Treatment for Cops and Dispatchers in Crisis

I had the opportunity last week to interview Richard Worthy the president of both the Summer Sky and the soon to open Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch, a unique facility exclusively dedicated to the treatment of local, state and federal commissioned peace officers and dispatchers suffering from the career endangering and often deadly disease of alcohol and/or drug dependency and co-occurring disorders like PTSD. We were both participating in the first Safe Call Now Public Safety Conference and had a chance to sit down afterward and talk about what Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch can do for those in need of treatment.

You can listen to our 39 minute interview which was recorded in the church where the conference was held by clicking here:

Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch (EFA), is a 32 -bed inpatient facility located on a secluded 147 acre ranch in the Hills of Central Texas near the Town of Evant, and is scheduled to open in January of 2011. It will be a working ranch replete with longhorn steers, horses, goats and sheep that greet one as they enter the serenity of the ranch.

Their affiliated facility, Summer Sky in Stephenville Texas, is a 72-bed facility which has treated thousands of patients (adults and adolescents, males and females) for alcohol/drug dependency/abuse and co-occurring disorders since 1985. Summer Sky is available for the treatrment of officer’s spouses and children who may be suffering with addiction issues.

When it opens Eagle Force Academy (EFA) Treatment Center will treat only police officers and dispatchers and they will use Summer Sky for treatment of police family members if needed. As Richard told me this is for police officers and dispatchers if you are “Hired, Fired or Retired” and is meant to be a focused facility working only with these two groups when it opens in January.

Most importantly Eagle Force Academy will be a reasonably priced “for profit” business, but will work with you so that money is not a barrier to treatment. They will accept private pay and most major insurance and can facilitate 3rd party financing for qualified patients.

Further, distance is not an issue as EFA will offer FREE NATIONWIDE PATIENT TRANSPORT VIA GROUND AND/OR AIR to and from the Killeen/Ft. Hood Regional Airport which is just 1 hour away with… non-stop direct flights from DFW (American ), Houston Intercontinental (Continental) and Atlanta (Delta).

To complement aftercare following discharge from EFA, a 12 month program of weekly live on-line web cam interactive video conferencing with EFA counselors or other industry professionals in 6 person chat rooms reuniting and keeping fellow patients connected in support of and accountable to one another.

At Eagle Force Academy the primary emphasis will be upon individualized comprehensive treatment services for each participant which will include a variety of group counseling sessions and a minimum of two individual counseling sessions per week.

Given that addiction is a family disease, EFA will also offer a robust Family Counseling Program for spouses and teenaged children Tuesday through Saturday in the 3rd or 4th week of treatment.

When it opens EFA will have an experienced treatment team, several of whom will be former peace officers, consisting of:

A Medical Director who is a Board Certified psychiatrist with 3 tours of duty in Iraq treating troops suffering from PTSD and other issues including alcohol/drugs and whose private practice includes treatment of several peace officers and who, when possible incorporates such non-medicinal treatment as Cranial Electro Stimulation (CES), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Eidetic Imagery (EI).

Medical detoxification by a Board Certified addictionologist with over 20 years of treating alcohol/drug dependency.

24-hour nursing care.

A counseling staff consisting of LCDC’s, LMFT’s, LPC’s and social workers, many of whom are former law enforcement officers,Chaplains with extensive experience counseling with officers and their families..In collaboration with the Kiniseology Department of Tarleton State University, heavy emphasis on the use of physical movement and exercise as medicine with the goal of reducing or eliminating the need for medications in the management of pain. Even in the absence of physical pain, physical fitness is a key to dealing with many other issues with which patients are confronted such as depression.

A Chaplain with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and over 500 hours police patrol ride time.

High quality food service will also be emphasized at EFA, A great kitchen staff serving delicious and nutritional meals, healthy snacks, natural juices and even a “smoothie” bar.

As a part of the EFA holistic approach to a fun lifestyle free of alcohol and drugs , they will provide a robust program of physical and therapeutic activities such as a large swimming pool; a 62 jet therapeutic hot tub,; an outdoor fireplace and kitchen; licensed massage therapy, licensed music and art therapists; certified yoga and martial arts instructors; equine therapy and a ROPES challenge course facilitated by Tarleton State University. They will also offer tennis; basketball; volleyball; horseshoes; hiking; camping; exercise equipment; PAR exercise stations along the jogging track; fishing; rafting; movies; cultural events; horticultural, woodworking and culinary classes. Most, but not necessarily all, of these services will be available during one’s stay at Eagle Force Academy depending upon the season.

Most, but not necessarily all, of these services will be available during one’s stay at Eagle Force Academy.

As part of the treatment program they will also facilitate the availability of accredited continuing law enforcement education for which credit may be earned.

Also for those not qualifying for inpatient services they will provide outpatient services through their sister company ARCH Outpatient Services , LLC through which they will also offer a strong CONTINUAL care and alumni program initially in Austin, Dallas, Houston, the Metroplex and San Antonio.

For family members /friends of law enforcement inpatient treatment is available just one hour away through their affiliate Summer Sky Treatment Center.

You can listen to our 39 minute interview which was recorded in the church where the conference was held (you can hear people and church music in the background) by clicking here:

Or you can download the 7 MB mp3 file by RIGHT CLICK HERE to download (that’s CONTROL CLICK if you use a Mac then SAVE LINK AS…) a copy of the mp3 file.

You can learn more about Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch by visiting their website at: http://www.eagleforceacademy.com

Eagle Force Academy at Serenity Ranch
Mail: 6330 LBJ Freeway, Suite 137
Dallas, Texas 75240
Website: www.EagleForceAcademy.com
Services: Substance Use Disorder and Related Dual Diagnose
Inpatient Treatment and Recovery
Adult Male and Female Law Enforcement Personnel Only
Planned to Open January 2011

Summer Sky Treatment Center
Mail: 6330 LBJ Freeway, Suite 137
Dallas, Texas 75240
Website: www.SummerSky.US
Services: Substance Use Disorder and Related Dual Diagnose
Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment and Recovery
Male and Female, Adults and Adolescents
10,000+ Patients Treated Since 1985

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