La Amistad Adult Campus

About La Amistad Adult Campus

La Amistad Adult Campus in Winter Park, Florida, offers Joint Commission accredited programs to treat addiction. They offer both residential and outpatient options. Depending on your individual needs, they may suggest intensive outpatient treatment or partial hospitalization, or they may help you make a smooth transition from detox to residential rehab.

They place a strong emphasis on wellness services that promote your general health and healing. Their campus offers many amenities to facilitate this healing, including a fitness center, swimming pool, volleyball courts and other outdoor activities. They also offer specialized wellness therapies. You can try animal assisted treatments such as pet and equine therapy. You can also explore self expression with art, music and drama therapy. For those who enjoy nature and gardening (or want to try a new hobby), they even offer horticulture therapy.

Their treatment methods also incorporate clinical therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy, to assist you in altering negative thought patterns and creating coping mechanisms. Their aim is to provide treatment that goes beyond simply quitting drugs or alcohol by examining the ways in which addiction is impacted by emotional and psychological harm.

Throughout treatment, your health will be constantly monitored by a team of specialists. They will oversee medication monitoring and help you navigate any withdrawal symptoms and cravings you experience.

As substance abuse and mental health problems frequently co-occur, they also specialize in dual diagnosis care. The staff is prepared to offer comprehensive coordinated care, treating substance use disorders like alcohol and opioid addiction in addition to psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.

Facility Overview

Number of Available Beds

5 - 7

Avg Length of Stay in Days

Latest Reviews

John Dexheimer

3 months ago on Google

Would not recommend! I transferred here from a public mental health facility where violent behavior was very common and I was physically assaulted several times at that facility. I was given 0 empathy whatsoever by the staff and other patients at La Amistad.I basically just ended up enduring a month of psychological bullying by other patients and certain staff till I was finally able to leave here. No violence though, so I guess that s a plus? Idk. My time at La Amistad made my issues worse. Im doing a lot better now on the outside now after getting some peace and time to process everything. I would not recommend this facility to anyone I truly cared about at all though.

Worm

4 months ago on Google

I had an extremely disappointing and frustrating experience with the inpatient program at this facility. The conditions and treatment I endured were unacceptable and did not align with what was advertised or promised during admission.First and foremost, patients in the inpatient program were expected to clean staff-only areas daily, which felt exploitative and unprofessional. The staff, who should have been supportive and empathetic, were frequently disrespectful and dismissive. While I was sick and requested to lay down in my room, I was refused, leaving me no choice but to lie on the floor because there was nowhere else to rest.While there were some staff members who genuinely seemed to care about the patients, there appeared to be a severe management issue that undermined the overall quality of care. One glaring example is that patient rooms were locked from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and we were not allowed to retrieve anything from our rooms if we forgot something. This lack of access made an already stressful environment even more difficult to endure.The intake process was also deeply concerning. The psychiatrist who decided to take me off medications I had been on for years, medications that worked for me and were prescribed for legitimate reasons, was not even a licensed psychiatrist. Their justification was that the medications were "controlled substances," despite me having no history of drug abuse and no evidence of misuse. This reckless and uninformed decision caused unnecessary distress and further eroded my trust in the program.The environment of the inpatient program is highly stressful, even for someone without mental health struggles. Patients are expected to constantly engage in high-energy activities and remain in communal spaces for 12 to 14 hours a day, with no time allotted for meaningful rest or recovery. This approach is counterproductive and only adds to the mental and emotional strain.Additionally, the lessons we received on healthy eating were completely undermined by the menu offered, which consisted primarily of fried and unhealthy foods. This disconnect between what was taught and what was provided felt like another failure in delivering consistent and effective care.One of the most alarming issues during my stay involved a patient with a severe pineapple allergy. There was no indication that one of the desserts contained pineapple, and when the patient had a reaction, the situation was handled with a casual "my bad" from the staff. This lack of professionalism and urgency in addressing a potentially life-threatening allergy is absolutely unacceptable and should never occur in a facility that claims to care for people s health. The response should have been one of accountability and immediate action to prevent this from happening again.The program and facility itself seem to have declined in quality over the years. Many rooms that were previously accessible to patients are now locked due to "short staffing," yet I regularly observed staff sitting around chatting rather than engaging with or assisting patients. It is clear that the issue is not just a lack of personnel but also a lack of initiative and effective management.One of the most egregious issues was the false advertising. During admission, I was told we would go on weekly outings after the first week, as stated on the facility s website. However, there were no outings during my stay, not for me or anyone else. When I inquired, I was told I needed to "earn" my outings, which is absurd considering this is a service I was paying for. Either the facility needs to deliver on what it promises or update its advertising to reflect reality.Overall, while there are staff members who care, the severe management issues, lack of professionalism, and blatant disregard for patient well-being make this inpatient program a deeply stressful and disappointing experience. I would not recommend this program to anyone seeking genuine care or support for their mental health.

Zach Carter

6 months ago on Google

Staff cuts . They don t have enough teachers to lead the hope groups. The techs try but just give you a stack of paper to fill out It s called self study and is no help. The schedule looks great until you get in there and there is no one to lead the groups.

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

7.9 / 10

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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.

Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Financial aid can take many forms. Centers may have grants or scholarships available to clients who meet eligibility requirements. Programs that receive SAMHSA grants may have financial aid available for those who need treatment as well. Grants and scholarships can help you pai for treatment without having to repay.

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

Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.

Intensive Outpatient

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) involve frequent and robust therapeutic sessions for clients requiring high-level care. Clients may engage in a combination of medication assisted treatment (MAT), addiction counseling, recovery skills training, and holistic therapies for a minimum of nine and a maximum of 20 hours per week. Intensive outpatient rehab is designed primarily for persons in early recovery, those exiting detox or inpatient care, and those at an elevated relapse risk.

Partial Hospitalization Program

Often referred to as "day treatment," a partial hospitalization program (PHP) offers an intensive treatment option that allows individuals to return home at night. PHP treatment typically requires a minimum of 20 hours a week for an average of 90 days. Participants attend daily therapeutic sessions, receive medication management, and have access to skilled medical professionals. While costs can vary, most insurance will fully or partially cover a partial hospitalization program.

Treatments

Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

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 Program

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 Adult Program

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.

LGBTQ Program

Recovery is most successful when clients feel accepted and validated by their peers and treatment providers. Facilities that offer LGBTQ-inclusive programming are committed to creating a safe space where everyone can grow and recover without fear of judgment or discrimination. They will have dedicated policies in place to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters free expression.

Military Program

Serving in the military is both mentally and physically challenging, and can result in trauma that persists even after combat ends. Military programs are tailored to the specific and often complex needs of active duty personnel, veterans, and military families. Clients often access these programs through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

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.

Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and dysfunctional eating patterns. Many psychologists and other mental health professionals consider eating disorders to be food addictions, meaning food is being used in an addictive way (similar to drug or alcohol addiction). Certain substance abuse treatment programs will have treatment for eating disorders as one of the services offered. An eating disorder may also present as a co-occuring disorder or dual diagnosis alongside drug and alcohol addiction.

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.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Nutrition therapy, aka medical nutrition therapy (MNT), is a way of treating physical, emotional, and medical conditions through diet. Specific dietary plans are designed by professional nutritionists or registered dietitians, and patients follow them in order to positively affect their physical and mental health.

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 & Accreditations

Staff

Rodney Letterman, L.C.S.W

Group Director & CEO

Brian Sellers, L.C.S.W

COO

Carlos H Ruiz, M.D

Medical Director

Alison G. Weiss, M.D

Board Certified Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychiatrist

Crystal Vargas, RHIA

Director of Health Information Management

Jay Gangwisch, ED.S., M.ED, MBA

Director of Education

Devon Kriebel, RN

Director of Nursing

Mariel Johnson

Director of Clinical Services

Accreditations

The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.

Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes

LegitScript has reviewed La Amistad Adult Campus as part of their certification program, and has determined that it meets the LegitScript standards for legality, safety and transparency.

LegitScript verified in

Contact Information

(407) 647-0660

Website

1600 Dodd Road
Winter Park, FL 32792

Get Help Now - 407-204-9068

Rehab in Cities Near Winter Park

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Reviews of La Amistad Adult Campus

3.7/5 (50 reviews)

Google Reviews

3.7 (50 reviews)

Sarah Furrow

4 weeks ago

I can’t fully articulate how much La Amistad helped me and continues to help me! The staff is so wonderful and patient. I learn something helpful everyday!

Audrey Moncion

Great, kind people who really do care for and about you. Jen , Ruby, Becca, Sharon, Emil and Corey are just a few people who are bond to change your life for the better. From all my heart,Thank you.

3 months ago

Would not recommend! I transferred here from a public mental health facility where violent behavior was very common and I was physically assaulted several times at that facility. I was given 0 empathy whatsoever by the staff and other patients at La Amistad. I basically just ended up enduring a month of psychological bullying by other patients and certain staff till I was finally able to leave here. No violence though, so I guess that’s a plus? Idk. My time at La Amistad made my issues worse. Im doing a lot better now on the outside now after getting some peace and time to process everything. I would not recommend this facility to anyone I truly cared about at all though.

Aja Vo

4 months ago

bob waltman

5 months ago

I had an extremely disappointing and frustrating experience with the inpatient program at this facility. The conditions and treatment I endured were unacceptable and did not align with what was advertised or promised during admission. First and foremost, patients in the inpatient program were expected to clean staff-only areas daily, which felt exploitative and unprofessional. The staff, who should have been supportive and empathetic, were frequently disrespectful and dismissive. While I was sick and requested to lay down in my room, I was refused, leaving me no choice but to lie on the floor because there was nowhere else to rest. While there were some staff members who genuinely seemed to care about the patients, there appeared to be a severe management issue that undermined the overall quality of care. One glaring example is that patient rooms were locked from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and we were not allowed to retrieve anything from our rooms if we forgot something. This lack of access made an already stressful environment even more difficult to endure. The intake process was also deeply concerning. The psychiatrist who decided to take me off medications I had been on for years, medications that worked for me and were prescribed for legitimate reasons, was not even a licensed psychiatrist. Their justification was that the medications were "controlled substances," despite me having no history of drug abuse and no evidence of misuse. This reckless and uninformed decision caused unnecessary distress and further eroded my trust in the program. The environment of the inpatient program is highly stressful, even for someone without mental health struggles. Patients are expected to constantly engage in high-energy activities and remain in communal spaces for 12 to 14 hours a day, with no time allotted for meaningful rest or recovery. This approach is counterproductive and only adds to the mental and emotional strain. Additionally, the lessons we received on healthy eating were completely undermined by the menu offered, which consisted primarily of fried and unhealthy foods. This disconnect between what was taught and what was provided felt like another failure in delivering consistent and effective care. One of the most alarming issues during my stay involved a patient with a severe pineapple allergy. There was no indication that one of the desserts contained pineapple, and when the patient had a reaction, the situation was handled with a casual "my bad" from the staff. This lack of professionalism and urgency in addressing a potentially life-threatening allergy is absolutely unacceptable and should never occur in a facility that claims to care for people’s health. The response should have been one of accountability and immediate action to prevent this from happening again. The program and facility itself seem to have declined in quality over the years. Many rooms that were previously accessible to patients are now locked due to "short staffing," yet I regularly observed staff sitting around chatting rather than engaging with or assisting patients. It is clear that the issue is not just a lack of personnel but also a lack of initiative and effective management. One of the most egregious issues was the false advertising. During admission, I was told we would go on weekly outings after the first week, as stated on the facility’s website. However, there were no outings during my stay, not for me or anyone else. When I inquired, I was told I needed to "earn" my outings, which is absurd considering this is a service I was paying for. Either the facility needs to deliver on what it promises or update its advertising to reflect reality. Overall, while there are staff members who care, the severe management issues, lack of professionalism, and blatant disregard for patient well-being make this inpatient program a deeply stressful and disappointing experience. I would not recommend this program to anyone seeking genuine care or support for their mental health.

Ruby Raulerson

6 months ago

Staff cuts…. They don’t have enough teachers to lead the hope groups. The techs try but just give you a stack of paper to fill out “It’s called self study” and is no help. The schedule looks great until you get in there and there is no one to lead the groups.

Jessica Rodriguez

7 months ago

This would be the second time my best friend gets admitted to this facility in the last year for the residential program. There are ups and downs, but in general, the staff seems to really want to help out. Business office was a breeze to work with and so was admissions. My friend tells me the food is great, and the nursing staff acts very cordial with her. I know these places can get very chaotic and stressful, but it has been nice to know that my friend feels like a respected human being as she navigates this tough moment in her life.

Jessica Pinkley

9 months ago

I was admitted to the residential mental health recovery program in true crisis and left feeling better equipped to handle my anxiety and depression. Staff were friendly and helpful as long as you were respectful. The therapists on staff were always ready to listen and provide safety in times of distress. As with anywhere, there were ups and downs; be sure to bring an eye mask and ear plugs for sleep checks.

Lori M

1 year ago

This place is NOT safe at all! They not only allowed another client to continuously keep touching/grabbing me and threaten me, they went out of their way to put her in groups I was in and allow her on outings she didn’t earn because I was going. NO ONE got along with her, but she made me her target! Then as I was signing myself out for my own safety, I refused to sign anything but my pharmacy papers and they bent the other papers upwards on clipboard so I couldn’t see what I was signing, but in the end I saw and it said I was leaving because *I* couldn’t get along with the milieu! What a pack of lies! Stay away from this place!

Austin Smith

Overall Experience

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Last 6 months
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