I can say nothing, but "WONDERFUL" about Spruce Mountain Inn. My 21-year old son went to SMI to…read moreget help with a "thought disorder." He had completed 2 years of college and was unable to move forward.
During his stay at SMI, I can tell you that the staff was nothing short of "INCREDIBLE." The Director, Assistant Director and Case Manager were my main points of communication and they were each outstanding in their own right. All were highly clinically skilled, as well as collaborative and communicative. Our son's case manager, with whom we had the most interaction, was nothing short of amazing. He not only had exemplary clinical and counseling skills, but also was inarguably respectful and diplomatic during ALL of our communications (even when we were very needy ). At no time during my son's stay were my husband or I ever made to feel that we were over-stepping our boundaries. We also were kept well apprised of our son's progress and never felt "in the dark" about what was happening.
All other staff that we interacted with from reception staff to support staff to administrative staff were always also very nice, respectful and professional. Each person followed through with EVERYTHING that we asked, and many times offered more than we asked. Our parent coach was also great. She helped us to navigate the SMI therapeutic process, as well as helped to moderate our own fears, angst and doubt about our son's situation, placement and progress.
The main house at SMI provided a non-institutional living environment and was exceptionally clean, warm, and inviting offering our son the opportunity to live in the most normalized setting possible. His room was brightly and naturally lit and well furnished. All common areas were also clean, casual and homey.
Our son greatly benefited from SMI's program structure and he actively participated in more activities during his stay at SMI than he had during the last two years prior to his admission. When it made sense, SMI recommended that he move to another therapeutic program as a "logical next step." This recommendation came at a difficult time for us as we had other things going on in the family that also required our attention.
Fortunate for us, however, SMI approached our son's transition like they approach everything. They rearranged their schedules, made phone calls, sent texts, moved appointments, scheduled new appointments, faxed documents, sent emails and collaborated us through email and phone conferences to make this transition happen expeditiously and in a way that was most effective and least disruptive to my son's progress. Rarely do I witness the type of teamwork and care that SMI put forth during this time. They really "stood on their heads" for us, and our son. We also know that if it were not for the positive professional relationships that SMI's Director had within the mental health community, our son's placement in his current program would not have been possible at all.
Finally, I want to say that the SMI Director and her team are highly ethical and have integrity. SMI could have both admitted and kept my son for the money. Instead, they carefully assessed my son's appropriateness for SMI before "allowing" him to be admitted. When my son reached his maximum potential at SMI, they did not try to keep him there. When the next best program was full, SMI "held out" waiting for an opening in his current program, rather than recommending and transitioning him to an "available," but less appropriate option. For these reasons, we always felt that SMI had our son's best interest in mind, over a need to keep him for monetary purposes...a refreshing feeling in today's world.
As a final note, I have had the opportunity to work within the health care system and have seen the "good, bad and ugly." As a result, I try to evaluate treatment programs and facilities from a highly critical perspective. Prior to my son's stay at SMI, I researched the program, talked to the staff, and visited. We wanted to make sure that we were using our resources effectively to help our son. Today, I can say (without a doubt) that we could not have made a better decision. Our son has a long, long way to go, but SMI gave him the foundation that our son needed to begin his journey to a healthier and happier life. I recommend SMI without any reservation.
