Leaders from the Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries and local providers described relief nurseries’ model and urged the committee to preserve and increase state funding. Patrice Altenhofer, executive director of Family Building Blocks, said relief nurseries serve children birth through age 5 who face severe family stressors and that the program achieves high rates of family stability: "Year after year, over 95 percent of relief nursery children are able to remain safely living with their families." She described four core services—therapeutic classrooms, home visiting, parenting education and respite care—and noted a required minimum 25% community match for state dollars.

Other presenters added local detail. Guadalupe Rios Mendoza (MountainStar Family Relief Nursery) described direct family intervention and bilingual home visits that led to concrete developmental and stability gains for a family she serves. Crystal Ross (Volunteers of America Family Relief Nursery) said her program serves 31 children with a waiting list of about 25 families, and that about 70.5% of families see reductions in stressors on exit. Heather Brown, a parent who participates in a relief nursery program, described improved access to therapy, legal information and parent education and said the program has helped her child’s development.

Chair Hartman noted Representative McIntyre brought forward a bill to increase funding by $4,900,000 for relief nurseries; presenters framed the request as an investment in a program that helps keep children safely at home and reduces later costs associated with foster care or other interventions. Presenters asked the committee to consider relief nurseries’ statewide footprint (38 sites) and to weigh the programs’ documented outcomes when evaluating budget choices.