RiverWoods Behavioral Health System

RiverWoods Behavioral Health System

ABOUT RIVERWOODS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM

RiverWoods Behavioral Health is a psychiatric hospital located in Atlanta, GA. We are a leading provider of addiction and mental health treatment, offering inpatient, outpatient, and PHP services for adolescents, adults, and seniors. Our services cater to individuals struggling with psychiatric disorders, substance abuse issues, and co-occurring problems. We also provide medically monitored detoxification, typically lasting between five and seven days.

TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT

Upon admission, patients receive a thorough psychiatric assessment. This assessment helps our clinicians develop a comprehensive treatment plan and determine the appropriate level of care. RiverWoods Behavioral Health utilizes evidence-based treatment methods, including medication-assisted therapy, to address the unique needs of our community. Our addiction treatment programs incorporate 12-step practices and philosophies.

During short-term inpatient care, patients participate in structured individual and group counseling sessions. Our counseling sessions utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to challenge destructive thinking patterns that contribute to addictive behavior and/or mental health issues. Patients also attend psycho-educational classes and, if applicable, engage in 12-step meetings in the evening.

In addition to traditional treatment methods and 12-Step, we offer recreational and expressive therapy, including music and art therapy. Once a patient is stabilized, they are typically referred to a less-intensive level of programming to continue treatment.

Our partial hospitalization program (PHP) typically runs for two to four weeks. We offer separate tracks for substance abuse and dual diagnosis. PHP involves five to seven days per week of programming, including individual, group, and family counseling sessions, as well as ongoing medication monitoring. Patients in recovery continue to attend nightly 12-step meetings during PHP.

For a less intensive treatment option, we offer intensive outpatient programs consisting of three-hour sessions held in the morning and evening.

STAFF CREDENTIALS

At RiverWoods Behavioral Health, our clinical team consists of physicians, board certified psychiatrists, licensed counselors, therapists, psychologists, and social workers. Inpatient treatment is supplemented by 24/7 care provided by registered nurses.

ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES

RiverWoods Behavioral Health is a 75-bed facility. In our acute care unit, clients stay in shared rooms closely supervised by nurses. They also have access to an on-site gym. Patients in PHP have the option to live at home or stay in Serenity Village, a dormitory-style recovery residence. According to an alum who attended in 2013, Serenity Village offers a large den for relaxing or watching TV, a group room, and a dining room that serves three “nutritious” meals daily.

WHAT ALUMNI SAY

According to feedback from three alumni, RiverWoods received mostly positive reviews. Two alumni indicated that they would recommend treatment at RiverWoods, while one remained neutral. The alumni consistently provided positive feedback for the connectivity/visitor policy. However, their opinions were divided on other aspects such as family participation, counseling options, cleanliness, holistic offerings, and opportunities for exercise and leisure.

One anonymous alum wrote: “It’s ok. I was happy to find out my diagnosis and was given effective medications.” Although one former patient reported encountering some unhelpful staff members, they still rated the overall program effectiveness with five out of five stars and wrote: “They are willing to work with you until you feel comfortable enough and I love that.”

On secondary review sites such as Google, RiverWoods received more negative reviews, with an average rating of 1.9 out of five stars from 62 reviewers to date.[1]

WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY

Feedback from friends and family has been mostly positive. The three loved ones polled gave ratings of three, four, and five out of five stars when asked if they would recommend the facility to others in need of treatment.

Most loved ones agreed that the program offered effective dual diagnosis treatment and reported satisfactory levels of family participation. However, some mentioned the lack of leisure activities. One loved one stated, “They motivate you to function in your strengths and limit your weakness.”

Although two respondents mentioned the lack of activities as a program weakness, they still described the staff as “friendly” and the setting as “positive.” When asked to rate the overall treatment effectiveness, the three alumni gave two one-star ratings and one four-star rating. This suggests that while the program was satisfactory, it did not always work for their loved ones.

FINANCING

RiverWoods accepts most health insurances, including all major managed care insurance plans, Medicare, and CMO Medicaids.

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Services provided by RiverWoods Behavioral Health System


Service Setting

  • Inpatient
  • Outpatient
  • Intensive Outpatient
  • Type of Care

  • Detox
  • Substance Abuse Treatment
  • Treatment Approaches

  • Anger Management
  • Brief Intervention
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy
  • Relapse Prevention
  • Substance Abuse Counseling
  • 12-step Facilitation
  • Detoxification

  • Alcohol Detoxification
  • Benzodiazepines Detoxification
  • Opioid Detoxification
  • License/Certification/Accreditation

  • State Department Of Health
  • State Mental Health Department
  • Hospital Licensing Authority
  • The Joint Commission
  • Payment/Insurance/Funding Accepted

  • Medicare
  • Medicaid
  • Genders Accepted

  • Male
  • Female
  • RiverWoods Behavioral Health System Reviews

  • Treatment Effectiveness
  • Accommodations & Amenities
  • Meals & Nutrition
  • Employees were friendly to patient's family. Not enough activities for patients This facility is very strict with its patients about things that they are allowed to do. However, there is not enough Leisure activities.
  • Treatment Effectiveness
  • Accommodations & Amenities
  • Meals & Nutrition
  • Positive setting was a strength of the facility but the activities were a downfall. Monitor treatment.
  • Treatment Effectiveness
  • Accommodations & Amenities
  • Meals & Nutrition
  • The got started right away and made recommendations for the future. They set up out side help options also. The staff is small. They motivate you to function in your strengths and limit your weakness
    • Treatment Effectiveness
    The rehab center I went to had a large den where people watched television, bedrooms with comfortable beds and bathrooms. The workers were kind, gave us refreshments twice a day and played mental games with us. One involved throwing a beach ball around and answering the questions written on the ball. They had a dining room where we ate three nutritious meals each day. Doctors came to visit us individually daily and prescribed the proper medication. The workers gave us our medication once each morning and once each night.
  • Treatment Effectiveness
  • Accommodations & Amenities
  • Meals & Nutrition
  • It helps you get focus on more of the problems and resolutions that you are going to need. You can be inpatient and outpatient, and put your family members first. They are willing to work with you until you feel comfortable enough and I love that. However, not all staff members are helpful.
  • Treatment Effectiveness
  • Accommodations & Amenities
  • Meals & Nutrition
  • It's ok. I was happy to find out my diagnosis and was given effective medications. The food at the facility was good, but there were no fitness opportunities.