ABOUT RIVER RIDGE — A WOMAN’S WAY RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT
Located in Burnsville, Minnesota, A Woman’s Way Residential Treatment Center offers residential treatment for women struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. The facility aims to provide a low-stress environment where women can focus on their treatments with minimal distractions. There is a partner facility that offers similar services for men within River Ridge. The program utilizes counseling and medication management to address chemical and substance dependency. A Woman’s Way operates an eight-bed facility to accommodate in-patient service clients.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Each client receives a comprehensive assessment to identify their specific treatment needs. Clients who request assessments are typically assessed within three business days. The facility offers various forms of assessment, including extended evaluations that involve treatment sessions during the evaluation process.
Treatment at A Woman’s Way is founded on the principles of gender-responsive and trauma-informed care, particularly based on the pioneering work of Dr. Stephanie Covington. Dr. Covington has been dedicated to establishing recovery protocols tailored to the unique struggles faced by women since the late 1970s. The program adopts a holistic approach that takes into consideration past trauma and aims to create recovery environments optimized to meet women’s needs.
In practical terms, the program at A Woman’s Way aims to help each client enhance personal motivation for long-term recovery, identify individual strengths and abilities, develop new relational and coping skills, and establish a support system within their family and community.
Residents participate in individual counseling, group therapy, and family programming. They also receive trauma support, spiritual guidance, stress-management classes, relapse-prevention planning, medication-management services, medical care, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). The 12-Steps are part of the treatment, but not the primary focus. Additionally, yoga and meditation are incorporated into the program.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
A Woman’s Way employs an all-female staff comprised of licensed addictions counselors, clinical counselors, and licensed marriage and family therapists. The facility also has a consulting psychiatrist, physician, and registered nurse. Furthermore, there is a chef, a dietitian, and a yoga instructor on staff.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
A Woman’s Way has accommodations for a maximum of eight women in a suburban residential neighborhood with convenient access to a lake and walking paths.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Five alumni reviews to date have provided mixed to lukewarm ratings. However, three out of the five alumni only rated treatment effectiveness, accommodations and amenities, and meals and nutrition, without providing overall opinions of the facility.
Alum Angela gave four out of five stars for the facility’s holistic offerings, cleanliness, exercise and leisure options, and overall quality of individual treatment. However, she mentioned that she relapsed and didn’t feel equipped with the necessary tools for a successful sober life. She expressed that the facility’s lack of a 12-step program was a drawback for her personal recovery.
The other alum gave positive ratings for the facility’s cleanliness and family participation policy but was negative in almost every other aspect and in their commentary. They felt that the facility’s treatment options were limited, staff numbers were small, and the facility lacked aesthetic appeal. The alum did not believe the program was worth the cost and claimed that services were terminated abruptly if payment could not be made.
WHAT STAFF SAY
According to four reviews on Indeed, River Ridge has received a rating of 2.5 out of five stars. A house manager provided a perfect five-star review, while two other employees gave only one star. The employees cited high stress, frequent yelling, micromanagement, and untrusting management as flaws of the facility.
FINANCING
A Woman’s Way accepts Minnesota Medical Assistance, Pre-paid Medical Assistance (PMAP), and Rule 25. The facility is also in-network with most local and national commercial insurance carriers and accepts self-payment.