ST. GEORGE, Utah — Parents of children who have died by suicide believe a new St. George facility is going to make all the difference in regards to teenagers and their mental health. They say it'll save distance, save time, and save lives.
It’s been almost exactly six years since Brooklyn Peterson took her life at the age of 16. It was the same week that her mother, Chantel, was taking her then 13-year-old daughter, Courtney, to try to get help with her own struggles.
"With Courtney, we were searching for a year-and-a-half to two years. She went to Vegas because it was closer than Salt Lake, but even Vegas wasn't great," Chantel explained, "nd you go to one residential facility just because you're trying to keep them safe.
Distance and time have been struggles for parents and their teens in St. George and surrounding areas who need help with mental health issues that include not only suicidal thoughts but also depression, mood disorders, and ADHD.
On Wednesday, there was a celebration for the opening of a solution for the mental health of 12-to-18-year-old children in southern Utah with the launch of a standalone pediatric mental health center at St. George Regional Hospital, a first for the area and only the second in the hospital's system.
"This will be a way for us to keep kids close to home because, you know, there are kids that are struggling that need this level of care," said Ryan Hall, behavioral clinical operations manager at the hospital.
The group size at the home will stay small, with just eight patients at a time. Those in the program will take part in a 15-day intensive care and help programs that run during the same hours of a school day. Hall says a day will include group therapy and one-on-one skills building to build better emotional regulation and interpersonal relationships.
Psychiatrist Dr. Matthew Bradbury added that mistakes will be OK and serve as important learning opportunities.
"So one of the things that we tend to focus on too much is potentially the negative consequences that come with choices," he explained. "And if we can instead focus on the positive learning opportunities that come every time we fail, we can actually turn a lot of our thoughts towards positivity and growth."
Ultimately, Chantel Peterson says that would have made a difference for Brooklyn. It’s made a difference for Courtney who is now 21 years old and on a top scholar list at Utah Tech.
