The State of Vermont Wednesday announced a proposal to locate the Green Mountain Youth Center in South Burlington. It will serve as a residential treatment center for youth ages 12 to 18 that will provide 24-hour support in a highly structured, clinically intensive setting. 

The state has been working for years on an option for justice-involved youth with complex mental health and behavioral needs. Without such a facility, youth in need of this level of care may be placed in other, less appropriate settings or sent out of state. 

“We’ve been working to identify a location that offers the right balance of access to critical supports, infrastructure, and community partnership, and we believe South Burlington provides that opportunity,” said Commissioner of the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) Sandi Hoffman. “We look forward to continued engagement with city leaders and community members to support a thoughtful development process and a strong, well-integrated program.”  

Multiple state agencies and departments, including the agencies of Human Services (AHS) and Administration (AOA) and departments of Children and Families and Buildings and General Services (BGS) are in the early planning phase and are engaging with local officials and community stakeholders. The State anticipates initiating the local permitting process later this year, with construction potentially beginning in the spring of 2027, pending approvals. 

If all phases proceed as expected, the Green Mountain Youth Center could be operational by mid to late summer of 2028. 

The facility will provide trauma-informed, therapeutic care for justice-involved youth who cannot be safely served in less restrictive settings. It will include two related programs, an 8-bed crisis stabilization unit for youth awaiting a court decision and a 6-bed residential treatment program for post-adjudicated youth, offering services including therapy, education, family engagement, and life-skills development.

“This project addresses a real gap in Vermont’s system of care. Right now, too many young people are sent out of state or placed in settings that don’t meet their needs”, said Ginny Lyons, senator for Chittenden Southeast. “Expanding in-state capacity means these youth can receive the treatment and support they need closer to home, giving them a chance to stabilize, connect with their families, and successfully return to their communities.” 

The program will operate under state licensing requirements and regulatory oversight. DCF will inspect the facility, review incident reports, and investigate complaints as needed. 

The Green Mountain Youth Center will build on lessons learned from the state’s current temporary facility for youth, Red Clover. The facility, opened in November 2024, provides a temporary, stopgap program, but is not a viable long-term solution. 

“This is the appropriate approach to this kind of project. It appropriately focuses on the complex needs of the population of youth that require high-level interventions. The work at Red Clover has shown that our state can deliver quality care and treatment in a structured setting,” said Marshall Pahl, Esq., Deputy Defender General. “Expanding our in-state capacity to care for Vermont children in Vermont, rather than out-of-state, will lead to better outcomes for youth and their families.” 

Proposed to be located on Meadowland Drive in South Burlington, the project is designed to minimize impacts on surrounding properties while providing access to essential services. The build-to-suit project includes Grandview Farms as the developer, with Neagley & Chase Construction, Dunkin Wisnewski Architects, and VHB Civil Engineers, providing planning, design, and construction under AHS, DCF, and BGS oversight.