Embark Behavioral Health in Marion, Montana

406-991-3130
406-991-3130

A Premier Inpatient Mental Health Facility in Montana 

Our inpatient mental health facility in Marion, Montana, offers short-term residential treatment perfect for adolescents and teens struggling with behavioral health and substance abuse issues. Our program’s 500-acre ranch in the breathtaking mountains of Montana provides a peaceful, serene setting for your son, daughter, and family to reflect and grow. This campus-based location, next to the Pleasant Valley Fisher River, features outdoor therapeutic activities, dorm living, a weight and fitness room, yoga, an indoor basketball court, and more. 

For adolescent and teen girls and boys struggling with school refusal, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and other mental health issues, the earlier they’re diagnosed, the more effective inpatient treatment can be. Identifying concerning behaviors and symptoms early on and implementing a course of care and specialized treatment can prevent further and more severe problems from developing as youths grow into adults. 

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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment at Our Montana Facility

At our program, we believe that substance abuse and substance addiction co-occur alongside many mental health issues. For troubled adolescents and teens struggling with these challenges, our inpatient facility offers substance abuse counseling through recovery programs that provide simultaneous education and recovery for addictions that develop alongside mental illnesses. Our inpatient behavioral health and substance abuse treatment options help adolescents and teens understand how to navigate their way through difficult drug and alcohol issues while overcoming conditions like anxiety and depression.  

Conditions We Treat 

Inpatient Treatment and Therapies Offered

Our facility's mental health services are highly recognized. Specialized inpatient treatments and areas of focus at our Montana location include:

Our Therapists and Team

David Chiarito

Position: Executive Director - Flathead Valley

MS Experiential Education, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN BS Outdoor Recreation Leadership, Unity College, Unity, ME David has served in the Behavioral Health Care field for over 25 years. David began his career in wilderness therapy and has worked with hundreds of adolescents, young adults, and their families in a variety of contexts and programming environments. David has served in a variety of roles, including direct-care staff, case management, program design and development, outreach and admissions, and administration. David’s approach is very much boots on the ground as his passion is engaging with clients, families, and staff alike. David has been with Embark since the Spring of 2016. In his free time, David enjoys spending his time with his wife, and two boys and loves to participate in all of the outdoor activities that Montana has to offer.

David Chiarito

Executive Director - Flathead Valley

As Executive Director at Embark at Flathead Valley, David Chiarito...

Lynn marshal clinical director at embark at flathead valley

Lynn Marshall

Position: Clinical Director

Clinical Director

PsyD, Clinical Psychology, Argosy University Emphasis in Child & Adolescent Development

Since the beginning of her career, Lynn has been focused on child and adolescent development. She specializes in psychological assessment, differential diagnosis, and trauma-informed care, in addition to having specific training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, parent-child psychotherapy, and suicide assessment. Lynn uses a strength-based approach to meet the individual needs of neurodiverse learners who may also experience anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, substance abuse or other forms of maladaptive coping. Lynn focuses on the importance of developing authentic relationships to strengthen personal character, purpose, and emotional maturity. She appreciates the challenge of understanding each student’s unique life story and uses her optimism, passion, humor, and kindness to help find the key components that can support students in building a life they want to live. What makes you happy about working at Embark at Flathead Valley? Embark at Flathead Valley provides an opportunity for me to be part of the students’ everyday routines and interactions. Seeing the students function in multiple environments allows me to build a deep understanding of their strengths and areas of need. Using that knowledge I can create growth experiences within a multidisciplinary team that can be implemented and practiced in all areas of functioning.  The short-term residential environment offers a unique perspective, as a therapist, to see a student’s functioning in real-time and provide in-the-moment strategies to support the students in utilizing healthy skills. What are your interests outside of work? I love being outside; exploring and adventuring with my husband, son, and daughter. Some of our favorite activities are skiing, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, and traveling. I also enjoy relaxing with a good book and learning new things.
Lynn marshal clinical director at embark at flathead valley

Lynn Marshall

Clinical Director

Lynn Marshall has been focused on child and adolescent development...

Anne Barrier program director at embark at flathead valley facility

Anne Barrier

Position: Program Director

BA Psychology, Recreation Management

Certifications: Clinical First Responder Motivational Interviewing Leave No Trace Instructor

Anne Barrier started her career working with youth and their families with The North Carolina Outward Bound School: Florida At-Risk Wilderness Programs— where she worked in logistics and later as a Family Coordinator and the Admissions Specialist. During her time with Outward Bound, she gained family-centered perspectives through working with parents and teenagers together. Anne worked in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming as a Recreation Park Ranger with the Youth Conservation Corps before making her way to the Flathead Valley to work with Embark at Flathead Valley. What makes you happy about working at Embark at Flathead Valley? My favorite part of working at Embark at Flathead Valley are the moments when you get to reflect back to the students the good that you see in them and in their journey that they aren’t always seeing. “Holding the hope!” What are your interests outside of work? You can find me playing with my two miniature Australian Shepherds, Banjo and Mabel, exploring new places, fishing, playing the banjo, skiing in the snowy months, or chasing mountain streams!
Anne Barrier program director at embark at flathead valley facility

Anne Barrier

Program Director

As program director at Embark at Flathead Valley, Anne Barrier...

Amy Zink operations director at embark at flathead valley

Amy Zink

Position: Operations Director

Operations Director

Education: AAS, Office Technology, Flathead Valley Community College AA, Business Management, Flathead Valley Community College BSLS, Management and Organizational Communication, Montana State University

Amy has been working as a Business Administrator since before she graduated college (20+ years).  Amy started as an Administrative Assistant and after  5 years, became the Business Manager and a few years after that joined the Leadership Team. What makes you happy about working at Embark at Flathead Valley? I love working in an environment where I see and feel a purpose. I love watching the transformation of the students while they are here. What are your interests outside of work? My daughter’s and I barrel race and love riding horses. We enjoy just about anything outdoors; camping and kayaking being at the top of our list.
Amy Zink operations director at embark at flathead valley

Amy Zink

Operations Director

Operations Director at Embark at Flathead Valley, Amy Zink, is...

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Tour Our Treatment Center

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Insurance Reimbursement 

Short-term residential treatment at our facility is frequently reimbursed by insurance plans. To determine if your plan will cover the cost of inpatient care, contact our team or fill out our insurance verification form. We’ll work with your insurance company for free to help you understand your benefits. Let us help you demystify insurance coverage for short-term residential treatment. 

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Short-Term Residential Treatment Serving Youths From Montana and Across the Country

Our treatment center offers coed short-term residential care and support for adolescents and teens who may be struggling with behavioral health issues. Our inpatient facility is proud to offer youths and families in Montana and around the country customized mental health treatment from clinicians who use evidence-based methods. Adolescents and teens enrolled in our program are provided with care for issues like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and more in a healing, nurturing environment so they can overcome the challenges that may be affecting their everyday lives. 

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A Day at Our Inpatient Program

Our treatment center offers a structured, supportive learning environment designed to promote healing, self-care, and emotional wellness. The schedule for youths enrolled in our Montana residential facility includes mental health and daily living activities, individual and group therapy, exercise, and meals. This approach, in combination with family therapy, is designed to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and improve social-emotional functioning. 

7am
Breakfast

8:30am
School

12:30pm
Lunch

1:30pm
Group support

3pm
Therapy

4pm
Fitness

6pm
Dinner

7pm
Social Night

8pm
Evening routine

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Therapeutic and Adventure Therapy Activities

In addition to traditional therapy methods, our residential treatment center’s beautiful location near Whitefish, Montana, will allow your adolescent or teen to participate in therapeutic and experiential activities like rock climbing and hiking. We also offer therapeutic trips to picturesque areas such as Glacier National Park, a short two-hour drive from our program. These activities will help your child learn how to apply the skills learned on campus in real-world environments while also learning healthy and appropriate ways to enjoy life. 

Here are some examples of activities adolescents and teens can participate in at our Montana location: 

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Emotional

Animal interactions

Painting

Pottery

Band and music production

Poetry

Equine therapy

 

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Physical

White water rafting

Strength training

Basketball

Marathon Running

Soccer

Indoor climbing

State park outdoor activities

Horseback riding

Mountain biking

Snowshoeing

Snowboarding and skiing

Hiking

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Social

Karaoke

Service projects

Baking

Gardening

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Intellectual

Museums

Movie theatres

Cultural events

Aquarium/zoo

Attending plays

Improv workshops

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Spiritual

Yoga

Sound bath

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Embark Inpatient Program in Montana FAQ

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Reviews

Embark Behavioral Health
Embark Behavioral Health
5.0
Based on 15 reviews
review us on
aya baratta
aya baratta
17:52 14 Feb 23
Our experience at Flathead valley Embark was just amazing. We didn't know what to do with our 15 years old daughter with her school refusal issue, anxiety and depression. Sending her to a residential program was very scary and difficult decision and we didn't want to pick out a wrong place for this sensitive situation. Admission department was very good from the beginning. Once we found out that there was no spot available closer to our house, he recommended us two other locations. My daughter didn't want to fly out from East coast, yet he arranged us the video visitings with both locations and sending us many extra pictures, making my daughter's life easier to pick Flathead valley out by her choice. When we took her there, all of stuff members welcomed us. Her therapist was just amazing, my daughter loved her and she is still saying that her therapist was the best therapist ever. ( She changed her therapists 5 times in the past!)She transformed by the individual, group and family sessions. The family sessions were challenging for all of us and went over the very touchy subject but her therapist putting together and the sessions went just beautifully. My daughter said that all of girls got the perfect therapist for themselves and she was wondering how did they find the perfect match for everyone. Not only the therapy sessions went well but our daughter appreciated and respected all of life couches, they really helped her to organize her life at Embark and also having fun activities or just sitting and talk, being there for her. She even had great time with kitchen stuff. My husband and I were pretty much convinced that people at Embark had big Montana heart! The facility was very nice, peaceful and cozy at beautiful setting. Everything they offed helped my daughter tremendously and she was actually discharged early. They were also excellent of following us up and checking in with her well-beings. Thank you so much for changing my daughter's and our lives. Without the experience at Embark, we could not get back our happy family life again. We highly recommend Embark Flathead Valley for everyone who is struggling finding yourself and happiness. You will find it here!
Kimberly Edington
Kimberly Edington
20:58 26 Jan 23
Embark is a truly unique program that has amazingly dedicated staff that truly cares about their clients. The campus is gorgeous and unique in its own right. The therapeutic activities and family therapy are individualized to each family and student’s needs. So thankful to have found this place.
Ariel Sizemore
Ariel Sizemore
15:04 21 Jan 23
I can’t say enough good things about Embark. We live in the Midwest, very far from Montana and still I would not have wanted to send my 13 year old child anywhere else. Sorry for the long review in advance but I think it is very important as a parent that other parents can be well informed. Something that really drew us to Embark was their good reviews, so I wanted to make one too.I know there are many parents like we were who are struggling to find a safe place for their child that will really help them when they have exhausted every other option. We went through every facility for short term residential on our insurance list and every other within a 300mile radius from our home we found by researching and they either didn’t have availability, didn’t meet our child’s criteria, only accepted children from DCFS/CPS, weren’t affordable for us or had terrifying reviews. After making hundreds of phone calls to hundreds of places, when we found Embark, we were expecting the same short, unhelpful response from them as we had already heard so many times. We were completely hopeless, but we were still trying.Embark was so different from every other phone call we made from the very first one. Their admissions department representative that worked with us clearly actually cared about our child and did everything she could to help us. She revived our spirits and restored our hope that our child could actually get help. She worked with our insurance to help get our child’s stay covered. She also checked in with us as parents throughout the admissions process. I can’t say enough about how amazing she was and how much weight she took off of our shoulders.After our child was accepted into the program, I flew to Montana with her and took her to the campus. It is beautiful. Just driving through the mountains with my daughter brought us some peace and as anxious as I was to have her so far away from home, I was excited for her to have some time to spend in such a naturally therapeutic environment.When we got to the campus, a group of clients and staff members was walking from one building to another and they all stopped and waved at us and it really made us feel welcome. We were given a tour of the campus. The buildings are all clean and look like log cabins, feeling very comforting and warm. The atmosphere is very relaxed and quiet, but the children have a structured routine. I had a session with my child’s therapist before leaving that day. The staff invited me to come back to check in before I left for home two days later after my child had a day to acclimate. I stayed in Columbia Falls, spent the next day working on getting loose ends tied up at home and school for my daughter while she was away and hiking in the mountains, finding more peace that I so badly needed. I returned the next day to spend a few hours with my daughter. She had already made friends and was very excited about beginning her journey at Embark.Her on site therapist was absolutely amazing. She picked up on very subtle characteristics about my child that I hadn’t been able to recognize. She was very communicative, flexible with her schedule, and SO caring and understanding to our child.The rest of the staff and life coaches were also amazing, they all really seem to care about the children in the program. The clients get a lot of time outside and a lot of time to do all kinds of art which was perfect for my daughter. While visiting the campus, the clients also nonstop talked about how amazing the food is and how the cook could even make food without specific ingredients like eggs (for someone with allergies) that tasted delicious!My child’s on site psychiatrist called me weekly and detailed a plan for her medication changes, answered all of my questions, listened to all of my concerns and was very thorough.After discharge, they have followed up with our family several times to see how we are doing.I truly feel like our family could not have had an experience like this anywhere else. This changed our lives and we are forever grateful.
mckenna nichols
mckenna nichols
23:42 18 Jan 23
My experience at Embark Flathead Vally is something I will always be grateful for. I was depressed and my anxiety was taking over my life and it was having a huge effect on my family. I was hopeless I thought there was no way out of the way I was feeling 24/7. That was until I went to embark. Having this be my first residential my parents were super scared to put me anywhere. They didn't know what to expect. They were quickly reassured that I would be in the best hands and get the help that I needed. I was not happy to pack 2 months worth of clothes into a suitcase and fly almost 2,000 miles but I didn't have that much of a choice. When I first got to embark I was super nervous to meet the people I would be living with for the next two months. Those nerves quickly went away, the life coaches made it feel super welcoming and it made the adjustment 10x easier. OH and the food. The kitchen staff is amazing. I cant not talk about my therapist there. He was probably the best fit for me. He pushed me but he also was there when I just needed to talk. I want to thank every single staff member for helping me turn my life around.
Marcus Heckman
Marcus Heckman
01:01 28 Sep 22
We love Embark at Flathead Valley! Their program saved our daughter. The staff loves each of the kids and nurtures them from the moment they arrive until they are truly ready to return home. and the LIFE COACHES....their title is truly appropriate. We are so thankful that our daughter had this experience and we are forever in their debt.
Syd Riva-clement
Syd Riva-clement
21:49 28 Aug 22
I had a wonderful experience at Embark at Flathead valley. The people were accommodating, and very thoughtful. I was there as a client and the people are wonderful, all the staff including but not limited to the clinical staff and life coaches. They were kind and gentle when ever i needed a break. but also pushed me and made me strive to do my best. i came in very angry and depressed and i left as new person. Because of embark i have grown so much, i am now able to do so much more and have a much more open mind
ally petersen
ally petersen
16:23 24 Aug 22
In early of this year I went to Embark at Flathead Valley. Let me tell you how it changed my life and why to choose Embark for you Child.As a teen struggling with mental health was always a given to me. After multiple hospital visits, inpatients, and intense therapy I felt so hopeless. My whole family was affected by my lack of not trying; not trying in school and not trying at life. This caused my family to fall apart. I felt like my life was going to continue being this way forever. Forever painful and never being able to experience normal things. Until Embark.When I was approached with the thought of flying across the USA with all my stuff, living in a completely new space, interacting with people I didn’t know, and being in a completely different environment so far away from my family, friends, and cat (this was very important to mention) I was in complete disagreement. I didn’t want to do this. But my parents gave me no choice. And i’m so thankful that they had pushed me to do this.The first day at Embark was so unexpected. As I first arrived and interacted with the staff I was so surprised. They were so kind and welcoming. As I met my peers i was nervous but that quickly changed. Every single staff member was absolutely responsible for helping me grow and change for the better. They took care of every single girl there like they were their own child. It was so much fun every single day talking to the kitchen staff in the morning and having breakfast around people who i am glad to call my friends. It felt like a family. It was a safe place to be myself. It was an amazing way to feel comfortable and happy while at the same time being at to better myself.I cannot talk about Embark without mentioning my therapist. I’m not 100% sure if she would like me to say her name. But let me tell you about her. Everyday when I saw her she greeted me with the biggest smile that instantly put me in a good mood. She truly listened to what I had to say, she worked with me and my family assigning us tasks to complete and topics to discuss that completely changed and brought the bond back to my family. She reminded me how loved I was. She is hands down the sweetest person you will ever met. I am forever greatful for her and everything she helped me do to change me and my families life.In all, I want to thank every single staff member who was responsible for making me who I am today; happy and enjoying life. When i was leaving it felt like leaving my family. Thank you to everyone at Embark at Flathead Valley. I will forever be so grateful for the experience. I will never forget anyone there. So if you ask, “why Embark” that’s why.
Riley Allen
Riley Allen
17:11 10 Aug 22
My own experience at Embark at Flathead Valley was a very positive it help me a lot with suicidal ideation, self-harm, and a lot other negative habits. ive been to a lot of other programs and nothing compares to Embark at Flathead Valley.something that has been different from other programs is it is not a hospital setting and you get a lot more freedom. The therapist and Life Coaches are very helpful to talk to when your in a crisis.
Dani McDonald
Dani McDonald
16:09 02 Aug 22
As a parent, when your child is in crisis you feel completely helpless. You don't know what to do. You listen to countless nurses, doctors, and phycologists and try to find the perfect fit to keep your baby safe. And all the meanwhile having sleepless nights thinking that something horrible might happen. Before going to Embark we had been in and out of hospitals, and partial programs six times. We knew that we needed something different if we were going to be able to keep our child safe.We were presented a whole bunch of places in New York all the way to California. We researched and researched and then we came across Embark.We picked Embark because it was different than everything else we were seeing. They not only have group and individual therapeutic sessions, but they have wilderness therapy, art therapy, EMDR, and other modalities that create healing as a whole. Not to mention the Therapists and Life Coaches are absolutely amazing and knowledgeable.My child is sensitive and shy and the "hospital-like environment" was making things worse. As a parent and having one foot in the therapeutic world I knew that she needed something different and exceptional. And unfortunately, treatment in this capacity has not changed since they first started.Until now!Embark has helped us in so many ways. First in being able to finally breathe knowing that our child would be well taken care of in a Nourishing and Loving environment. That they respect our child and treat her as an individual instead of a number that they need to get out so that they can make room for someone else.I can't stress enough how INCREDIBLE AND LIFE-CHANGING EMBARK is; especially since we were in and out of hospitals and partials 6 times before arriving at Embark.Thank you for all you've done and continue to do for our child. She is a whole new person eager and looking forward to the future because of this Tremendous place!
James Clement
James Clement
18:31 25 May 22
My daughter had a truly transformational stay at Embark at Flathead Valley. The therapeutic team was absolutely first rate—smart, insightful and empathetic; the entire staff—from the kitchen to the barn and the gym—was loving and supportive; the physical setting is beautiful, serene and healing. Sending a child to a residential facility is a huge decision and requires a great deal of trust. David Chiarito, the Executive Director, understands the gravity of the decision and takes the responsibility seriously. He could not have been more patient and accommodating to this very anxious parent. I am grateful to David and the entire team and cannot recommend Embark at Flathead Valley any more highly.
Andrew
Andrew
20:42 19 May 22
This place was absolutely life-changing for my daughter. The staff care like these kids are their very own. From the therapists, life coaches to the kitchen staff - everyone shows up every day to help these troubled teens learn a better way. I am blown away at how truly committed the staff is and the results speak for themselves!
Ben Brown
Ben Brown
01:39 24 Mar 22
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A Continuum of Mental Health Care Offered Across the U.S.

Multicultural Family Success Adolescent Teen Anxiety Treatment Embark Behavioral Health

If short-term residential programs don’t offer the level of care your adolescent or teen needs, Embark Behavioral Health offers a range of exceptional treatment and therapy options across the United States. 

From virtual counseling to outpatient therapy, our robust continuum of care will provide the right level of treatment to help your child overcome difficult mental health challenges.    

Contact us today to learn more about our programs and how they’re changing the lives of adolescents, teens, and young adults across the U.S., helping them embrace a fulfilling and purposeful future.   

Start your healing journey

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Phone: 406-991-3130

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Embark Behavioral Health

9705 Lost Prairie Road 
Marion, MT 59925