ABOUT AVERA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH – SIOUX FALLS
Part of Avera Health, a regional healthcare provider of the upper Midwest, Avera Behavioral Health Center of Sioux Falls, S.D., provides a comprehensive range of treatment programs for adults, seniors, and youth struggling with chemical dependency, a primary psychiatric disorder, or co-occurring disorders.
The 110-bed hospital offers short-term inpatient, a partial hospitalization programs (PHP), and highly-specialized, intensive outpatient programs (IOP). If necessary, the facility also provides medical detoxification services.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
To help clinicians determine an appropriate level of care, patients first undergo an initial behavioral health evaluation. Patients who require detoxification or psychiatric stabilization may be referred to the hospital’s inpatient program. Inpatient care typically lasts between three to seven days, with the goal of rapidly stabilizing the patient and referring them to a less-intensive level of care. The facility is
During inpatient care, individuals struggling with chemical dependency participate in a structured schedule of individual and group counseling sessions, as well as educational classes on addiction and recovery. The facility also introduces patients to the principles and practices of the 12-step model of recovery.
Once the patient successfully detoxifies and is stable, the individual may transition into the facility’s eight-week intensive outpatient program. Avera Behavioral Health of Sioux Falls offers a range of specialized intensive outpatient programs, including a program for licensed professionals, individuals recovering from medication addiction, and a relapse prevention program.
IOP consists of individual, group, and family therapy, as well as educational classes. Sessions are held in the morning and evening to accommodate patient schedules, and patients attend three sessions per week.
Inpatient treatment for patients struggling with a primary psychiatric disorder or a dual diagnosis combines pharmacological intervention with evidence-based treatment methods. Avera Behavioral Health may utilize electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to treat severe depression or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to treat issues of trauma. Along with individual and group counseling sessions, patients also participate in expressive, art, music, and recreational therapies through the facility’s Arts in Healing program.
Once the patient is stable, the individual may be referred to the facility’s partial hospitalization program or intensive outpatient program to continue treatment. PHP typically involves five days of weekly programming, which reduces to three (then two days) of weekly programming as the patient progresses. To provide individuals with ongoing support after program completion, aftercare is available through follow-up appointments.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Avera Behavioral Health’s treatment staff is comprised of psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychologists, licensed professional counselors, psychiatric nurses, recreational therapists, social workers, and behavioral health technicians.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The 110-bed psychiatric hospital offers designated units to accommodate and treat adults, adolescents, children, and seniors separately. To provide a therapeutic atmosphere, the hospital features an original art collection, indoor waterfall, and an on-site chapel. Most patient rooms are private, and the facility boasts a fitness center, outdoor courtyards, a meditation room, an outdoor playground for children, and an on-site gymnasium.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The two former patients polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing both considered the facility overall effective, yet felt the facility lacked treatment variety. Out of five stars, the survey respondents offered ratings of four stars and five stars for the treatment staff’s level of experience and training.
“Good environment, understanding and available staff, safe environment,” one anonymous alum wrote. However, the alum gave a one-star rating for the facility’s counseling options. “It would have been nice to have a bigger variety of activities and types of counseling,” the alum added.
Supporting this opinion, the other former patient gave perfect five-star ratings for the level of family participation and the facility’s discharge planning. However, they offered a moderate three-star rating for the facility’s counseling options. “I had a very positive experience,” the alum wrote, but added: “Not enough programs.”
Secondary sources revealed more mixed opinions of the facility. On Google reviews, 33 individuals gave the facility an average rating of 2.3 out of five stars.[1] While many reviewers praised the facility’s staff, others felt the facility’s treatment was overall ineffective. “Excellent, attentive staff in a pleasant, open environment,” Robert, a representative reviewer, wrote. However, others felt the staff was inattentive and some noted the hospital’s expense.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The sole loved one surveyed by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing agreed with the two former patients polled by Best-rehabs.com, citing the staff as a facility strength. Yet they felt that the accommodations could improve and were also moderately critical of the counseling options, giving this aspect of the facility a three-star rating. The loved one also gave a three-star rating for the level of family participation and a two-star rating for the facility’s inclusion of holistic treatment methods.
WHAT STAFF SAY
Secondary sources revealed a majority of employees approved of the facility, citing dedicated co-workers and employee training as facility strengths. On Indeed, nine reviewers gave the facility an average rating of 3.8 out of five stars. [2] “An amazing place to work. Great teamwork and management,” one representative reviewer wrote.
FINANCING
Avera Behavioral Health accepts a range of private insurance plans, Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE. Financial assistance, such as interest-free payment plans and treatment discounts, may also be available through the facility’s Charity Care and Patient Assistance Programs to eligible patients.
[1] GoogleReviews
[2] https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Avera/reviews