Ridge O'Keefe, 9, Fin O'Keefe, 7 and their father, Naples resident Dennis O'Keefe, left to right, participate in a dinosaur scavenger hunt as part of the Children's Health Center's 2nd annual, "Walk for Imagine" on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015 at Freedom Park in Naples. The three were working on a Cub Scout activity in the park when they were asked by organizers to participate in the scavenger hunt. The event featured a scavenger hunt walk and other children's activities to raise support for the IMAGINE scholarship fund to provide psychology counseling, medical treatment and nutritional education to children in need. (David Albers/Staff)

There's a place in Naples striving to become a safe haven for children and teenagers suffering from emotional trauma and mental health issues.

The Imagine Children's Health Center is still getting on its feet, but executive director and licensed mental health counselor Molly Barrow has big plans for it.

She hopes to fundraise enough to establish a scholarship fund so that any school-aged child who needs psychotherapy, medical treatment or nutritional counseling can have their needs met. She hopes to partner with doctors and local organizations to provide a full-service, holistic approach to treating mental illness in children. She wants to help them with positive coping mechanisms and have a place for them to feel safe to discuss their troubles.

"Sometimes children won't show what's on the inside — they'll suppress, box things up and put them somewhere else," Barrow said. "Early intervention is critical. Once a child starts using negative coping skills, it's difficult to get them to backtrack."

On Sunday, the second annual Walk for Imagine, a fundraiser for the organization, attracted several local families to the Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park in Naples. Kids searched for toy dinosaurs hidden throughout the park's walking trail, played with bubbles and made crafts with their parents.

Dayana and Salem Philippi of Naples took their four sons to the park after church Sunday afternoon. They happened to stumble upon the organization's sign-up table and were told about its mission.

Dayana Philippi, a reading teacher at Lely High School, said she thought the organization's work was important.

"I'd love to see it in schools," she said. "Adolescents go through their social and developmental changes and sometimes don't know how to cope. Then they rely on friends and peers who don't know how to cope, either."

According to the American Psychological Association, of the 15 million American youths that could be diagnosed with a mental health disorder, only 7 percent receive the appropriate treatment.

Barrow has been working on forming the organization for four years, but it officially started in August 2014.

She hoped to raise $20,000 for equipment at Sunday's event. Barrow wanted to purchase a flotation tank to use in therapy. She raised about $4,000.

"We have to do more," she said. "But we're excited about the work we're doing and looking forward to the future."