With Nevada ranked 51st in the nation for youth mental health, Intermountain Health and the Las Vegas Raiders are working together to help student-athletes bring mental health resources, encouragement, and support back to their schools and communities.

On Wednesday, July 15, Intermountain Health and the Las Vegas Raiders hosted the 2026 Intermountain Impact Player event at the Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson. 

The event brought together this year’s Impact Players of the Week, along with their families, coaches, and community partners, for an afternoon focused on youth leadership, mental health awareness, and service.

The event highlighted Intermountain Health’s message that “The Strongest Play is Asking for Help,” encouraging student-athletes to become mental health advocates among their peers. 

As part of the hands-on service project, participants assembled 1,000 mental health resource kits that will be shared with schools and communities throughout Southern Nevada.

“When Nevada ranks last in the nation for youth mental health, it’s a call to action for all of us,” said Dr. Sheryl Morelli, MD, senior medical director for Intermountain Children’s Health in Nevada. “Young people need to know they are not alone, that it’s OK to ask for help, and that support is available. By partnering with the Las Vegas Raiders and empowering student-athletes to carry this message back to their schools, we can help normalize conversations around mental health and connect more families with resources.”

Mental health resource kits included items designed to support emotional wellbeing and help students access trusted resources, including CredibleMind resource handouts, emotional wellbeing flyers, journals, stress balls, bracelets, stickers, and other support materials. 

Former Raiders quarterback Jay Schroeder also joined the event to speak with players and their families about the importance of making an impact beyond the game. Schroeder, who played for the Raiders from 1988 to 1992, shared how what student-athletes do off the field — in their schools, families, and communities — can be just as meaningful as what they accomplish on the field.

The event is part of the ongoing partnership between Intermountain Health and the Las Vegas Raiders to support youth health, wellness, leadership, and community impact across Southern Nevada. 

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As part of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Intermountain Health Park City Hospital is hosting a free mental health awareness event on Tuesday, May 20 from 6-7 pm in the Blair Education Center at the hospital.

The focus for the event is Neurodivergence: Challenging Perceptions, Shaping Understanding.

Two local clinics – Intermountain Health’s Psychiatry and Counseling Clinic in Park City and Solstice Counseling and Wellness in Heber City – are coming together to build better understanding and reduce the stigma of seeking behavioral health care in the community.

Topics will include autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and how these common conditions can interact in people, what treatment options are available, and some strategies for interacting with people who have these disorders or conditions.

Participants will include psychologist Shawn Miller, PhD, owner of Solstice Counseling and Wellness, Colton Miller, PhD, a psychologist with Intermountain Health’s Psychiatry and Counseling Clinic, and three PhD candidates who are interns in psychology: Lanie Belland and Kyndal Edwards from Intermountain Health and Ryan O’Keefe from Solstice.

After the three short presentations on those topics there will be a question and answer opportunity with the providers.
 

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LAS VEGAS. Intermountain Health ha dado a conocer su estrategia de implementación de salud comunitaria, en la que se describe un plan integral para mejorar los resultados sanitarios de las poblaciones más vulnerables del sur de Nevada.

La estrategia se basa en los resultados de la primera Evaluación de las Necesidades de Salud Comunitaria (CHNA, por sus siglas en inglés) de Intermountain en el sur de Nevada, que identificó el bienestar mental, los determinantes sociales de la salud, el acceso a la atención médica, las enfermedades crónicas y la mejora del bienestar de los niños y las familias como necesidades de salud importantes.

En el informe de la CHNA, se proporcionaron amplios detalles sobre el estado, las necesidades y los activos de salud locales que permiten que el sistema sanitario sin fines de lucro informe e identifique las principales prioridades de salud del área local. Intermountain creó esa evaluación inicial después de involucrar a organizaciones que representaban una amplia gama de intereses en la comunidad del sur de Nevada. Los participantes concedieron entrevistas detalladas para compartir sus perspectivas sobre las necesidades sanitarias a fin de ayudar a priorizar el trabajo de Intermountain Health para colaborar con otras personas en la mejora de la salud comunitaria.

“La estrategia de implementación nos proporciona un marco claro como sistema para abordar estas importantes necesidades de salud en colaboración con nuestra comunidad”, comentó Will Rucker, director de Intermountain Community Health en Nevada. “Si aprovechamos nuestros recursos y trabajamos junto con las principales partes interesadas, podemos tener un impacto medible en la salud y el bienestar de nuestros vecinos más vulnerables”.

A continuación, se mencionan las áreas de interés y las tácticas que Intermountain implementará en colaboración con los socios comunitarios. La lista completa está disponible en el documento Estrategia de implementación.

Mejorar el bienestar mental

·       Reducir las muertes por suicidio

·       Reducir los trastornos de salud mental frecuentes en adultos y jóvenes

·       Reducir el impacto del abuso de sustancias

La estrategia de implementación de Intermountain incluye capacitaciones, recursos, educación, financiación para grupos comunitarios y colaboración con coaliciones y grupos de trabajo.

“Un ejemplo de este trabajo es la reducción del acceso a medios letales mediante la distribución de aproximadamente 575 candados para armas desde el pasado mes de junio a los socorristas y a otras organizaciones con el fin de que las entreguen a las familias”, afirmó Lisa Nichols, vicepresidenta de Community Health. “Hemos comprobado que separar en tiempo y distancia a un medio tan letal como un arma de fuego de una persona que atraviesa una crisis puede salvarle la vida”.

Mejorar los resultados sanitarios crónicos y evitables

·       Prevenir la presión arterial alta y la diabetes

·       Aumentar las tasas de inmunización

·       Reducir las lesiones de los niños 

Intermountain Health se ha comprometido a reforzar la colaboración con las organizaciones locales que trabajan para prevenir la diabetes y la presión arterial alta, reducir las lesiones de los niños y aumentar las tasas de inmunización.

El año pasado, Intermountain Children’s Health colaboró con Nevada Highway Patrol, SafeKids del condado de Clark y los socorristas para concienciar a Nevada sobre los peligros de dejar a los niños en un automóvil a temperaturas elevadas. Intermountain también colaboró con SafeKids del condado de Clark, así como con el Healthy Living Institute del University Medical Center (UMC, por sus siglas en inglés), para concienciar sobre el aumento de las peligrosas falsificaciones de sillas de automóviles.

Abordar los determinantes sociales de la salud e invertir en ellos

·       Mejorar el acceso y la coordinación de la atención social

·       Invertir en viviendas asequibles y mejorar la seguridad alimentaria

·       Aumentar la cobertura y el acceso a la atención médica

Una estrategia clave para mejorar la salud comunitaria es reforzar el programa de trabajadores de salud comunitaria (CHW, por sus siglas en inglés) de Nevada. A través de una colaboración con Nevada Community Health Workers Association, estamos apoyando el desarrollo de la fuerza laboral para ampliar este rol vital. Los CHW son profesionales de la salud pública capacitados que sirven de puente entre su comunidad y los recursos sanitarios y sociales esenciales. Gracias a su experiencia vivida y a sus profundos vínculos con la comunidad, ayudan a derribar las barreras que impiden la salud y el bienestar de las personas de mayor riesgo.

Mejorar el bienestar de los niños y la familia

·       Mejorar la seguridad de los niños y las familias

·       Prevenir lesiones

·       Defender a los niños y las familias

Intermountain Health se ha comprometido con la salud física y mental de los niños y sus familias. Este trabajo incluye la colaboración con grupos comunitarios, la interacción con funcionarios locales y estatales y la aplicación de programas basados en pruebas para mejorar los resultados de la salud infantil en todo el sur de Nevada.

Como parte de este compromiso, Intermountain Health anunció el pasado octubre sus planes de construir el primer hospital infantil independiente de Nevada. Se prevé que el centro, situado en el Research and Technology Park de la Universidad de Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV, por sus siglas en inglés), esté terminado en 2030 y ofrezca atención pediátrica especializada para satisfacer las crecientes necesidades de la región.

La CHNA actual de Intermountain abarca el período de 2022 a 2025. Se está trabajando en la próxima CHNA, que orientará las prioridades de salud comunitaria para los tres años siguientes. El equipo de Intermountain Community Health está colaborando con socios para evaluar las necesidades de salud emergentes con el fin de asegurarse de que la próxima evaluación refleje los activos y oportunidades actuales para el sur de Nevada. 

“Nuestro compromiso con Nevada tiene como base la compasión y la colaboración. Las Evaluaciones de las Necesidades de Salud Comunitaria y la estrategia de implementación nos ayudan a identificar necesidades de salud importantes y a respaldar el increíble trabajo que ya se está realizando. Nuestro rol consiste en conectar las piezas para llenar los vacíos y que nadie quede en las brechas. Nevada, estamos aquí para ayudar. Si trabajamos en conjunto, podemos construir un futuro más saludable para todos”, afirmó Rucker.

Todas las CHNA y estrategias de implementación de Intermountain Health pueden consultarse aquí.
 
 

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Intermountain Health released its Community Health Implementation Strategy, outlining a comprehensive plan to improve health outcomes for southern Nevada’s most vulnerable populations.

The strategy builds on findings from Intermountain’s first Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) in Southern Nevada, which identified mental well-being, social determinants of health, healthcare access, chronic diseases, and improving children and family well-being, as significant health needs.

The CHNA report provided extensive details about local health status, needs, and assets that allow Intermountain Health, a nonprofit health system, to inform and identify key local area health priorities. 

That initial assessment was created by Intermountain after engaging organizations that represented a broad range of interests in the Southern Nevada community.

Participants gave in-depth interviews to share their perspectives on health needs to help prioritize Intermountain Health’s work to collaborate with others in improving community health.

“The implementation strategy provides us with a clear framework as a system to address these significant health needs in collaboration with our community,” said Will Rucker, community cealth director for Intermountain Health in Nevada. “By leveraging our resources and working alongside key stakeholders, we can make a measurable impact on the health and well-being of our most vulnerable neighbors.”

The following are areas of focus and tactics that Intermountain will deploy in collaboration with community partners. The full list is available in the Implementation Strategy document. 

1. Improving Mental Well-Being

·       Reduce suicide deaths

·       Reduce frequent mental health distress in adults and youth

·       Reduce the impact of substance misuse

Intermountain’s implementation strategy includes trainings, resources, education, funding for community groups, and collaborations with coalitions and workgroups.

“One example of this work is reducing access to lethal means by distributing approximately 575 gun locks since last June to first responders and other organizations to get out to the families,” Lisa Nichols, vice president of Community Health, said. “Because we have seen proof that creating time and distance to such a lethal means as a firearm with a person going through a crisis can save their life.”

Improving Chronic and Avoidable Health Outcomes

·       Prevent high blood pressure and diabetes

·       Increase immunization rates

·       Decrease injury for children

Intermountain Health is committed to strengthening collaborations with local organizations working to prevent diabetes and high blood pressure, decrease injury for children, and increase rates of immunization. 

Last year, Intermountain Children’s Health collaborated with Nevada Highway Patrol, SafeKids of Clark County, and first responders to bring vital attention to Nevada about the dangers of leaving children in a hot car. 

Intermountain also worked with SafeKids of Clark County as well as the Healthy Living Institute at UMC to raise awareness about the rise of dangerous counterfeit car seats.

2. Addressing and Investing in Social Determinants of Health

·       Improve social care access and coordination

·       Invest in affordable housing and improve nutrition security

·       Increase healthcare coverage and access

A key strategy in improving community health is strengthening Nevada’s Community Health Worker (CHW) program. Through a collaboration with the Nevada Community Health Workers Association, we are supporting workforce development to expand this vital role. CHWs are trained public health professionals who serve as a bridge between their community and essential health and social resources. With lived experience and deep community connections, they help break down barriers to health and well-being for those most at risk.

Improving Child and Family Well-Being

·       Improve child and family safety

·       Injury prevention

·       Child and family advocacy

Intermountain Health is committed to both the physical and mental health of children and families. This work includes collaborating with community groups, engaging with local and state officials, and implementing evidence-based programs to improve child health outcomes across southern Nevada. 

As part of this commitment, Intermountain Health last October announced plans to build Nevada’s first comprehensive stand-alone children’s hospital. The facility, set to be located in the UNLV Research and Technology Park, is projected to be completed by 2030, providing specialized pediatric care to meet the growing needs of the region.

Intermountain’s current CHNA covers the period from 2022 to 2025. Work is underway on the next CHNA, which will guide community health priorities for the following three years. 

The Intermountain Community Health team is collaborating with partners to evaluate emerging health needs to ensure the next assessment reflects the current assets and opportunities for southern Nevada. 

“Our commitment to Nevada is rooted in compassion and collaboration. The Community Health Needs Assessments and Implementation Strategy helps us identify significant health needs and support the incredible work already happening. Our role is to connect the pieces – filling gaps so no one falls through the cracks. Nevada, we are here for you. By working together, we can build a healthier tomorrow for us all,” Rucker said.

All of Intermountain Health’s CHNA and Implementation Strategies can be found here.

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CredibleMind, Inc., la empresa de bienestar mental, e Intermountain Health, un innovador en la atención médica y un sistema de salud sin fines de lucro en el oeste, anunciaron un acuerdo para ofrecer un recurso digital con el fin de abordar mejor las inquietudes de salud mental.

Como parte de esta nueva sociedad, ahora Intermountain ofrece la plataforma exclusiva de cuidado personal de CredibleMind para comunidades dentro de sus áreas de servicio. La plataforma personaliza decenas de miles de recursos seleccionados por expertos que cubren más de cien temas. 

Crea una experiencia digital altamente personalizada para cada persona en la que se combina el cuidado personal con base en pruebas y evaluaciones validadas con recursos de prestación de atención para brindar una mejor salud mental a la población. 

CredibleMind ofrece recursos para todas las edades al cubrir una amplia gama de etapas de la vida, como la escuela, el trabajo, la paternidad y maternidad, y las relaciones. El sitio web y los recursos también están disponibles en español.

Conforme a los datos de Mental Health America, uno de cada cinco adultos tiene una enfermedad diagnosticable de salud mental cada año. Utah ocupa el puesto más alto en los EE. UU. con más de uno de cada cuatro. El 46 % de los estadounidenses padecerá al menos una enfermedad de salud mental y la mitad de ellos la desarrollará para los 14 años. Más de la mitad de los adultos no recibe tratamiento.

"En los Estados Unidos, se está viviendo una crisis de salud mental en expansión, lo que genera la necesidad urgente de abordar este desafío con soluciones creativas que escalen rápido, con constancia y la calidad más alta”, dijo Mason Turner, MD, director médico sénior del programa clínico de salud mental de Intermountain Health. “Con esta herramienta digital, se ofrecen más maneras de ayudar a las personas de nuestra comunidad a controlar la ansiedad, dormir mejor, aliviar el estrés, vencer el síndrome de desgaste profesional y más. En definitiva, queremos ayudar a las personas para que vivan la vida más saludable posible. Con esta plataforma, estamos brindando recursos gratuitos y de alta calidad para la comunidad”.

“Encomiamos el liderazgo de Intermountain al enfocarse en la salud mental de la comunidad”, expresó Deryk Van Brunt, DrPH, fundador y director ejecutivo de CredibleMind. “La mayoría de los sistemas de salud han clasificado la salud mental como una de sus tres prioridades, pero pocos han encontrado una manera rentable de abordar estas necesidades, a nivel superior y a escala. Creamos CredibleMind para ayudar a organizaciones como Intermountain a lograrlo de manera orientada hacia la comunidad y personalizada para cada paciente”. 

Las personas dentro de las áreas de servicio de Intermountain Health ahora pueden obtener CredibleMind como una herramienta digital de salud mental autodirigida y gratuita desde el sitio IntermountainHealth.CredibleMind.com.

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Acerca de CredibleMind 
Planes de salud líderes, proveedores de programas y más de 100 comunidades alrededor de los EE. UU. confían en CredibleMind para empoderar la salud mental de sus miembros en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar. Nuestra plataforma digital de salud mental poblacional con base en pruebas escala estudios de detección, prevención, derivaciones e intervención temprana. Al utilizar reglas y recursos personalizados para cada entorno y adaptados a cada persona, creamos un mejor acceso hacia la salud mental. Para obtener más información, visítenos en crediblemind.com. 

CredibleMind, Inc., the Mental Wellbeing Company, and Intermountain Health, a healthcare innovator and not for profit health system in the Intermountain West, today announced an agreement to offer a digital resource to better address mental health concerns. 

As part of this new partnership, Intermountain is now offering CredibleMind’s unique self-care platform to communities across its service areas. 

The platform personalizes tens of thousands of expert-curated resources across over one hundred topics. It creates a highly tailored digital experience for each person, blending evidence-based self-care and validated assessments with care delivery resources to deliver better population mental health. 

CredibleMind offers resources for all ages, covering a wide range of life stages such as school, work, parenting, and relationships. Website and resources are also available in a Spanish version.

According to data from Mental Health America, one in five adults have a diagnosable mental health condition each year. Utah ranks the highest in the US with over one in four. 46% of Americans will have at least one mental health condition with half of those developing by the age of 14. Over half of all adults do not receive treatment. 

"America is experiencing a growing mental health crisis, creating an urgent need to address this challenge with creative solutions that scale quickly, consistently and with the highest quality." said Mason Turner, MD, senior medical director for the Intermountain Health’s Behavioral Health Clinical Program. "This digital tool provides more ways to help people in our communities manage anxiety, sleep better, relieve stress, beat burnout, and more. Ultimately, we want to help people live their healthiest lives possible. With this platform, we are providing free, high-quality resources to our community.”

“We applaud Intermountain’s leadership in focusing on community-wide mental health,” said Deryk Van Brunt, DrPH, founder and CEO of CredibleMind. “Most health systems have ranked mental health as a top three priority, yet few have found a cost-effective way to address these needs, upstream, and at scale. We created CredibleMind to help organizations like Intermountain do so, in a community-oriented, and patient-customized way.”  

Individuals in Intermountain Health’s service area can access CredibleMind now as a free self-directed digital mental health tool by visiting IntermountainHealth.CredibleMind.com

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About CredibleMind 
Leading health plans, program providers, and over 100 communities across the U.S., rely on CredibleMind to empower member mental health anytime, anywhere. Our evidence-based, population digital mental health platform scales screening, prevention, referral, and early intervention. Using rules and resources customized for each setting and tailored for each individual, we create a better front door to behavioral health. For more information, visit us at crediblemind.com. 

Representatives from Intermountain St. Mary’s Foundation and Chevron both presented $25,000 checks to the CareFlight of the Rockies Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team during a donation event held on the St. Mary’s Hospital helipad on Tuesday, July 9. 

CareFlight of the Rockies is an air ambulance service for western Colorado, eastern Utah, and parts of New Mexico and started in 1976. The CareFlight CISM Team was created in 2020 in response to the mental health needs of the CareFlight team and other first responders in the three-state area they serve. 

First responders including crews for CareFlight, search and rescue, ski patrol, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, rural hospital emergency room physicians, nurses and technicians, and fire department personnel, all respond to life-threatening medical situations daily.

“The situations we as first responders encounter leave a lasting mark on us as caregivers. In our smaller, rural communities, we’re often providing care for, and sometimes losing people we know personally. And afterward, that can make an already traumatic situation we experience, even more difficult emotionally,” said Kelly Thompson, RN, a flight nurse and chief of operations for CareFlight of the Rockies. 

The CareFlight stress management team -- composed of 10 first responders – currently provides behavioral health support to the larger group of first responders. Support includes mental health focused debriefings and listening sessions held at a moment’s notice for hospital emergency medicine department staff and first responders after especially traumatic events, whether onsite at the hospital, or out in the field.  

“Chevron has made significant donations to CareFlight for the last 10 years. Their recent generous donation, which is being matched by our hospital foundation will help fund the final, crucial piece of the stress management team, providing a local, licensed clinical counselor clinically trained and experienced in first responder trauma therapy for the next three years,” said Carmen Shipley, executive director of philanthropy for Intermountain St. Mary's Foundation.  

“CareFlight is one of the most important components of this region’s medical response capabilities, and Chevron is proud to have supported this team for many years. Their work is critical to our community, often stressful and full of emotions. We now have an opportunity to dedicate our funding to the Critical Incident Stress Management Team to ensure these dedicated caregivers receive the support and relief they need to deal with the incidents they witness on a regular basis,” said Cary Baird, stakeholder engagement and social investment advisor for Chevron’s Rockies Business Unit.

People who work as first responders are called for everybody’s worst day for the patient and family. They carry a lot of emotional burden, from saving lives on a daily basis to the emotional toll of being involved in so many traumatic events. 

“Across the nation, there’s been a culture among first responders where we weren’t allowed to show emotion and just moved on to the next emergency patient. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders were hit especially hard, seeing a lot of deaths and then the angst about if we might bring COVID-19 home to our families,” said Thompson. 

 “Creating a stress management team that can reach all the first responders in our community is unique. It’s helped tear down the stigma that first responders don’t need behavioral health support. It’s created a culture change and safe space for everyone to know sometimes you’re not going to be OK, and each one of us may need some counseling. We’ve had medical transport organizations in other states reach out to us about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it,” she added. 

The trauma trained counselor has office hours for counseling and works with the stress management team to provide education, training, and tools to each crew of first responders on-site to help them recognize behavioral health challenges in themselves or other team members and know how to address them early, before it gets worse. 

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About St. Mary’s Foundation 

St. Mary's Foundation is a separately incorporated not-for-profit organization that exists to invite and encourage philanthropic investment in St. Mary’s Regional Hospital programs and services. 

The Foundation believes that the enduring promise of healthcare philanthropy is the enhanced ability to change lives and the power to save lives. Therefore, it dedicates itself to developing the resources that help keep and expand this promise to the people who trust St. Mary's Regional Hospital to care for them. 

The Foundation gratefully accepts gifts to support St. Mary’s Regional Hospital’s mission. No gift is too small, and your generosity sustains our success and nurtures the future growth of our healthcare ministry. 

About Chevron 

As the largest oil and natural gas producer in Colorado, with approximately 1,000 employees who live and work in the state, our goal is to be a partner and neighbor of choice.   We invest millions of dollars and volunteer thousands of hours in support of community organizations that help our state thrive by enhancing education, protecting the environment, providing essential needs, and supporting arts and culture. 

Intermountain Children’s Health hoy ha “coronado” la construcción del nuevo Centro de salud conductual de Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, centrado en la familia, en Taylorsville. Este acercará los servicios de salud mental que tanto necesitan los niños y adolescentes en crisis.

La última viga de acero del nuevo centro, decorada con firmas y mensajes alentadores de parte de cuidadores, familiares y miembros de la comunidad de Intermountain, se elevó con una grúa y se colocó sobre su armazón estructural ante la ovación de un grupo de autoridades. 

La construcción del centro de $96 millones de dólares en Taylorsville, Utah, comenzó antes de lo previsto, gracias a los $25 millones de dólares de financiación del estado de Utah y al generoso apoyo de la comunidad a Primary Promise, la histórica campaña de Intermountain para construir el sistema sanitario para niños, modelo en el país.  

“Hoy, nos reunimos para conmemorar un hito, mucho más grande que todos nosotros, y posible gracias a todos nosotros”, expresó Amanda Choudhary, directora sénior de salud conductual pediátrica de Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.

La región de Intermountain, al igual que el resto del país, está sufriendo una crisis de salud mental pediátrica. En los Estados Unidos, uno de cada cinco niños de 3 a 17 años se enfrenta a un desorden mental, emocional, conductual o de desarrollo. 

El suicidio sigue siendo una de las principales causas de muerte de los jóvenes de Utah. El año pasado, el 43 % de los jóvenes de Utah que se sintieron tristes, desesperanzados o que tuvieron pensamientos suicidas declararon no haber hablado con nadie al respecto. 

“Nuestros niños merecen estar mejor, y la ayuda necesaria está en camino”, expresó la Dra. Lisa Giles, de Universidad de Utah Health, y directora médica de salud conductual pediátrica en Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.

El nuevo Centro de salud conductual de Intermountain Primary Children’s ampliará el acceso de niños y adolescentes a los servicios de salud mental que tanto necesitan. 

Se inaugurará en 2025 en el actual campus de Wasatch Canyons Behavioral Health de Intermountain Primary Children's en Taylorsville. La infraestructura deteriorada ya no es ideal para satisfacer las necesidades de la comunidad.

“Nos sentimos honrados de ser el socio constructor de confianza de Intermountain Health para este centro único, que tiene el objetivo de atender la salud conductual y el bienestar de los jóvenes de nuestras comunidades”, declaró Gary Ellis, presidente y director general de Jacobsen Construction. “Mientras trabajamos juntos para hacer realidad este campus, estamos creando un recurso sanitario de primer nivel, en el que las familias de Utah podrán confiar durante muchos años.” 

El nuevo Centro de salud conductual de Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, de 90 000 pies cuadrados, aumentará casi el 50 % de camas para atender pacientes internados. También incluirá lo siguiente:

• Un centro de crisis sin cita previa
• La primera unidad para pacientes internados del estado, dedicada a la salud conductual, que proveerá atención de crisis de salud mental adaptada a jóvenes con autismo y necesidades neurodiversas
• Atención médica conductual centrada en la familia, incluida la posibilidad de que los padres se queden a dormir
• Espacios para pacientes ambulatorios diseñados para un tratamiento ambulatorio más intensivo, tratamiento de día y programas de terapia de grupo.

El nuevo Centro de salud conductual de Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital también albergará al equipo del programa de Estabilización y Respuesta Móvil, que acude a los hogares en momentos de necesidad para ayudar a estabilizar a los niños en crisis (1-833-SAFE-FAM). 

Además, albergará la línea de servicio gratuito estatal de Evaluación, Derivación y Servicio de Consulta (ARCS, por sus siglas en inglés) de Intermountain Primary Children’s, 801-313-7711, que ayuda a poner en contacto a niños y adolescentes con los servicios cercanos a sus comunidades.  

Los niños y adultos que tengan dificultades, o que teman que un ser querido esté atravesando una crisis, disponen ahora de recursos adicionales de ayuda, como el apoyo gratuito a través de la Línea de crisis de Utah 988. 

La ampliación del acceso a servicios de salud conductual pediátrica es parte de la misión de Primary Promise, de Intermountain Health, de construir un sistema de salud que sea modelo en la atención de niños en el país. Esta oportunidad única de invertir en el futuro de la salud de nuestros niños ha conseguido el objetivo mínimo de $600 millones de dólares, gracias a una poderosa colaboración entre miembros filantrópicos de la comunidad e Intermountain Health.   

Todavía se necesita apoyo filantrópico para ayudar a completar las nuevas instalaciones, ayudar a que más niños crezcan más fuertes e incluso ayudar a salvar vidas. Para obtener más información o hacer una donación, visite intermountainhealthcare.org/foundation/primary-promise. 

Encuentre más información sobre los servicios de salud conductual pediátrica en primarychildrens.org/behavioralhealth.

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Intermountain Children’s Health today marked the “topping off” of the new, family-centered Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health Center under construction in Taylorsville, bringing critically needed mental health services one step closer to children and teens in crisis.

 The new center’s final steel beam, decorated with signatures and hopeful messages from Intermountain caregivers, families, and community members, was lifted by crane and placed atop its structural framework as a gathering of dignitaries cheered. 

 Construction began on the $96 million center in Taylorsville, Utah, sooner than anticipated, thanks to $25 million in funding from the state of Utah, and generous community support of Primary Promise, Intermountain’s historic campaign to build the nation’s model health system for children.  

 “Today, we’re here to commemorate a milestone, much bigger than all of us – and made possible by all of us,” said Amanda Choudhary, senior director of pediatric behavioral health at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.

 The Intermountain region, like the nation, is experiencing a pediatric mental health crisis. In the United States, one in five 3-to-17-year-olds face a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder.

 Suicide remains a leading cause of death for Utah youth. Last year, 43 percent of Utah youth who felt sad, hopeless, or suicidal reported that they did not talk to anyone about it.

“Our children deserve better, and additional help is on the way,” said Dr. Lisa Giles, University of Utah Health and medical director of pediatric behavioral health at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.

The new Intermountain Primary Children’s Behavioral Health Center will expand access to critically needed behavioral health services for young children and teens.

 It will open in 2025 on the current Intermountain Primary Children's Wasatch Canyons Behavioral Health Campus in Taylorsville. The aging infrastructure is no longer ideal for accommodating community needs.

“We are honored to be Intermountain Health's trusted building partner for this unique facility — one that is focused on caring for the behavioral health and wellbeing of our communities' young people,” said Gary Ellis, president and CEO of Jacobsen Construction. “As we work together to bring this campus to life, we are creating a world-class health care resource that Utah families can rely on for many years to come.”

 The new, 90,000-square-foot Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health Center will include a nearly 50 percent increase in inpatient beds. It also will feature:

• A walk-in-crisis center
• The state’s first dedicated behavioral health inpatient unit to provide mental health crisis care tailored for youth with autism and neuro-diverse needs
• Family-centered behavioral healthcare, including the ability for parents to stay overnight
• Outpatient spaces designed for more intensive outpatient treatment, day treatment, and group therapy programs.

The new Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health Center will also house the Stabilization and Mobile Response program team, which responds to homes in moments of need to help stabilize children in crisis (1-833-SAFE-FAM).

 Additionally, it will house Intermountain Primary Children’s statewide Assessment, Referral, Consultation Service (ARCS) free service line at 801-313-7711, which helps connect young children and teens to services close to their communities. 

 For children and adults who are struggling, or who worry that someone they love is in crisis, additional resources are available to help now, including free support through Utah Crisis Line at 988.

 Expanding access to pediatric behavioral health services is part of Intermountain Health’s Primary Promise to build the nation’s model health system for children. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in the future of our children’s health has attracted the minimum goal of $600 million in a powerful partnership between philanthropic members of the community and Intermountain Health.  

Philanthropic support is still needed to help complete the new facility, help more children grow up stronger, and even save lives. To learn more or to make a gift, visit intermountainhealthcare.org/foundation/primary-promise.

 More information about pediatric behavioral health services is available at primarychildrens.org/behavioralhealth.

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During this year’s biggest football week in Las Vegas, several current and former NFL players gathered in a room to talk about an aspect that most have never heard from them – their feelings. The players, known for hard hits and spectacular plays, talked about the importance of addressing mental health to a room full of high school students, and it was captured on camera for all to see and learn.

Throughout May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month, Intermountain will be sharing content from the mental health panel, while continuing to engage in important and meaningful mental health conversations with our communities. These events and partnerships highlight a shared commitment to tackling the stigma of mental illness and help others know that they are never alone.

Rob Allen, Intermountain’s president and CEO, spoke at “The Strongest Play is Asking for Help” event, and highlighted the urgent nature of the mental health crisis, labeling it as an epidemic. His remarks underscored concerning statistics, such as the prevalence of mental health disorders among youth ages 6 to 17 and the disturbing fact that suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death for individuals ages 10 to 14.

The current and former NFL players shared messages that reinforced themes of honesty and empowerment to a diverse audience that included city and community leaders and students from the Clark County School District. Each shared personal anecdotes, illustrating their struggles with mental health and the journey toward openness.

The players on the panel and/or who talked to the students included: Solomon Thomas, co-founder of The Defensive Line, New York Jets; Brandon Bolden, formerly of the Las Vegas Raiders/New England Patriots; Darren Waller, New York Giants; Carl Nassib, retired NFL player; Alec Ingold, Miami Dolphins; Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns; and Marcus Smith, retired NFL player.

These football athletes that participated are known for their work off the field advocating for community health causes important to them, such as suicide prevention, homelessness, equity, and other issues that need addressing for marginalized neighborhoods and people.

“I am really grateful for the community collaborators, partners, and influential athletes who would give of their time and resources and their abilities to raise awareness of mental well-being and suicide prevention,” said Rob Allen.

The Defensive Line has been working nationwide on suicide prevention messaging, especially calling out the increased risk for Black youth. Among those youth, the risk for Black females has risen by 182 percent between 2001-2017.

Black men also have elevated risks with 80 percent of suicides among that population being male, and the highest number of them are in their early 20’s.

“We have been defined as men, that we have to be tough, and that we define strength in the entirely wrong way,” said Solomon Thomas on the panel. “But through my journey of grief, my own mental health journey, and everything I have been in, I have learned that being tough is not strength. Strength is being vulnerable.”

Being vulnerable with yourself and knowing it’s normal to seek mental health help was an overall message. Darren Waller, who has battled substance use and alcohol disorders, turned his life and his mental state around and talked about that importance.

“For me it was getting honest and (saying), I don’t have all of this figured out,” Waller said. “We have physical skills and we have mental skills, but as far as emotionally, we don’t necessarily have that, and we need to teach younger generations that skill.”

Intermountain Health is a nonprofit health system and conducts Community Health Needs Assessments in all the states it covers. These states are Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Utah. In every Community Health Needs Assessment provided, mental health and suicide are near the top as the biggest areas that need addressing.

Intermountain has worked for years to address this with increasing mental health access, both in-person and virtually, partnering with advocacy groups, and working with safe gun storage messaging and devices. Intermountain has distributed approximately 67,000 free gun locks since 2019 and trained over 57,000 people, including first responders, caregivers, teachers and librarians on Counseling for Lethal Arms (CALM).

After the mental health panel, a service project followed that saw the creation of 1,000 Find Your Anchor Boxes. These blue boxes were packed with various materials designed to inspire, soothe, and offer support - such as a 52+ Reasons to Live deck of cards, an infographic on depression, list of resources, a letter from a stranger who cares, posters, a bracelet, a mixtape, stickers, some other sweet nothings, and a whole lot of good vibes.

The players, Intermountain, and mental health advocates then donated the boxes to Las Vegas-area groups so they would be able to hand-out to youth in need. Those places included UNLV Practice center, The Center, Clark County, and Shine A Light Foundation.

The panel conversation and other videos can be found at www.strongestplay.com along with critical mental health resources for local Intermountain areas and National resources as well.

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