On October 29th, VOA Oregon celebrated the opening of two facilities in East Portland, including its Montavilla Campus in the former dorm housing of Multnomah University at 8435 NE Glisan Street. The new Outpatient Services center replaces a VOA Women’s Residential Treatment Center that closed at this site in April. That reportedly abrupt closure required 46 women enrolled in the program to transfer to other treatment options or discontinue the program. The nonprofit began renting space from the university in October 2024, before the school’s owners ceased most educational activity at the site and placed the property for sale in 2025. This location is blocks away from a planned six-acre VOA NE Glisan Street Health and Family Services Campus, which has been in the pre-development process since 2021 but has not advanced to permitting.
Senior Director of Behavioral Health with VOA Oregon, Christina Anderson, explained that reopening this space for daytime clinical use instead of overnight care was a way to continue the organization’s efforts while working around the aging building’s limitations that contributed to challenges in operating the previous Women’s Residential Treatment Center. “Residential and outpatient are considered two different populations, and their vulnerability and liabilities are different,” said Anderson. “The HVAC system and the lack of sprinklers were not conducive to a residential setting for outpatient.” The former dorm rooms now support clinician office space and clinical outpatient treatment rooms.
VOA Oregon President and CEO Maree Wacker said moving into this space has expanded the capacity of VOA Oregon’s behavioral health offerings. “VOA’s outpatient services program previously operated in a 13,000 square foot facility. We were busting out of the seams, and today here at the Montavilla Campus, we have 45,000 square feet in which to deliver these services, which are expanded and will help those who struggle.” Anderson added that those past space limitations would cause them to turn away people seeking help. “We have walk-in assessments Monday through Thursday starting at 10 a.m. In March, we had to literally close the doors because we could not bring anybody else in,” recalled Anderson.
Wacker said VOA Oregon grew services by over 25% in 2026 before this move. They can now serve 750 individuals every week, and she expects to nearly double that number by the end of the calendar year. The increased site capacity will keep the doors open to more people seeking help, but it will also let the team expand its offerings. “Through the partnerships with Care Oregon, our program has experienced significant transformation. At the heart of the work has been the commitment to integrated team-based care,” said Anderson.
Wacker highlighted that access and connectivity are important elements in responding to our community’s addiction and mental health crisis. “Here in Multnomah County, 45.6% of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are struggling with a use disorder,” said Wacker. “Outpatient treatment is an important part of VOA Oregon’s continuum of care.” She pointed to the peer support offered in the Montavilla program as a critical part of the organization’s efforts. She said that case management services this year served over 1,300 people, helping individuals and families navigate housing instability, rebuild relationships, and identify community support.
Multnomah County Commissioner for District 3, Julia Brim-Edwards, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony to thank the organization for its commitment to the community. “Opening this campus will open the doors to opportunity, support, and hope for our neighbors and community members who need that path and are ready for recovery,” remarked Brim-Edwards. “This new campus will mean more people have access to mental health care, addiction treatment, and recovery services that they need to live healthier and more stable lives. Today is really an important milestone for the Volunteers of America, but it’s also a great day for our entire community,” said Brim-Edwards.
The VOA Oregon Montavilla Campus operates out of two buildings on the north edge of the now-closed Jessup University Multnomah property, near NE Pacific Street and the athletics field. Staff currently offer outpatient services to people seeking assistance with substance use disorder recovery and mental health care. Southeast of this site, at 2609 SE 136th Avenue, VOA Oregon also opened its Family Relief Nursery building. That site supports young children and their caregivers through therapeutic early childhood services, home visits, and parenting support.
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