Borderline Personality Disorder Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment Centers

by Kara Kelly

As you probably know by now, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is currently the most effective method of treatment for those suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

If you are like me, then finding an inpatient or outpatient DBT program for BPD patients can be very frustrating and time consuming, because there are not a lot of treatment centers or outpatient programs that treat BPD - especially in smaller cities. During my hunt for the right treatment program for myself, I gained a lot of information in great detail about different inpatient and outpatient treatment centers across the country that I would like to share to hopefully make your hunt a bit easier. I have compiled a list of inpatient/residential treatment centers and intensive outpatient programs that incorporate DBT as part of the healing process for BPD patients.

McLean Hospital, located in Boston, Massachusetts, and ranked first among all free standing psychiatric hospitals, has two separate programs for women with BPD:

The Gunderson Residence (www.gundersonresidence.org). This is a specialized inpatient program located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specifically for women with BPD. This facility requires a minimum stay of 60 days and costs $850 per day (51,000 for all 60 days). This private pay program is not typically covered by insurance. Their schedule consists of individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, medication consultations, expressive therapy, vocational and educational counseling for transitional support, and regular exercise. This keeps patients busy until the late evening. The Gunderson Residence provides dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), mentalization-based therapy, and psychoeducation for each patient. Generally, programs at this level of care do not allow cell phones or laptops, although I am unsure for this particular program. For further questions, contact their admissions at 888-657-5699.

The Women's Treatment Program (www.mclean.harvard.edu/patient/adult/wt.php). This is a group-based program located in Boston that treats adult women who suffer from BPD, trauma and related disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders. The program offers short-term residential care and partial hospital levels of care, meaning that patients can choose to live at home and attend groups during the day, or live at the facility (it's an unlocked facility, patients can come and go as they please, except for during groups). The length of stay ranges from 1 to 3 weeks. At this program, patients do not have a therapist - they have a case manager who supports in developing an individual treatment plan and provides guidance in pursuing treatment goals. I do not recommend this program to those with severe eating disorders or to those who are extremely suicidal, because there is a very low level of monitoring unlike most inpatient settings. Their schedule typically consists of 3 groups in the morning, 1 group after lunch (ending at 2 o'clock) then another group after dinner at 6 o'clock. There is a television available, and laptops and cell phones are allowed. This program accepts insurance and is covered by most insurance companies. For more information, call 617-855-2595.

The Menninger Clinic (www.menningerclinic.com), located in Houston, Texas, offers inpatient treatment for men and women of two age groups - young adults (age 18 to 30), and adults (age 18 to mid 60's).

These programs are highly monitored, so those patients who struggle with suicidal ideation, eating disorders, or other self-injury issues are watched over and cared for. They also have an adolescent program, but the focus is not typically on BPD. The adult program, also known as the Hope Program, treats patients with BPD and other personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, manic depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. The young adult program - the Compass Program -treats those with BPD, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, self-harm behaviors, suicide attempts or concerns, and self-esteem issues. Both programs cost $1,050 per day with an expected stay of 6 to 8 weeks. Some insurance plans cover treatment at Menninger; others do not. A large majority of patients and their families pay for their treatment with the possibility of receiving reimbursement through their insurance plan. A typical day excluding mealtimes is group, class, group, skills and practicing, group, group/activity, activity/outing, AA/NA meeting (optional), then leisure time in the late evening. The weekends consist of outings, pool time, walking, or activities like games, movies, crafts, and volleyball. Individual therapy, family therapy, and doctor/psychiatrist appointments take the place of different groups throughout the week. There are many different groups: goals group, power issues, creativity group, cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, family dynamics, general group therapy, readiness group, perfectionism group, values group, trauma education, walking group, and mentalization group. This program does not allow cell phones or laptops. For more information, call 713-275-5000.

Silver Hill Hospital (www.silverhillhospital.org), located in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Silver Hill has inpatient care for male and female adults and adolescents, a residential DBT program, a transitional living program, and an outpatient DBT program. Inpatient care is short-term and focuses on getting a patient stabilized and/or detoxification from drug or alcohol abuse. Patients in this level of care usually require a great deal of nursing and medical intervention. The DBT program, a step down from inpatient care, is a highly structured program for people struggling with BPD, intense emotions, and harmful behaviors. Silver Hill offers an adult residential DBT program and an adolescent residential DBT program. This program consists of individual therapy, daily group skills training and skills homework review, daily mindfulness, meditation groups, DBT skills coaching, and working with a psychiatrist. The Transitional Living program is not ideal for people with BPD. This program is for adults who struggle with substance abuse disorders, eating disorders, and severe or chronic psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Laptops and cell phones are not allowed in the inpatient program, the residential DBT program, or the transitional living program. The length of stay is different for each person, but the minimum is 28 days in the DBT Program and the transitional living program. Inpatient usually lasts a few days to a couple weeks. The cost for the DBT program is $26,000 for 28 days, and is not typically covered by insurance. Many insurances will cover a small portion, but for most patients and families, it is a direct expense. The DBT program does not allow cell phones or laptops. Two DBT intensive outpatient programs are also available. The 4-week program meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the extended 6-week program meets Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This is a great outpatient program where patients learn the core DBT skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance. For more information, call 888-542-4455.

Clearview Women's Center (www.clearviewwomenscenter.com)

Located in Los Angeles, California, Clearview specializes in treating women with BPD. This center treats other disorders like PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders, but most women who are admitted have been diagnosed with BPD or have traits of BPD. This program only takes 6 women at a time, allowing for personal attention to each patient. This is a private pay program costing $38,000 for 30 days, with the possibility of reimbursement depending upon the patient's insurance plan. The minimum length of stay is 30 days, but a patient can stay as long as she feels she needs to. This intensive individual and group therapy program utilizes DBT, mentalization based interventions, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and somatic therapy. A typical week consists of 3 or more individual therapy sessions, 4 DBT groups, 5 psychotherapy process groups, daily mindfulness meditation, 2 art therapy groups, 3 yoga therapy groups, eating disorder group, anger management group, off site recreation, a weekly social outing, and exercise/gym 3 times a week. There is also an off site 12 step group for those with substance abuse issues. Acupuncture and therapeutic massages are also available, but cost extra. Psychiatric evaluation and medication management is also part of the treatment program. Cell phones and laptops are not allowed. For more information, call 1-800-573-0770.

The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt (www.retreatatsp.org) is a residential facility located in Baltimore, Maryland, designed for people with BPD or other mood disorders, anxiety disorders, disabling adjustment disorders, or alocohol/substance abuse disorders. This program uses DBT and CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) as their primary form of therapy during groups and individual sessions. The different groups include goals group, AA meetings, movement meditation, yoga, exercise, use or abuse group, process group, art therapy, individual therapy, DBT group, stress management group, family issues group, addiction treatment group, rock climbing, wellness education, and a community outing. The length of stay ranges from several weeks to several months and costs $1900 per day. It is a private pay program and does not participate with any insurance plans. Wrap up is at 6:30 p.m. allowing free time until bed, except for patients who would like to attend the regular AA meeting at 7. This program is not recommended for suicidal patients; short-term inpatient treatment at Sheppard Pratt is available to patients who need that level of care. For more information, call 410-938-3891.

Life Skills of South Florida (www.lifeskillssouthflorida.com), located in Deerfield Beach, Florida (about 40 miles north of Miami).

Life Skills is a residential treatment program for men and women over the age of 18 suffering from BPD, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, chemical addiction, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, and schizoaffective disorder. If you are extremely suicidal, currently self-injuring, or have an eating disorder (which is common for people with BPD), this program is not recommended. It is very structured and the monitoring level is fairly high, but this program is considered a step down program to inpatient treatment centers. This residential treatment program incorporates DBT, CBT, mentalization therapy, family therapy, relaxation techniques, group therapy, and medication management into their program, and generally keeps very busy with groups and lectures until 9 o'clock at night. Patients meet with a therapist once per week and will see a psychiatrist once (or more if necessary) throughout their stay. This program costs $16,000 for 30 days and is a private pay facility. Some insurance plans may offer reimbursement. For more information, call 1-800-749-7149.

Sunrise (www.sunrisertc.com), is a long-term residential treatment program located in southern Utah, treats girls from ages 12 to 17 who are struggling with a range of emotional and behavioral issues.

BPD is one of many issues treated. Their primary type of therapy is Dialectial Behavior Therapy. This treatment program acts as a fully accredited boarding school as well. Their daily schedule consists of goal setting, individual time, meals, chores, school, group therapy, and an activity in the community. Equine therapy (riding/caring for horses), individual therapy, and family therapy are once per week. A psychiatrist is on staff to assist with medications. The average stay is 7 to 9 months. This program costs $240 per day. Insurance may cover the treatment depending on your plan, but not the schooling. No cell phones or laptops are allowed. For more information, call 866-661-9502.

New Haven (www.newhavenrtc.com), located in Provo, Utah, is a treatment program very similar to Sunrise in that it is a long-term residential treatment center for girls ages 12-17 struggling with BPD and other issues.

This program also incorporates DBT into their program. A typical week consists of group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, equine therapy, and experiential therapy (service projects, ropes course, sand tray therapy, leisure activities, crafts, hiking, etc.). This program costs $11,250 per month with a possibility of reimbursement from insurance plans. No cell phones or laptops allowed. For more information, call 888 892 6307.

SLS Residential (http://slshealth.com/angryheart/theangryheartbpdcenter.asp?kp=12002&lp=3&gclid=COqE3q_lgJ0CFQ7Gsgod8GCsbg), located in Brewster, NY.

SLS is a residential treatment center for adult men and women struggling with a variety of issues including BPD. This program addresses BPD using DBT and CBT. The treatment for BPD at SLS residential is called "The Angry Heart Program." It consists of group therapy, individual therapy, and DBT skills training. There are 2 types of programs at SLS: MultiCare and PAT. Most patients begin in the MultiCare program and stay until their symptoms decrease significantly. After patients are able to meet basic functional requirements of daily living, they move on to the PAT program, where patients can take more responsibility for their daily lives (such as cooking, shopping, household care, budgeting). SLS requires a minimum of 30 days. Fees are different for each program. For more information, call 1-888-822-7348.

Devereux Girls DBT Program (http://www.devereux.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ma_dbt) located in Rutland, Massachusetts.

Devereaux is a long-term residential treatment center for girls ages 13-21 who have been diagnosed with BPD, PTSD, reactive attatchment disorder, or other mood disorders. The schdule incorporates individual DBT therapy (once per week), DBT skills training groups (once per week), skills coaching conducted in informal settings, daily DBT diary cards, and many different groups throughout the day. The average cost for 1 year is $144,000. A large portion of this program may be covered by insurance. For more information, call 508-886-4746.

This covers all of the inpatient/residential treatment centers that I have found. Next is a list of intensive outpatient programs around the counry that treat BPD using DBT. Some of these programs may not have a lot of information, so be sure to call the number listed for more information.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Center (www.karynhallphd.com) – located in Houston, TX.

This outpatient program treats borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Treatment lasts 10 to 12 weeks. A typical week consists of 3 DBT groups and 2 individual therapy sessions. The cost is between 8 and $9,000 and is a private pay program with possibility of reimbursement. For more information, call 713-973-2800.

Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital's Intensive Outpatient Program (http://www.dbsasandiego.org/resources/dbt-iop-flyer.pdf) - located in San Diego, CA.

This intensive outpatient program offers DBT skills training groups over a period of 4 week.s The groups meet Monday through Friday for 3 hours each day (12:45 to 3:45 PM). This program should be fully covered by health insurance - if not, a large potion of it will be covered. In order to be in this program, patients must have an outpatient therapist that they see on a regular basis. For more information, call 858-694-8459.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program (http://www.harthosp.org/InstituteOfLiving/AdultServices/DialecticalBehavioralTherapy/default.aspx) - located in Hartford, Connecticut.

The intensive outpatient program meets Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:45 AM to 12:00 noon and lasts 8 weeks. The regular outpatient program meets once a week and lasts for 12 weeks. This program also offers groups for both outpatient and intensive outpatient on Mondays from 2:45 to 5:45 PM, and Wednesdays from 9:45 AM to 12:00 noon. For more information, call 860-545-7070.

Women's DBT Program at Butler Hospital (http://www.butler.org//body.cfm?id=256&action=detail&ref=108) - located in Providence, Rhode Island.

This is a 5 day per week day-hospital program that treats women who are chronically suicidal and/or meet the criteria for BPD. It includes individual therapy and group therapy throughout the week. Psychiatrist appointments are also included for medication management. For more information, call 401-455-6416 or 401-455-6223.

DBT Outpatient Therapy Program for Adolescents (http://www.voamn.org/Services/MentalHealthServices/DBTOutpatientAdolescents/tabid/3133/Default.aspx) – located Golden Valley, MN.

The program components include individual therapy, DBT coaching, and weekly multi-family skills group sessions which are held on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30. This program is covered by insurance. Participants are adolescents ages 15 to 18 who have BPD, severe emotional problems, or engage in self-harming behaviors. For more information, call 763-225-4052.

DBT Center of Seattle (http://dbtseattle.com/) - located in Seattle, Washington.

This is an intensive outpatient program intended for adults and adolescents. With this program, patients must call and schedule an appointment with a therapist. After the initial appointment, a treatment plan will be finalized for the patient’s specific needs. For more information, call 206-374-0109.

San Fransisco DBT Center (http://www.sfdbt.com/) - located in San Fransisco, CA.

The DBT services offered include individual thrapy and DBT skills groups. The groups meet on Mondays (6:30 to 7:45 PM), Tuesdays (3:15 to 4:30 PM, 4:45 to 6:30 PM, 7:30 to 9 PM), Wednesdays (3 to 4:15 PM, 5:30 to 7:15 PM, 6:30 to 8:15 PM) and Fridays (9 to 10:30 - for young adults ages 18 to 23 only). For a list of contacts and phone numbers for this program, visit http://www.sfdbt.com/Contacts.htm

The Dialectical and Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center (http://www.behaviortherapyct.com/) - located in Westport, Connecticut.

This is an outpatient program for adults and adolescents (the adult program is separate from the adolescent). A typical week consists of one 90 minute DBT skills group, 1 to 2 individual therapy sessions, and one 90 minute group therapy session. A commitment of 16 weeks is required. For more information, call 203-454-3070.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Continuing Day Program (http://wo-pub2.med.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/PublicA.woa/1/wa/viewService?servicesID=851&parent=Personality+Disorders&website=nyp+psych&wosid=OfGZmxazFJ9YVhMtePfuG0) - located in New York City.

This is a 5-day per week intensive outpatient program specializing in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. It incorporates daily lectures to learn DBT skills, homework to reinforce DBT skills, and practice sessions to build skills in mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. DBT groups are held Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Weekly appointments with therapists are scheduled before or after program hours. This program consists of 15 groups per week. A psychiatrist and therapist meets weekly with each patient. The length of treatment varies. This program accepts most insurance plans. For more information, call 888-694-5700.

Long Island DBT Group (http://www.lidbt.com/index.php) - located in Long Island, NY.

This DBT outpatient program is designed especially for the treatment of BPD. The program includes individual therapy once per week, skills training groups once per week for approximately 24 to 26 weeks, and phone coaching during real life crisis situations. Family therapy and couples therapy are also available. Support groups are available to families bi monthly for one and a half hours. The fees include: intake appointment - $200, weekly individual therapy session - $140, weekly DBT skills training group - $50, weekly adolescent/parent DBT skills training group - $50 per parent, parent and family education support - $50 per person. This program will either be covered by insurance or will try to assist with reimbursement. For more information, call 516-616-3476.

Center for Cognitive and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (www.ccdbt.com) - located in Lake Success, NY.

This is an outpatient program that treats adults and adolescents who have BPD or traits of BPD. It includes weekly individual therapy and weekly 90-minute DBT skills groups. For more information, call 516-390-3525.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy of Charleston (http://www.dbtcharleston.com/index.html) - located in Charleston, SC.

This program offers individual DBT therapy, DBT skills training group, and telephone coaching during real life crisis situations. There is also a skills education class offered for parents/caretakers. For more information, call 843-830-1202

Dialectical Behavior Therapy at the Tallahassee Memorial Behavior Health Center (http://www.tmh.org/body.cfm?id=446) - located in Tallahassee, FL.

This is an intensive outpatient program that requires a 1 year commitment. For more information, call 850-431-5120.

DBT Center of New Jersey (http://www.dbtcenterofnj.com/) - located in Lawrenceville, NJ.

This outpatient treatment program consists of 1 (or more if necessary) weekly individual DBT therapy session, 1 weekly skills training group (practices mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance), and phone coaching. For more information, call 609-538-9300.

Acceptance and Change Psychotherapy (http://dbt-hawaii.com/?Dialectical_Behavior_Therapy_in_Hawaii:DBT_in_Hawaii) – located in Hawaii.

This outpatient program includes individual therapy, DBT skills training group, and a weekly follow up call with a therapist. For more information, call 808-236-3999.

Emotion Management Program ( http://emp-dbt.com/) - located in Tinley Park, Illinois.

This is an outpatient program that specializes in DBT and treats various disorders. The web page does not provide much information. For more information, call 708-342-1742.

New Directions Behavioral Health (https://www.ndbh.com/NDPage.aspx?ID=273) - located in Leawood, Kansas.

This is a DBT outpatient program for patients with BPD or BPD traits. It consists of weekly individual and group therapy combined with structured telephone consultation. For more information, call 913-982-8400.

Tami Green is a widely known life skills coach based out of The Woodlands, TX, who coaches those who struggle with Borderline Personality Disorder or other mood-related disorders.

She also offers coaching for family members of those with BPD, DBT skills training classes (BPD patients, family members, and friends can be in these groups too!), and now offers life coach certification training. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is her primary form of coaching. Classes are offered on Mondays from 6-7:30, Tuesdays 6-7:30, and Wednesdays 5-6:30. Monday and Wednesday’s classes cover the same things, it is just a matter of which day works best for you. Her fees are $175 for an individual coaching session (50 minutes), $195 for one month of skills training classes and $175 for the preliminary session of coaching.

For more information on Tami, email tami@borderlinepersonalitysupport.com or kimberly@borderlinepersonalitysupport.com. You can also call Tami at 832-297-7231, but it best to reach her by email.

These are all of the major Dialectical Behavior Therapy programs across the USA that I could find. I hope that these resources have helped in your search for the right treatment program.

-Kara Kelly

Editor's Note: If you have a program we have omitted, please let us know and we will include it in future articles. We are extremely grateful for Kara's research and also want to state that she nor we are responsible for any conclusions you may draw from her research. We deeply appreciate her insights and also hope you will use this as an incredible basis to do your own research, based on your unique needs and preferences. 10/08/09

Editor's Note (part two): Since the publication of the article, several have written to suggest additional programs they recommend, which you find below. As is noted above, we haven't conducted this research ourselves, it's merely provided as (a very valuable) guide. Additionally, this article spurred a series of highly informative articles on other treatment options, as well as the pros and cons of DBT, which you find listed on the articles tab. 12/10/09

Laureate Psychiatric Clinic & Hospital outpatient in Tulsa, OK.

Rhonda writes, "I'm enrolled in a CBT program at Laureate Psychiatric Clinic & Hospital outpatient in Tulsa, OK. Dr. Jeff Riggenbach teaches an ongoing program for those of us diagnosed with BPD-the first session is 16 weeks long and meets once weekly. The next session is meets once weekly and can be attended for as long as one wants. They teach a little bit of DBT but mostly CBT. It's a really great program with a great instructor-here's his website http://www.jeffriggenbach.com/

Behavioral Research & Therapies Clinics @ University of Washington. http://depts.washington.edu/brtc/

And from Kelly: "I was, well, shocked that Dr. Marsha Linehan's center was not listed amongst the top & best places to receive treatment for BPD. With all her dedication for helping those with suicide and self-harming behaviors, I thought for sure she would be listed first -- or at least in the top 5. She did develop DBT. I do appreciate the sentence at the bottom of the article that you both are open for additions to the list for future reference. So above is my suggestion. Thanks!!

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
http://www.upmc.com/HospitalsFacilities/Hospitals/wpic/Pages/default.aspx

And from Robyn: "Just wanted to tell you, you could add my hospital to your site, it is called Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. I am doing group therapy and med management there for bipolar, and they use DBT. It is in Pittsburgh PA, and here is the link. Great informational site there!
http://www.upmc.com/HospitalsFacilities/Hospitals/wpic/Pages/default.aspx