Castle Rock, Colorado, is taking a significant step toward addressing youth mental health needs with the recent approval to convert a former assisted living facility into a treatment center for teenagers. The town council has voted to rezone the property located at 864 Barranca Drive in the Metzler Ranch neighborhood to accommodate the new Sandstone Care facility.
According to Sandstone Care, 20% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year. The new center aims to address this pressing issue by providing mental health services to teens with mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and OCD.
Despite the facility’s potential benefits, some local residents have expressed concerns about safety. Miles Negley, a Metzler Ranch resident, worries about the impact on the neighborhood, particularly with The Goddard School located nearby. “Great, now we gotta watch out for what’s really gonna be happening, like crime and things like that,” Negley said. He is particularly apprehensive about the facility’s proximity to his home and the presence of young children in the area.
Halcy Driskell, director of behavioral healthcare at Sandstone Care, addressed these concerns during several neighborhood meetings. She emphasized that the facility will not house individuals with violent backgrounds or histories of substance abuse. “We’re going to be providing services to kiddos who really need it, and those kiddos are not kiddos who are criminals; they don’t have a past of being aggressive,” Driskell stated.
The facility will offer voluntary inpatient care to teens aged 13 to 17, focusing on those with severe mood disorders that significantly impact their daily lives. Driskell highlighted the facility’s role in meeting an unmet need in Douglas County and Colorado at large. “This teen residential in Castle Rock is something that our communities, and in Colorado in general, really need. We’ve seen a huge increase in mental health needs, especially for teens, in recent years,” she said.
Although Negley acknowledges the need for such services, he questions why the facility is located in a residential area. “Why in a neighborhood? I’m not against kids getting help, especially these days. They need help. But I don’t understand why they need to put it in the backyard of a bunch of houses,” he said. Negley is also concerned about the potential for out-of-state patients and the security measures in place.
On the other hand, Rhonda Akhihiero, a local resident with young children living near the facility, is supportive of the project. “It’s not like there are prisoners all over the place. It’s a mental health facility for young adults, so I think it’s a good idea,” Akhihiero commented.
The new facility will accommodate up to 36 teens, with most staying for 45 to 60 days. As a voluntary facility, teens can leave with a parent or guardian at their discretion. Driskell assured that security measures, including a bracelet tracking service called Observe Smart, will ensure the safety of the residents and the surrounding community.
Despite these assurances, some neighbors remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the facility’s security measures. Concerns have been voiced on social media about the potential for residents to leave the facility unsupervised.
Driskell noted that while the facility will accept patients from across the country, the primary focus will be on serving the local community. Sandstone Care aims to make mental health treatment accessible, with most services covered by insurance.
The Sandstone Care facility is expected to open in early 2025.
Related topics:
