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Services for Youth

Not all treatment programs are offered at every OYA facility. However, all facilities do offer an array of treatment to address developmental needs and risks related to criminal behavior.

Each youth’s treatment team selects the most appropriate combination of treatment programs based on the youth’s needs and personal characteristics.​

Elements of treatment for OYA youth include:
  • Addressing needs that are likely to lead to criminal behavior
  • Impact of crime on the victim and the community
  • Culturally responsive services
  • Engaging families​
  • Addressing mental health or trauma
  • Addressing substance use - MacLaren is ​a certified substance use treatment site
  • Teaching life and social skills​
  • Providing education and vocational training
  • Providing medical services
Learn more on the Treatment for OYA Youth page​, or by contacting your youth's case coordinator.​

​nurse taking blood pressure

While your youth is with Oregon Youth Authority, we will make sure their needs are met. This includes medical care, dental care, and mental health care they need.
 
MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility has a medical clinic with nurses, dentists, a medical doctor, psychiatrists and psychologists.

Mental health services are provided on site. We also have contracts with health care providers in the community for services that are medically necessary that we cannot provide in our clinic. Our facilities only provides medical services that are medically necessary. Youth also receive regular health education information.
 
Psychology Services
All youth receive a psychological evaluation within 30 days of arriving at intake.

Psychiatry Services
These services are by referral only. However, if a youth arrives at intake with mental health medication, they will see a psychiatrist within two weeks of arriving.
 
Payment for Medical Services
OYA pays for all necessary medical services for all youth in our correctional facilities. Youth are not eligible to receive Oregon Health Plan benefits while they are in OYA facilities. Learn more about paying for medical services​
 
Private Health Insurance
If you already have private health insurance for your youth, you should keep it, and let the facility know about it. If your youth needs emergency or specialty care somewhere outside of our facilities, your insurance could help pay for this.

Nutrition and Fitness
Our youth correctional facilities and transition facilities provide youth with regular healthy meals and recreation programs, including sports and other physical activities. We do not allow our youth to have food provided by their families.
 
Getting Medical Information About Your Youth
OYA health services follows HIPAA privacy guidelines​. We are not allowed to release medical information about youth in our custody without a signed release. More information is available on our Medical Records​ page.
  • Youth who are 14 and younger must have a release of information signed by their facility's superintendent or director.
  • Youth who are 15 and older must sign a release of information form before we can share their medical information.
If your youth is in an OYA facility and you want updates about their medical care, please contact their case coordinator, living unit manager, or camp counselor. They can help you get the information you need.

​people watching drummers

To successfully fulfill OYA’s mission, we must ensure that we effectively meet the needs of all youth and communities, especially those who are marginalized.

OYA works to provide culturally appropriate services at all our facilities, both for youth who identify as part of marginalized groups, and for all our youth to learn to understand and respect other cultures. Many, but not all, of these services are led by our Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations (OIIR). 

We provide services to meet the needs of many groups, including:
  • African American
  • Asian and Pacific Islander
  • Hispanic and Latinx​
  • LGBTQ+
  • Native American​​​

We also provide a free tattoo removal program for any OYA youth wishing to get rid of gang-related, sex trafficking-related, or other anti-social tattoos.

To learn more about our cultural services, contact:
​Samantha Batista
503-680-6164
Samantha.Batista@oya.oregon.gov​

​a young person painting a mural

MacLaren offers multiple enrichment programs to help youth stay healthy, learn how to interact positively with others, and build skills that will help them when they return to the community.  

Community members often come into MacLaren to volunteer or offer programs for our youth.

Programs include:
  • ​Hope Partnership: Run by Janus Youth Programs, Hope provides numerous classes, events, and workshops to help youth explore their talents and prepare for their eventual transition back into the community.
  • Recreation and sports: MacLaren has a full-sized gym with new bleachers and wood floor, plus a large fitness center filled with exercise equipment.
  • Cultural events, including pow wows and other Native American ceremonies; African American, Latino, and Asian/Pacific Islander heritage events; and LGBTQ+ Pride events.
  • Religious programs: MacLaren provides faith-based holiday celebrations, worship services, small groups, mentorship, and literature. Faith communities actively represented include Catholic, Christian, Buddhist, Islam, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, and Pagan.