Admissions and Intake at Evolve

Healing begins with a phone call.

It might be the hardest call you ever make. It may be the most difficult conversation you’ve ever had. But a single phone call to Evolve can be the first step toward restoring balance, harmony, and peace to your family.

Phase 1: Pre-Screening

When you reach out to us, the first thing we do is listen. We want to understand who you are, what’s going on in your family, and answer any initial questions you have about Evolve. A recovery expert will guide you through the process with a series of questions including:

Who are you calling for?
Are they the right age for Evolve?
What issue do they need help with?
Why do you think Evolve might be a good fit?

We’ll share our treatment philosophy and describe our various levels of care and treatment options. We expect you to have questions, too, because the pre-screening process should be mutual: we both have practical boxes to check, and you need to feel one-hundred percent comfortable with Evolve before moving forward.

Watch Megan Johnston, Director of Admissions, explain the admissions process:

Once we work together to determine if Evolve meets your family needs, we ask for your insurance information and begin the pre-approval process. We call your provider and help you understand what your policy covers and discuss your options. Ideally, we get verification and pre-approval during this first call. If we can’t—if you call after business hours or on the weekend—we’ll call you as soon as we make contact.

Phase 2: Pre-Admissions Assessment

The next step is about gathering details. Our goal is to ensure Evolve is clinically appropriate for your teen. We ask for the following information:

• Clinical history
• Treatment history
• Symptom history
• Hospital records
• School records

We work with you to decide which location and level of care is the best fit, then arrange a time and date for admission. We send you a parent questionnaire and an admissions handbook with specific information about:

• Our modes of therapy
• Daily routines
• Family involvement
• Visitation and communication: hours, email, mail, and phone policies
• Expectations of participants
• Program rules
• House rules
• Packing list
• Dress code for boys and girls

Phase 3: Arrival, Admission, Consent

We’ll welcome you with open arms and an open heart. Your family will meet and greet our staff and current residents. Parents will meet with the facility manager to dot the i’s, cross the t’s, tie up any loose ends regarding admissions paperwork and insurance, and answer any remaining questions. We’ll review parent and patient rights and you’ll sign consent for treatment and privacy forms.

Parents will then meet with a clinician to provide a complete psychological history of their teenager and family. If parents are not present upon admission, we’ll arrange a time to gather this important information.

While parents meet with the facility manager and intake clinician, teenagers meet with one of our licensed therapists for their first in-person assessment. A staff member will then document and check belongings for safety. Once cleared and before entering the treatment environment, a staff member will take a urine sample and check for any contraband.

Before you say your goodbyes, we’ll give you a full facility orientation, review details around visitation policies, phone times, and daily schedules, then answer any final questions you may have.

The intake process lasts approximately two-three hours.

Phase 4: Treatment Begins

You can rest assured knowing your child is in a safe, comfortable, supportive environment surrounded by a dedicated team of compassionate, experienced mental health and addiction experts. We’re committed to one thing: the health, wellness, and safety of your child.

Everything else is secondary.

We know this is a huge step for you. We understand it won’t be easy. Yes, there may be tears. Yes, it may be hard to drive away.

But one thing we’ve learned in all our years working with adolescents: treatment works.