Meet breanna smith

CONTACT BREANNA

Breanna Smith (she/her) was born and raised in Oregon. She received her Bachelor's of Therapeutic Recreation from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. After graduating, Breanna began her career working with youth and adults experiencing mental health crises. After a few years and one pandemic, she realized that more schooling would make her a better advocate for her clients. 

Breanna then moved back to Oregon, where she received her Master of Social Work from Pacific University while working part-time in residential treatment facilities for people who were civilly committed or found Guilty Except for Insanity. Only a few years after graduating, Breanna gained hands-on experience navigating Oregon’s mental health system for a loved one in crisis. After seeing the system repeatedly fail to provide treatment for her loved one and, ultimately, watching her loved one become incarcerated, Breanna decided to get involved in mental health advocacy in Oregon. Having experienced the system as a provider and family member of both a mentally ill individual and the people affected, Breanna brings a compassionate perspective to changes needed within the system as well as a robust understanding of how the system operates. She is incredibly excited to work towards ensuring no other Oregon family experiences the limitations and difficulty navigating vital mental health resources, which lead to the continued decompensation of a loved one’s mental health. 
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In her free time, Breanna enjoys reading books or crafting with a cup of tea in her garden. You can also find her taking her dog on adventures across Oregon.