The Palm Beach Institute in West Palm Beach, FL
Treatment Center Setting
- Residential Neighborhood
The Palm Beach Institute Philosophy
Founded in 1970, the Palm Beach Institute was the first private drug and alcohol treatment center in the state of Florida. As a leader in the 12-step, residential treatment model, the Institute offers medical detoxification, along with inpatient, transitional living and aftercare services for men, women and adolescent males.
Areas of Specialization
Facility Highlights
Testimonials
Meet the Staff
Dan Dowdle B.A., LADC
Executive Director
Dan is an experienced businessman with more than 30 years of management expertise. Dan began his career in a family owned and operated chain of retail shoe stores where he spent the first 10 years working after college. Dan has also owned and operated full service and quick serve restaurants. Dan began his journey in the Behavioral Health Industry after having his own issues with alcoholism. Sobriety took root in the tenet of working with others and he soon began pursuing a second career in the treatment field. After completing a yearlong resident training program at the Hazelden Foundation, Dan stayed on and worked for three years as primary counselor on an adult male unit. After moving to Florida in 2002, Dan worked in an Intake and admissions capacity where he discovered the passion for working with families. He soon began his intervention practice as well as business development work representing treatment facilities. Dan is an advocate of 12 step treatment that integrates proven clinical practices to deliver the finest possible experience to clients and their families. Dan is a graduate of Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, and is a native of Chicago and a huge sports fan rooting for his favorite teams including the north side professional baseball team.
Lisa Sussman
Clinical Director
Lisa Sussman is the Clinical Director at The Palm Beach Institute. Lisa has over 13 years in the substance abuse field. She graduated with a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from South University. She is a licensed mental health counselor, a clinical hypnotherapist and trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. Her counseling experience entails working with numerous life issues that vary from substance abuse, addiction, eating disorders, sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, to a variety of other diagnoses to family systems, couples, individual, and group therapy. Additionally, she has worked with adolescents and adults in inpatient treatment, intensive outpatient programs, and in private practice, treating those with co-occurring disorders. She has developed and facilitated family programs in substance abuse treatment.
Rehabs.com 360 Guide
ABOUT THE PALM BEACH INSTITUTE
Founded in 1970, The Palm Beach Institute (PBI) was the first private drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in South Florida. Housed in an oceanfront facility in sunny West Palm Beach, the center provides residential treatment, transitional living, and aftercare services for adults and adolescent males, including those with co-occurring disorders. Additionally, The Palm Beach Institute offers on-site, medical detox and a three-day family program.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
For some, treatment at the Palm Beach Institute begins with detoxification, and its detox center is staffed with medical professionals who monitor clients around the clock. To reduce withdrawal symptoms during the detox process, clients may be prescribed Suboxone or methadone.
Once stabilized, residents participate in 12-step and evidence-based programming that includes individual and group counseling, peer support, anger management, and relapse prevention. From there, clients may decide to enter the transitional living program, which offers structure and support through 12-step meetings while allowing clients to ease back into their day-to-day routines.
Aftercare, which consists of both individual and group counseling, is also available to inpatient treatment graduates. PBI’s family program involves family members in the recovery process through lectures on addiction, group discussion, coping skills education, and information about 12-step programs.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Palm Beach Institute’s multidisciplinary staff consists of master’s level therapists, mental health counselors, licensed alcohol and drug counselors, a registered nurse, and a case manager. All staff members are highly experienced in working with recovering clients, and many hold advanced certifications in their respective areas.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Located minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, Palm Beach Institute’s Olive House residential facility is a homelike residence cheerfully decorated and surrounded by tropical vegetation. Bedrooms are shared, and common areas are comfortably furnished and equipped with fireplaces and flat screen TVs.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The six alumni polled by Rehabs.com to date offered highly varying opinions of their stay at Palm Beach Institute. Two alumni neglected to provide ratings, but reported disappointing experiences regarding disorganized and unsupportive discharge procedures in particular. The four alumni to rate the facility's treatment effectiveness at the time of this writing gave it two three-star ratings and two five-star ratings.
One anonymous reviewer gave the facility’s accommodations, meals, and amenities five out of five star ratings, but provided only three stars for treatment effectiveness. This reviewer noted that family participation and 12-step treatment components were great with four out of five stars, but holistic and faith-based treatment options may be lacking.
One alum polled by Rehabs.com indicated with two-star ratings that exercise and leisure provisions and holistic offerings were lacking, but gave the staff's level of training and experience five out of five stars. She reported experiencing a relapse after 30 days of treatment, but disclosed that she did not participate in aftercare services.
Reviews from alumni on Google yielded mixed feedback. On Google, the facility received an average rating of 3.6 out of five stars from 17 reviews to date. [1] While many reviewers left five out of five star ratings and commented on the supportive staff and great food, others felt staff members were unprofessional and inconsiderate. On its Facebook page, which the facility can manage, the facility earned 4.1 out of five stars from 81 reviews. [2] Many alumni expressed gratitude to the staff and program effectiveness.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
At the time of this writing, two loved ones provided feedback for the Palm Beach Institute to Rehabs.com. The feedback was mostly negative.
One loved one gave the facility three out of five stars for treatment effectiveness, while the other gave only one star. While the loved one polled on holistic treatment offerings and exercise and leisure options gave four out of five stars for each category, they indicated that family participation may be lacking. In comments, the sibling appreciated being able to communicate with their brother daily, but felt there was not enough flexibility. “They let me call my brother every night. However, we couldn't call when we wanted to,” the anonymous loved one wrote. The other loved one called the treatment program a “complete joke!:”
FINANCING
Palm Beach Institute does not publish its rates, but the facility’s website lists a number of accepted insurances, including Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and others. According to the website, this facility also offers full and private-pay options for those who are uninsured or underinsured.
[1] https://goo.gl/5fXkPj
[2] https://www.facebook.com/ThePalmBeachInstitute/
Published on September 2017
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