To address lack of youth mental health services, one school district tries a radical new solution

Amid the growing crisis in youth mental health services, Cherry Creek School District in Greenwood Village, Colorado, is trying something new: constructing a new building that will be part mental health medical facility, part school.  

The district teamed up with the University of Colorado and Children's Hospital Colorado to use $15 million in public bond money to build this first-of-its-kind facility.  

"For me, it's bigger than academics. It's understanding that our kids need us. Our kids need us to be there for them," Christopher Smith, the district's superintendent, said. "Kids need us to be there right now. If they feel loved, they feel invested in, they feel valued, they won't hurt themselves and they won't hurt others."