New facility for foster children in Clark County breaks ground

The treatment program aims to accommodate the needs of young people in the foster care system who have been identified with moderate to high risk behavioral and emotional barriers. The latest facility was made possible through loans by investor firm Impact Capital.

“With (this new) facility, we will be able to keep youth from this community, in this community,” said Jones. “As opposed to going up to King County or going to other parts of the state where they may have available beds.”

The local nonprofit is the brainchild of Linda Weems, a third-generation foster parent who started the foundation in 2015 with a focus on expanding services for foster children. Earlier this year, the nonprofit opened its Family Resource Center.

“My grandparents on both my mom and my dad sides were foster parents, pretty much all my aunties at one time, and my mom,” said Weems. “Foster care is in my blood.”

She said foster care can move children around a lot, which can have a huge impact on their emotional well-being and behavior.

“You get moved to 37 homes, and that’s 37 different rules and environments that you are now learning,” said Weems. “How can they be stable within themselves in those types of situations?”

The facility aims to be a stable environment where youth can work alongside caseworkers and through various services; group/individual counseling, crisis intervention, educational programming, chemical dependency awareness. If applicable, Narcotics Anonymous and/or Alcoholics Anonymous too.

Functionality is evident in each detail throughout the developing building.

On a tour of the building, Hidalgo, architect and owner of H Studio Architecture, led attendees up the three-story building. The new treatment facility will feature 32 rooms, a laundry room on each floor and bright-colored furniture for an “inviting” atmosphere.

“We wanted to create a home for foster children who have been through unfortunate circumstances. It’s not their fault,” Hidalgo said. “The people who will be living here really touched my heart.”

With additions like birch doors, full vision glass and activity nooks for displaying artwork, Hidalgo believes these subtle details will make a lasting difference. A community feel was also a priority, according to Kelly Schneider, project manager for contracting company Team Construction. “The message we’re sending is designing a space to make this feel like something the kids can be proud of,” said Schneider.

The project has been in the works since before the pandemic, and the foundation along with developers acquired the site in January 2022.

“(Mullen-Polk) has made an effort to make the building a home,” said Hidalgo.