Golden Peak Youth Services Center

Golden Peak Youth Services Center

Golden Peak Youth Services Center is a 24-bed youth center on the Campus at Lookout Mountain in Golden. It is a secure treatment program, serving adolescent males committed to the Division of Youth Services.

Golden Peak offers evidenced-based and trauma responsive services to committed youth and their families. The program adheres to the Division of Youth Services Treatment Model and is embedded in a culture and environment of trauma-responsive and restorative justice practices. It is designed to address the needs of the youth, which in turn drives the selection of an appropriate program that can address the individual youth's risk factors associated with reoffending.

Golden Peak utilizes restorative community justice and is committed to creating a community that understands the Seven Sanctuary Commitments: nonviolence; emotional intelligence; social learning; communication; democracy; social responsibility; and growth and change.

Continue reading about Golden Peak's approach to serving youth

Lookout Mountain Academy

Golden Peak Youth Services Center works in partnership with Teens Inc., a private non-profit organization, to facilitate Lookout Mountain Academy, which provides high-quality educational and vocational programming to all youth within the youth center. Beyond a high school diploma or GED certificate, Teens Inc. offers barbering/hair-styling, culinary arts, construction trades, and screen printing vocational programs, as well as several online certification programs and correspondence college courses.

Recreational activities

The Campus at Lookout Mountain offers a variety of indoor and outdoor recreational activities, including softball, volleyball, soccer, flag football, a high ropes course, a weight room, a rock climbing wall, and a traditional gymnasium. Golden Peak is fortunate to work with both Straight Ahead Colorado and Youth for Christ to bring religious services to the youth. Golden Peak offers comprehensive medical and dental treatment to all residents.

Trauma-responsive approach

Golden Peak was the original Division of Youth Services pilot program launched in 2018 through Colorado House Bill 17-1329. The pilot program brought trauma-responsive, home-like environments to Colorado's juvenile justice system. As a part of this model, Golden Peak seeks to be a safe and supportive, home-like setting for youth where they can address their treatment needs.

During their stay, youth receive individual, group and family therapy to address aggression, mental health, substance abuse and offense-specific issues. Each youth has a multi-disciplinary team tasked with developing a youth's individual treatment plan which guides the youth's care during their time at Golden Peak. This treatment plan is reflective of issues identified in the individual assessment of the youth.

Family engagement

Golden Peak encourages family engagement through family dinners, the Family Advisory Council, and family support groups, and encourages a partnership between treatment providers and family members. Golden Peak strives to develop residents into safe and productive community members.