A Beacon of Hope: How the Precourt Healing Center is Transforming Mental Health Care

Colorado’s Vail Valley is a mountain paradise: snow-capped peaks, lush forests and endless outdoor adventure. But beneath the breathtaking views, something far less idyllic lies beneath the surface: a mental health crisis.

Mountain towns like the Vail Valley have struggled with the reality that beauty doesn’t always equal happiness. “People think, ‘I should be happy here, but I’m not.’ Just because you live in a beautiful place doesn’t mean you don’t have challenges,” explains Sally Welsh, director of public relations at Vail Health. Those challenges are magnified by facing high living costs, a transient community and a lack of mental health resources. The toll leaves many feeling isolated and without a lifeline.

Photos courtesy of Vail Health

But that’s changing.

The Precourt Healing Center is a revolutionary new behavioral health facility in Edwards that reshapes how we approach mental health care. Opened in May 2025, this 48,000-square-foot inpatient center provides healing, hope and holistic care.

A HEALING SPACE UNLIKE ANY OTHER

The Precourt Healing Center was purpose-built with thoughtful design, amenities and care. Think mental health centers are sterile facilities with padded walls and locked doors? Think again.

“What we’re doing is unique. Not all mental health centers facilitate holistic care that treats the whole person,” says Teresa Haynes, Psy.D., director of in-patient behavioral health. “We looked at other facilities for insight, but there’s no model like this one. We don’t want to recreate the wheel, but we want to create something better and more effective.”

With 28 beds split between adolescents (12-18) and adults, the facility offers private rooms and bathrooms that feel more like a wellness retreat rather than a hospital stay. Spacious rooms with private bathrooms, calming colors, tall ceilings and windows flood the space with natural light. Instead of cold, clinical hallways, patients walk past colorful, mountain-inspired murals painted by local artists.

Every room and corner of the facility is meant to feel warm and inviting while strengthening community and connection. The dayroom, with its oversized chairs and walls soaked in soothing blues and greens, encourages patients to gather, relax and heal together. It leads to the courtyard, an outdoor space with snowmelt and sunshades to enjoy year-round. Then there’s the gym — one on each floor — because movement is medicine. Home-cooked, nutrient-rich meals are prepared by an in-house chef and are served family-style.

One of the most innovative elements is the Oxehealth technology, which uses infrared sensors to monitor patients’ vitals. Only one other facility in the U.S. has implemented this technology, which allows for discreet, nonintrusive wellness checks so patients can rest without the disruption of frequent monitoring.

MORE THAN TREATMENT: A HOLISTIC APPROACH

The Precourt Healing Center understands that healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Instead, it’s personalized, immersive and creative.

Outdoor space at the Precourt Healing Center in Edwards

With seven to nine hours of daily programming, treatment focuses on both the immediate crisis and long-term well-being. Beyond talk therapy, patients engage in art, music, yoga and recreational therapy, giving them multiple ways to process emotions and trauma. “When people are in crisis, this is one of the worst times of their lives. Sometimes, specific words to describe their experience aren’t effective. There are other creative ways for people to process their experience and express what is happening to them,” explains Haynes.

“The goal is to create good habits and a healthy foundation that people can integrate into their lives,” Haynes adds. “Different options work for different people, so we offer a variety of modalities to see what resonates with them.” Additionally, patients attend individual and group sessions to learn tangible skills like emotional regulation, mindfulness, interpersonal skills and stress tolerance — tools that will help them far beyond their time at the center.

This is about long-term change, not just short-term relief.

KEEPING CARE CLOSE TO HOME

Before the Precourt Healing Center, mental health patients in crisis faced a harsh reality: a two-hour ambulance ride to Denver or Grand Junction, far away from their family, friends and support systems. That’s a long and lonely road when you are most vulnerable.

Now, people in crisis have a lifeline right in the Vail Valley.

Welsh emphasizes the importance of keeping patients close to their support system. “It’s hard for people to leave their community for care. It takes a toll on their parents and the whole family. If we can keep people in the community, it will be less of a burden and create a positive ripple effect for their support system.”

The Precourt Healing Center is more than just a facility — it’s a beacon of hope for the Vail Valley and surrounding communities. It represents a shift in how we talk about, treat and prioritize mental health. No one should feel alone in their struggles; now, they don’t have to.

Originally published in the summer 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.