Monterey County community leaders including government officials, media, donors, staff, and doctors who made Ohana possible were in attendance at the special November 29 celebration. “Today is a major milestone for Community Hospital and Montage Health, but it’s so much bigger than just us,” says Dr. Steven Packer, President and CEO of Montage Health. “Because of the vision and generosity of Bertie Elliott, along with the attraction of world-class staff, and support and partnerships with our community, we have created the foremost privately funded mental health campus for youth anywhere in America.”
Ohana's transformative work
Innovative design features include an outdoor amphitheater, immune-boosting gardens, music and art therapy facilities, gymnasium, café, and spaces that promote group interaction and individual reflection. A visual art program features curated artwork throughout the building by artists from around the country, with each piece specially designed to support emotional processing and self-empowerment.
The use of cross-laminated timber promotes a low carbon footprint, and the building’s swoops and curves are meant to evoke what Dr. Susan Swick, Ohana’s Executive Director terms, “soaring possibilities,” taking inspiration from a children’s museum or public library. The campus also features dedicated, peaceful indoor and outdoor areas for Ohana staff to decompress from what is often stressful and challenging work.
Designed by global architecture and design firm NBBJ, the Ohana campus is the recipient of numerous design awards, including honors from the American Institute of Architects and Fast Company magazine. “Neuroscience research shows that the built environment impacts our health and well-being,” says NBBJ design partner Jonathan Ward, FAIA. “It is increasingly important to create behavioral health environments that are healing and therapeutic, especially for children and teens. Ohana represents the intersection of design, science, and health, and serves as a prototype for other behavioral health facilities.”
Ohana, which translates to “family” in Hawaiian, is founded on the principle that mental health treatment should embrace not just the patient but the young person’s entire support network — parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends. This holistic approach includes a wide range of services including early intervention, family care management, outpatient and residential care, and emergency and crisis services. Treatments are evidence-based and family-centered, delivered by multidisciplinary teams, and may include psychotherapy, medications, and additional therapies like music, art, and occupational therapy.
“We believe that mental illness is always treatable, usually curable, and often preventable,” Swick says. “Our broader work is to support families, schools, and the community in fostering mental fitness, just as our health system supports physical fitness. This campus, designed with healing and hope in mind, empowers young people and their families to embark on the work of cultivating resilience and well-being.”
Ohana works with schools and educators, pediatricians, parent groups, and others to serve more kids and families beyond the physical campus, and to “meet patients and families where they are, and where they are comfortable,” Packer says. Ohana’s medical experts frequently lend perspective and expertise to others in Monterey County and across the country who are grappling with the challenge of addressing youth mental health.
Ohana has provided more than 50,000 patient visits to youth and families across Monterey County — a number set to drastically increase with care now being provided at the new campus. “Adolescent mental health is the public health crisis of our time,” Packer says. “Ohana and Montage Health are part of the solution here in Monterey County, and we hope our work here can be replicated to help more youth across the country."
Ohana is dedicated to building mental fitness not only for the youth and families it serves, but for the entire community. To that end, Ohana continues to grow its offerings of family-focused mental fitness resources, available to the entire community at no cost. The community is encouraged to explore these resources and share them with others who may benefit from this support.
