Our History & Our House

Why was Kinship House created?

In the mid 1990s, Kinship House was founded by a group of professionals who observed a significant gap between the delivery of child welfare services and meeting the mental health needs of children in foster care.  Since then, Kinship House has expanded to a full-service child mental health agency while maintaining its expertise in work with children and their biological, foster, and adoptive families.  Kinship House is a resource to families and a model for the mental health and child welfare community.  Ongoing consultation and educational services provide meaningful therapeutic tools to help more children and families. 

Why are we in a house?

Our offices are located in two neighboring houses to create a more comfortable environment for families and children.  Kinship House is a place where children may relax, talk, play, and feel as though it’s their own space.  We strive to provide an environment of homelike stability despite many families’ ever-changing lives. 

Our two warm, welcoming, and newly renovated houses are surrounded by gardens. We're located in a friendly Northeast Portland neighborhood, easily accessible by MAX, bus, bike or car. There is a play structure out back, a picnic table and inviting chairs for relaxing in the shade. Both buildings symbolize Kinship House's approach to child- and family-friendly service and have been Kinship House's "home" since we began services in 1996.