Location: Montana - near Bozeman
Type: Outdoor Behavioral Health Care for Adolescents. Six to nine week stay includes a short Base Camp Assessment.
Student Profile: Teens experiencing difficulties at home, at school, and/or in the community; specific services available for teens who have learning differences and/or school failure
Ages: 13-18 years old
Gender: Boys and girls in individual or mixed groups
Staff ratio: Minimum of 1 staff to 3 students
Operation: Year round.


Treatment at Three Rivers focuses on the whole child - emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual. Parent involvement is an essential part of treatment. Treatment philosophy is based on the principles of the individual's ability to make right or wrong choices, the importance of internal change, respect, honesty, and harmonious relationships. The therapist and field staff use an individualized, positive and supportive approach. Field staff are always available to teach and invite good decisions. The teens are invited to discover a profound internal change.  Lasting positive changes in behavior follow the change within.

The wilderness gives adolescents an opportunity to be in an environment free from distraction to ponder their lives, take responsibility for past choices and prepare to move on in life. They learn the skills needed to make their wilderness experience safe and enjoyable. Nature cannot be manipulated but instead demands good choices. Nature doesn't allow a student to blame or challenge others. Teens learn to trust, to grow, and to challenge their own thoughts and behaviors in a supportive, safe, challenging, and demanding environment - nature.

Three Rivers Features

• Minimum of 1 staff to every 3 students at all times
• Therapist, medical staff and team leaders  meet with students weekly
• Students earn high school credits while at Three Rivers

Base Camp - Assessment/Preparation

• Where treatment begins… located on a beautiful site in the mountains near Bozeman, Montana.
• Arrangements may be made for adolescents to arrive at the base camp on most days.
• Medical and behavioral assessments ensure each student's readiness for a safe wilderness experience
• Individualized treatment plan developed while student is at the base camp
• Students will participate in curriculum and activities designed to prepare them for their wilderness experience

Wilderness Experience

Wilderness - a time to come to an internal change
The wilderness experience begins when the student joins the group and continues until the student is ready to return to the base camp where he/she will be reunited with his/her family. All students have the opportunity to actively participate in the following:

• Wilderness skills - Learning and practicing wilderness skills, including wilderness health and safety procedures, low-impact camping techniques, and creative backcountry skills (cooking, working with leather and natural materials).
• Treatment - The therapist is in the backcountry two days and one night per week, meeting with students individually and conducting group therapy sessions.  The therapist works closely with field staff to ensure treatment goals and therapeutic assignments are a focus at all times.
• Community - Living in his/her group and developing skills such as effective communication, making group decisions, conflict resolution and building trusting relationships.
• Service - Most students have the opportunity to complete a work project which will benefit someone other than themselves. Examples include group work projects such as fence building and trail maintenance to enhance the National Forest or other public land the group is using. The service project will involve teamwork, environmental education, accomplishment, planning, and exposure to role models such as forest or park personnel.
• Leadership - Students will be encouraged to exhibit positive leadership through planning and implementing decisions as a group member, organizing and leading group activities, and role modeling appropriate leadership skills.
• Adventure - Adolescents need to find they can have excitement and fun safely without defying rules or using drugs and alcohol. Adventures are safe, challenging, and an integral part of the program.

Family Days/Graduation

• Parents and child reunite at the base camp
• The child demonstrates his/her new skills and the changes he/she has made by taking good care of his/her parents
• The therapist and staff help the parents and child as they become reacquainted and prepare for the child's transition home or to the next placement
• To learn more about family involvement click here

Typical Day in the Field
A typical hiking day would start with the teens awakening, rising to prepare a nutritious breakfast, and preparing their backpacks for the hike. The group will stay together during the hike until they reach their destination. Along the way, they may stop to study an interesting geological formation or plant life. If the hike is long, they'll stop for lunch. When they reach their destination, they'll set up camp, work on their curriculum, perhaps learn a new wilderness skill, or write a letter home. At least one of the teens will build a fire for the group, using his/her bow drill fire kit. After dinner, they will ready the camp for the night. Students and staff will then gather around the fire for a group counseling session, discussing issues that have arisen during the day or perhaps feelings they've discovered within themselves. The students sleep under the stars in good weather. Caring and experienced staff keep them safe day and night. When weather demands, students sleep in heated shelters.

Communication
Communication between the family, child, and program staff is vital to success. The therapist will meet with the student and will talk with the family, educational consultant, and therapist weekly. Letters between the parent and child are an extremely important part of the treatment.  The therapist serves as the guide and liaison between the parents and teen.

Transitional Services
Click here to learn about the very important aftercare options.

Academics
Click here to learn how teens earn high school credits while at Three Rivers.