East Arapahoe News

AURORA — On May 3, 2023, Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) joined Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, school district leaders, mental health providers, and local elected officials to present $1.5 million to construct Cherry Creek School District’s (CCSD) new mental health day treatment center, Traverse Academy. Traverse Academy will be the first-of-its-kind facility in the nation to be operated by a school district and will help expand access to treatment for students struggling with serious mental health challenges. This project is one of 15 community projects Congressman Crow secured funding for through the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations process to directly benefit Colorado’s 6th District residents. 

“Following the challenges of the pandemic, it’s no surprise that young Coloradans are struggling with their mental health. Life can get tough, and our young people need to know there’s somewhere to turn,” said Congressman Jason Crow. “That’s why I helped deliver funding to this first-of-its-kind, school district-operated mental health facility that supports Colorado’s students. I look forward to the influence this facility will have over the years.”

“The funding from Congressman Crow’s office will help provide students with a facility that offers a warm, welcoming environment with plenty of access to outdoor and recreational activities as they heal and recover,” said Christopher Smith, Superintendent of Cherry Creek Schools. “From Congressman Crow to our state legislators and our generous voters, we appreciate the overwhelming community support for this first-of-its-kind facility and look forward to it opening this fall to serve students in need.” 

Over the past decade, in-patient treatment or alternative education programs for adolescents in Colorado dwindled from 77 to16 facilities. The funding Crow requested and secured will go towards the construction of exterior and recreational elements at CCSD’s mental health day treatment facility and help meet our state’s growing demand for access to child and adolescent mental health services. 

In partnership with University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry, the facility is expected to provide care for 60 students at full capacity and will include various levels of specialized care for clinical help and educational support based on each student’s individualized treatment plan. The name Traverse Academy is a nod to the four great traverses in Colorado mountain climbing, representing the obstacles to overcome as one moves from one peak to the next. 

Today’s community project funding builds on Congressman Crow’s urgent efforts to provide mental health care for young Coloradans and their families. This year, Crow delivered over $3 million in CO-06 funding to strengthen the youth-focused mental health workforce and expand access to youth behavioral health care in Douglas County, and to establish Aurora Mental Health and Recovery’s one-stop Safety Net and Acute Care Center.

Original source can be found here.