Cascade Academy announces they enrolled their first students on April 8th, 2020. This new adolescent girl’s residential treatment center focuses on girls suffering from severe anxiety and OCD related disorders. The residential treatment program’s approach utilizes traditional outcomes-based treatment like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI). In addition to using evidence-based therapeutic approaches, Cascade Academy uses cutting edge scientific resources to monitor progress and address genetic issues related to anxiety. Bekah Schuler CMHC, Director of Clinical Services, said, “Research shows that 30-70% of anxiety is genetic. We can’t change genetics but by understanding each girl’s genetic profile, we can treat the biological causes of her anxiety.” Cascade Academy works with a team of experts to determine which diet, exercise, and medical interventions will work best for each girl. (Cascade Academy is licensed by the State of Utah as a residential treatment facility to provide therapeutic treatment to teenage girls 13-18 years old.)
Executive Director Brad Gerrard said “Anxiety is the number one mental health disorder in teenagers, and girls are twice as likely to suffer with severe anxiety as boys. By focusing on anxiety, we are treating the root cause of many other mental health disorders a teenage girl may be experiencing.”
Cascade Academy believes that whatever students are going to do when they get home, they must practice before they get home.
- Ongoing community engagement and electronic devices are introduced at the beginning of treatment. This allows students to practice what they will experience in their home environment and allow for healthy teen development.
- Clinical and medical teams work in conjunction to assist in the creation of assessment and treatment planning including a sequence of intentional exposures that address each client’s individual needs.
- Holistic approaches to treatment include diet, exercise, nutritional supplements, and additional genetic testing, yoga, healthy recreation, gardening, and service.
- Students graduate from Cascade Academy only after they have been able to demonstrate success in their post-treatment environment. During this home practice, students are still enrolled at Cascade Academy and their spot in the program is reserved. If a student struggles during their home practice, she can come back to the Cascade Academy campus for additional treatment. This process continues until a student is able to navigate the transition to their family’s home.
Cascade Academy is a small 26-bed specialized facility that is currently enrolling adolescent girls. Specific enrollment procedures are currently in place due to COVID -19 precautions. For any questions about the treatment program or admissions please contact LeaKae Roberts (Director of Admissions) at (801) 895-0323 or lroberts@cascadeacademy.com.
About Cascade Academy
Cascade Academy, located in Midway, Utah, an hour from Salt Lake City International airport, enrolling now. This residential treatment center is licensed by the State of Utah and will be working towards national accreditation within the first year. The founding onsite management team is comprised of professionals with a total of over 75 years in the Family Choice Behavioral Healthcare industry. Brad Gerrard (Executive Director), and Caleb Cottle, MBA, TRT (Director of Business Development), and Carol and John Probst are the owners and founding members.