Clara’s House, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Clara’s House Overview

Located in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Clara’s House is a treatment center for children and adults between the ages of 5 and 18 dealing with mental health and chemical dependency issues. The center serves about 500 youth per year and is named after its benefactor, Clara Egge-Ellingson. Clara, when she was alive, provided a safe place for children to be nurtured and spent most of her life caring for them. The hospital was founded in October of 2004 and is now run by Mae Ellingson-Skalicky, Clara’s daughter. The center exists under the umbrella of CentraCare Health, an organization dedicated to providing health care services. The center boasts of a nurturing, safe, and healing environment for its patients and also provides therapeutic, intensive services designed to support youths and their families. The treatment center does not offer residential care but does provide separate Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) and aftercare programs for children and adults. The treatment offered at the facility is patient-centered and individualized for youths and their families. The treatment facility boasts of an interdisciplinary staff consisting of physicians and psychotherapists all providing specialized care. Additionally, the center offers a “parent enrichment” program, a support and education group for parents or guardians who have children dealing with behavioral health issues.

Treatment & Therapy

The center offers some treatment and therapy services depending on the unique needs of the client. Some of these are:

• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
• Aftercare

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

The facility offers three separate partial hospitalization programs tracks. One of the programs is designed for early adolescents, another for adolescents, and the last for children. The program is short-term and comprehensive and the next stage after the inpatient mental health program. The center is also fit for individuals who do not need constant supervision or intensive treatment such as that which takes place in an inpatient program. Before patients are admitted, a licensed intake counselor meets with them for assessment and creates an effective, individualized treatment plan to suit their needs and goals. The program occurs for three hours each day on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Evidence-based therapies, group, and individual therapies are also important parts of the program.
The following are a list of conditions treated at the facility:

• Substance abuse
• Mental health disorders
• Behavioral health problems

Therapy Options

The facility offers various options of therapy which include:

• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Relapse prevention
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• 12-step meetings
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Support and educational groups

Pricing

Clara’s House operates on a sliding scale basis which means that the price for treatment is calculated based on the household income of the client. Clients are advised to contact the facility for more details on payments. Financial assistance is also available to individuals in need of such.

Clara’s House Advantages

The facility offers aftercare or a discharge plan to clients who have completed a primary program (Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or clients in need of a less intensive level of care. The aftercare plan involves a program that takes place after school hours and meetings take place once weekly for three hours. The program offers sessions similar to a partial hospitalization program but core sessions such as psychiatric sessions are not included.
In conclusion, the house offers two levels of treatment which is strictly rooted in evidence-based therapies and 12 steps programs. Being under the St. Cloud Hospital, it gives the house some authenticity as the hospital is very well known. Client seeking treatment at a facility that offers support for co-occurring disorders and a very dedicated care team will find Clara’s House to be a good option.

Staff