The Patient is the Reason We Are Here.
Admissions
Reservations for admittance may be arranged through your local community drug and alcohol center, a chemical dependency professional, employment assistance program staff, or direct contact with Sundown M Ranch by phone, mail, or e-mail.
Cost of treatment at the Adult Treatment Center is $250 per day, $5,250 for 21 days. Length of stay is determined by individual initial and on-going evaluation. Cost of treatment includes room and board and family counseling.
Youth Treatment is $275 per day. The minimum 28-day treatment cost is $7,700. Additional days, therapeutic extensions, or Recovery House will be billed at $275 per day. This price includes room and board, family room and board during the two-day assessment, and the three days of family counseling.
Sundown M Ranch is recognized by most insurance payment plans. Insurance coverage must be verified by our office for eligibility and percentage of financial coverage prior to admission. The portion not covered by insurance is payable on admission.
The Medical Director is at the Ranch one day per week. Dispensing of prescribed medications is under the direction of the Medical Director. Payment for any medical, dental, or prescription expenses incurred with outside health services during treatment is the responsibility of the patient.
Family counseling is a vital component of treatment. We ask your cooperation in contacting persons who may be helpful to your recovery.
Transportation to and from the Yakima bus station and airline terminal to Sundown M Ranch is provided on request. Parking areas are provided if you bring your own car.
Patients in residence are to remain on the premises during the entire treatment program. Walks within the 30-acre grounds of the Ranch boundaries are encouraged.
Personal articles may be purchased in the Sundown bookstore. Casual wash-and-wear clothing is appropriate for your stay at the Ranch. Laundry services are provided as part of the cost of treatment.
Visitations are limited to Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Visitors are expected to sign in at the main office and to attend lectures and other activities that are scheduled for their benefit. Youth treatment visitation will be coordinated with the patient’s counselor, case manager, or Treatment Director.
Additional information regarding the program and facilities will be provided upon request.
Elder Groups
In March 1996, Sundown M Ranch initiated two new therapy groups to meet the specific needs of men and women 50+ years of age. The two elders’ groups, affectionately nicknamed the ”Silverbacks” and the ”Golden Girls” by the patients, are gender specific and are primarily disease oriented, but provide a setting to deal with some of the issues unique to seniors, such as:
Value Systems: Persons raised in the 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s generally hold themselves to a strict standard of behavior. Their levels of self-blame and shame over their chemically affected behavior are high, and they find it difficult to share these behaviors in groups, especially with younger, more ”liberal” patients who may not understand the intensify of their pain. Empathy and trust are more quickly realized when older patients are in groups with their peers.
Grief: Persons who have lived longer have usually experienced more deaths and other traumatic events in the family. They may suffer from the loss of a lifetime vocation through retirement with a resultant sense of isolation and unimportance. Many older patients have grief over their loss of independence and mobility. If left unresolved, grief can be a block to recovery or a future set-up for relapse.
Independence/Willpower: Seniors are seen as authority figures in families. Because of this, their attitudes and perspectives are more ingrained and seldom challenged. This is apparent in the older patient’s denial system, which is based on a perception that sees the disease of alcoholism as a moral issue or lack of willpower. They are ”bad” and ”weak” rather than sick, and they are ashamed to admit what has happened because of their chemical use. Education about the no-fault nature of the disease is critical to help them talk about their experiences and to help relieve them of shame and self-blame.
Prescription Drug Use: More than one-half the patients in the elder’s groups enter treatment taking prescription drugs. Of these prescriptions over one-half are sedatives and are addictive. It is difficult, initially, for the patient to understand that a drug prescribed by his/her doctor may cause problems for his/her recovery. Education about the physiology of alcoholism helps the patient understand that, for alcoholics, all mood-altering chemicals are potentially dangerous and that the prescription use of tranquilizers and sleeping pills can be part of the relapse process.
Voluntary Nicotine Cessation Program
The voluntary nicotine cessation program is designed to help people stop nicotine use. This opportunity is available to patients in the Adult and Youth Facilities. The eleven-day program was started in response to patient requests and current growing evidence that shows nicotine use to be the number one killer of recovering people. It is available only to patients who are admitted to inpatient primary treatment at Sundown for chemical dependency, and there is no additional fee.
The program includes daily groups to support patients when the discomforts of withdrawal and cravings are experienced. Nicotine patches or nicotine gum are available to those patients who are having exceptional difficulties with withdrawal. The program helps people quit nicotine in stages. These stages are Pre-contemplation, Contemplation Planning, Action and Maintenance. Quitting nicotine without a structured program is usually unsuccessful. Passing through the five stages of quitting allows a person to accomplish the task in small steps, each one producing feelings of self worth. Each group session also includes education on the aspects of nicotine addiction and the stages of quitting. In addition, an open Nicotine Anonymous meeting is held every Wednesday for both patients and staff. Graduates of the program receive a certificate of completion.
Relapse Group
Relapse, like alcoholism, other drug dependencies, or recovery itself, is a process. Relapse occurs as a result of what we do not know and are unable to see. It is not caused by a lack of motivation or desire for recovery.
Approximately 1/3 of all individuals nationally who enter alcoholism or other drug dependency treatment will experience severe, repetitive problems with relapse, regardless of how diligently they work at maintaining abstinence. Quite frequently, they go far beyond what is usually necessary for recovery, yet they relapse.
The Sundown M Ranch Relapse Prevention Program is designed to offer alcoholic and other drug dependent persons the specific tools they need to develop, for themselves, their personal relapse prevention.
Relapse prevention treatment combines guides for self-evaluation, personal empowerment, and networking for aiding relapse-prone persons to recover. This is accomplished by providing the patient with skills to identify and manage his/her personal relapse warning signs. Through powerful educational presentations and intensive group work, patients will grasp the elements of the relapse process. Healing and recovery begins in a supportive environment guided by nationally trained, certified specialists. Because the alcoholic or other drug dependent person is not the only one who suffers, education and counseling for the entire family is an important adjunct to the treatment program.
There is state and nationwide linkage to relapse prevention specialists for outpatient continuing care programs for those persons who desire or need additional continuing treatment.
Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Sundown M Ranch staff know that the problems facing chemically dependent pregnant and post partum women require specialized counseling, treatment planning, and education. We have designated a primary women’s group to meet these needs. The group is facilitated by a female counselor who has taken and continues to take classes and training to enhance her skills in providing education, support, therapy, and in making proper referrals for these patients.
- Women who in the reservation process, intake process, initial assessment phase of treatment, or any other phase of treatment, are determined to be pregnant or post partum will be assigned to the Pregnant/Post partum Group.
- These patients are referred to the First Step Plus Program.
- Each pregnant/post partum patient is involved in four extra groups per week: two parenting classes, which are facilitated by a registered nurse and two pregnancy support groups.
- Each week the registered nurse conducts an on-site visit with each pregnant/post partum patient.
- Additional educational opportunities are provided depending on individual needs.
AAP presents the 4th Annual Providers Conference "Celebrating Recovery"
April 15-17, 2010 | Lynnwood Convention Center
3711 196th Street Southwest, Lynnwood, Washington
This is the Fourth Annual Addiction Providers Conference in Washington State sponsored by Treatment-for Treatment!
Attendee Profile
The focus is:
- To provide training to those who work in the addiction profession;
- To celebrate the recovery process;
- To recognize the clean and sober people in our state.
This statewide conference demonstrates not only the rich diversity of the field, but also the unity that must exist to reach our goals. It offers a much needed opportunity to do cross training as well as to introduce non-members to the benefits of joining an association. This conference will display many of the reasons Washington remains one of the few states with a discrete system and a rich history of addressing addiction distinctly and effectively.
Educational Objectives
Following this conference, participants will be able to:
- Understand the importance of the focus in Washington to treat alcohol and other drug addiction as a separate and distinct disease.
- Identify the wealth of human and institutional resources that infuse treatment in Washington with passion and skill.
- Acknowledge both the diversity of treatment programs and the commonality of treatment philosophy that guides those programs.
Accreditation
9 CEU's will be awarded for this conference.
For more information, please contact Rylie Koenig at (452) 823-3116 or koenigr@lakesidemilam.com
Conference Location
This seminar will be held at the Lynnwood Convention Center, north of Seattle and conveniently accessible from I-5, I-405, and Highway 99. Directions to the center will be furnished upon registration.
Hotel Accommodations
Please note that you are responsible for making your own hotel reservations. A list of recommended hotels is available below.
Download the Registration Form here.
Download the Preliminary Agenda here.
Download the Hotel Guide here.
2010 NAATP Annual Conference
May 22-25, 2010
San Antonio, Texas
LaCantera Resort
Plan now to attend the YEAR 2010 Annual Conference of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers.
Reserve these dates May 22-25, 2010
For additional information on NAATP, its services and its Annual Conference, visit their website at www.naatp.org, or call (717) 392-8480.
National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers
313 West Liberty Street, Suite 129
Lancaster, PA 17603-2748
Phone: (717) 392-8480
Fax: (717) 392-8481
Web: www.naatp.org
25th Annual Merrill Scott Symposium on Alcoholism and Other Chemical Addictions
August 25-27, 2010 | Yakima, Washington
The symposium is dedicated to providing a high quality and meaningful educational experience.
Sponsored by: Sundown M Foundation in Cooperation with The Central Washington Chemical Dependency Treatment Providers Alliance.
There are a limited number of partial scholarships available for persons who would derive benefit from the Symposium but who are financially unable to pay the full registration fee.
Download the scholarship application here.
Download the registration form here.
FAQ's:
Q: Do I need to pre-register to attend the Symposium?
A: Pre-registration is encouraged, since space is limited.
Q: What is included in my registration fee?
A: The $275 registration fee includes all symposium functions, two lunches, and the banquet.
Q: Can I register for one day only?
A: Yes, one-day registration is available at a cost of $150 per day.
Q: When sending in my registration, whom do I make the check out to and where do I send it to?
A: Please make your check payable to Merrill Scott Symposium, and mail to PO Box 244, Selah, WA, 98942. If you prefer to pay by credit card, complete that section of the registration form (make sure to sign it!) and mail that to the address previously listed or email to cheryldale@sundown.org ••Note: we are not able to accept credit card information via the Internet.
Q: What accommodations are available?
A: Rooms are reserved at Yakima’s newest hotel directly across from the Convention Center - Holiday Inn ($89), 802 E. Yakima Ave, 509-494-7000; Fairfield Inn and Suites ($85), 137 N Fair Avenue, 509-452-3100; Howard Johnson ($85), 9 N 9th Street, 509-452-6511; and Red Lion Yakima Center ($88), 607 E. Yakima Ave. Please mention the Merrill Scott Symposium when making reservations. Contact Cheryl Dale at (800) 326-7444 or (509) 457-0990 (ext 423) for more information.
Q: How many continuing education hours are available?
A: Up to 17.75 hours of continuing education are available.
Q: Can I purchase extra banquet tickets?
A: Yes. Extra banquet tickets are available for $40 per ticket.
Q: Are there scholarships available?
A: There are a limited number of partial scholarships available for persons who would derive benefit from the Symposium but who are financially unable to pay the full registration fee. Click here to find out more
Q: Whom do I contact if I have more questions or need additional information?
A: Please call Sundown M Ranch at 800-326-7444 or 509-457-0990 and ask for Cheryl Dale.
Sundown M Ranch Chemical Dependency Professional and Intern Openings
Sundown M Ranch, a premier residential chemical dependency treatment facility is seeking certified chemical dependency professionals and interns to be part of our treatment team, providing individual and group counseling, education and case management services to chemically dependent patients.
Sundown M Ranch offers successful applicants:
Competitive Salary
- Liberal benefit package including: Health, Vision, Dental, Retirement
- Continuing Education, quality on-site training, tuition assistance
- Unsurpassed facilities and stable work environment.
- Celebrating 40 years of continuous service
Applicants for salaried internship should have a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in a social science or related field, or an AA and have completed a recognized chemical class sequence.
Applicants for professional positions should posses a Master’s or Bachelor’s Degree in a social science or related field or equivalent counseling experience and experience working with youth or adult chemically dependent populations. Requires Washington State Certification as a Chemical Dependency Professional (WAC 246-811).
Send Resume to:
H. Charles Buttrey, Clinical Director
Sundown M Ranch
PO Box 217
Selah, WA 98942
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.
As part of our program, we maintain personal information about you and your health. State and federal law protects such information by limiting its uses and disclosures. “Protected health information” (“PHI”) is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you or be used to identify you, and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition, the provision of health care services, or the past, present or future payment for the provision of health care. The confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records is also specifically subject to additional restrictions under other state and federal law. We are required to comply with these additional restrictions. - Right of Access to Inspect and Copy. You have the right, which may be restricted only in certain limited circumstances, to inspect and copy your PHI that We maintain. We may charge a reasonable, cost-base fee for copies.
- Right to Amend. If you feel that PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information although we are not required to agree to the amendment.
- Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request a copy of the required accounting of disclosures that we make of your PHI.
- Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the use or disclosures your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to your request.
- Right to Request Confidential Communication. You have the right to request that we communicate with you in a certain way or at a certain location. We will accommodate reasonable requests and will not ask why you are making the request.
- Right to a Copy of this Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this notice.
- Right of Complaint. You have the right to file a complaint in writing with us or with the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe We have violated your privacy rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Treatment. We may use your PHI for the purpose of providing you with health care treatment. To coordinate and manage your care, we may disclose your PHI to others of your current providers, and to the extent you have not raised an objection in writing, to your prior providers. We may also disclose your PHI to other health care providers who become involved in your care.
Payment. We may use your PHI in connection with billing statements we send you and our system for tracking charges and credits to your account. In addition, but with your authorization, we may disclose your PHI to third party payers to obtain information concerning benefit eligibility, coverage, and remaining availability, as well as to submit claims for payment and for medical necessity and utilization reviews.
Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose your PHI for the health care operations of our program in support of the functions of treatment and payment. Such disclosures would be to a Qualified Organization only or to a Business Associate/QSO to provide services to the program and its patients for data processing, bill collecting, dosage preparation, laboratory analysis, or legal, medical, accounting, or other professional services, or services to prevent or treat child abuse or neglect, including training on nutrition and child care and individual and group therapy.
Required by Law. We may use or disclose your PHI to the extent that the use or disclosure is required by law, made in compliance with the law, and limited to the relevant requirements of the law. You will be notified, as required by law, of any such uses or disclosures. For example, we must make disclosures to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose of investigating or determining our compliance with the requirements of the Privacy Rule.
Audit and Evaluation. We may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections. Oversight agencies seeking this information include government agencies, and organizations that provide financial assistance to the program (such as third-party payers) and peer review organizations performing utilization and quality control. If we disclose PHI to a health oversight agency, we will have an agreement in place that requires the agency to safeguard the privacy of your PHI.
Medical Emergencies. We may use or disclose your PHI in a medical emergency situation to medical personnel only.
Child Abuse or Neglect. We may disclose your PHI to a state or local agency that is authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.
Research. We may disclose your PHI for use a research project that an institutional review board has determined to be of sufficient importance to outweigh the privacy intrusion, to be impracticable without PHI, to have specified safeguards against further disclosure in reports or otherwise, and, among, other provisions, to require destruction or de-identification of your PHI.
Criminal Activity on Program Premises/ Against Program Personnel. We may disclose your PHI to law enforcement officials if you have committed a crime on program premises or against program personnel or you have made a threat to commit such crimes. Such disclosure is limited to circumstances of the incident, including name, address, status as a patient, and last known whereabouts.
Qualified Service Organization. We may disclose your PHI to a Qualified Service Organization to provide certain services to the program and its patients, such as data processing, bill collecting, dosage preparation, laboratory analyses, or legal, medical, accounting or other professional services, or services to prevent or treat child abuse or neglect, including training on nutrition and child care and individual and group therapy. If a QSO has more than incidental access to PHI, and/or the functions or services relate to payment, then a Business Associate Agreement will be utilized; otherwise only a Qualified Organization Agreement will be used. In the case the service is from a health care provider performing services to treat you, a Business Associate Agreement will not be utilized because you will have a direct patient-provider relationships.
Court Order. We may disclose your PHI if a court of competent jurisdiction issues and appropriate order.
We will make other uses and disclosures of your PHI only with your written authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time, unless we have taken a substantial action in reliance on the authorization such as providing you with health care services for which we must submit subsequent claim(s) for payment.
This Notice
This Notice of Privacy Practices informs you how We may use and disclose your protected health information (“PHI”) and your rights regarding your PHI. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices. We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices at any time. Any new Notice of Privacy Practices will be effective for all PHI we maintain at that time. Changes in the terms of Sundown M Ranch’s Notice of Privacy Practices will be on our website sundown.org. We will make available a revised Notice of Privacy Practices by providing you a copy upon your request, or providing a copy to you at your next appointment.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, Please contact our Privacy Officer, whose contact information is:
Chuck Buttrey or Designee at Sundown M Ranch, P.O. Box 217, Selah WA 98942 or e-mail privacy officer@sundown.org.
Complaints
If you believe we have violated your privacy rights you may file a complaint in writing to us, in care of our Privacy Officer. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.