Prioritizing, Parenting and Protecting Our Children
| Home | Programs | System Change | Collaboration | Resources | CJA Blog |
CJA Blog > CJA Merging With Pathfinders of Oregon
December 20, 2011
by CJA Admin
The Children’s Justice Alliance (CJA) is merging with its longtime partner, Pathfinders of Oregon. We are excited by the expanded opportunities this closer relationship will allow us in our efforts to improve outcomes for children whose parents are involved in the criminal justice system.
Pathfinders of Oregon was established in 1993 to operate programs in Oregon’s prisons and has broadened its mission to include prevention and intervention strategies aimed at keeping at-risk clients from entering and reentering the criminal justice system. Pathfinders’ instructors delivered the first Parenting Inside Out classes in Oregon’s prisons and worked with the Oregon Social Learning Center to refine the program into the one in use today.
In early 2004, Pathfinders was instrumental in launching the Children’s Justice Alliance to focus on the needs and issues of children of incarcerated parents. In December of 2004, Pathfinders and CJA partnered to open the first Center for Family Success in St. Johns. In 2007, the partners opened the second Center for Family Success in East Multnomah County (Rockwood). CJA focuses on children and families impacted by incarceration while Pathfinders works to give inmates the skills necessary to successfully reenter the community and reintegrate with their families.
In addition to its work in prisons and with the Center for Family Success, Pathfinders runs the Pathfinder Academy for pregnant and parenting youth in cooperation with the Portland Public Schools. Pathfinder Academy provides a safe educational environment where pregnant and parenting youth can achieve self growth through prioitizing education, family and community.
Working together, Children’s Justice Alliance and Pathfinders of Oregon offer offenders and their families a range of resources to build the skills and relationships they need to become prosocial members of the community and to help their children choose positive paths as they grow up.