I was hitting brick wall after brick wall trying to get my adolescent some help. There are just not enough services in the Raleigh/Durham area for such. Additionally, it is such a great challenge to find who takes your specified insurance. Nonethess, I came across a very supportive, loving, listening, caring, empathetic, and kind intake coordinator at NewpoortAcademy. She was like a breath of fresh air. She has guided me through the whole process and genuinely cares about the patient. I just love this approach and is a great reflection on the organization. Thank you for caring enough to listen. Thank you for caring enough to help. I wish all intake departments were this compassionate. You all keep up the excellent patient care. read more

The staff are amazing! I receive a follow up text every few weeks, checking on my son. He has been to quite a few residential settings and Newport has been the ONLY program that he has been willing to participate in. Each person that I spoke to whether in admissions, on campus or alumni coordinator have been fantastic communicators and seem to actually care about the patients. read more

This place saved me, 10/10. Awesome staff too. If your parents make you go, There is obviously reasons for it, Trust the process.

Newport was one of the few establishments that was quick to respond to the call for need when our child needed help, which was and is greatly appreciated. They provide excellent structure and support. Would highly recommend. read more

My son was admitted to Newport Academy in April 2024 for 75 days. He has mental health challenges which include anger, depression, anxiety along with ADHD. When we read the program guide and parent manual, we were very impressed with the content and explanation of the program. We thought the structure and program would help our son and since the staff would be spending one on one time with him to observe his behavior over an extended period, we were hopeful that his medication management would be better controlled and observed in a residential setting. He was having so many issues in school and at home that we pulled him out of 9th grade to go this program in hopes that along with mental health help he would still be doing school in a classroom with fewer students, and more one on one support. In the program guide they mention a dress code, equine therapy, swimming, residents volunteering, doing their own laundry, daily fish oil supplements and other things that didn't apply. They were allowed to stay up late, not required to eat meals, not required to participate in therapy or school and basic hygiene was not required. We visited our son most weekends once he was in the appropriate phase to earn outings with us. One Saturday we went to the facility to do a family art therapy program and then went to a local park for a picnic lunch. While we were at the park, the residents from Newport Academy had an outing at the same park. While at the park I witnessed some concerning behavior that I had a hard time understanding. It was difficult at times to tell the difference between the patients and the counselors. One even dropped her vape and quickly picked it up and put it back in her pocket. It seemed to me that if these kids were at the facility to work on addictions, then why is one of the counselors vaping in front of them. We were at a public park with a lot of children and there was a lot of swearing from the residents with no one in charge asking them to stop. The staff didn't seem to hold the kids accountable. I realized after several weeks that not only was my son not eating properly, but barely taking care of normal hygiene like brushing his teeth, showering etc. . . They allowed him to shave his head, paint his nails, leave the school class or play around while in class to the point that my son he has failed 9th grade. The couple times that we stepped into the facility (which was not often or very far into the facility) it looked like there was nothing for the kids to do which was also a complaint from my son. If they do not do a weekly outing, then they spend most of the time in a central room with a TV playing movies. They supply the kids with their own MP3 player and headphones and they can earn music to add to their player, but there are no games, books, or much of anything else to do unless they go outside and play basketball or go to the small skate park/weight area. There are phases (1, 2 & 3) to the program which you work through to be released. We were told that the minimum time spent in a phase is 2 weeks. My son advanced to phase 2 but then after several weeks was dropped back to 1 for returning bad behavior. He ended up being released while in phase 1 due to other residents complaining about his behavior and filing a grievance. We were contacted on Wednesday and asked to come pick him up as soon as possible. I understand that my son may not be able to get the kind of help he needed at that facility, but instead of letting us know and sending him home with that conversation being said, they kept him for 75 days. When we picked him up we were told by many members of the staff that they felt the residents that complained where overreacting and trying to get other patients in trouble. . AKA bullying. The whole reason he was there was the same reason he was asked to leave. It doesn't make sense to me. Things with him are worse than they were before. He has failed the 9th grade, anything we ask him to do around the house, (as simple as take a shower, clear your dishes or brush your teeth) is met with a very angry argumentative conversation that almost always leads to outbursts, door slamming rage and refusals. A lot of insurance money was given to the Newport program, we are now back to having no hope in getting help for him, and he is another year behind in school. Do your research carefully before spending the insurance money on a program that just might not be what it seems. read more

I was at Newport: Port Townsend for 97 days from March-June of 2023, during my senior year of high school. Those 97 days were the most influential days of my life. Granted, my case is very unique and I know my experience is not representative of every person who will go to Newport. It's important to note that I have never touched illicit substances, I was never exposed to it growing up. my experience is purely on the mental health aspect of Newport's program. The most important part of Newport is also the one thing we have any control over: the other people there. With a good crowd, it will be life changing. with a bad one, progress is much more difficult (but not impossible). I met some of the most interesting, funny, and infuriating people ever in my life at Newport. Two people in particular (who will remain nameless) have influenced the very way I perceive the world. Quite literally, and without exaggeration, they changed my life, and I hope to forever be friends with them. Of course, they couldn't have done it without the support and encouragement of the staff. (Almost) all of the staff and clinicians are unbelievably friendly, understanding, and more often than not, relatable in some way. No one becomes a mental health professional without having some experience themselves with a previous experience with mental illness. At Newport, I got help from the first person, not even therapist (Although they were a counselor), I had ever seen who was able to be a functional member of society while still battling severe depression. Combatting addiction and mental illness are not easy things. Most of the people I know from Newport have relapsed to something, but of the 50+ kids I met there, maybe 2 have gone straight back to their old ways. 80% of the time, those who struggle with addiction to pills or even harder things, will quit the hardest stuff. Generally, nicotine is the most recurring theme amongst alumni of Newport. I can only think of one person who has stayed clean off Nic, everyone else I know of who had addiction struggles with Nic in the past has relapsed. Similarly, marijuana is a common substance the plagues Newport. I've seen many people stay clean from it, and I've seen many fall back into it's dark grasp. If I had to guess, I would say about 50% of clients will stay clean from marijuana post treatment. it is the same story with alcohol, many can escape, and many others cannot. This isn't to say the program doesn't work though, and the vast majority if not all of the people I met at Newport who did relapse did so because of their home life. This is important, because a child is a direct reflection of their parents. No child will become depressed, anxious, or addicted just because. There is always a reason behind it, and often it has something to do with home life. When you send your child to Newport, expect to do the same amount of work your kid is doing bettering themselves, to better yourself. Newport can change families, and bring people together that hadn't spoken in years, and create some very close bonds to those that already existed. But none of that can happen without equal effort from the adults in your kid's life. It's also good to know that almost all the pictures of the campus are designed to sell you on going there. None of the rooms are never that clean or neat, the bathrooms are generally a mess, and graffiti litters the walls and desks of every building. You must understand, cramming ~20 kids all with enough addiction or mental illness to warrant a residential treatment facilities for months on end will invariably lead to some amount of chaos. There are attempts to stop this from occurring, but the kids often outnumber staff 2 or 3 to 1. That aside, Newport's campus (on the outside), location, and outings are amazing. Beautiful secluded views of nature. Every week, we would go on outings to a hike, go fishing, or something similar. On Saturdays, we would go and interact with horses, petting and just being with them. In all honesty, the car ride to and from the horse farm were more intriguing than the actual activity. Being outside is great and all, but being with your friends (hopefully) and cranking some tunes in a van is just unmatched. Other miscellaneous stuff that I had questions about when I first came there. Food: All natural with no added sugar, it's mostly good but it takes a little getting used to the lack of sugar intake. School: most people will be on a service called Apex, it's super easy and you prolly wont actually learn a ton but you can get your credits. TL;DR: -the other clients there are the most important aspect of this facility, and will dictate the majority of your enjoyment and progress there. -It can and will work, but not always. It is not a one-and-done deal, but a discovery of what truly needs help. -Newport has the capacity to change lives If you take it seriously and put in the work. read more

The staff are highly professional and genuinely caring, both toward you and your loved one, which is wonderful. They follow up even after the program is complete to ensure everything continues to go well. Their program is effective, and I've seen positive results from it. read more

After reviewing different options we came across Newport Academy. A campus away from the busy life, so someone can focus on themselves. The counselors and support they provide are excellent. They were able to help our teenager become recentered. After completing the program you are able to see the positive impact the Academy has had on him. We greatly appreciate all the staff for always being available to answer questions and assisting along the process. read more

Newport provided outstanding and personalized care for my teen with depression. Their family support and transition care couldn't have been better. read more

Newport was an amazing experience. Everybody there was very helpful, encouraging, and amazing. Everything is very structured. I miss all of them more than anything. I wish I could go back and talk to all of them. The day I left was very emotional and everybody was so supportive and loving. I'm really happy I went to Newport. I wouldn't be in the place I am today if I didn't go to Newport. read more

There really is no succinct way to summarize how much we appreciated Newport. If you are here, looking at Newport reviews, I understand what you are feeling. I would encourage you to consider working with them. Newport was the first part of our journey and they helped to stabilize the situation, guide us through the process and helped us decide what our next step would be. They were amazing and we can't thank them enough. My child now wants to work there when he grows up :) read more

Newport Academy was a god send for our grandson. When we were facing problems with his mental health, we had no where to turn, and by divine intervention with the help of some other services, my wife and I chose the services of Newport Academy. The decision was not easy to have him removed from our home, but since we didn't know how to deal with the issues at hand, our only option was in house care for him. Our grandson was not really happy about the decision that was made, as he didn't see anything wrong with his behavior. But after his first couple weeks in the academy, his attitude changed (for the better) and he was beginning the onset of his recovery. The staff made sure that the he was able to have phone time daily (phone calls home) which we received and greatly appreciated to hear his voice and the upbeat his attitude. His stay was less than the 90 day program due to the hard work he put into the program and the help of all the supporting staff and counselors that shared the valued services with him. If not for the help of Newport Academy and the staff; counselors and team they have sharing their stories and help with these children, my wife and I would have been at a complete loss with our grandson. Thank you Newport Academy and ALL the staff. You are FANTASTIC. I can't speak highly enough of your services. read more

I had a really great 60 day stay here. They have a really nice property with lots of trees and nature. My therapist really seemed to understand me unlike others I've had before. The staff were very nice. The food here was pretty decent and the cooks make an effort to accommodate individual needs. The teachers there were also helpful and kept me on track with my schoolwork that I needed to complete. I've made some good friends there that I still keep in contact with today. Overall Newport Academy really helped me with learning coping skills I needed and working out family issues. read more

One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make, was sending my son to Newport Academy.  I honestly couldn't go through with it the first time I considered it.  But when his mental health really hit a low point, I knew I had to do something to save him.  It was really hard while he was away, and he wasn't happy to begin with as you can imagine.  I'd say the first two weeks were the toughest, but knowing he was in a safe space made me feel better.  As the weeks passed I could tell he was opening up.  He smiled more when I'd see him on Zoom, and he'd share positive experiences he had that week.  He also shared things that bothered him, but he learned how to deal with peers from all different backgrounds.  Through our family counselor we were able to talk about things openly.  We could all share our true feelings, something I don't know that we've ever been able to do without an argument or someone ending up really upset.  My son learned how to deal with things in a new way, and also that it's ok to not be ok every day.  As a parent, I learned how to be a better listener, validator, and that it's ok to not agree on everything, and still walk away with a mutual understanding.  My son just graduated from high school last week, and attended his last prom.  He is enrolled to attend a state University in the fall.  I will tell you, everyday is not fantastic and without issues, but the good definitely outweigh the bad.  My son has found ways to deal with his struggles that I never thought possible.  I'm so thankful that we chose Newport Academy to get him the help he needed. read more

Going to Newport Academy might not have been how I wanted to spend my summer at first, but I am so glad I had that opportunity. I came to New port in a pretty bad place mentally there I received life changing therapy that put me back on track. The campus is beautiful, the people working there are amazing and the food feels like eating out every night. I don't know of anywhere in the PNW that offers the amount of individualized care, they really meet you where you at and build you back up. read more

I'm a past client and just wanted to come on here and say thank you to the Newport staff, they honestly make it so much easier being there and they have helped me thru after care also read more

Newport academy was an amazing experience and was the start of the long road of much recovery for all the experiences and how much I grew I will be eternally grateful. My only complaint is that they did not communicate well with my parents. My poor mother was so stressed because she didnt know what was going on at Newport. If that gets fixed I'd rate this a 5/5 stars! read more

If you look at the reviews of this program, the majority are from people who went through it many years ago. The program changed ownership in January of 2017 and fired many long time staff. The program is horrible now. It is unsafe, training and supervision are inadequate, communication with parents is subpar and they don't set limits with the patients. There is no accountability from the staff and they don't hold the kids accountable. The kids get away with all kinds of crazy behavior. The kids are allowed to bully each other and fights happen. Google "Gray Wolf Ranch Death". A kid died there in January of 2018 through setting himself on fire after staff failed to supervise him during a smoking break and he was able to break in to a shed where gasoline was stored. Was he huffing during an unsupervised smoking break? Was he trying to commit suicide? This was after he and another kid had previously broken in to the same shed to huff gasoline. Why were drug addicted kids not supervised enough to prevent them from breaking in to a shed where gasoline was stored? A good program has a 1:4 ratio of staff to students and won't leave kids alone ever, except to go to the bathroom. If kids want to go somewhere they have to be "in ratio". A good program will be doing enough therapy to know who is at risk for self harm and will put kids on "self harm watch" during which time they can never be farther than within arms reach of a trained staff member. My son was there for less than 4 weeks after he was pulled because the program was out of control. Kids were huffing gasoline (yup, you read that right, even after a kid died through immolation kids were still able to get access to gasoline.) One kid poured boiling water on another while he was showering. Coffee and tea were left out and kids would drink 11 cups of coffee to get high. An adult resident reported that my son was "tea bagged" while he was asleep and GWR never did an investigation. The campus became non smoking in September of 2018, but kids were still able to smoke on campus after that. My son was allowed to share a room with an adult resident for one night which was against their own rules. Kids went in to Seattle and relapsed. Kids got in to fights after being bullied all day. My son wasn't taken to medical or dental appts as requested. They never completed a treatment plan or an educational plan as is part of the contract. They said he would be "closely supervised during the entire time he was there" Once he was there the I kept trying to find out what the staff / student ratio was. They would never give me a straight answer. Finally the program director admitted that during graveyard it was 1:16. Teens brains are wired to be awake in the middle of the night. My son said they would run around during the middle of the night yelling "Horton hears a resident" about the graveyard shift guy who was checking the perimeter of the 20 acre campus. The parents are supposed to have weekly contact with the counselor. In four weeks this happened once and then was set up to start happening for 10 minutes a week. In other programs you get an hour a week. A friend of mine lives in Port Townsend and found a counselor's notebook that had been left in the street. All of the staff are in recovery, which I think is a weakness. I think a strong program has recovering and non recovering people. In retrospect I realized that the Admissions Director lied to me on two occasions. The Program Director had extremely poor skills for dealing with conflict. They were desperate for patients. Can I say anything good about Gray Wolf Ranch? Many of the staff are very nice people. There are some very good things in the curriculum including yoga and mindfulness. And the food is great. It is 12 Step based, however, which is not designed for adolescents. The Seven Challenges model is evidence based for adolescents. Gray Wolf Ranch doesn't have the systems in place to run an effective program. All this for 11K a month. My son is excelling in a safe out of state program where he is learning to be accountable. read more

Against my better judgement, my wife and I sent our son back to Gray Wolf after he had a relapse after several years of sobriety. Here is a brief history: our son attended the program in 2014 and graduated with a newfound sense of purpose and belonging. The staff (at the time) were incredible, and it was obvious that Gray Wolf was a well-oiled machine. Our son's counselor was the only man who seemed to get through to him after years of seeing therapists, psychiatrists, and addiction specialists. Upon completion of the program, our son had multiple successful years of recovery. Unfortunately, our son relapsed after he experienced a devastating loss in his peer group. My wife and I are familiar with the disease of addiction, so we understand that our son became sick and he went back to the solution he knew best: drugs and alcohol. Immediately we thought of Gray Wolf Ranch, and after a few telephone calls my son was on the next flight to Seattle. I could tell something was different about Gray Wolf when my son called us from the program and told me that many of his favorite staff had left. He noticed that his peers were of a different demographic, as if many families had ceased sending their kids to the program. My son mentioned that it felt more like a shelter than a treatment center. Also, the program schedule had changed and he spent the majority of the time in his room or on the campus, which has limited activities for the students. In addition to the many new, seemingly inexperienced staff, the communication between parents and staff was subpar. Long story short: we pulled our son from the program after several weeks of nothing happening. If you are thinking about sending your son here, please understand that the program has changed. I understand that they are under new ownership and many of the experienced staff that once made the program great have left. I recommend looking into Hazelden before sending your son to this new "cutting edge" version of Gray Wolf Ranch. read more

I have a son who is working on his sobriety. After initial treatment he was referred to Gray Wolf Ranch. I couldn't find any "ratings" online and had to rely on the "professionals". I am glad I did. The entire staff, from the Director down, are great, understand parents concerns while really getting the young men they work with. My son relapsed within days of arrival. Gray Wolf had done everything humanly possible to prevent this short of putting him in a jail cell. Their handling of the situation was honest, fair, ethical, helpful, compassionate, insightful and earnest. They worked hard to keep the best interests of everyone in mind. In the fear, emotion and uncertainty that addiction brings; Gray Wolf, and the people there, are truly some of the best. read more

The staff at Gray Wolf Ranch works hard to understand the individual struggles of each of the young men participating in their program. This level of insight allows for them to provide the best possible care for each person's unique circumstances. They have an unwavering commitment to the compassion and structure necessary for lasting change and health. Gray Wolf Ranch is a very special place. read more

My son is a graduate after a 60 day out of their excellent Program 2 weeks ago . I can not say enough what a wonderful program this is. Newport Academy did wonders . Without knowing much about this program I enrolled my son .(Outpatient did not do good for him ) My son worked super hard to become sober and learned how to stay calm in stressful situations . The staff at NA did a fantastic job to work with him and with Family to connect us again. I Learned so much during Family sessions and Family days .My son keeps saying that he actually misses NA .He wants to go back to become a Speaker and works on to stay sober so he can work there one day, to work with Teens who have addiction or Behavior Troubles . He keeps telling other Families and Friends who have been in trouble with substance abuse " you should send your son there " And that says a lot about this place . Newport academy is there for us even now after my son graduated . He is looking forward to go visit there as soon as possible .This is by far the best investment and experience we had . read more

Our son is a graduate of their Signature Program and has over a year sober now! I can not say enough what a wonderful program this is. Let's start by saying what every parent wants to hear: Our son actually says he misses being at Gray Wolf! That is amazing, and my bet is you won't hear your child say that about many other wilderness-type programs. If I told him tomorrow he was going back, he'd say, "Awesome, let me pack!" He went back to visit as an alumni about 2 months after he graduated, and after starting out meeting a fellow alumni at the noon Big Book meeting in Port Townsend, he walked on over to the learning center, (where he spent months in Gray Wolf's school program), then took the Gray Wolf shuttle back to the lodge, had their amazing dinner, participated in their therapy group and stayed late into the night for movies. We actually almost missed the last ferry out because he didn't want to leave. Now that is saying something! On the way home he said, "That was the best day ever!" The staff at Gray Wolf are highly professional and take what they do seriously. This is critical, because there is nothing worse than a treatment facility that promises you the moon, and it's all a racket to get you into the door. Not so here; they are organized, professional, and keep the structure of their program. Therefor you can count on your loved one being in a safe, structured environment. Their staff do not make you promises they can't keep. They do not promise to keep your child sober. They will tell you that their program gradually gives them just enough rope to hang themselves if they are so inclined. BUT, if it happens they are in an environment that is safe and it can be dealt with. We were extremely anxious about this as our son was coming out of residential where he had zero freedom. Of course we knew that he had to make the leap sometime, and doing so at home was NOT an option. (We'd tried it and failed.) It turned out to be one of the best aspects of their program. The "distant" supervision they provide. Add to that all of the structure and support they put into place around your loved one: multiple 12-step meetings a week, requiring them to get a sponsor, their own chemical dependency counselor on-site, a psychologist, an MD, schooling if they need through their learning center (great program!), transportation to/from town, help setting up things like gym memberships, boxing classes, work and all the volunteer work the boys do. They go to AA functions, go on outings on weekends, have movie nights, in-house gratitude meetings, etc. Then, add the treks. Our son LOVED them. We were actually worried about this because one of the things he said to us when we were looking for treatment was, "If you send me to a wilderness program, I'll never forgive you." Well, when trek time came, we were worried, but it was all for naught - he loved the treks. He went on two: one hike along the San Juan shoreline, the other a snow hike at Mt Baker. He saw the Northern Lights and did a lot of reading. (Our son who never read a single book prior). They also have the option of sober homes upon completion, which are a fantastic option if your son is old enough/qualifies. It is hard to find decent sober living homes in WA. (California and Minnesota they are all over, but not so in WA). And they have alumni programs too. I highly recommend Gray Wolf Ranch to anyone looking for a top-notch treatment facility like no other. We researched dozens of programs. And it bears repeating - our reluctant son still says he misses being at Gray Wolf. read more