Why Pinnacle Schools?

The programs of The Pinnacle Schools strive to provide the best possible care for "troubled teens" and their families. We aspire to meet each student's unique needs in order to give them the effective treatment they deserve.

We meet stringent licensing guidelines from the State of Alabama Department of Youth Services. Our state auditors perform four site visits per year on our campus, both announced and unannounced, to insure our full compliance with all policy and procedures.

The Elk River programs operate from a fully staffed base campus where the challenge of the outdoors is used as a therapeutic teaching tool. We are members of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping (NATWC), and Association for Experiential Education (AEE). We are members locally of the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce and North Alabama Better Business Bureau.

We specialize in an individualized program of study for students in grades 6-12. A full range of core curriculum, honors, college preparatory and elective courses are offered.

Our staff includes:

Physicians
Psychiatrist
Psychologist
Licensed professional counselors
Master's level addiction practitioner (MLAP)
Family nurse practitioner
Registered nurses
Registered dietitian
Certified exercise specialist
PhD and Master's level educators
Certified Wilderness Physician
Advanced wilderness life support certified staff members
"Leave no trace" master educator

Our facilities include:

• 120 acre base campus
• Medical clinic with dispensary
• Commercial kitchen with dining hall
• 2, 800 square foot learning center
• Two shower houses
• Experienced, highly trained clinical staff
• 24 hour "Awake" staff

Our programs include:

• Physician-directed medication management with 24/7 nursing care staff and medical clinic with dispensary on base campus. No changes in medication are made without discussing such changes with parents and professional referral sources. Medical Records are maintained electronically enabling staff to communicate more effectively with professional referral sources.
• Comprehensive psychological, diagnostic, assessment, education and intervention services
• Low student-to-staff ratio
• Full academic curriculum with honors courses and credit recovery
• Group and individual counseling and therapies as well as specialty groups AA/NA/OA/OLGA
• Cognitive behavior modification - Group therapy
• Assessment and referral services
• Electronic medical record
• Academy mid-term program with flexible length of stay up to one year (no contracts)
• Parent Workshop Weekend
• Competitive, all-inclusive tuition
• Some insurance reimbursement
• Rolling admissions

Optional specialty groups-

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• Over-eaters Anonymous (OA)
• Online Gamers Anonymous (OLGA)
• Bible Study

Therapy is designed with each student’s unique needs in mind. By combining a variety of treatment methods each teen receives an Individualized Treatment Plan with lasting results. We utilize the following therapy techniques:

• Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
• Behavior Therapy
• Reality/Choice Therapy
• Client-Centered Therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Basic Living Skills Groups
• Psych-Educational Groups
• Process Groups
• Experiential Educational Groups

Treatment Team. The Pinnacle Schools uses a Treatment Team approach when working with troubled teens and their families. Parents and professional referral sources are an integral part of the team and receive weekly updates from the clinician that is assigned to the family. Upon admission, your teen is assigned to a Challenge Group. Each group is led by a senior group leader, trained counselors and at least one clinician.

Collectively, our staff has more than 200 years of experience working with teens and families in crisis. Team members are carefully screened and selected for their leadership skills, maturity and compassion. All team members are CPR, First Aid and SAMA trained.

Parents as Partners. TPS believes parents are an integral and essential part of the Treatment Team. Special emphasis is placed on Parents as Partners in their teen's therapeutic process. Parents work with staff to develop skills promoting family-based problem solving, assertive and expressive communication, healthy limit-setting and nurturing techniques. Parents are strongly encouraged to enter Family Therapy when their child is admitted.

Group and individual therapy sessions work to modify cognitive behavior. Therapeutic workshops include but are not limited to:

• Abandonment
• Anger management
• Goal setting
• Accountability
• Communication skills
• Peer relationships
• Specialty groups include:
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• Over-eaters Anonymous (OA)
• Online Gaming Anonymous (OLGA)
• Bible Study (Optional)

Medical Model. The programs of The Pinnacle School are a medical model.  Upon admission, each student is given a medical examination and an intake psychological examination. The Addictions Therapist administers a SASSI-A2 assessment. This allows the Treatment Team to develop an individualized Psychological Master Treatment Plan.

Weekly Treatment Team meetings are held and charted. We provide medical/nursing staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All students are seen daily by the medical staff. Medications, if needed, are administered by Registered Nurses and monitored by Physicians. Our campus has an on-site fully equipped medical clinic which includes a dispensary, an ACLS crash cart, EKG and defibrillation device (AED).

The staff to student ratio is typically 1-4. The ratio for psychiatric emergencies such as active suicidal ideation and detoxification is 2-1. The program has full ambulance service and helicopter transport evacuation to both Huntsville Hospital and Decatur General West.  Best described as a Hospital without Walls, our approach allows us to administer the same professional care as traditional facilities at one-third of the cost.

Parents and professional referral sources receive weekly updates with the program's Clinical Director. In addition, families receive Family Group Therapy, and Outpatient Group and Individual Therapy based on need or request.

The Pinnacle Schools bills any on-site medical care costs (i.e. when your child sees the physician for a fever) to your insurance provider as a complementary service. Any off-site visits to psychologists or medical doctors will be billed separately by the provider. Parents are responsible for co-pays and any cost not covered by the insurance provider.

Academics. The Pinnacle Schools understands the importance of education. We specialize in providing an individualized program of study for students in grades 6-12.