Emilene Valadez and Rene Miranda talk with their son at their home in Beaverton. Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Editor's note
Content Warning: This story contains references to substance use disorder and self-harm. Help is available. For 24-hour confidential support, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
During the Christmas holidays, with school system down, Emilene Valadez and Rene Miranda's 17-year-old son relapsed and became addicted to cocaine again.
The Beaverton boy came clean about his collapse and told his parents he was afraid of dying.
About reporting
Oregon's failure to provide adequate mental health treatment to its residents has become increasingly evident in recent years, but its roots go back decades. The Oregonian/OregonLive aims to highlight barriers to quality care, identify policy failures and chart a path forward. In our Teen Recovery series, we examine how Oregon's youth behavioral health system compares to other states and what parents must do to keep their children safe. The Oregonian/OregonLive spent about two and a half months interviewing 15 teens, five parents, and numerous educators and service providers, and spent about two-and-a-half months trying to find out who Lake Lake is at Harmony Academy Recovery High School in Oswego. I got to know the students, observed their classes, and followed school activities. The newsroom chose not to use the students' full names because they are minors. Continued coverage at oregonlive.com/mentalhealth.
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