(406) 655-2100 (800) 726-6755

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch provides psychiatric residential treatment for emotionally disturbed youth through our Residential Programs. Those programs serve boys 9-18 years old and girls 12-18 years old. The top diagnosis of youth in our care are Bi-polar, Depressive disorders, ADHD, PTSD, Reactive Attachment and other mood disorders. For more information on our admission criteria or speak to someone about our residential programs, call 1-800-726-6755 or email us. Our Residential Programs serve youth from all over the country.

We offer a continuum of care in various communities throughout Montana. Those services range from one-on-one mentoring to Therapeutic Foster Care. For a description of services and the locations of our Community Based Services and treatment options, please Contact our Community Based Admissions Department or call 1-800-726-6755.

Our Residential Programs are located on 400 acres, a few miles west of Billings, Montana. We are about 20 minutes from Logan International Airport and just north of I-90 highway.

The main office of our Community Based Services program is located in the Garfield Resource Center near downtown Billings, Montana.

YBGR is licensed psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) by the State of Montana and accredited by Council on Accreditation (COA) for Children and Families. Our on-campus school, Yellowstone Academy is accredited by the Northwest Accreditation Commission and Montana Office of Public Instruction.

The average length of stay in our residential programs is 8-10 months. This length of stay depends a lot on how well your child does while in treatment at YBGR.

Life at the Ranch starts with your child getting up and getting ready for breakfast that starts at 7:30 a.m. From there, they go to our on-campus school, Yellowstone Academy. School starts at 8:20 a.m. and goes till 3:30 p.m., with lunch at the noon hour. After school, there are different activities offered either through our recreation center, in the lodge, or other work opportunities through our Transition Skills Program. At 5:30 p.m. the youth go back to the dining hall for dinner. After dinner, the youth usually go back to the lodge, have some free time and then can attend scheduled activities on campus throughout the evening. From about 8:00 pm until bedtime (bedtime is based on the youth’s age and privileges) youth start getting ready for bed which includes time for hygiene and time in the lodge.

Weekend and school break schedules are different, with time spent in group activities, community service or restitution projects, recreation and exercise groups, our Transition Skills Program, or chores in their lodge.

Medical services for residential youth are provided through our 24-hour staffed on-campus clinic. We have nursing staff available 24 hours a day as well as a physician’s assistant that can assess all youth and if needed, we are 20 minutes away from 2 major hospitals.

YBGR works with you to decide what and if psychotropic medications are appropriate for your child on an individual basis. Our Board Certified, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists are highly qualified and you can trust that if they suggest a new medication or a change to medication, they have your child’s best interest at heart. You will definitely have a say in whether or not a medication is used but we ask that you support the doctors’ clinical decision. Your input is greatly appreciated as you know your child better than anyone and have the history of what medications your child is on, has been on and what kind of side effects or reactions your child has had to any medications. Our psychiatrists will always listen and take your feedback into consideration. Not all of our youth at YBGR are on medications, so it is not a required part of treatment, however, if encouraged by the psychiatrists, we ask that you follow their recommendation.

Family is a valued part of the youth’s treatment team. You and any one that you put on your child’s contact list will be allowed to contact the child as often as you would like. Depending on the level of care your child requires, the number of outgoing calls may be limited. Visits to your child and our campus are also encouraged and can be prearranged through your child’s therapist.

YBGR is not the right place to care for your child if they have any of the following behaviors or situations:

• a history of fire setting, who are obsessed with fires or pose a significant risk for arson.
• primarily conduct disordered and have demonstrated inadequate responsiveness to previous treatment attempts.
• pose a significant risk to others due to a history of being extremely assaultive, combative and destructive.
• have been aggressive perpetrators of sexual offenses.
• acutely suicidal or acutely psychotic, and require acute hospitalization.
• is currently pregnant.
• has a special physical or medical need, which cannot be adequately served in our treatment environment, including chemical addictions in need of in-patient detoxification.
• has an acute eating disorder.

Each youth will receive weekly individual, family and bi-weekly group therapy with our master’s level or licensed therapists or social workers. When appropriate, recreational/experiential therapy can also be added to the youth’s treatment plan.

Yes. Youth in residential care receive educational programming through the Yellowstone Academy (YA). YA is a public school district (K-8) and a private high school (9-12) that operates year round on a trimester academic calendar. Regular education, special education, vocational education, Title programs, and 504 services are offered.

No, our school is fully accredited, meaning the credits that students earn here, will transfer to any other school the student attends. Our school gathers all transcript information for every student and determines the credits needed to graduate under either our school or their home school district. This ensures students receive credit for the work they have completed and stay on track for graduation.

Yes, students can earn a High School diploma from Yellowstone Academy or they may transfer credits earned here, back to their home school to meet those graduation requirements. For more information or to Inquire about Educational Services through Yellowstone Academy, please contact us.

Yes, Yellowstone Academy works closely with student’s home school districts to ensure that the IEP process is followed and students receive all required services that are listed in their IEP. We have a highly qualified team of specialists that work as a team to monitor student’s progress and ensure all meetings are attended and goals are met.

Yes, according to the Montana Department of Education and the Office of Public Instruction (OPI), all teachers are properly credentialed for the positions they hold. Most of our teachers are also Special Education Certified.

Class sizes are 6-10 students on average, with a teacher, para educator and sometimes an additional direct care staff. The high staff to student ratio allows for small group and individual instruction, flexible scheduling, and an individualized prescriptive teaching/learning environment.

Each student receives an educational assessment to identify strengths and determine current levels of functioning/achievement. Results of this assessment, referral documents, IEP’s, and educational histories are used to create individualized education plans. Students are placed in courses that are appropriate for meeting their home school graduation requirements along with consideration of their age, development, grade, skill level, and learning style. We also take into consideration their interests, strengths, and future goals. For more information or to Inquire about Special Educational Services through Yellowstone Academy, please contact us.

Yes, extensive background checks are completed on all staff prior to being hired.

If your child meets the admission criteria for residential care, outpatient services have been exhausted in your community, and your doctor is suggesting residential care, please contact us at 1-800-726-6755 or Contact our Residential Admission Department. We can help you with the paperwork and funding requirements necessary for admission to this level of care.