Children’s Hospital Colorado expanding behavioral health services amid pandemic

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Children's Hospital Colorado is expanding its services for kids struggling with mental and behavioral health needs, amid a recent increase in emergency room visits due to emotional distress.

"Unfortunately, we continue to see the suicide numbers in youth escalate at a level that none of us are comfortable with," Greg Raymond, Regional Chief Operating Officer at Children's Hospital Colorado said.

According to Raymond, emergency room visits for kids experiencing emotional or psychological distress is up 25% since the start of 2021.

"It's not going away and we need to be prepared to address it on the front end."

It's one of the reasons he said the hospital has been able to resume progress on a new behavioral health clinic for kids, which has been on hold since the start of the pandemic.

"Specifically, we'll have the opportunity to provide a day treatment that allows kids to receive acute level behavioral health care, but then they still have the flexibility to go home at night and spend the evening with their families."

The new facility, located on Telstar Dr., was able to resume construction due to grant funding and is expected to be completed by mid 2022.

The hospital is also expanding services through two youth programs, called Building Resilience for Healthy Kids and health navigator, in partnership with local school districts as students return to the classroom.

"So, as they return to school and if deficiencies are identified, either by teachers, by parents or by the students themselves, that's going to add to the level of stress they have."

Raymond said their goal is to partner with educators to identify and treat triggers impacting kids before it's too late.

"So that it doesn't escalate to the point where they receive a higher level of care like an emergency room visit or a day program where they need intensive level therapy."

However, continued expansion is dependent on more funding needed to match the initial grant, which made the services possible. To learn more visit childrenscoloradofoundation.org.