The Farm Extended Care (FEC)
The Farm Extended Care (FEC) at CooperRiis is a long-term therapeutic community model that benefits those who have persisted in their recovery journey, gained valuable social/emotional and life skills, and would benefit from living in a structured, therapeutic community with less intensive clinical supports. The Farm Extended Care model is open to residents who have completed a minimum of a 2–4-week assessment period at The Farm and have demonstrated the skills needed for success at this level of care. Residents in FEC have reached a place in their recovery where they can engage in daily activities of living, including personal hygiene, laundry, and maintaining a tidy space independently, with minimal support. Residents pose no threat to themselves or others, are continuously able to contract for safety, are medically stable and ambulatory. They are motivated to partner with staff for medication management and able to comfortably maintain their recovery with two individual therapy sessions, one visit with their Recovery Coordinator, and one visit with the psychiatric nurse practitioner per month. They demonstrate the ability to engage in structured daily activities with the freedom to choose a customized daily schedule designed to enhance overall quality of life. Options include participation in The Farm Community Work and Service crews, off-campus employment/volunteer position, or personal projects with some staff support to enhance accountability.
We understand that it may be necessary for residents to transition between levels of care, receiving enhanced clinical supports in times of need. Our unique integrated system of care is designed to adapt to the changing needs of your loved one to ensure the appropriate level of support at any given time.
Healing Begins Together
Mental health healing is best achieved not in isolation but in a caring, compassionate community.
FEC Offerings
- Medication Management
- All nourishing meals provided in community setting at dining hall
- Private rooms
- Large 94-acre bucolic farm campus
- Once monthly massage included
- Twice monthly hour-long individual therapy sessions
- Once Monthly meetings with Medical Provider
- Once monthly call with Recovery Coordinator who handles case management. More frequent calls can be explored based upon need.
- Ability to transition within the CooperRiis integrated system of care model depending upon need and based on clinical recommendation.
- Opportunity to add additional a-la-carte individual therapy, case management, and meetings with prescriber based on need and clinical recommendation. Transition to a higher level of care within or outside our system may be recommended.
- Daily group therapy is offered depending on interest.
- Meeting with nutritionist on as-needed basis
- Support connecting with community through meaningful, purposeful work or independent projects.
- Opportunity to engage in robust opportunities for recreation within the community, including river tubing trips, restaurant outings, volleyball, movie nights, karaoke and more.
FEC Requirements
- Able to maintain personal hygiene independently.
- Independent with life skills such as laundry and maintaining a tidy room with minimal support.
- Pose no threat to themselves or others and are continuously able to contract for safety.
- Medically stable and ambulatory
- Motivated to partner with staff for medication management.
- Able to comfortably maintain their recovery with two individual therapy sessions, one visit with their Recovery Coordinator, and one visit with the psychiatric nurse practitioner per month.
- Demonstrate the ability to engage in structured daily activities with the freedom to choose a customized daily schedule designed to enhance overall quality of life.
The Farm Extended Care Program Supports:
Community Work and Service (CWS)
The Community work and Service program is the foundation of the Farm program and is designed to create teams of residents, or crews, with work that contributes to daily life at CooperRiis. CWS options at The Farm include gardening crew, greenhouse crew, the animal crew, woodworking crew, or campus crew. Residents of FEC also have the option to create a customized daily schedule organized around personal projects with support to enhance accountability. This aspect of our recovery approach allows residents to feel as though they are part of something bigger than themselves; to connect with their peers and give back to their community.
Clinical Offerings
We offer several therapeutic modalities throughout our communities. We have a medical provider on-staff that completes individualized assessments with every resident and is available to meet with residents once a month and/or as needed throughout their stay. Nursing staff supports with medication management and thoughtfully selected therapists provide individual therapy twice per month, totaling two, one-hour sessions per month. Additionally, residents work with a recovery coordinator (RC), who works similarly to a case manager coordinating the overall treatment experience. We provide various modalities of treatment including trauma-informed care, DBT (dialectical behavior therapy), CBT (cognitive behavior therapy), yoga, art therapy, and dual diagnosis/substance use groups. We also provide individualized aftercare planning for all residents. In addition, we offer a virtual Family Educational Program that residents’ loved ones are encouraged to participate in. Family members can also participate in once monthly phone calls with the resident’s RC to provide recovery education, progress updates, and collaborate on aftercare planning.
Person-Centered Recovery Planning
Following the initial assessment phase and development of a Dream Statement, a person-centered recovery is created in collaboration with each resident. These plans are designed to develop immediate treatment goals in line with each resident’s Dream Statement and values. Residents work on their goals with the team’s support and the plan is reviewed on a regular basis to track progress and make adjustments as needed.
Wellness Planning
As part of the overall integrative wellness and recovery approach we have established physical wellness programming available to each resident. This is a chance for individuals to address the importance of being active, mindfully in tune with their bodies and to receive education about dietary needs, supports, and healthy habits. Our Wellness staff collaborates with the team to address the physical wellness aspects of all our programming. They also work with the kitchen team to ensure high quality, nourishing meals and snacks are provided.
Admissions Process
The admissions process starts out with an initial phone call allowing us to get to know your loved one or client and gain further details about them and their recent history. Following the initial phone call, we have several forms that we will need to have completed and returned to us. Documents necessary for the application process include:
- A detailed timeline documenting providers your loved one has worked with over the past 6 months and significant life events.
- Release of Information (ROI) forms for all providers your loved one has worked with in the past 6 months.
- We will work on collecting those records are your behalf.
- Records collection is time sensitive, so it is helpful to send completed ROIs as early as possible during the admissions process.
- Referral form from the potential resident’s current treatment provider (licensed therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care physician).
- Resident Application packet, Family Application packet, and Financial Packet.
- Physical completed within 6 months prior to admission.
- The Admissions Director will complete a clinical review of the records, to determine whether our program may be able to meet the individual’s treatment needs.
- A complete biopsychosocial assessment and a meeting with the Admissions Review Team is completed before a final admissions decision is made.
Cost/Fees
Monthly tuition is $23,000/month for the initial assessment period and $15,000/month once a resident has transitioned to The Farm Extended Care. We have a partnership with SJ Health Insurance Advocates who will automatically work with a resident’s insurance provider (if applicable) to see if any out-of-network Residential Treatment Services are eligible for reimbursement. Please be advised this does not impact the monthly fee amount that is due every thirty days to CooperRiis. A $1,000 deposit for incidental expenses and one month of the program fee is due at admission.
Contact & Directions
101 Healing Farm Lane
Mill Spring, NC 28756
828-899-4673
Admissions@CooperRiis.org
From the north
Take I-26 East to Exit 67 (US-74 E/NC 108) towards Columbus/Rutherfordton
After 2 miles, take Exit 163 for NC 108 W towards Columbus
At the end of the ramp, turn left onto NC 108 E
Continue on NC 108 E for 3.8 miles and turn left on Healing Farm Lane
From the south
Take I-26W from Spartanburg, SC
Take Exit 67 (US-74 E/NC 108) towards Columbus/Rutherfordton
At the traffic circle, take the second exit
Follow the signs for US-74 E/NC-108 E/Forest City/Shelby and merge onto US-74 E
After 1.5 miles, take Exit 163 for NC 108 W towards Columbus
At the end of the ramp, turn left onto NC 108 E
Continue on NC 108 E for 3.8 miles and turn left on Healing Farm Lane
From the east
Take I-85 South to exit 10B to merge onto US-74 W toward Kings Mountain/Shelby
Follow US 74 W for 26 miles, passing though Shelby, NC
Take exit 167 (NC 9) toward Mill Spring/New Prospect
At the end of the ramp, turn right onto NC 9 N
Continue on NC 9 N for 3 miles
Turn right onto NC 108 E
After 0.5 miles, turn left into Healing Farm Lane
