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Find a LocationMaking informed decisions for your teen’s treatment starts here. Find answers to frequently asked questions about Muir Wood’s adolescent treatment programs.
About Our Program
1. Where is Muir Wood located?
Muir Wood operates 16 residential campuses across California, with locations in Sonoma County (30 miles north of San Francisco), Clovis (Central Valley near Fresno), and Riverside (Southern California). We also offer Intensive Outpatient Treatment in Petaluma, and soon, in Clovis. Learn more about Muir Wood’s treatment campus locations.
2. How many teens are in Muir Wood at any one time?
We maintain small, specialized programs with just 6 teens per residence, treating fewer than 100 teens at any one time across all locations state-wide. This small population allows us to provide intensive, personalized care in a home-like setting.
3. What are the living arrangements like at Muir Wood?
We are committed to maintaining a safe and comfortable environment. Each campus is gender-specific and two teens share a spacious, well-appointed room featuring high-quality bedding and linens, as well as ample closet and storage space. Our goal is to be a home away from home for the teens in our care.
4. What is the average length of stay at Muir Wood?
The average stay is 45 days, though it may be shorter or longer depending on clinical recommendations, individual progress in treatment, and insurance authorization. Our team provides weekly progress updates and works collaboratively with families, professional referents, and home therapists to support successful outcomes.
5. How does Muir Wood’s approach differ from other programs?
Muir Wood’s adolescent-specific program emphasizes holistic healing, focusing on developing essential life skills, emotional resilience and self-regulation, and healthy coping strategies. We consider each teen’s specific developmental and psychosocial dimensions and build treatment plans around individual needs rather than purely prescriptive methods. We aim to empower every young individual to create a healthier, more fulfilling future. Finally, Muir Wood places considerable emphasis on including the client’s family in treatment. We understand that the chances of long-term recovery increase when the family is intimately involved with the child’s treatment.
Treatment & Care
6. Who provides treatment at Muir Wood?
Our team is led by Dr. Ian Wolds who serves as Chief Clinical Officer. He oversees our multi-disciplinary staff of board-certified psychiatrists, licensed therapists, chemical dependency counselors, registered nurses, and clinical support staff. Learn more about Muir Wood’s clinical leadership and staff.
7. What conditions does Muir Wood treat?
Muir Wood specializes in treating teens struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and other mental health challenges. Our comprehensive programs address both mental health and substance use disorders, with support through integrated treatment for co-occurring conditions. We carefully assess each teen to confirm whether our program matches their needs. Learn more about the conditions we treat.
8. What does a typical day look like at Muir Wood?
Our structured daily schedule includes individual and group therapy, academic studies, life skills development, and therapeutic recreation. Teens participate in therapy sessions, attend academic support sessions, and enjoy experiential activities that bolster health and wellness in support of long-term recovery.
9. How often will my teen receive therapy?
Our small program size allows multiple weekly therapy sessions, including individual, group, and family therapy. This allows teens to address sensitive underlying issues with their primary therapist.
10. What is the difference between residential and inpatient treatment?
These terms are often used interchangeably but have important distinctions. While inpatient treatment usually describes short-term, hospital-based care, residential treatment refers to care provided in a home-like setting where individuals live on-site during a treatment stay of 30 to 90 days. Residential treatment’s focus is on longer-term healing and personal growth. Learn more about residential vs. inpatient treatment.
11. How does adolescent treatment differ from adult treatment?
Adolescent treatment requires a very different approach that focuses on “habilitation”, or teaching psychosocial skills, rather than rehabilitation. Teens need specialized support in developing healthy coping mechanisms, while adults often build on pre-existing recovery skills. Teen treatment also considers developmental differences and the high correlation between substance use and co-occurring mental health issues in adolescents. Treating teens requires a team of specialists trained in treating the unique mental health and substance use conditions that affect teens.
12. Will my teen’s treatment remain confidential?
Absolutely. Every teen’s treatment at Muir Wood is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which ensures privacy. Just as medical records are protected with their physician at home, they are also protected at Muir Wood. Additionally, all Muir Wood residents, parents, and visitors sign a confidentiality agreement upon admission or arrival. Our privacy policy is available here.
13. Do you provide gender-separate treatment?
Yes, we provide gender-separate treatment to support a more focused healing environment. This allows adolescents to be more open about personal challenges, build strong peer connections, and work through sensitive issues without the pressures, drama, or distraction inherent in co-ed treatment settings.
14. Do clients at Muir Wood’s teen rehab attend 12-Step meetings?
Yes, residents of Muir Wood’s residential dual-diagnosis programs attend youth-oriented 12-Step meetings in the community each week. These meetings introduce teens to positive peer groups and recognize that recovery can be both meaningful and enjoyable. Meeting other young people committed to sober living helps teens build support networks that last beyond treatment. Learn more about introduction to the 12-Step program.
Education & Family Involvement
15. What is the academic program like at Muir Wood?
The Muir Wood Learning Center, recognized as a supplemental learning program by the California Department of Education and WASC (the Western Association of Schools and Colleges), facilitates at least three hours of daily instruction Monday through Friday. Our teachers coordinate with the teen’s home school to maintain academic continuity, with parents acting as liaisons with schoolwork. Our goal is to support a frictionless transition back to school following treatment.
16. What role do families play in the treatment process?
We view substance use and mental health challenges as circumstances that require whole-family healing. Family involvement is central to treatment and recovery at Muir Wood. Parents engage in weekly family therapy sessions, educational classes, and support groups, and receive regular updates on their teen’s progress. This provides support for both the individual teen and the family “system.” Learn about our Family Program here.
17. What Aftercare Program support is available?
We offer comprehensive aftercare planning for teens and their families, including therapy referrals, support group connections, and connections with our alumni programs. In fact, Aftercare planning begins upon admission at Muir Wood. Our team helps monitor progress and checks in to address challenges that arise during the transition home. As an alumni family, both parents and teens (separately) are invited to weekly online groups where support is provided by a therapist and stories and challenges are exchanged and discussed. Read more about Aftercare here.
Admissions & Starting Treatment
18. What is Muir Wood’s current bed availability?
Muir Wood’s admissions team maintains real-time information about bed availability across all campuses. Please contact our admissions team directly at 866-705-0828 for current availability. We prioritize prompt responses to help families with urgent placement needs.
19. Is psychological testing and assessment offered?
All Muir Wood residents undergo multiple assessments by a psychiatrist, registered nurse, clinical director, and primary therapist upon admission and throughout treatment. When clinically indicated, we provide specialized psychological testing and assessments on-site. Muir Wood’s clinical director and psychiatrists to determine whether testing is appropriate on an individual basis.
20. What should my child bring to Muir Wood?
Teens need ten days of comfortable clothes, outdoor shoes, and non-alcohol-based toiletries. While Muir Wood provides basic toiletries and linens, many teens like to bring their preferred personal care items and a few photos to display in their room. Please bring a CLEAR book/binder-sized TOTE bag (not a backpack) for their belongings. Electronic devices and valuables are not permitted in order to keep focus on treatment. For a complete list of dos and don’ts, please contact our admissions team.
21. Does Muir Wood accept insurance?
Yes. Muir Wood is in-network with most major providers, including Anthem BC/BS, Aetna, Blue Cross of CA, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, Magellan, MHN, TRICARE, Optum, and others. Our team will verify your benefits and secure pre-authorization for treatment. We also work with out-of-network providers through single-case agreements and provide comprehensive billing documentation to support insurance claims. Verify your insurance coverage to understand your benefits.
Take the Next Step with Muir Wood
Have additional questions? We’re here to help. Our admissions team is available to answer your questions and discuss your teen’s needs. Call 866-705-0828 or complete our confidential assessment form to determine if Muir Wood is the right fit for your family.