Carrier Clinic in Montgomery, Somerset County, has opened the doors to a $40 million expansion that marks a significant turning point in youth mental health care. The new 43,000-square-foot facility, which celebrated its opening on June 5, adds 52 inpatient beds and crucially lowers the age at which children can receive treatment from 12 years old to just 7, reaching an age group that has long struggled to access adequate care.
The scale of youth mental health need has become impossible to ignore. Nearly one in three young people between ages 12 and 17 experienced a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem in 2022–2023, according to data cited by Hackensack Meridian Health, the system that operates Carrier Clinic. Yet more than half of children and adolescents with mental health issues do not receive adequate treatment. At Carrier Clinic itself, admissions have surged by nearly 30 percent in recent years, reflecting both the rising crisis and growing recognition that help is available.
The expansion addresses this gap with far more than beds alone. The facility includes the Cohen Community Resource & Education Center, a teaching hub designed to train physicians and other mental health professionals in specialized youth care. There are multi-sensory rooms tailored to support children's nervous systems, a gym, and multiple group spaces for therapeutic activities. Dr. Thomas Ricart, chief of adolescent services at Carrier Clinic, emphasized that design itself is part of the treatment strategy. The building brings in natural light and orients toward the Sourland Mountains, creating what Ricart called "sensory diverse spaces" that honor both the clinical and human dimensions of healing. "This new space enables us to deliver care that is evidence-based and conscious of the experience and needs of those in treatment," he said.
Funding for the project came from multiple sources, underscoring the partnerships needed to address a public health crisis. State legislators Andrew Zwicker and Roy Freiman, both Democrats representing the 16th District, secured $10 million in state appropriations, which were approved by then-Governor Phil Murphy. Private donations and a major gift from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation filled the remainder of the $40 million price tag.
The expansion also reflects a shift in how hospitals approach youth mental health: family-centered care. Beyond treating the young patient, the facility includes dedicated spaces for caregiver meetings and guidance on how families can support their children through treatment and beyond. This acknowledges a hard truth—that a child's recovery is inseparable from their family system.
Hackensack Meridian Health CEO Robert Garrett framed the opening not just as an expansion of capacity, but as evidence of institutional commitment. "This project underscores our commitment to prioritizing child and adolescent mental health as a cornerstone of transforming health care," he said, noting that the facility represents what becomes possible "when the power of partnership turns vision into reality and creates new pathways to hope for young people and their families."
For a generation facing unprecedented mental health challenges, Carrier Clinic's expansion signals that the systems designed to help them are finally beginning to match the scale of the crisis.