Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont today 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.
For more information on the Green Mountain Youth Center, please visit: dcf.vermont.gov/gmyc
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is this program for?
- This program will be for justice-involved youth who have the most significant needs. The program will provide intensive services for youth with acute behavioral needs, including mental health or developmental challenges. Justice-involved means that youth placed at the facility need to be alleged to have or charged with breaking the law. Only a judge can order that someone be placed at the Green Mountain Youth Center. DCF will also be able to place youth who have already been adjudicated for breaking the law, if they need the services that GMYC will provide.
- What services will be provided?
- Generally speaking, the Green Mountain Youth Center will offer two programs. The first program, a stabilization program, is intended for youth in crisis who need intensive supports in order to be safe for themselves and others. The goal is to provide immediate supports that prepare them to return to their community or another level of care.
- The second program, a treatment program, is intended for youth with longstanding or complex behavioral and safety needs. The goal is to provide individualized treatment intended to support their ultimate return to their community.
- How many youth will be served?
- At full capacity, Green Mountain Youth Center will serve up to eight youth in the crisis stabilization program and six youth in the treatment program.
- Will the Green Mountain Youth Center be expanded to serve a larger number of youth in the future?
- Currently, the Department for Children and Families is confident that the maximum capacity for both programs will serve Vermont’s needs. The goal is to support youth in either returning to their families and their communities or transitioning to a lower level of care.
- How is the program structured?
- The Green Mountain Youth Center, will be a clinical program, overseen by the Department for Children and Families, and operated by an independent provider. The programs will be staffed by counselors, clinicians and mental health professionals.
- Who will operate the program?
- DCF will contract with independent, third-party provider, who will operate the programs. This will allow DCF to play an oversight role and ensure safety for the youth in their custody, appropriate program implementation and efficient use of taxpayer resources.
- Will the State Purchase the Land?
- No. The land is in private hands. The state has contracted with a developer to develop the building, with the state ultimately leasing the facility. The developer / property manager will pay property taxes to the City of South Burlington. Under the terms of the State’s lease, the state will have the option to buy the property in the future.
- Why is the state using this model for developing?
- The model the State is using will allow us to create a dedicated, long-term facility more quickly, more efficiently and at less cost than other options currently available.
- Where will the center be located?
- The State of Vermont has identified a parcel of land in South Burlington on Meadowlands Drive, off Route 116, to locate the center.
- Community involvement?
- The facility will work closely with community partners to support youth throughout their stay and as they prepare to return home. With appropriate consent, staff will coordinate with therapists, schools, case managers, and other service providers to ensure care and support are connected across systems. Youth will continue their education on-site through a structured program aligned with state requirements, and staff will work with local school districts and education partners to maintain continuity of learning whenever possible.
The Vermont Department for Children and Families delivers a wide array of programs and services to Vermonters in areas such as child care, child development, child protection, child support, disability determination, and economic benefits that help meet basic needs.
6.3.2026. Vermont Department for Children and Families. 280 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | www.DCF.vermont.gov
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