New behavioral health center in Taylorsville to focus on children, families

TAYLORSVILLE — Primary Children's Hospital, donors and the state of Utah are helping to address a mental health crisis among children and teenagers.

One of the ways they are doing this is through a Primary Children's center for behavioral health, which was unveiled in Taylorsville Friday and will officially open for children and their families on Sept. 6.

"The behavioral health center's opening marks a leap forward in expanding critically needed mental health services in a state where suicide remains a leading cause of death for youth," a statement from Intermountain Health said.

Wren, who helped cut the ribbon for the new building after over 300 caregivers and community leaders sang to her for her 12th birthday, said she remembers being scared and worried. She said coming to Primary Children's Hospital helped her overcome those feelings.

"I want other kids to know that it's not just them that have worries, and there's ways to fix it. … They're not the only ones having the hard times," she said.

The Primary Children's Hospital Behavioral Health Center-Taylorsville Campus is a 90,000-square-foot building constructed with donations to Primary Promise and a $25 million appropriation from Utah. When the project was announced just over a year ago, Intermountain Health said it would be a $96 million project.

Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said the state's investment shows children and families are not alone in their mental health journeys.

"Children's behavioral health is one of the most important and challenging issues of our time. The state of Utah is proud to support Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital in this critical endeavor," she said.

The donations to Primary Promise for the expanded behavioral health services include a $10 million gift from Julie and Gregory P. Cook's family, which invited others to help as well at the ribbon cutting.

"We have a responsibility to protect kids and provide them with options so that they're not just left to their own devices," Julie Cook said.

In a statement following the ribbon cutting, Intermountain Health said Utah is experiencing a "pediatric mental health crisis." It said 23% of high school students seriously thought about suicide in 2023, 9% attempted suicide and 37% reported feeling sad or hopeless.

This new campus is part of its effort to meet the increased demand for behavioral health services. Primary Children's Hospital has increased its behavioral health programs by 78% over the last five years, and has helped more children.

The hospital's behavioral health programs helped over 10,000 children in 2024 and will help even more this year, according to the statement.

Amanda Choudhary, president of the new campus, said its teams worked tirelessly to prepare the facility and can't wait for it to open.

"Family-centered care is critical to kids' healing, and this building is designed for families," she said.

The new behavioral health center is built at the same location as a previous behavioral health facility — Wasatch Canyons. It adds patient rooms where parents can stay overnight, large outpatient spaces, a crisis walk-in center that is always open and 50% more inpatient beds, which are adaptable.

It is designed to be family friendly, with large waiting rooms and sensory spaces.

Rob Allen, president and CEO of Intermountain Health, said every child in the community is important to the hospital system.

"Every child deserves the chance to thrive and live their healthiest life. They are the hope and promise of the future. This center is an important part of providing critically needed behavioral health services to Utah's children and families," he said.

The behavioral health center will house the Assessment, Referral, Consultation Service phone line, or ARCS, that can connect families to resources and appointments, which is available through calling 385-478-2400.

It also will provide a Stabilization Mobile Response program, which can send a professional to homes to help children or teenagers, which is accessible through dialing 988 or the SafeUT app.

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