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Mental Health Services for Children and Teens
At Huntsman Mental Health Institute, we understand the struggles and challenges many parents face when finding mental health services for their child or teen. We’re here to break down those barriers and make the decision-making process easier for you and your family.
Comprehensive mental health help for youth
If your child or teen is struggling with their mental health, it’s important to find a program that’s the right fit for their individual needs. The type and level of care your child might need will be different depending on their personal situation and safety concerns.
We have a wide variety of programs to treat children and teens for mental health. Our mental health professionals will recommend what level of care will give your child or teen the most benefits. Our goal is to help them be functional, develop good coping behaviors, and have the highest quality of life possible.
Our programs and services
Inpatient programs
Inpatient programs provide full-time, intensive mental health treatment in a hospital or other secure setting. Length of stay can vary, but programs typically offer structured care, including therapy, medical supervision, and support. These types of programs are generally recommended for individuals needing immediate or sustained mental health intervention.
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Residential treatment center
Live-in care for youth offering group therapy, recreation therapy, and a dedicated psychiatrist
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Comprehensive Assessment and Treatment
An intensive program to understand and treat your child's needs
Outpatient programs
Outpatient programs offer mental health treatment without requiring participants to stay overnight at a facility. These programs provide flexibility, allowing individuals to receive therapy and support while continuing daily routines like work or school. Outpatient care is ideal for those with mild to moderate symptoms or as follow-up support after more intensive treatment.
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Outpatient care
Least intensive level of treatment, typically involving weekly sessions with a therapist
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Intensive outpatient
For youth ages 12–17 who need more support than traditional outpatient services
Where to start your mental health journey
Finding mental health care for your child can feel confusing or overwhelming. We’re here to help. Start by talking to your child’s doctor, or call us at 801-583-2500 to find the right care. For urgent concerns, youth ages 5–17 can walk in any time, day or night, to the Huntsman Mental Health Institute's main hospital. It’s a safe, 24/7 alternative to the emergency room.
Inpatient & Residential Mental Health Treatment for Your Child
What is the difference between inpatient treatment and residential treatment?
Think of inpatient treatment as an “intensive care unit” for mental health. Inpatient treatment takes place in a secure facility that provides 24-hour care, which we offer at our main hospital location. Children and teens receive care to stabilize them and reduce any immediate risks to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of people around them.
Residential treatment offers a structured living environment with staff who assist youth throughout the day and provide supervision at night, which we offer at our residential treatment center. Some patients will go to a residential facility after inpatient care.
Inpatient Criteria for Child & Adolescent Mental Health Issues
Your child or teen may need to be hospitalized if they:
- are suicidal (e.g., has attempted to end their life and/or has plans to end their life),
- have homicidal ideation (the desire to kill another person or people),
- show severe aggression towards others and/or property,
- experience symptoms of PTSD due to severe trauma and are unable to function in daily activities,
- need to detox from substance abuse, or
- experience psychotic episodes that are affecting their quality of life.
Our Youth Residential Treatment program is for adolescent girls ages 12-17. Your teen may need residential treatment if they:
- experience chronic depression or anxiety,
- have ongoing suicidal thoughts,
- harm themselves,
- have been hospitalized several times,
- have been in day treatment several times,
- continue to relapse with drugs or alcohol, or
- emotional and behavioral disruption in the home.
Outpatient Mental Health & Behavioral Health Services
Unlike inpatient or residential treatment, your child will remain at home and attend a program or visit a clinic for an extended time period. All of our outpatient providers specialize in treatment for youth.
Huntsman Mental Health Institute has behavioral health clinics and programs that offer therapy, medication management, counseling and support, and neuropsychological testing.
- Downtown Behavioral Health Clinic
- Farmington Behavioral Health Clinic
- Park City Behavioral Health Clinic
- Neuropsychological Assessment Clinic
- Youth Crisis Care Program
We also offer two-day treatment programs: Kidstar (ages 5-12) and Teenscope (ages 12-18). Some children and teens will transition to day treatment after they’ve been released from the hospital for their mental health condition. It’s an intensive outpatient program that provides psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and therapy sessions for children and teens for 8 hours a day.
For teens who need more support than traditional outpatient services, we offer the Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program. Designed for youth ages 12–18, this program provides structured, therapeutic care to help teens build emotional resilience and life skills. It’s especially helpful for those transitioning from day treatment or a recent inpatient stay, offering a supportive bridge in their recovery journey.
Outpatient Criteria for Your Child or Teen
Your child or teen may need to attend therapy or take medication (if therapy doesn’t help improve their symptoms), if they:
- experience depression symptoms without suicidal thoughts or feelings,
- have negative self-esteem that affects their everyday life,
- have relationship problems
- have anxiety or panic attacks, or
- experience extreme stress at school or at home.
Our Day Treatment programs are for children and teens who:
- are suicidal,
- have suicidal thoughts or feelings without actually planning to end their life,
- stop attending school or are failing their classes,
- self-harm without suicidal intent,
- act defiant towards family and others,
- use/abuse drugs and alcohol,
- struggle with behavioral problems in multiple settings, or
- have mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.) that aren’t improving with therapy.
Mental Health Resources for Teens & Children in Crisis
We are here for your family when you need us the most. Our team of professionals are trained in:
- mental health crisis management,
- suicide prevention, and
- emotional wellness.
We provide the following specialty programs and resources for you and your child to prevent mental health crises and provide emotional support when needed.
