Pediatric & Adolescent Therapy

An astonishing number of youth living in the United States are exposed to trauma. In fact, about half of youth served by Child Saving Institute (CSI) experience a traumatic event. Many experience more than one such event. Sadly, many children and youth live with chronic trauma and have had no time for healing between events.

As of August 2022, CSI has seven outpatient mental health practitioners and one advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). In the previous six years, CSI grew its Mental Health Services program from serving 213 clients per year to over 400. CSI’s ability to expand further to meet the increasing demand is restricted by its facilities. CSI’s existing building simply was not designed with the growing needs of a mental health clinic in mind. CSI routinely has a waitlist of over 150 children and youth waiting for services. This waitlist means that it would take two to three months to serve a client who calls our office today. CSI’s goal is to expand to 16 mental health practitioners and two APRNs, to provide care to 800 clients annually.

Private office space for therapy is a necessity. Currently, CSI therapists are in “offices” that were originally designed as small meeting rooms or closets and were re-constructed through small projects over the last 15 years. Consequently, therapists are scattered throughout both levels of the building. There is not a designated, private waiting room, little storage space and no functional client flow through the building.

The ideal program experience requires a private area to check in for appointments, a separate waiting space, dedicated office space for the office manager and billing specialist, soundproof treatment rooms and a secure area for clinicians’ offices. To achieve this, a new space designed with the trauma experienced by the clientele in mind and that promotes safety and healing, is required.