FAQs About Plum Creek Recovery Ranch
The following are common questions we receive from prospective residents and their families about Plum Creek Recovery Ranch, our facility, and our substance abuse treatment programs.
Austin-Bergstrom Airport is 20 miles from the facility and San Antonio International Airport is 65 miles from the facility. If travelling by bus or train, we will meet you at the baggage claim area and bring you to Plum Creek Recovery Ranch.
Once travel arrangements are made, our transportation department will confirm where in the baggage area our driver will meet you. We will need a physical description, including what you will be wearing on the day of arrival. This allows us to maintain your anonymity.
Please bring clothing for about 5-7 days, along with exercise clothes and a raincoat. Laundry items such as detergent, towels, and linens are provided.
Dress code is casual and comfortable but should not be revealing or provocative. No clothing or items should reference drugs or alcohol or anything potentially offensive.
You may bring items such as non-aerosol hair spray, alcohol-free mouthwash, and body lotion. Do not bring items that contain alcohol. Toiletry items containing alcohol are forbidden and will be confiscated.
Please bring your own unopened cigarettes and chewing tobacco as we do not sell them on campus and will not procure them for you.
We recommend bringing a debit or credit card as all purchases are completed via a card reader. If required by law, please bring a copy of your travel permit and/or interstate compact.
Please contact your HR department to obtain required documentation if you are planning to use FMLA and/or Short-Term Disability.
Please bring your alarm clock (no clock radios).
We recommend bringing between $150-200 of personal money. We are unable to cash any checks. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
We have a swimming pool on-site. Bring appropriate swim attire (one-piece bathing suits for women/shorts-type suits for men).
Before you are admitted to Plum Creek Recovery Ranch, please leave the following list of items at home.
– Sporting/exercise equipment
– Television
– Iron
– Weapons
– Pornography
– Open food or drink
– Expensive jewelry
– Heating pads
– Electric blankets
– Any electronics with internet access or camera (this does not include your cell phone).
– Hairspray
– Perfume/cologne
– Essential oils
– Aftershave
– Hair color
– Nail polish remover
– Mouthwash
– Aerosol items
– Energy bars/drinks, protein powders/bars, and vitamin drinks
– Items that hold great personal attachment
– Nicotine cessation products, cigars, loose tobacco products, and clove products. If brought, they will be destroyed. Butane fuel lighters are not allowed.
If you smoke cigarettes, you must bring your own in sealed packages or cartons. We will not supply or purchase cigarettes for you. Family can mail you cigarettes, if needed.
If you bring a cell phone, it may be used during registration and then it will be stored for safekeeping during your stay. You will have access to resident computers and landline phones, with permission and supervision access to cell phones may be allowed.
If you will be making long distance or international calls, please bring a calling card. Local calls can be made at no charge.
We want you to temporarily shut out the outside world while you are in treatment. We want you to disconnect from your everyday stress so that you can focus on your recovery. You cannot have your phone with you during treatment, but there are specified phone times where you may call your family and loved ones using phones located at the facility.
Once you are admitted, you will be able to contact your family and loved ones. There are dedicated phone times when you will be allowed to make phone calls or check messages. Your family is welcome to participate in our family program.
Online time is limited while you are in treatment. This allows you to focus on your recovery. However, we understand that there might be times when you need to access your email, make bill payments, etc. You will work with your primary counselor to make time to conduct necessary business.
Please bring a 30 to 90-day supply of all prescription medication(s) in their current prescription bottle(s) with the exception of any mood-altering or controlled substances.
All mood-altering and controlled substances are not allowed at Plum Creek Recovery Ranch. This includes prescriptions.
We allow only provider-prescribed vitamins and/or supplements. If prescribed by a provider, they must be in an unopened, sealed bottle, or in an original prescription bottle. Opened bottles will be confiscated upon admission. If not in a prescription bottle, you must have written proof that the supplement/vitamin was prescribed by a provider.
Any products containing CBD or its derivatives will be confiscated and destroyed.
Do not bring herbal remedies, muscle-building supplements, or energy drinks.
Please do not bring any medication, pills, or supplements in baggies or medication holders with loose medication or mixed in a single bottle. Do not bring expired medication. If any of the above are brought in, they will be confiscated.
Our medical provider will determine which prescription medication(s), over-the-counter medication(s), vitamin(s), and/or supplement(s) will be continued upon admission.
For all other medication(s), patients are responsible for obtaining any necessary refills or new medications prescribed during treatment. We have a local retail pharmacy which can accommodate this need or work with your home pharmacy to transfer prescriptions, if needed. Patients are responsible for prescription payment directly to the retail pharmacy via credit card.
If diabetic, have a chronic viral illness, or any specialty medical conditions/medications, including injectable medications, please bring in a month’s worth of equipment and supplies. If additional supplies are needed after admission and the local pharmacy cannot provide them, we will ask you to have them shipped from home.
For pharmacy charges, please bring your insurance card(s), your prescription insurance card(s) (if separate), and a credit card.
Yes. We have an addiction psychiatrist as our medical director and other addiction trained physicians as well as nurses to care for our residents.
What will my first day look like at Plum Creek Recovery Ranch?
When you arrive for admission, you will be greeted by a member of our warm and welcoming staff. You will then be taken to our concierge area where you’ll complete some additional paperwork. This includes the signing of our treatment contract and consent forms. It is during this time that an inventory of your belongings is completed.
Once the paperwork is finalized, you will undergo a preliminary medical assessment with a registered nurse who specializes in addiction care. Vital signs are taken and the physician is called for admission orders. You will be required to take a urine test to determine what drugs, if any are in your system. This keeps you safe.
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Understanding Opioid Addiction FAQ
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1999-2018, nearly a half a million people died from an overdose involving an opioid. This includes both prescription and illicit opioids. The first wave corresponded with the increased prescribing of opioids in the 1990s.
The common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths include: methadone, oxycodone (such as Percocet, Oxycontin), and hydrocodone (such as Vicodin). These prescription drugs are used to treat pain and are routinely prescribed following an injury, surgery, or for serious health conditions such as cancer. There has been a dramatic increase in the use of prescription opioids for back pain, osteoarthritis, and chronic non-cancer pain, despite serious risks and a lack of evidence to its long-term efficacy.
The second wave began in 2010 with rapid increases in heroin overdoses. Heroin is a highly addictive and illicit opioid drug. People frequently use heroin in combination with other drugs and alcohol. This increases the risk of overdose. Heroin overdose deaths have increased five times since 2010.
The third wave began in 2013 with a significant increase in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl. In 2018 more than 31,000 deaths involving synthetic opioids occurred in the United States alone. This is a higher death rate than any other type of opioid. Synthetic opioid involved deaths accounted for 67% of all opioid deaths in 2018. Reports indicate that fentanyl overdose deaths are more likely to be driven by illicitly manufactured drugs.
Behavioral changes are often the first sign of opioid abuse. These include a marked change in sleeping and eating habits, defensiveness regarding behavior, and growing more socially distant.
– Physical changes as opioid use takes a toll on the body. Negative effects include weight loss, lethargy, and chronic constipation.
– Problems with memory, relationships and other obligations.
– “Doctor shopping” when they cannot get a prescription from their current doctor or moving on to heroin use.
– Decline in personal hygiene.
Common Side Effects of Opioids
– Constipation
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Drowsiness
– Dizziness
Long Term Side Effects of Opioids
– Reduced libido
– Amenorrhea
– Testosterone depletion
– Increased risk for overdose
– Increased risk for heart attack and A-fib
– Reduced energy
Substance Abuse Aftercare FAQ
Yes, all residents who complete inpatient residential treatment are able to access alumni services at no cost.
What if I relapse?
Addiction is a chronic disease and recovery can be a challenging process. We are here for you should you relapse or need a higher level of care. You are never alone.
Once you seek treatment at Plum Creek Recovery Ranch, we will be at your side throughout your recovery journey. We can make referrals and recommendations to meet your needs. The journey is not always easy but when more support is needed, we are just a phone call away.
Insurance Verification and Treatment Facility FAQ
Once you have made the decision to seek treatment, the next step is to contact one of our admissions counselors for a confidential assessment and screening. This allows us to recommend the best course of treatment that is right for you. Our admissions team can be reached at 512-488-1128 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
Treatment plans are individualized for each person, ensuring that you receive the care you need to find life-long recovery. Evidence shows that the longer a person stays in treatment, the better the chance for long-term success. That being said, treatment doesn’t end when you leave us.
Upon discharge, you will be provided with an aftercare plan that may include participation in an IOP (intensive outpatient program) or PHP (partial hospitalization program), a 12-step or other type of abstinence-based program, sober living resources, back-to-work facilitation, or referrals for on-going counseling with a licensed therapist.
Yes, please complete the Insurance Verification form and we will confirm your insurance in a timely manner. Please note most insurance companies verify insurance during specific daytime hours which delays after hours verification. At Plum Creek Recovery Ranch, we understand how important this information is for you. We try our best to expedite the insurance verification process.
The cost of treatment depends on the length of your stay. After your initial assessment with your admissions counselor, you will speak with one of our financial advocates to establish the investment necessary to get the treatment you need.
All financial obligations are met prior to your admission. Your financial advocate will help you arrange any out-of-pocket costs (costs not covered by your insurance). If additional medications are prescribed for you while you’re in treatment, we will bill the pharmacy insurance benefit. You may receive a pharmacy bill for co-pays or other uncovered costs. If you require a higher level of care during your stay, you will be billed separately for that.
Plum Creek Recovery Ranch provides an integrated approach to treatment and recovery. We treat the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. Your treatment plan could include:
– Inpatient Medical Detox
– Group therapy
– Individual counseling
– Psych/Social Assessment
– Psychiatric Assessment
– History & Physical Exam
– Wellness programming, including physical fitness, nutrition assessment, yoga, and access to our fully-equipped gym
– Educational programming that teaches about the disease of addiction and what is needed for successful long-term recovery
We use evidence-based treatment protocols to address a number of issues. Along with treating alcohol use and substance use disorders, we treat concurrent mental health issues (depression, anxiety, trauma, issues that surround grief and loss, and post-traumatic stress disorder).
Our evidence-based program is backed by research that proves its effectiveness. These protocols include cognitive behavioral therapy, twelve-step facilitation, dialectical behavioral therapy, medication-assisted therapies, and motivational interviewing.
If You’re Ready to Heal, We’re Ready to Help.
If you have questions about the Plum Creek Recovery Ranch substance abuse treatment program or the treatment we offer, just fill out this form and we will reach out to you right away!