The Continuum of Care Offered Through Acadia Healthcare’s Network of Facilities

Acadia Healthcare has established itself as America’s largest stand-alone behavioral health care provider, with a network spanning 262 facilities across 39 states and Puerto Rico. This extensive reach enables Acadia’s network of affiliated facilities to offer a continuum of care designed to address the varied and complex needs of individuals struggling with mental health disorders and substance use issues.

Behavioral Health Demand

The demand for behavioral health care services in the United States continues to grow amid what many experts characterize as a national crisis. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 50 million Americans experience behavioral health issues. Yet fewer than half of adults with behavioral health disorders accessed timely care. The situation is particularly concerning for those with substance use disorders, who are even less likely to receive necessary treatment.

Against this backdrop, Acadia Healthcare has developed a multifaceted approach to care delivery that aims to meet patients where they are in their treatment journey. Acadia’s mission centers around providing “compassionate care that improves lives, inspires hope, and elevates communities,” Acadia Healthcare CEO Chris Hunter said in a recent quarterly earnings call.

Acute Inpatient Services

At the most intensive end of Acadia’s care continuum are its 52 affiliated acute facilities, which provide inpatient care for high-acuity patients. These settings serve individuals with conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychoses that require immediate, round-the-clock intervention.

Inpatient treatment at these facilities is designed as a short-term experience for individuals age 18 and older who are experiencing acute symptoms of mental or behavioral health disorders. This level of care aims to help patients achieve stabilization so they can either return home or transition to a less intensive treatment setting.

The inpatient admission process begins with a thorough assessment, gathering information about the individual’s family history, past trauma, and/or history of mental illness. Based on this evaluation, a team of professionals develops a personalized treatment plan tailored to the patient’s unique needs and goals.

Therapeutic interventions at the inpatient level may include:

• Detoxification services for those battling addiction to drugs or alcohol.
• Medication management with regular psychiatrist consultations.
• Individual therapy in confidential, one-on-one settings.
• Group therapy sessions led by professional staff.
• Family therapy to address how mental illness or substance use has affected the family unit.
• Experiential therapies such as yoga, mindfulness training, recreational therapy, music therapy, and art therapy.

A key component of Acadia Healthcare’s affiliated network of facilities’ inpatient approach is the development of comprehensive discharge planning from the moment a patient enters care. This ensures continuity of treatment and appropriate support as individuals transition to lower levels of care within the Acadia system or to other community-based services.

Residential Treatment Programs

Beyond acute inpatient care, Acadia has 35 specialty facilities within the affiliated network where treatment follows a residential care model.

Residential treatment allows patients to remain in care for extended periods — weeks or even months — providing comprehensive support for significant progress in recovery. This level of care is particularly valuable for individuals with complex needs requiring more intensive intervention than outpatient services can provide.

For adult patients, residential treatment offers the opportunity to step away from daily life stressors and focus entirely on health and recovery. The structured environment provides constant support while helping patients develop coping strategies and life skills essential for long-term wellness.

For youth and adolescents, Acadia’s affiliated residential treatment centers deliver longer-term care in supportive environments where young people receive round-the-clock treatment. These facilities balance therapy with social, academic, and other activities that support holistic development.

Comprehensive Treatment Centers

Acadia’s affiliated network of 164 Comprehensive Treatment Centers form a crucial component of its continuum of care, addressing opioid use disorders through medication-assisted treatment combined with personalized therapeutic interventions.

These centers work with patients addicted to various opioids, including heroin, morphine, oxycontin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, Vicodin, and fentanyl. The treatment approach combines medication-assisted treatment with behavioral therapies and counseling services.

The CTC model has demonstrated impressive quality metrics, achieving a 99%+ quality score across each of CARF International’s 13 measures. The centers have implemented various innovations to enhance access and quality, including:

• Mobile vans to extend geographical reach
• Efficient processes resulting in average wait times of approximately 5 minutes per clinic visit
• Technology infrastructure allowing about half of CTC patients to access counseling virtually
• Specialized clinical programs for specific populations, such as incarcerated patients and pregnant women.

Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs

As patients progress in their recovery journey, Acadia’s affiliated network offers step-down options that provide structured therapeutic support while allowing increased independence and community integration.

Partial hospitalization programs, or PHPs offer treatment during weekday mornings and afternoons, with patients returning home or to supported residences during evenings and weekends. This level of care maintains structured therapy while providing opportunities to practice developing skills in non-treatment environments.

For adolescents, PHPs (sometimes called day treatment) typically involve full days of structured therapeutic services. Participants then return home in the evenings, allowing them to maintain family connections while receiving intensive support.

Intensive outpatient programs are the next step down in care intensity, for adults generally involving two to four hours of treatment two to four days per week. For adults, this provides increased opportunities for independence while maintaining connection to structured therapeutic interventions. For adolescents, IOPs usually operate about three hours per day, three days per week, offering significant flexibility while continuing therapeutic support.

Traditional Outpatient Services and Aftercare

At the least intensive end of Acadia’s continuum are traditional outpatient services, where patients schedule sessions with therapists or counselors at frequencies that suit their needs and recovery progress. These services provide ongoing support for individuals who have completed more intensive treatment.

Acadia’s approach to continuing care extends beyond its network of affiliated facilities through comprehensive discharge planning and aftercare services. From the moment patients enter treatment, teams work to develop thorough discharge plans ensuring they have necessary resources to maintain progress. These plans may include referrals to outpatient providers, community support groups, and other resources.

Expanding Access

To address the significant gap in behavioral health care access nationwide, Acadia continues to expand its network through new facility construction, joint ventures with health care systems, and strategic acquisitions. In 2024 alone, the company constructed approximately 1,300 new beds.

The company has established 21 partnerships with premier health systems across the country, helping to integrate mental health services with traditional medical care and creating more efficient health care delivery systems.

Through this multifaceted approach to care delivery — spanning from acute inpatient services to outpatient support and addressing the needs of diverse populations — Acadia Healthcare has positioned itself to address the large and growing demand for behavioral health care services in the United States.