
Today, Morrison Child and Family Services serves over 8,000 children and families with a staff of approximately 500 employees and an annual operating budget of $28 million.
