The Lee Carlson Center in the suburb of Fridley, Minnesota, is a charitable organization that has evolved over the past 50 years from solely providing educational mental health supports to at-risk youth to now providing psychiatric care, foster care, behavioral health and addiction treatment to children, youth, and adults.
Located just 10 minutes from downtown Minneapolis, this facility offers culture and convenience with many museums and art galleries nearby such as the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Mill City Museum and the Goldstein Museum of Design.
There are also many parks and nature spots to enjoy when not in treatment such as Springbrook Nature Center. Silverwood Park is not far away and has a playground and water park for family members of all ages to enjoy.
Services presently include emotional and behavioral health care with medication management. They offer therapy that can be one-on-one, family or couples counselling, or group treatment programming. These can be offered in person or through telehealth video.
They provide counselling and treatment programs for everything from anxiety and depression, to developmental delays, cultural identity, addictions and eating disorders. They also provide trauma-informed treatment for things such as domestic abuse, childhood trauma, mood or personality disorders, post traumatic stress or emotional regulation issues.
Treatment is offered through a variety of therapeutic methods including art and play therapy, motivational interviewing, and behavioral therapy. The first few sessions are for the therapist to understand what issues a person is dealing with and to help the individual feel comfortable with the professional providing care. After both parties have an understanding of the desired results of therapy and the action plan to get there, the real therapy work starts.
They accept most private health insurance plans and also accept State and Federal insurance programs. It is a good idea to check with your insurance provider to ensure you understand any and all financial obligations you will have.
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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.
Sliding scale payments are based on a client's income and family size. The goal is to make treatment affordable to everyone. By taking these factors into account, addiction recovery care providers help ensure that your treatment does not become a financial burden to you or your family, eliminating one barrier to care.
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.
Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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Director of School Based Mental Health
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7954 University Avenue NE
Minneapolis, MN 55432
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I came to Lee Carlson because I was struggling with mental illness, and here I found understanding and helpful people that helped me to heal. Talking to the group there and sharing stories made my process easier and made me feel less alone. THANK YOU to everyone who was ther ...
MORE LIKE ZERO STARS!!! Stay away from this place! We sent our son for about 6 months before our therapist left to another practice and we followed her at her urgency. We paid all of our co-pays, and due to a "billing error" on Lee Carlson's end that took months literally to sort out I finally was able to sort out our final payment in March of 2024. Received a threatening letter today stating I still owed money after a whole year?! This place should be shut down they are criminals trying to make people pay more than they owe, not to mention the unethical things going on that caused our therapist along with many others to leave. I never leave reviews but seriously save yourself the headache of dealing with this place. I will be sending all of my documents to the attorney General's office tomorrow proving that I have paid in full and a letter for them to stop harassing me!
Terrible that they closed down the Bridgeview drop in centers and as Anoka county has no other facilities like this, we former members were basically kicked to the curb. Winter is especially hard on ppl with mental health problems and some of us are really suffering right now
If I could give them lower stars I would. They put my child on a wait list, then didn’t contact me to tell us that we secured an appointment. Which resulted in a $50 no-show appointment fee. I’ve tried to reach out to them to get in contact with someone regarding this situation but never received a call back.
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