Idaho Youth Ranch Unveils New Facility

CALDWELL, Idaho (CBS2) — Every three days, a local child on Medicaid is sent out of state for treatment because Idaho hasn't had the resources to help them. That all changes with the opening of the Idaho Youth Ranch's Residential Center for Healing and Resilience. This new treatment facility is the only one in the state and hopes to heal Idaho children alongside their families.

The campus is designed to help kids, ages 11 through 17, feel at home. They'll attend school, enjoy outdoor activates and partake in various types of therapy. Each child's program will be tailored to their specific needs, with the goal of getting them re-integrated with their loved ones as soon as possible. The hope is that keeping these children close to their families will help facilitate their recovery.

"Imagine being a young person that's experienced a lot of trauma and what you're told is in order to get help for that, you've got to go somewhere across the country," said Idaho Youth Ranch CEO, Scott Curtis. "That in itself is another trauma, so that's the biggest thing it does, it keeps them closer to their home state and also to the caregivers that are going to be a part of their ongoing journey. "

Curtis says this new facility isn't a place were you can simply drop off your kids to fix their problems and pick them up once they're better. "This is a part of a continuum of treatment for the entire family, which is why being able to keep these children in Idaho can make such a huge difference."

Families are encouraged to visit at least once a month and weekly family therapy is expected depending on the preexisting dynamic. Matt Johansen, a licensed clinical professional counselor in Idaho, says active participation from the family is very important in a child's recovery.

"Studies have shown over and over again that the more that the family is engaged with the treatment, the better the treatment outcomes," said Johansen.

The Residential Center for Healing and Resilience will start providing 24-hour nursing, psychiatric care and year-round schooling on August 15th. You can learn more about it here.

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