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WEST VALLEY CITY — More than 1,000 of Utah's youngest children and their families have experienced evidence-based mental health care per year since the Children's Center Utah was founded 60 years ago.
Practitioners can make an even bigger difference with the official opening of a brand new facility on Monday.
Staff members and existing patients were relocated from Salt Lake City to 3725 W. 4100 South in West Valley City at the completion of the "multimillion-dollar project aimed at providing comprehensive mental health support for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families," a Children's Center press release said.
The Children's Center Utah is a nonprofit organization that aims to help and support children from birth to age 6 with therapy and treatment for a variety of issues — such as prolonged temper tantrums, social-emotional delays or families seeking to find their groove after separation or divorce.
"This (new campus) is really a capstone, the culmination and recognition of years of research, training and support that the Children's Center Utah has had," said Rebecca Dutson, CEO at the Children's Center Utah. "(This) marks the beginning of what I would call our next era, where we're focused on providing more services throughout the state to support the emotional well-being of our youngest children and families."
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Children's Center Utah announced plans for satellite campuses throughout the state, where outpatient clinical therapy and therapeutic preschool programs will be administered to anyone unable to make it to the West Valley campus.
Plans for a satellite campus in Utah County are being discussed, with potential completion in July 2026. A specific location is projected to be announced in spring 2024.
"I'm really so hopeful that there's a growing understanding of the importance of infant and early childhood mental health, and the benefit of going upstream to help children and families when the child is young," Dutson said. "It prevents so many challenges from occurring downstream, and it really provides a way to give that child and their family a better lived experience."
Treatments have been offered at the new campus for about two months. Dutson said, compared to the old campus in Salt Lake City, the new campus provides outpatient clinical services while adding "room to ... provide education and training to early childhood providers from all professions." It means children who need more intensive treatment will get the help they need, she said.
The new and larger facility also provides better access for diverse populations.
To learn more about the Children's Center Utah, visit childrenscenterutah.org. Children and families who need assistance with mental health will undergo a mental health assessment and be assigned to a clinician at the facility.
Correction: The new facility is the same size as the old campus. Patients do not live on campus, as was previously reported.
