Most of the treatment sites in Utah for serious psychological disorders are located in its largest city. Yet, teens and young adults living in both urban and rural areas can experience a need for mental health care. Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by the followers of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, and this religion forbids alcohol consumption (per Utah’s Department of Cultural and Community Engagement). Nearly 69% of the Utah population – 2,126,216 people – are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and members often obtain mental and emotional support through their own congregations. Teen members developing an alcohol dependency may try to hide it from family and church-affiliated social networks until the substance abuse is evident. However, substance abuse treatment (as well as mental health treatment) is available in Utah. The following are the five best mental health and/or substance abuse treatment centers in Utah for teens and young adults.
1) Huntsman Mental Health Institute of the University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
The Child and Teen Mental Health Services section of the Huntsman Mental Health Institute offers inpatient and outpatient mental health care. Their outpatient behavioral health clinics offer therapy, medication management, counseling and support, and neuropsychological testing. There are also four different clinic locations:
- Downtown Behavioral Health Clinic (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Farmington Behavioral Health (Farmington, UT)
- Park City Behavioral Health Clinic (Park City, UT)
- Neuropsychological Assessment Clinic: primarily providing evaluations and assessments (UT Health – School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT)
Adolescents and young adults can receive mental health services at any of the above-noted clinics. Children and adults are served by these clinics, as well.
Payment Options: Diverse types of health insurance are accepted (as well as self-pay).
2) Newport Academy (Utah residential program)
Inpatient treatment in Utah is provided by this mental health center, with numerous nationwide residential and outpatient treatment sites. Inpatient treatment sites such as those in Utah are gender-specific and age-specialized, and there is female residential program and male residential program – both located in serene areas of natural beauty. Newport Academy specializes in providing services to teens and young adults, and the primary focus of Newport Academy is on psychological, behavioral, and/or substance abuse issues. Their treatment approach includes (but is not limited to) the following: a) individual and/or family therapy; b) substance abuse recovery lifestyle; c) music therapy; and d) nutrition. Additionally, Adventure Therapy (in such locations as the nearby Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest) is offered, and in conjunction with clinical and academic modalities.
Payment Options: Diverse types of health insurance are accepted (as well as self-pay).
3) Acadia Healthcare’s Highland Ridge Hospital (Midvale, UT)
Highland Ridge Hospital is an inpatient behavioral health treatment facility that provides services to both adolescents and adults, and also operates a residential program for adolescent males struggling with a variety of mental health and substance use disorders. Located on 10 calm, secluded acres of lush greenery only minutes by car from Salt Lake City, patients work with a highly-experienced and compassionate staff of behavioral health experts. Depending on the person’s customized care plan, the teen or adult patient may engage in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), detoxification services, 12-Step programming, and/or SMART Recovery. Approaches also utilized to aid patients include individual therapy, group therapy, behavioral therapies, and family therapy.
Payment Options: Diverse types of health insurance are accepted (as well as self-pay).
4) New Beginnings Behavioral Health (Draper, UT)
This mental health treatment center provides services to youth aged 9-17 suffering from severe emotional disturbances and offers the following:
- Residential treatment (10-bed facility located in West Jordan, UT; residents participate in a fully-accredited academic curriculum, and have regular access to cultural, recreational, and therapeutic activities in addition to community service projects and assignments).
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)/Day Treatment – designed for youth who, without this program, would likely require treatment in an inpatient environment; allows youth to continue school attendance while in a structured therapeutic environment.
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) – mental health therapy is provided to individuals, groups and/or families.
Payment Options: Diverse types of health insurance are accepted (as well as self-pay).
5) Copper Hills Youth Center (West Jordan, UT)
Both inpatient and outpatient care is provided specifically to adolescents by this mental health and substance abuse treatment center, which offers the following gender-specific programs:
- Therapeutic Treatment Program for Adolescent Males;
- Therapeutic Treatment Program for Adolescent Females;
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Specialty Program (for teens aged 12-17 diagnosed with ASD);
- Substance Use Treatment
Copper Hills Youth Center’s overall therapeutic approach is building a trauma-informed treatment program for adolescents that is evidenced-based. All of the programs offered include individualized treatment, a therapeutic community, recreational therapy, and education (at at a fully-accredited private school). Recreational programs may include physical education and skill-building activities such as hiking, camping, river rafting and ropes courses.
Payment Options: Diverse types of health insurance are accepted (as well as self-pay).
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Cyber-Bullying
Adolescents and young adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may exhibit mild, moderate, or severe symptoms. Johns Hopkins School of Public Health describes ASD as a developmental disorder featured by social and communication impairments, along with limited interests and repetitive behaviors. One in every 44 children has been identified as afflicted with ASD, and it is more than four times more common in boys than girls. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that some children, teens, and adults with ASD are fully able to perform all activities of daily living, but others require substantial support to perform even basic activities. However, due to their typically reduced social skills as compared to teens (and young adults) without ASD, high school and college-age youth with ASD are more likely to experience cyber-bullying than other youth. The consequence can be reduced self-esteem and trauma-related behaviors.
