Accreditation & Licensure
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) is committed to providing high-quality, evidence-based behavioral health care to youth and families across Montana.
Our programs are backed by state licensure, national accreditation, and membership in leading professional organizations—ensuring we meet the highest standards of care, safety, and accountability.
Accreditations
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and is a recognized leader in establishing best practice standards for human and social service organizations. COA accreditation reflects our ongoing commitment to quality improvement and delivering services that strengthen youth and families.
Yellowstone Academy, our educational partner at the Ranch, is a fully accredited K–12 school, holding accreditation from:
- The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI)
- Cognia (formerly AdvancED), a global nonprofit accrediting body committed to educational excellence
Licensure
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch is licensed by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to operate as a:
- Mental Health Center
- Chemical Dependency Program
- Child Placing Agency
- Residential Treatment Facility
- Youth Care Facility for Therapeutic Group Homes in Billings, Boulder, Helena, and Great Falls
These licensures ensure our services meet rigorous safety, ethics, and quality standards—delivering consistent, high-level care across our entire continuum.
Professional Memberships
As part of our commitment to advancing best practices and staying connected to innovation in youth mental health care, we’re an active member of several respected organizations:
- Association of Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC)
- Family Focused Treatment Association (FFTA)
- The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities
- Behavioral Health Alliance of Montana (BHAM)
These affiliations help us stay at the forefront of advocacy and cross-sector collaboration—ensuring our care reflects the latest evidence-based practices.
Learn More
For more information about the behavioral health care we provide to youth and families across Montana, visit our Programs tab.