Lighthouse Ranch
project type | Institutional
location | Gallatin Valley, Montana
client | Lighthouse Ranch, HRDC
site | 30 acres
budget | $6.5M
status | Fundraising phase
project team
Lighthouse Ranch Steering Committee, Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), Gallatin Behavioral Health Coalition, Gallatin Valley
Building Bureau (Design & Master Planning)
additional resources
Lighthouse Ranch is a first-of-its-kind youth mental health campus under development in Gallatin County, Montana in response to the region’s alarming rates of teen suicide. Despite one of the highest youth suicide rates in the nation, Montana lacks sufficient mental healthcare services, forcing families to seek care far from home. As the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported in July of 2025, community leaders and mental health advocates see in the Ranch a once-in-a-generation opportunity to close this gap through a local system of care.
Located on a 30-acre property outside of Bozeman, the Ranch will provide a full continuum of mental healthcare for young people and their families—including in-home support, outpatient services, crisis stabilization, and both short- and long-term residential treatment. The initiative is led by the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) in partnership with Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), Gallatin County, and the Gallatin Behavioral Health Coalition.
YBGR, a trusted Montana provider since 1957, will operate residential programs on the campus, bringing decades of clinical expertise in therapies, psychiatric care, and specialized supports such as equine-assisted therapy, occupational therapy, and recreational programming.
Building Bureau’s master plan establishes a phased development for Lighthouse Ranch. In Phases I and II, several existing structures on the property — designed by Place Architecture in 1997 — will be renovated for initial use by a small number of at-risk youth. A central gathering space with pavilions and recreational spaces will be added to the campus to serve community outdoor activities. By Phase III, new dormitories and housing — designed around comfort, safety, and community and arranged along the south side of the site — will accommodate up to 60 youth and 25 on-site staff. A proposed school along the main road will serve up to 120 youth (60 resident youth + 60 day-use students). ■
