Northwest Passage Riverside

About Northwest Passage Riverside

Northwest Passage Riverside is located on the Clam River in Webster Wisconsin. It is a 70-acre family-style residential treatment program for adolescent males 12 to 17 years old. The average length of stay is six to 10 months. They have a 1:4 client/staff ratio.

Experiential Therapy and Activities

The facility has a varied approach to treatment incorporating trauma-informed therapies with organic holistic experiences. The experiential programming is designed to teach young men a lifestyle of a continued pursuit of health and wellness.

Activities include exploring nature through things like fishing and canoeing, recreational sports and athletics, relaxation exercises like meditation and silence, nutrition and exercise habits, building relationships through service to others, and exploring spiritual belief systems. Pursuits like photography, equine therapy and gardening are all tailored to the individual interests of the young man.

The facility also uses evidenced-based interventions like dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and SMART skills training with attachment, regulation and competency (ARC) goals. Families participate in some therapeutic education to increase awareness and build consistency in response to behaviors. Addressing traumatic stress to build resilience allows young men to learn emotional regulation skills.

Funding Sources

Northwest Passage has contracts with various agencies, school districts and other organizations which may cover the cost of the program. Most of the time, parents pay out of pocket. There are a few local insurance carriers that will cover the program in part; however, the organization does not seek insurance accreditation or third-party funding agreements. They are not Medicaid approved.

Facility Overview

Number of Available Beds

Latest Reviews

Jacob Heffernon

5 months ago on Google

I went here around 2007 to 2008 and it was absolutely not a good experience whatsoever! The staff were so abusive and they made fun of me for being gay. Not all the staff were bad but the majority definitely were back then. I witnessed kids being put in restraints very violently. And the staff made fun of another mentally ill resident who peed his bed every night. I had to stay at this place for a year and it was not helpful. I didn't gain anything but fear at that age. I did have some awesome experiences with the fellow peers but that's it. A year after being discharged I had to go back to residential treatment this time at Gerard Academy in Austin MN which was the best most helpful experience I could've asked for! Gerard Academy saved my life. I'm sure this place has changed a lot but I just want to put this out there for parents considering this place. My parents didn't know any better and they felt horrible after hearing all the stories I told them about Northwest Passage. I'm still dealing with trauma from this place..

Judy Olson

4 years ago on Google

Great place. They really care, provide meaningful, PRACTICAL help. Our grandson came back with a lot more insight into himself, triggers, and how to positively manage impulses, etc.

Response from the owner3 years ago

Hi Judy! We are so happy for the positive changes with your grandson! Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your experiences at Northwest Passage. We wish you all continued success!

aric shelko

5 years ago on Google

They do not treat the kids right. Bullies.

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

4.4 / 10

Accepted Insurance

Northwest Passage Riverside works with several private insurance providers and also accepts private payments when possible, please contact to verify your specific insurance provider.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

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.

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.

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.

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.