ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Eliada Homes will open a counseling center on June 8, expanding access to mental health services for children, adolescents and families across Western North Carolina as providers warn of a growing youth mental health crisis.

The nonprofit, which has served the region for more than 120 years, said Eliada Counseling Center is designed to provide trauma-informed care for young people who often face the greatest barriers to treatment, including those with Medicaid coverage and families with limited financial resources.

Leaders say the expansion comes as demand for youth mental health services continues to outpace supply, leaving many families waiting weeks or months for care — or turning to emergency rooms during crises.

Adolescence is a key period for mental health development, and providers say recent years have intensified challenges for many young people in the region, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Tropical Storm Helene. Mental health professionals warn the effects of those disruptions are likely to persist.

State data underscores the concern. The 2025 North Carolina Child Health Report Card gave the state an “F” in youth mental health indicators, including rates of depression and suicide, and found more than half of children ages 3 to 17 had difficulty accessing needed services. Officials cite a shortage of providers who accept Medicaid as a major factor.

Eliada officials say the new counseling center aims to fill some of those gaps by prioritizing children in the child welfare system, youths with significant trauma histories and families who have struggled to find consistent care.

The center will offer individual, family and group therapy using trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches, along with equine therapy, comprehensive assessments and medication management services. It will also serve Medicaid recipients and other low-income families.

“As a nonprofit, every dollar goes back into care,” Eliada President and CEO Andrew D’Onofrio said in a statement. “The counseling center allows us to continue that legacy by providing compassionate, evidence-based care. We are removing barriers so families can focus on what truly matters — healing.”

The organization said its model also allows for coordination with schools and social service agencies to strengthen what it calls a fragmented behavioral health safety net in the region.

“Our goal is not simply to provide counseling,” D’Onofrio said. “It is to create a place where every child is seen, valued and supported.”