Healing Our Kids and Community

Healing Our Kids and Community: A Transformative Pioneering Initiative by Carson Tahoe Health

The "Healing Our Kids and Community" mental health initiative is a groundbreaking program developed by Carson Tahoe Health to enhance the mental well-being of children in the Quad County Region and beyond. This innovative approach includes three key components:

• Preventative Mental Health Education: Delivered through Carson Tahoe Vehicles (CTVs) in partnership with our pioneering partner, Creative Intelligence. This specialized instruction called ALIVE is play based and encourages kids to create and connect through food, movement, music and self expression. The curriculum is designed to focus on kids ages 8-12.
• Retrofit of the Mallory Crisis Center: Adding ten pediatric inpatient beds to meet growing needs of the mental health crisis facing our youth. Additionally we will be bolstering outpatient services for our youth.
• Development of a Whole Health Healing Crisis Center: A new facility designed to serve both children and adults.  The new facility will be built on the current Carson Tahoe Health campus.

Nevada is currently experiencing a severe mental health crisis. In 2024, Mental Health America ranked Nevada as the worst state in the nation for supporting kids with mental and behavioral health issues, a title it’s held for much of the past decade. Carson Tahoe Health is on the forefront of addressing this urgent challenge.

This initiative is designed to:

• Foster a sense of purpose and connection for our youth and community.
• Increase access to mental and behavioral health services.
• Raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding mental health.
• Strengthen support systems for families creating a whole health approach to mental health.

Mobile Outreach: Carson Tahoe Vehicles (CTVs)

Currently, the CTVs are part of a pilot program at the Carson City Boys & Girls Club in Carson City, running through the summer of 2025. The official launch for the vehicles to be available to the community is set for September 10, 2025, at Carson Tahoe Health Hospital. More detailed information on the event is coming soon!

CTVs bring preventative and whole-health healing directly to kids, offering structured activities that promote physical, social, and emotional well-being. These free, supervised activities are designed to build life skills and help young people discover their unique passions and sense of purpose.

Carson Tahoe received $3.5 million in ARPA fund dollars from the state of Nevada to purchase the vehicles and fund the retrofit of the current facility.

CTV Program Highlights:

Eat, Play, Love: Encourages creativity and healthy living through cooking, cultural exploration, budgeting, gardening, and beekeeping.

Sound Ideas: Fosters self-expression through podcasting, public speaking, storytelling, writing, and the performing arts.

Play it Forward: Celebrates movement through sports, dance, outdoor activities, stress-relief training, and confidence-building exercises.

Art in Motion: Encourages artistic and entrepreneurial expression, self-discovery, relaxation techniques, and goal visualization.

Retrofit of the Mallory Crisis Center & New Facility Development

We are expanding the Mallory Crisis Center to include ten new pediatric inpatient beds, with an expected opening in July 2025. Additionally, we are launching a funding initiative to support the construction of a new Whole Health Healing Crisis Center on the Carson Tahoe Health campus, ensuring comprehensive care for children and adults in crisis.

Give the Gift of Mental Health

You can make a lasting impact by supporting this initiative. Donations can help sponsor a CTV, contribute to facility expansion, or fund mental health programming for our youth. Join us in healing our kids and community.

Donate Now

Press

The Healing Our Kids Press section provides official press releases, media coverage, and news updates related to the initiative. This archive serves as a resource for tracking the program’s progress and public engagement in advancing children's mental health.

• Nevada Appeal - CTH Hopes to Open Juvenile Health Facility in Year - June 22, 2024