This place didn't help my son in anything, on the contrary they treated him so badly in this place that he came home every day crying, they are supposed to help people feel better not worse.
About Natchaug Hospital- Joshua Center Thames Valley
Natchaug Hospital – Joshua Center Thames Valley in Norwich, Connecticut, serves children and adolescents who are struggling with psychiatric disorders and substance use problems. Their outpatient programs are specifically created for those who require intensive treatment but need to continue living at home. This makes it easier for kids to heal while staying involved in school and family life.
Outpatient & Partial Hospitalization in Norwich
Young people can participate in intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs. These programs include individual and group therapy and family involvement to help ensure lasting recovery. They provide a supportive space where kids and teens can learn to manage emotions, build coping skills, and work toward long-term stability. The staff is experienced in guiding each patient toward better mental health.
Therapy & Aftercare Services
The comprehensive aftercare they offer helps kids adjust to their routines, like school and home life, after treatment. Recovery doesn’t stop when treatment ends, so they make sure families are prepared to continue supporting the teen.
Their programs include creative therapies that give children and teens a safe outlet to express their emotions. This holistic approach has been especially successful for young people who need something beyond traditional therapy for effective treatment.
Fact checked and written by:
Sehar Uddin
Edited by:
Kerry Nenn, BSW
Facility Overview
213 Number of Available Beds
Latest Reviews
One of the worst places I've ever been to in my life.....horrible almost no heat in the winter.....this mental service building needs to be shut down!!!! 3 years later I still have the nightmare in my head how I was treated by occupants and staff.only one good person in the bunch....they have freezing cold sand filled chairs and heat lamp just barley I could feel i was there 14days .....freezing on med they put me on allergic reaction and kept giving it to me....also they wouldn't let me wear my coat also gave me cold blanket with holes in it . ...and flatest pillows ever with beds that have plastic covering so thick you can't get comfortable....and a chalk board above the head of the bed so if you use it chalk goes in the bed...I am missing teeth and was starving from lack of an approate meals ....I shook from coldness so violently that I never ever want to see anyone ever go there again shut it DOWN please!!!
Response from the owner1 month ago
We strive for a better experience than the one you received. Please reach out to one of our patient advocates at BHNAdvocacy@hhchealth.org and someone will be in touch.
Watched my best friend overdose in the room with me. Staff didn't notice until another kid pointed it out. She said she didn't feel safe beforehand and they didn't listen. All I got for support was a barely five minute conversation. Don't go unless you want to get worse. I actually went to the Danielson one, but I'm to scared to leave this review on that one. PLEASE go to Hopewell instead.
Response from the owner1 month ago
Your feedback is sincerely appreciated, and will be forwarded to the appropriate staff members. If you have any additional concerns, please contact BHNAdvocacy@hhchealth.org at your convenience so we can work with you to make this right.
i HIGHLY do not recommend the services here, i’d especially like to say that Joann and Trish are very disrespectful and have no sense of respect whatsoever. Please save yourself the waste of time and look into other services, this one is not worth it at all.
Response from the owner1 month ago
We strive for a better experience than the one you received. Please reach out to one of our patient advocates at BHNAdvocacy@hhchealth.org and someone will be in touch. 
Rehab Score
Our Methodology
Scoring is assigned by a proprietary system which helps surface key metrics that determine quality. The 10-point scale factors in categories such as operations, customer satisfaction, and trust metrics. Read Full Methodology
1.3 / 10
Location
Other Forms of Payment
Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.
Military members, veterans, and eligible dependents have access to specific insurance programs that help them get the care they need. TRICARE and VA insurance can help you access low cost or no cost addiction and mental health treatment. Programs that accept military insurance often have targeted treatment focused on the unique challenges military members, veterans, and their families face.
Addiction Treatments
Levels of Care
Inpatient rehab offers intensive treatment for clients who are transitioning out of detox, in early recovery, and at risk of relapse. Housing and meals are provided, and most facilities offer round-the-clock clinical care. Clients engage in multiple counseling and therapy sessions each week, along with extensive recovery-focused life skills training. Many inpatient drug rehab programs include evidence-based complementary therapies, such as meditation, massage, creative arts therapy, nutrition therapy, and experiential therapy.
Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) offer robust support for clients who are at an elevated risk of relapse, including those in early recovery and those in crisis. Clients in intensive outpatient treatment typically receive between nine and 20 hours of service per week, with the intensity and frequency of treatment decreasing as clients stabilize. The services provided in these programs vary, but generally include addiction counseling, recovery-focused life skills training, medication assisted treatment (MAT), and holistic therapies.
A partial hospitalization program (PHP) offers short-term intensive rehab for those who don't require 24-hour care. PHP treatment can serve as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization or a step-down option after being released from a hospital or residential program. A partial hospitalization program can provide medication management, relapse prevention strategies, and behavioral therapy interventions. With daily sessions lasting up to 8 hours for up to 5 days a week, the duration can vary with the average being 90 days.
Typically seen as a first step in the recovery process, medically assisted detox generally takes place in an inpatient setting under the 24/7 supervision of licensed medical professionals. It is considered the safest way to remove addictive drugs from your body. The length of a medical detox program is individualized, but it often takes around 5-7 days.
Treatments
Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.
Programs
Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.
Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.
Clinical Services
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.
Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.
Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.
Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.
Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.
Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.
Staff
Donna Handley
Senior VP, Hartford HealthCare & East Region President
Anthony Mastroianni
VP, Financial Services
Matthew Kaufman
VP
Liz Li, Human Resources
VP
Contact Information
11 Stott Avenue
Suite A
Norwich CT, 06360
Get Help Now - 860-264-6018
Sponsored Helpline
Sponsored Helpline
