FAQ’s

Monuments lodge and academic campus is situated on over 60 acres of beautiful alpine forest and surrounded by thousands of acres of stunning public land. Located in the mountains outside of Cedar City, Utah and adjacent to Brian Head Ski Resort, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Cedar Breaks National Monument, our setting provides an ideal location for a residential treatment center. This mountain location coupled with state of the art technology and diverse educational offerings provides our students with the ideal environment for therapeutic healing and heuristic (hands on) learning.

We welcome all prospective families who wish to visit, explore our facility, and meet with members of our treatment team. We recommend that you visit any treatment program you are considering before making a commitment. If a program is reluctant to allow you to visit, or presses you to make a commitment before you visit, this is cause for concern.

We serve a limited number of youth at a time in our treatment setting. We have room for 44 students. Experience has taught us that keeping our groups in this smaller range results in dramatically better results for those we serve. It is one of many features that make us different from other teen treatment programs.

Our students live in a beautifully appointed lodge and typically have one or three roommates. Rooms are situated for 2 boys or 4 boys per room.

The average length of stay at Monuments is 12 months, although there may be a shorter or more extended stay needed based on the complexity of issues being treated.

At Monuments we have assembled a unique, world-class team of professionals who have devoted their careers to the treatment of young people and their families. Our therapists are each devoted to identifying and treating the underlying causes of behavioral health issues, rather than merely focusing on behaviors themselves. Our academic professionals are committed to helping students accomplish their academic goals including high school graduation and college prep.

Many treatment programs do not have stringent admissions criteria. As a result, teens that enter such programs are frequently, and unnecessarily, exposed to peers who introduce them to new destructive behaviors and dangers.

At Monuments, we are committed to a thorough screening process to ensure that all students accepted into the program are a good fit. In an effort to create a safe treatment environment, we do not accept persons with known histories of violence, sexual perpetrators, fire starters, gang-affiliated youth, or those who have a history of behaviors that might put others at risk. We are committed to maintaining an environment that is both physically and emotionally safe for all participants.

Monuments provide all participants with individual sessions weekly. In addition, family sessions are done via video conference every week. The use of group therapy and specialty group sessions are also very effective.

When families come to Monuments they often report that the person for whom they are seeking treatment has been having difficulties associated with school. The student may feel hopeless and discouraged. They may be thinking of quitting school or may be convinced that their prior performance will prohibit them from getting into the University of their choice. Programs that offer school programs that work in a silo are oftentimes ultimately unhelpful in getting academic careers back on track.

At Monuments, all program participants are provided a thorough education assessment upon admission. The Academic Director will devise an aggressive plan that will assist the participant in achieving their short and long-term academic goals. Oftentimes participants arrive at treatment trailing behind in their studies and return to their schools, ahead of their classmates. Rest assured that we will work hard to help your student overcome his credit deficiencies.

Additionally, our focus on providing a heuristic (hands-on) learning environment with an entrepreneurial focus means that your student will emerge with confidence and a path for his future. We provide an education that is relevant to your student’s life and future success.

At Monuments, we believe that family involvement is imperative for the successful treatment of all our program participants. We recognize that family members may be unable to participate in all aspects of treatment as a result of work commitments, geographic location, or other factors. For this reason, we make every effort to reach out and provide our services by video conference or other means when necessary or desired.

In addition, families are invited to attend the Family Summit at Monuments twice a year. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families, explore the relationship with your son deeper, and connect with those that are providing treatment to your family.

At Monuments we take confidentiality very seriously. Every employee is subjected to an exhaustive background check and must sign a stringent confidentiality agreement. Our efforts to protect our client’s confidentiality exceed the highest industry standards and regulations.

The treatment of adolescents requires a very different approach, skill-set and knowledge base than those required to treat adults. Youth have specific needs related to their physical, emotional, and social development. It is important to know if the directors and staff members of any adolescent program have a history of successfully treating adolescents. It is also important to know if the treatment of adolescents has been, and remains, the primary professional focus of every team member.

Of course. Treatment is a time to strengthen family bonds with frequent, supportive, communication. You may email your child any time you wish. Your child may email you any time he wishes as well. Once per week, we will have a designated time scheduled with your family for a private video conference call. Several times a year, we have designated weekends where families are invited to campus for an intensive family weekend. You will receive these dates upon admission so that you can plan to attend.

Additionally, we encourage our families to visit as often as they are able to. Please work with your therapist to coordinate such visits so that they do not conflict with off-campus events or activities.

Yes. Depression, anxiety, and many other unhealthy feelings frequently precede drug and alcohol use. In fact many people begin using drugs and alcohol to self-medicate for these feelings. When depression or other clinical conditions occur along with a chemical dependency they are called “co-occurring disorders.” The person with a co-occurring disorder might also be referred to as being “dually-diagnosed.” These terms simply mean that you are dealing with more than one issue simultaneously. This is more often the case than not.

Our goal is to provide you with a team that can provide a comprehensive assessment followed by intensive treatment designed to identify and treat the underlying causes of behaviors rather than simply focusing on behaviors themselves.

There are a vast number of wilderness and experiential programs available for families and some offer quality clinical and behavioral services. In face, the vast majority of our students attend a wilderness program prior to being admitted to Monuments. It is important to understand the treatment process and your goals when looking at specialized residential treatment or wilderness and experiential treatment.

As with any program, finding a good, evidence-based fit is integral for effective treatment and sustainable change. Monuments would be a great next step after a wilderness stay, should additional work need to take place for lasting healing and change.

We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with any therapist or treatment professional a youth may already be engaged with. Physicians, teachers, mentors, coaches, or any other person who has a vested interest in the well-being of an adolescent may be involved with the consent of both the teen and their parents. Such collaborations frequently allow us to achieve treatment goals more expeditiously and help to create smoother transitions to life after treatment.

While many young people seek out treatment for themselves, others are pressed into participating by concerned parents, or as the result of other external forces. Either circumstance is common. Regardless, some families delay getting treatment because of a popular myth that adolescents need to “hit bottom” before seeking help. This myth is unfortunately re-enforced by treatment providers who do not see motivating youth as their responsibility. The real danger in this is that, for some, the bottom can cause serious harm or even death. There is no advantage in letting a young person engage in destructive behaviors a day longer than is necessary.

When working with teens there is also ample evidence to suggest that the earlier a treatment intervention takes place regarding substance abuse, emotional health, or behavioral health issues, the greater the likelihood of success. When young people come to us for treatment, it is okay if they are resistant. It is our job to motivate them and to help them find value in both treatment, and in approaching their lives differently.

Yes. Monuments accepts payments from most insurance companies. We are happy to assist any prospective client to verify their benefits and secure pre-authorization for treatment. To learn more about the process, simply give us a call.

If we haven’t answered your question(s) simply give us a call. Whether your loved one comes to Monuments or not, we are here to assist you and answer your questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We know how difficult it is to reach out and ask for help. It is the first and most challenging step on the road to recovery.

Call us anytime at: (800) 559-1980. All calls are completely confidential. If you prefer, you may also email us your question(s) at: admissions@monumentstc.com.