Boulder County commissioners unanimously approved an expansion at a children’s home north of Longmont.
On Thursday, Mountain State Children’s Home requested an adjustment to their longstanding special use permit with the county to allow the construction of two new group homes and the reconstruction of another four. The group home serves children from troubled family situations, typically ages 12-17, offering school, counseling and other resources.
Mountain State Children’s Home has existed in some form on the property east of U.S. 287 since 1960 and has had a special use permit from Boulder County since the ‘80s. In 2013, the permit was revised to add two additional group homes to bring the number of homes on the property up to six.
The permit contemplated Thursday would allow for reconstruction of the four older group homes on the property to make them more like the two new homes and better suited for group care. The two new homes would be constructed the same way, for a total of eight group homes, along with expansions at the administrative and school buildings.
While the organization would add two more buildings, the applicant said they would not be increasing the number of children served. Per their state permit, Mountain State Children’s Home can care for up to 40 children at a time and they currently have 36 in treatment.
Randy Schow, with Mountain State Children’s Home, explained that instead the additional homes, allowing additional house parents, will assist in the rotation of children between group homes to give their caregivers regular breaks. With eight homes, the house parents will care for children for three weeks on and then get one week off.
The county commissioners unanimously approved the expansion with conditions.
