What to Expect at The Ranch Tennessee

Now that you’ve decided to begin treatment at The Ranch Tennessee, it’s time to prepare for your stay. Knowing what to bring, what to leave behind and what to expect at the facility can help you feel more comfortable and prepared as treatment begins.

What to Bring

Please bring no more than two suitcases due to limited storage. Pack comfortable, practical items that will support you throughout your stay.

Documentation

• Picture ID
• Insurance card
• Prescription or pharmacy benefits card

Financial Items

Avoid bringing large amounts of cash. Prepaid debit cards, such as prepaid Visa or American Express cards, are preferred.

Any cash brought to the facility will be secured in the facility safe. Cash will not be distributed during treatment and will be returned at discharge.

Checks sent or brought for spending money will be returned to the sender.

It may also be helpful to notify your financial institution that you will be away from home.

Medications and Medical Devices

Your care team will review your medications when you arrive. Bring:

• A complete list of all current medications, including supplements and over-the-counter medications
• Current prescription medications in their original, labeled prescription bottles
• Prescription information needed for admission
• A CPAP machine, if applicable

Medications brought to the facility must remain in their original, labeled prescription bottles and will be secured by the nursing department. The medications taken during treatment will be determined by your physician and may not include everything you were taking before admission.

Certain types of medications are not prescribed during treatment. Do not bring controlled medications that were not approved during the pre-admission process.

Supplements should be new and in sealed containers. Bringing a supplement does not guarantee that it will be continued during treatment.

Clothing

Dress comfortably and pack approximately:

• Seven comfortable shirts, such as T-shirts
• Two sweatshirts, pullovers or sweaters
• Seven pairs of jeans, slacks or shorts
• Seven pairs of yoga pants or sweatpants
• Seven pairs of socks
• Seven to 10 pairs of underwear or undergarments
• Two sets of sleepwear or robes
• One or two pieces of season-appropriate outerwear
• Two pairs of comfortable shoes, including one pair of tennis shoes and one pair of slip-on shoes, sandals or slides
• One pair of shower shoes

Please leave sheer or revealing clothing, expensive jewelry and other valuable items at home.

The Ranch Tennessee maintains a facility dress code. Staff may provide additional dress-code requirements before or during admission.

Washers and dryers are available in the residential homes, and basic laundry supplies are provided. Contact the facility before admission if you require a specialized detergent.

Personal Care Items

Keep toiletries and cosmetics to one bag when possible. All products should be alcohol-free and arrive unopened or sealed.

Recommended items include:

• Shampoo and conditioner
• Body wash or soap
• Deodorant
• Body lotion
• Hairbrush or comb
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Alcohol-free mouthwash
• Shaving razors
• Hair dryer, if desired
• Sanitary napkins or tampons, if applicable
• Cosmetics and other items used in your regular personal care routine

Items with cords and sharp grooming items, including razors and tweezers, will be kept in locked storage and signed out by staff when needed.

Do not bring glass containers, personal mirrors, mirrored compacts or products that list alcohol among the first five ingredients. Hair dye and hair-cutting tools are also not permitted.

Tobacco Products

Patients who smoke or vape may bring unopened tobacco products. Vapes must be:

• New and sealed
• Disposable
• Non-refillable
• Non-rechargeable

Patients are encouraged to bring enough tobacco or vaping products for their entire anticipated stay when possible. At minimum, patients who smoke or vape should plan to arrive with enough products for approximately the first 10 days.

A staff member conducts a store run for necessities and tobacco products once per week. Staff cannot purchase tobacco products for patients under age 21.

Other Recommended Items

• A written list of phone numbers for people you may want to call
• Postage stamps, envelopes and mailing addresses
• Photographs of loved ones

Laundry and Linens

Laundry facilities are available in the residential homes. Patients complete their own laundry, and the necessary basic laundry supplies are provided.

Personal linens and pillows are not permitted. Linens and pillows are provided by the facility.

What Not to Bring

For safety reasons, do not bring the following items.

Clothing and Footwear

• Clothing or pictures containing references to drugs, alcohol, pornography, political content, discriminatory content or other inappropriate material
• Sheer or revealing clothing
• High-heeled shoes or wedge heels higher than two inches

Staff may require closed-toe, flat shoes for certain activities.

Toiletries and Personal Care Products

• Hair dye or hair-cutting tools
• Nail polish or nail polish remover
• Aerosol products
• Products that list alcohol among the first five ingredients, including alcohol-based mouthwash and hand sanitizer
• Glass bottles or containers
• Personal mirrors
• Mirrored compacts
• Picture frames containing glass

Weapons and Fire Hazards

• Weapons of any kind, including pocketknives
• Candles
• Incense

Tobacco and Related Items

• Refillable or rechargeable vapes
• Vape pods
• Hand-rolled cigarettes
• Cigars
• Cigarette papers
• Refillable lighters

Electronics

Do not bring:

• Computers or laptops
• Kindles or other e-readers
• Music players
• Radios

Personal cell phones, smartwatches and other electronic devices brought to the facility will be securely stored during detox and residential treatment. Personal computers may not be brought to or used at The Ranch Tennessee during treatment.

Food and Beverages

Do not bring outside food or beverages of any kind.

Medications

Do not bring:

• Prescription medications that are not in their original, labeled prescription bottles
• Over-the-counter medications or substances that are not in sealed manufacturer packaging
• Controlled medications that were not approved during the pre-admission process

Laundry and Bedding

• Laundry detergent, unless specialized arrangements have been made before admission
• Personal linens
• Personal pillows

Other Items

• Specialized workout equipment, including personal weights

Mail, Packages and Belongings

Friends and family may send patients letters, cards and approved care packages. Appropriate care package items may include:

• Coloring books
• Colored pencils
• Self-help books
• Positive messages
• Cards

Do not send food, candy, cookies or other edible items.

The Ranch Tennessee uses different addresses for U.S. Mail and package deliveries.

U.S. Mail:

The Ranch
Client First & Last Name
PO Box 38
Nunnelly, TN 37137

UPS, FedEx and other package deliveries:

The Ranch
Client First & Last Name
5166 Hwy 48
Dickson, TN 37055

Family members and friends may also drop off necessary belongings, such as clothing or unopened permitted tobacco products, during designated times. Contact the facility in advance to confirm when drop-offs are accepted.

A staff member will receive the belongings upon arrival. Belongings drop-off does not include an opportunity to visit the patient.

Phone Use

Patients may make one phone call when they check in. This is followed by a three-day orientation period. After the orientation period, patients in detox and residential treatment may use facility phones seven days per week for up to 20 minutes. 

Personal cell phones are not permitted for use during detox or residential treatment and will be securely stored.

Patients receiving PHP services may have access to their cell phones after programming hours.

The Facility

The Ranch Tennessee is a private, rural treatment campus in Dickson, Tennessee. Rather than housing everyone in a single residential building, the campus is organized around country-style homes surrounding a main campus.

Each home functions as its own community and has a particular clinical focus. Housing and programming are gender-specific, with adult men and women living in separate homes.

This residential model also incorporates daily living responsibilities into treatment. Patients participate in household routines such as chores, meal planning and community activities, helping create a more home-like environment while supporting the development of practical life skills.

Amenities and Activities

Amenities and activities at The Ranch Tennessee may include:

• Exercise and fitness facilities
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Cornhole
• Walking and outdoor activities
• Equine therapy
• Horseback riding
• Barn time
• A labyrinth prayer walk
• Medicine Wheel activities
• A low ropes course
• The Maze experiential activity
• Movie nights
• Karaoke nights
• Art and expressive activities
• Music and expressive activities
• On-site laundry facilities

Equine therapy may include a weekly on-the-ground session, and patients may have opportunities to sign up for additional barn time or horseback riding. Horseback riding has a 250-pound weight limit.

Home gym access is scheduled rather than continuously available. Available activities depend on clinical appropriateness, treatment schedule and program.

Food

Meals at The Ranch Tennessee are handled differently from many traditional residential treatment facilities.

Patients living in each home participate as a community in planning and preparing family-style meals. The facility provides the food and ingredients needed for planned recipes. Patients can also select breakfast and lunch items to be stocked in their home. Meal planning and preparation are incorporated into the facility’s broader emphasis on practical life skills and community responsibility.

Outside food and beverages are not permitted. Patients with dietary restrictions or other dietary needs should inform the facility before or during admission so those needs can be reviewed.

Sleeping Arrangements

Patients live in gender-specific, country-style residential homes designed to provide a more home-like environment.

Bedrooms may accommodate up to four patients. Housing configurations differ by home and program. At Spirit House, which houses men, and Windsong House, which houses women, patient bedrooms have private bathrooms.

A Day in the Life

Life at The Ranch Tennessee combines structured clinical treatment with community living, experiential activities and practical daily responsibilities.

In addition to therapy and recovery programming, patients participate in routines such as chores, meal planning, grocery ordering and community groups within their residential home.

Treatment may also incorporate fitness, outdoor activities, expressive therapies and experiential programming. One programming day may be dedicated to expressive approaches such as art and music, while other experiential activities can focus on trust, communication, mindfulness, meditation, core beliefs and relationships.

Depending on the treatment plan, patients may also participate in equine therapy, barn activities, recovery meetings or other structured experiences.

Types of Therapy

Treatment and recovery programming at The Ranch Tennessee may include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Trauma-informed treatment
• EMDR when clinically appropriate
• Brainspotting when clinically appropriate
• Individual and group therapy
• Family therapy
• Experiential therapy
• Equine therapy
• Art and expressive therapy
• Music and expressive therapy
• Mindfulness and meditation
• Recovery-focused and 12-Step approaches, depending on the patient’s program

EMDR and Brainspotting are not guaranteed components of treatment. Patients are evaluated for clinical readiness, generally after they have had time to stabilize in treatment.

The Ranch Tennessee also offers a specialized sexual recovery track for adult men. Treatment in this track is led by clinicians trained in sex addiction treatment and incorporates the Patrick Carnes Facing the Shadow model along with an introduction to 12-Step recovery work.

Family and Support Visits

The Ranch Tennessee does not offer in-person or virtual visitation during treatment.

Smoking Policy

Smoking and vaping are permitted only in designated areas at The Ranch Tennessee.

Disposable vaping devices must be:

• New and sealed
• Non-refillable
• Non-rechargeable

Vaping or smoking indoors, in vehicles or outside designated areas is not permitted. A vaping device used outside the permitted areas may be forfeited for the day after a first violation and for the remainder of treatment after subsequent violations. Patients may not share vaping devices.

Patients are encouraged to bring enough permitted tobacco and vaping products for their anticipated stay. At minimum, patients should plan to arrive with enough for approximately the first 10 days.

A staff member conducts a store run for necessities and tobacco products once per week. Staff cannot purchase tobacco products for patients under age 21.

The Treatment Process

Treatment at The Ranch Tennessee varies according to the condition being treated, the patient’s clinical needs, progress and insurance coverage.

Available levels of care include:

• Medical detox as part of a continuing treatment stay
• Residential substance use treatment
• Residential mental health treatment
• Partial hospitalization
• Intensive outpatient treatment
• Aftercare

Substance use residential treatment generally averages approximately 28 days, depending on the patient’s clinical need and insurance coverage.

Mental health residential treatment generally begins with a minimum treatment period of about 30 days. Private-pay mental health patients may remain in treatment for approximately two to three months on average, depending on clinical needs.

The specialized men’s sexual recovery track generally follows a 30-day model, with an average stay of approximately 30–45 days. Actual treatment duration is determined individually.

Medically Assisted Treatment

Medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, combines medication with counseling and behavioral support as part of a comprehensive approach to recovery. For some patients, MAT can help manage withdrawal symptoms or cravings and support continued participation in treatment.

The Ranch Tennessee offers MAT when clinically appropriate. Each patient is evaluated individually, and the treatment team determines whether medication-assisted treatment should be included in the patient’s care plan.

Alumni Program

At The Ranch Tennessee, we have an alumni program that provides our clients with the support and resources they need to continue in their recovery journey. Our alumni programs are tailored to meet the individual needs of each client. It will provide them with a sense of community to help them stay motivated in their recovery.

Our Staff

The Ranch Tennessee’s leadership team includes:

• Lauren Bentley, LCSW, Executive Director
• Dr. Brian Fuller, Medical Director
• Missi Harris, RN, Director of Nursing
• Ashley Oldani-Martinez, LPC-MHSP, Director of Clinical Operations
• Allison Price, LPC-MHSP, Program Director, Women’s Residential Programs
• Kirsten Collins, LPC-MHSP, Program Director, Men’s Residential Programs

Insurance and Your Obligation During Treatment

Many health insurance plans require out-of-pocket costs in order to access your healthcare benefits. These expenses may include Deductibles, Co-Pays, Coinsurance and Maximum Out-of-Pocket Expenses (collectively, the “Patient Responsibility”).

Your individual Patient Responsibility may vary based on a number of factors including:

• Your individual benefits plan
• Length of stay at the facility
• Type of services received during treatment
• Other services offered at the facility, but not covered by your insurance provider (such as lab tests, non-covered prescriptions, etc.)
• Reasonable boarding fees should you decide to stay with the facility for treatment at outpatient levels of care.

A staff member will review your Patient Responsibility with you at the time of admission or as soon as possible once you are medically stable. They will explain that the deductible is due upon admittance to the facility and the co-insurance amount and out-of-pocket balance will be billed and paid for after treatment once services are complete. On-site financial counselors will again review your financial responsibility during treatment with case managers who can help you navigate FMLA.

It is your responsibility to check with your insurance provider prior to being admitted at The Ranch Tennessee to understand your individual benefits plan. Please note that your insurance plan may not be a “participating provider” with The Ranch Tennessee. You are responsible for all non-covered and out-of-pocket costs related to your treatment stay.