Celebrating the 2025 Oregon Children and Youth Behavioral Health Summit
On Friday, May 2, United Way of Lane County and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA) hosted our second statewide Oregon Children and Youth Behavioral Health Summit, “Helping Students Thrive in 2025.”
Over 150 people from around the state – educators, nonprofit leaders, healthcare providers, and more – joined us for a day of learning, connection, and collaboration, sharing creative ideas and practical strategies to address the most pressing behavioral and mental health issues impacting our children and youth.
When we began planning this year’s Summit, we wanted to make sure our event focused on topics that were most critical to what Oregon youth need to thrive in 2025. So we reached out to our networks of experts: partner organizations, school administrators, academics, and, most importantly, young people themselves.
“We know that youth here in Oregon are facing more challenges than ever and it’s vital that that the adults in their lives - at their schools, in their communities - listen to them as we determine the most effective ways to support them”
Through a short survey and outreach to youth-led councils and groups across the state, we gathered direct feedback from young Oregonians (like the quote below on this page). Our goal? To align the content of this year’s Summit with what students say they most need from adults, in their schools and in their communities, to support their well-being.
Combining this feedback from youth with the innovative practices and expertise of folks who work in fields supporting young people K-12 statewide, we developed this year’s Summit, where attendees learned about, discussed, and shared strategies on topics like:
Summit participants listen as Zoya Shah, former Kid Governor of Oregon, addresses the room
Civil rights in Oregon schools
Anti-racism and equity work
Children’s holistic health and well-being
Facilitating difficult conversations
Strengths-based suicide prevention
Behavioral health tools and pathways
Self-care for educators
And more…
“Something that I want to see more of is people around a school or community just looking out for people and talking with those who need help or advice.”
Co-hosting this Summit – bringing experts and leaders from around the state to our own backyard - is another way that United Way invests in the diverse networks of organizations and programs that are stepping up to support local youth here in Lane County.
Thank you to our sponsors – Lane Community Health Council, Lane County Commissioner Pat Farr, Rodger Deevers, and an Anonymous Donor – for their generous support of this event!
