ABOUT THE RINGER CENTER IN GREENSBORO, NC
The Ringer Center, located in Greensboro, N.C., offers outpatient and detoxification treatment to individuals struggling with substance abuse and mental health. The facility is licensed by the state of N.C. to provide Driving With Influence (DWI) assessments as well as Department of Transportation assessments for those with violations due to a positive alcohol or drug test.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
The facility’s treatment program is based around the 12-steps. To be admitted, potential clients may call The Ringer Center’s 24-hour hotline to schedule an initial assessment. During the assessment, The Ringer Center staff determine the appropriate treatment plan for each individual. The facility’s primary services are for adults, but they are also able to treat adolescents and some children over the age of five. Most clients in the Intensive Outpatient Program remain in treatment between three and six months, and the average length of treatment in the Detoxification Program is between five and ten days.
Throughout treatment, clients receive primarily Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The program also uses Motivational Enhancement as well as Reality Therapy and Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). Participants in the detoxification program receive medication including Suboxone (for those suffering from opiate addiction), and Librium (for those suffering from alcohol addiction). The Ringer Center also offers two licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The treatment team at The Ringer Center includes seven clinicians, three of whom are licensed substance abuse counselors, a psychiatrist, and two psychiatric nurse practitioners. Several staff members have gone through recovery themselves.
REVIEWS
At the time of this writing there has been one alum polled by Best-rehabs.com. The reviewer gave the facility good ratings overall, but said she was not sure she would recommend The Ringer Center to others. The anonymous client gave the facility four out of five stars for treatment effectiveness, three stars for accommodations and amenities, and four stars for cleanliness. She disagreed that there are many counseling options to choose from, strongly agreed that the facility is adequately equipped and staffed to treat co-occurring mental health problems, and strongly agreed that facility staff are experienced and well-trained. She felt the staff was a strength of the facility, but said the facility could improve upon its director. She also added additional commentary saying, “Was a great facility in 2010. A lot of staff turnover now and people say quality is really bad.”
On the facility’s Google page, there is an overall rating of 3.7 out of five stars based on 18 total reviews. Several reviewers rated the facility highly and said it helped them, and several others wrote complaints about faculty staff. Alum M.J., gave 5 stars and expressed that his interactions with employees had been positive. He wrote, “I have been treated at the ringer center for many years now. The staff is competent and caring and have done everything they can to help me. The owner Stephen Ringer is a very understanding individual and the doctors and therapists that work there are all top-notch.” I.M., an alum, took issue with the leadership. She gave three stars and wrote, “My experience was OK. I think Stephen is burnt out. He can be very condescending. I’m all for tough love in a situation like this but sometimes, he was just plain hurtful.”
FINANCING
There is currently no information provided by the facility regarding the cost of its Intensive Outpatient Program or its Detoxification services. However, The Ringer Center’s website states that most of these services are covered by insurance. Payment plans are available for those who need them. DWI assessments are available for a flat fee of $100. Initial Department of Transportation assessments are $175, and follow-up assessments are $100. Clients are encouraged to contact the facility directly for additional information regarding the cost of treatment.