Garrett’s Space, a mental health nonprofit focused on supporting struggling young adults, officially broke ground on its new campus in Superior Township, in April.
Scott Halpert, co-founder, president and CEO of Garrett’s Space, shared more about the organization’s journey, the upcoming facility and its evolving impact since its founding in 2018.
“Our groundbreaking ceremony was on April 24th,” Halpert said. “Construction will be complete in the summer of next year. We will then open as a day program for about one year before opening up for residential stays in addition to day programming in the summer of 2027.”
Founded in December 2018 following the tragic loss of Scott and Julie Halpert’s son, Garrett, the organization was created to provide resources for young adults experiencing feelings of isolation, hopelessness and suicidal ideation.
Garrett had been in therapy, but the Halperts found that more supportive, community-based options were lacking. Garrett’s Space was born out of their desire to fill those gaps and prevent similar losses for other families.
Young adults today face overwhelming pressures, and Garrett’s Space was specifically created to help others navigate the same kinds of emotional challenges that Garrett faced. The nonprofit is committed to offering hope and tools for resilience to individuals aged 18 to 28.
The new campus will span 76 acres and include a 10,000-square-foot residential center, a creativity studio and updated existing structures. The facility will offer holistic, non-medical mental health support that includes meditation, movement-based therapies, art, gardening, and peer support groups.
“This will be the first non-medically focused wrap-around resource of its kind that offers short stay — 30 days — which is a much less expensive and less disruptive option than what currently exists,” Halpert said.
The center is designed to act as a bridge between therapy and full in-patient treatment. It will serve as a non-medical option from hospital-based psychiatric care and a place where families and therapists can send young adults in need of structure, community and healing activities.
Participants will continue seeing their personal therapists and medical providers remotely during their stay. This allows the center to remain non-clinical while still supporting ongoing professional care.
Unlike traditional inpatient psychiatric facilities, which can involve long stays and high costs, Garrett’s Space will offer shorter, more affordable stays on a sliding scale. No one will be turned away due to financial hardship, as long as they meet the program’s inclusion criteria.
The methods Garrett’s Space employs are supported by both national research and local input. A professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work conducted a literature review that confirmed the effectiveness of the nonprofit’s approaches, which emphasize connection, nature, mindfulness and creative expression.
Halpert highlighted the value of activities like music, art, journaling and cooking, all of which are known to foster self-awareness, reduce stress and build confidence. Garrett’s Space has already seen success with similar programming in smaller-scale wellness groups offered over the past four years.
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Once operational, the new facility is expected to serve 200 to 250 individuals annually. That number does not include the many more who will benefit from Garrett’s Space’s broader outreach efforts to families and young adults in the community.
Community support for the initiative has been strong. Garrett’s Space recently concluded the quiet phase of its capital campaign, raising $9 million toward its $13.5 million goal.
“We just finished the quiet phase of our campaign and are looking forward to bringing more awareness of our campaign to the public,” Halpert said.
In the near term, the organization plans to begin programming at an existing Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired home on the property, which will be usable once fire suppression systems are added. This will mark the first time Garrett’s Space has its own dedicated venue for hosting participants.
The property offers an immersive natural setting, with woods, trails, rolling hills, a pond and a creek — features central to Garrett’s Space’s therapeutic approach.
“I would also say that we already know that we’re improving and, in some cases, saving lives through our groups that are giving many young adults the connections and community of support that they desperately need and crave,” Halpert said.
