Located in Evergreen, Colorado, Forest Heights Lodge is a small, residential treatment center for young boys ages 5-14 who are struggling with emotional behaviors that may include aggression, impulsivity, depression, and anxiety, obsessive behaviors or who do not trust authority figures or for those who care for them.

Founded in 1955 Forest Heights Lodge is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is licensed by the Colorado Department of Human Services. Academics are approved by the Colorado Department of Education and is a California Certified Non-Public School. Linda Clefisch, LCSW is the Executive Director for Forest Heights and Jim Orsund, LCSW is the Social Services Director.

The staff interacts with the children on a 24 hour basis and the lodge is considered the home of the program and the "heart of the treatment" is the daily on to one interaction between the staff and children. Forest Heights Lodge staffs their program with child psychiatrists, psychologist and clinical social workers who work with the child care workers and conduct individual and group psychotherapy. With simple basic rules such as: "You may not hurt another child and another child may not hurt you", children learn to feel safe with each other and staff. The treatment for the boys is covered through all aspects of the program including educational and recreational therapy and family therapies.

Academics are delivered on campus with an average class size of six students per class. Individualized programs are developed for each student with the main goal of a successful integration into another school when he is discharged from Forest Heights Lodge.

Utilizing the Colorado weather and the mountain surroundings, the boys participate in a wide variety of activities, from camping to snow skiing and backpacking to organized sports, all which help the boys learn sportsmanship and help in the development of physical skills.

[This information came from the Forest Heights Lodge website.]