Salem couple Mandy and Thom Augsburger grew up in families with open door policies for friends and community members in need. After volunteering 24 years ago at a camp for kids in resource (foster) care, they imagined how much young people could benefit from longer-term support.

After their volunteer experience, the Augsburgers wanted to do more. They became resource parents through the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Child Welfare in 2010, and after several years, began to dream about creating a program in their home that could provide specialized supports and services for teen boys dealing with the effects of trauma.

The problem? This kind of program did not exist. The Oregon Department of Human Services funds a range of proctor foster homes, but not with onsite staff who also live there. The Augsburgers wanted their program to feel and be like a home where kids could relax and feel safe. “It’s a home-like setting – not a facility,” Mandy Augsburger said.

Motivated by their vision, Mandy and her husband made a decision that changed just about everything. In 2016, they sold their house and tapped their savings to buy a home in Salem that they renovated to accommodate up to 14 boys in a family-like environment and serve as their home. They named the nonprofit program housed in their new home Affect Youth Services.

ODHS was on board to assist. In the face of provider shortages and complex challenges serving children with higher levels of trauma, ODHS has encouraged new approaches, partnering to help ensure rules and regulations are in place for licensure. Affect Youth Services is licensed as a Child-Caring Agency (CCA) to provide a higher level of care. It is one of 29 CCAs contracted with Child Welfare to provide care across the state. About 200 youth are served through these programs at any given time. Affect is the only family-based residential program of its kind in Oregon.

The goal of the program is to give the boys a stable, nurturing and supportive home to help them reunite with their families. The average length of stay is about six to 12 months, close to the median length of time in foster care.

The program seems to make a lasting impression on young people. Mandy recalls running into a young person in the community. “He came up to me and told me: ‘I wanted to tell you that – I was only in your house for five or six months, but it was the best part of my life.’

Some even return to work at Affect, including one of the support staff who part of the program as a youth. Mandy serves as the Executive Director arranging all the activities and overseeing the operations. Thom is the Program Manager, in charge of facilities upkeep, all the food shopping and cooking. There are also five support staff who work different shifts, including nights, to support the boys.

The home includes a lower level for the kids with four bedrooms flanked with bunkbeds and room for personal items, but the main hangout areas are the rec center in a converted red barn, a nearby music room, and the small hobby farm. The boys can volunteer to care for the rescue animals, which include pigs, alpacas, goats, chickens, a rooster, two ponies and two dogs. The rec center is a place for therapeutic activities and relaxation. It houses a pool table, foosball, video games, ping pong, shuffleboard, basketball, an arts and crafts area and a movie theater.

The day is structured. In the summer they get up around 8:30 in the morning and come upstairs for breakfast, then head to the rec center for about 30 minutes of activity. On Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays in the summer they all go on outings to the beach, bowling, Wake the World at Foster Lake, and other fun places.

“So they can have an actual summer,” Mandy Augsburger said.

During the rest of the year, the boys attend nearby public schools.

Every evening they have group time. They discuss their day, and engage in conversations about values, such as why integrity, honesty and courage are important.

It’s not all smooth going every day, but Mandy Augsburger says listening and staying present goes a long way when the boys are having a hard time.

“Some kids come here and they are so angry. By the time they’re done yelling at me, they’re crying and apologizing. I tell them, ‘It’s OK. You had to get that out.’ I’ll always be there for them,” she said.

More than 800 boys have lived with the Augsburgers since they started their journey as resource parents in 2010. This includes youth who participated in the Affect Youth Services program.

“I am deeply grateful for Thom and Mandy and their tireless advocacy and support for children and young adults they serve. They are valued partners in the work Child Welfare does in this state, and children and young adults are better off for being served at Affect,” ODHS Child Welfare Deputy Director Lacey Andresen said.

One thing Augsburger says she has learned over the years is that “teenage boys get a bad rap. They’re just young men trying to figure it out. They might come from a trauma background. They want to do well. They want adults in their lives to feel proud of them,” she said.

At the end of the day, how does Mandy Augsburger feel?

“Exhausted and grateful for my husband, Thom, or none of this would have happened and to be a part of these boys’ journeys,” she said.

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As of July 31, 2024, there are 4,539 children in young adults in foster care.

As of July 31, 2024, there are 2,771 active ODHS Child Welfare Certified Resource Families.

Learn more about Affect Youth Services on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Affect-Youth-Services-100080683102339/.

Learn how you can help support children in foster care: https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/foster-care/pages/default.aspx