Children’s Center of Utah to open Utah County location; council urged to help boost referrals

Rebecca Dutson, president and CEO of the Children’s Center of Utah, told the council the organization will open a Utah County location this summer and hold a ribbon cutting Oct. 1 at the Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital site in Lehi. The center provides outpatient therapy and a day‑treatment program for children ages 2 through 5 who need more intensive care, and it also offers statewide teleconsultation and training to providers.

Dutson cited the center’s statewide caseload and treatment gaps, saying, “We have about 460,000 children in our state ages birth to 6. It’s estimated that as many as 20 percent of those children will experience a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental challenge… The sooner we intervene and give that child and their family the tools they need, the sooner we can change the trajectory that they’re on.” She said the center accepts Medicaid and commercial insurance, conducts outreach to pediatricians and early‑childhood providers, and does not turn away families who cannot pay. Councilmembers thanked the presenters and asked about referral pathways and coordination with local organizations such as Kids on the Move; Dutson said pediatricians remain the largest referral source but families may self‑refer and the center is building referral relationships with local child‑serving organizations.