ABOUT COMTREA
Founded in 1973 and headquartered in the small town of Festus, Mo., nonprofit COMTREA (Community Treatment Incorporated) operates 16 psychiatric and substance abuse centers, domestic violence shelters, medical centers, and dental facilities across Jefferson County, including the county-designated substance abuse and mental health facilities. The address given on this listing page is for the organization’s administrative and financial office.
The organization’s addiction treatment services consist of residential treatment for adolescent males, plus outpatient treatment for adults and adolescents. COMTREA often works with individuals processing through Juvenile Drug Court.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
The organization’s website notes that all treatment programs target the physical, mental, social, and spiritual aspects of addiction, and include individual and group counseling as well as family education.
Adolescent treatment proceeds from the assumption that substance abuse is a symptom of the problem, rather than the problem itself; that adolescents are in a chaotic period of life, regardless of their substance use; and that adolescents require a holistic approach to treatment. The residential program (for boys ages 12 to 17) offers an array of holistic options including equine and canine therapy, plus academic education, life skills groups, and work on character development, as well as traditional therapies.
For adults, programs include day treatment, general outpatient care, and family education services. A dedicated treatment track for individuals struggling with dual diagnosis generally lasts 12–24 months, and includes psychiatric services and medication management, where necessary. Clients are encouraged to establish a sober community through 12-step meetings, among other resources.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The team includes psychiatrists, physicians, a pediatrician, registered nurses, dentists, licensed counselors, and case managers.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
All clients enrolled in COMTREA’s addiction treatment programs automatically qualify for medical and dental care through the agency. In the adolescent residential program, academic services are provided by the Hillsboro School District along with trained COMTREA staff.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Of the two alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com to date, one would strongly recommend treatment at this facility, and one would not recommend it. “The counselirs were good. I'm still clean,” the positive reviewer wrote, giving the facility five stars in all 15 of the evaluated treatment metrics, including its treatment effectiveness, family participation, and treatment for co-occurring disorders. The negative reviewer, M.M., gave the center four stars for its treatment for co-occurring disorders, three stars for its treatment effectiveness, and one star for its holistic offerings. “Willing to help you with your problems quickly. Too many people in the groups,” M.M. wrote, adding that they felt some staff were judgmental.
At the time of this writing, secondary sites yielded mixed reviews, skewing positive, with a 3.6-star average rating based on 16 reviews on Facebook (where the center can manage its own page), a one-star rating on HealthGrove, and on Yelp, two five-star ratings and a one-star rating.[1] [2] [3] The negative reviews tended to describe a general lack of care: “The physician didn't listen to a word I had to say… Wasn't given a fair assessment just treated as a drug addict,” A.W. wrote on HealthGrove. However, more than one positive reviewer described many years of great treatment. “I have been a client here for over 15 years now and Comtrea has been a great asset to my life,” J.S. wrote in a representative review on Facebook.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The single loved one polled by Best-rehabs.com to date gave mixed feedback, awarding the facility five stars for its treatment effectiveness and four stars for its family participation, but writing: “Not enough success stories,” and indicating that they would neither recommend nor not recommend the facility.
WHAT STAFF SAY
The staff reviews uncovered by Best-rehabs.com to date were mixed: on Glassdoor, the center had two three-star ratings and a four-star rating.[4] Two of the reviewers praised the staff but indicated that they were unable to provide the best possible care because of poor management. “Please stop pushing clinical staff to see so many people. This only leads to burnout,” one anonymous former employee wrote by way of illustration.
CONCLUSION
According to COMTREA’s website, Medicaid, Medicare, and most private insurance plans are accepted, and state and county funding are available for qualifying uninsured clients. COMTREA also offers a work service program, under which clients can work in exchange for a reduction or elimination of their fees.
In March 2016, a local Fox affiliate reported that a therapist at COMTREA faced charges of having a sexual relationship with a teenager she had been assigned to counsel; in July 2016, it was reported that she had been sentenced to 120 days in jail. The latter article reported that the client alleged Comtrea was negligent and allowed him to be sexually abused. In the only comment from COMTREA Best-rehabs.com was able to uncover at the time of this writing, the center’s lawyer said: “We’re aware of the situation, and we’re conducting our own investigation… When it (the case) came to light, it was reported as required to the state investigating agency, and they have conducted their own investigation.”
Updated April 2017