It's been almost a year since the nation's first mental health treatment facility operated by a school district opened in Aurora. Since then, dozens of Cherry Creek School students facing mental health crises have attended Traverse Academy.
About a year later, a local parent says the facility helped turn his daughter's life around, and the school's principal is highlighting some of the work that's been done since opening.
A year ago, Paul Cribari's middle school daughter was facing challenges with social relationships and her own emotions, as well as bullying.
"Some of her own insecurity kind of channeled into some suicidal ideations," said Cribari.
As his daughter spent time in the hospital, Cribari's family didn't know what came next.
"Just a sense of cluelessness, of ignorance and saying, "I don't know what to do, I don't know where to go," said Cribari.
Traverse Academy had opened about two weeks before her crisis. The facility's staff of clinicians provides treatment and support to Cherry Creek School students facing mental health crises in grades 4 through 12.
The vision for the school came after an urgent need to serve a fast-growing number of kids facing a mental health crisis. The building has specially-lit individual and group therapy rooms with classrooms so students can also progress academically during their time in the program.
"It seemed like just the perfect solution for a kid who has been through trauma, but may not be ready to go back into a regular, typical school full blown 100%," said Cribari.
Cribari said his daughter's day was largely spent in different therapies, some were group therapy sessions, while others were talking to doctors one-on-one.
Kim Avalos, the school's principal, said that intense outpatient therapy gives students the skills and tools to transition back into a traditional classroom.
"These are real kids. These are really big issues that they're facing," said Avalos. "So it could be a reduction in symptoms, learning skills that they can implement when they're experiencing different types of triggers," said Avalos.
Avalos said last school year, about 60 students attended the academy. Right now, the academy is serving another 20 students.
"We are seeing a decrease in symptoms, especially around anxiety and depression," said Avalos.
Avalos said they're also seeing a decrease in students with suicide ideation and intrusive thoughts.
"To see a kid who walks in your door who is really, really struggling with that, and then get to watch them shed that as they're here and start to smile and start to engage, that's what gets me pretty emotional," said Avalos.
Cribari's daughter spent four months at Traverse Academy, learning more about herself and how to use coping skills, but also honed in on her passion for creativity through art therapy. Now she's back at her home school and thriving.
"Last week, she's swirling around in a chair, telling me all about school and telling me how happy she is," Cribari said. "She's happy, she laughs. For a little while, our happy, silly, giggling daughter went away, and it was a long time, it felt like before we found her again, and now that she's back, we couldn't be happier."
Funding and building of Traverse Academy was approved by district voters in 2020 by an overwhelming 70%.
For more information about Traverse Academy, click here.
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