ABOUT SUNDOWN RANCH, INC.
Set on 450 acres of land in Canton, Texas, Sundown Ranch provides residential treatment for young adults, aged 12 to 24, struggling with substance abuse. Psychiatric care for co-occurring mental health disorders is also available. The working ranch setting provides a environment that supports rehabilitation through physical activity along with traditional therapy. Sundown began operation in 1987.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Each individually tailored treatment plan begins with a physical exam, and the facility’s website emphasizes the fact that all programs are medically supervised.
Sundown Ranch’s programming combines 12-step principles with cognitive behavioral therapy and experiential therapies including a ropes course. The ranch also provides opportunities for on-site equine-assisted therapy. Residents participate in group and individual counseling sessions and family members are encouraged to participate in their loved one’s recovery through education, family systems model counseling, and weekend family programs.
Spirituality groups, trauma therapy, and vocational counseling are also provided. Adolescent clients who are still enrolled in school continue their education while in treatment through a fully accredited program on-site.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
According to the facility’s website, treatment team members are trained to be sensitive to specific challenges and emotions of young people. The center employs qualified professionals from the fields of psychiatry, addiction medicine, nursing, social work, and counseling.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The campus is surrounded by trees and has walking trails and several outdoor seating areas. Residents can play basketball and volleyball, fish in an on-site pond, and participate in arts and crafts activities.
A staff dietician helps to accommodate special dietary needs.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Of four alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com, two provided highly positive feedback, one generally positive, and the fourth generally negative. Fifteen alumni reviews on Google were split with the opposite ratio; six were positive and nine highly critical.
Two Best-rehabs.com survey respondents rated each metric measured four or five out of five stars, including the effectiveness of treatment, availability of counseling options to fit individual preferences, and all aspects of accommodations, from meals to the facility’s cleanliness and opportunities for exercise and leisure activity.
A third alum also rated each of these areas highly, while offering less favorable perspectives on the use of 12-step practices and access to holistic therapies. The remaining former client was critical or just satisfied with all aspects of the facility except for meals, cleanliness, and staff qualifications.
One alum, reporting more than nine years of sobriety at the time of their review, wrote that he felt “safe and welcome” by caring and knowledgeable staff, many of whom were in recovery. Two specifically noted the value of being separated from their regular environment and lives during treatment.
While several critical and positive reviewers agreed on Google that the food was good, they offered conflicting views of the staff and overall experience at Sundown Ranch. One complained of an overemphasis on Christian practices, an issue also noted in a Best-rehabs.com review.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
When asked how likely they were to recommend the facility to others, all four loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com selected four out of five stars. This high level of satisfaction was reflected in several aspects evaluated by five loved ones, including opportunities for family participation and the effectiveness of treatment.
One parent described Sundown Ranch favorably as “Lots of rules, great food, no frills, very caring staff.” However, respondents were less impressed with the center’s holistic offerings, providing an average rating of just 2.3 stars.
In keeping with alumni ratings on Google, family members reviewing the rehab center on Google and HealthGrove tended to be extremely positive or emphatically negative. Five of eight HealthGrove reviews presented five-star ratings and three gave just one star. One repeated concern was the success in treating addiction while not adequately addressing other mental health needs.
FINANCING
There is currently no information provided on the facility’s website regarding its costs. Data from three of four alumni and all five parents polled indicated that treatment was affordable. However, three Google reviews mentioned problems with the program’s approach to finances.
Updated April 2017