Fred Finch Youth & Family Services to Break Ground on New Crisis Residential Program for Youth Impacted by Autism
Groundbreaking: Thursday, February 26, 2026, | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Oakland, CA
OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fred Finch Youth & Family Services will break ground on a state-of-the-art crisis residential treatment program and community gym on its historic Oakland campus on Thursday, February 26, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The project expands urgently needed residential crisis care for youth with autism and youth with complex behavioral health challenges.
Kaiser Permanente provided capital funding for the project, and will contract with Fred Finch to provide services for Kaiser Permanente members in need of residential crisis care.
Founded in Oakland in 1891, Fred Finch evolved from an orphanage into a leading provider of residential treatment, family support, transitional housing, and community-based behavioral health services across California. This new crisis residential program builds on decades of evidence-based work in therapeutic residential care in the Bay Area and in Southern California. The program is designed to provide intensive, short-term stabilization for young people in a therapeutic environment, working closely with families to support a safe and timely return home. By offering an alternative to emergency departments and long-term inpatient placements, the program strengthens the continuum of care for some of the region's most vulnerable youth, helping prevent unnecessary hospitalizations or institutional placements.
"For more than 130 years, Fred Finch has adapted to meet the evolving needs of children and families," said Tom Alexander, President and CEO of Fred Finch Youth & Family Services. "This groundbreaking reflects our commitment to families navigating moments of real crisis — offering them a place rooted in care, expertise, and hope." The initiative reflects Fred Finch's long-standing relationship with Kaiser Permanente and a shared approach to designing community-based behavioral health solutions.
"This project is about more than a building," said Kavitha Rao, MD, child psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente. "It's a care space designed for the unique needs of young people who are struggling with complex behavioral health challenges."
Kaiser Permanente's investment will help transform the Fred Finch campus and expand access to specialized crisis stabilization services for years to come.
About Fred Finch Youth & Family Services
Fred Finch Youth & Family Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to fostering resilience, wellness, and equity for youth, families, and communities. Through culturally responsive, trauma-informed care, we provide mental health, behavioral health, and social services to those facing complex challenges, including trauma, poverty, homelessness, systemic barriers, and cognitive disabilities. For more than a century, Fred Finch has partnered with individuals and communities to ensure access to compassionate, high-quality support that empowers people to build brighter futures. Learn more at https://www.fredfinch.org/
Contact: Eva Hadley, Communications Manager | [email protected]
SOURCE Fred Finch Youth & Family Services
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