Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic Expansion Campaign

Promoting Health and Mental Wellbeing for Pediatric Patients

"We are limited by the space we have. This project isn't really about rooms - it's about the lives of all the children and adolescents who will be able to get care in those rooms, rather than sit on a waitlist for up to a year."
– Dr. Marielle Demarais, Chief of Psychology

A Critical Moment for Youth Mental Health

The young people we serve are some of the most vulnerable in our community — and some of the most resilient. They are fighting not only for their mental health, but for a sense of self-worth in a world that too often overlooks them.

CAPS is where they are given the chance not just to survive, but to thrive. The clinic plays a vital role in a mental health system that is already stretched beyond capacity — and for many children in our community, it is the only place they can turn.

"The traumas of the children and teens we are trying to help are as diverse as they are and often more tragic than can be imagined. Events of the past 5 years worldwide, nationally, and locally have made things even more difficult for our patients."
– Mary Mitchell, CAPS Clinic Supervisor

The work our team does is deeply challenging, but profoundly meaningful. Every provider is here because they believe in the potential of our youth and are committed to providing mental health care that helps patients heal. Therapy requires privacy, safety, and trust — it cannot happen just anywhere. To continue this life-saving work and reach more children who are waiting, we urgently need room to grow.

A Vision for Healing: The CAPS Expansion

The opportunity to expand is right next door. Additional space has been identified adjacent to our current clinic — close, accessible, and ready to become a new home for healing for more youth in our community.

This project will:

• Expand access by creating space for the new providers we’ve already hired
• Begin group therapy offerings, allowing for more patients and family-centered care
• Enhance safety with panic alarms and upgraded camera monitoring systems
• Create a welcoming, trauma-informed environment with pediatric-friendly furniture

CAPS currently provides over 6,000 visits per year. Demand exceeds 10,000 — leaving hundreds of children without the care they so desperately need. Expansion will help close that gap.

"With rapid growth and development during childhood, even brief delays in access to care can have lifelong impacts."
– Dr. Eric Ling, Chief Medical Officer