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HISTORY Call (800)227-3953
Rimrock Foundation is Montana's oldest and largest private, non-profit, treatment center for addictions. The following is a brief overview of some of the important accomplishments in the history of Rimrock Foundation.
1966-1968
A small group of concerned citizens meets weekly over breakfast to discuss the community's need for services for alcoholism. This group is headed by Pastor Gene Robinson who, along with Mona Sumner, has professional training in alcoholism, a rarity in the 1960's. Out of these meetings, a decision is made to hire a Director-Counselor who can provide some basic counseling, referral, and education services to the community. Based upon the guidance of Dr. Milton Maxwell, sociologist and former Trustee of AA International, the Foundation is encouraged to adopt a continuum of basic outpatient services; counseling, referral, and information. AA was the primary source of these early referrals.
1972
The Foundation merges with the Billings Youth Guidance Council, a local non-profit organization specializing in services to emotionally troubled/delinquent adolescents and their families. The Foundation had originally occupied space donated by this organization. The merger of these two entities results in an expanded range of services with a strong emphasis on family treatment. The staff of the Council represents mental health disciplines and the Foundation staff represents alcoholism counselors with twelve step program affiliations. This unique merger makes Rimrock Foundation one the earliest centers in the country to adopt a family treatment focus.
1973
The 'Rimrock Guidance Foundation' merges with the non-profit Big Sky Halfway House, adding intermediate care for alcoholism to its treatment continuum.
1974
The Foundation opens Montana's first medical detoxification unit as a shared service with Billings Deaconess Hospital, located in Deaconess' former nurses residence. The Foundation supplies counseling staff and services and the hospital, under a state grant, provides nursing and support services.
1978-1979
To complete its continuum of care with a quality Inpatient treatment program, six treatment beds are put into service in Billings Deaconess Hospital. This is a shared service arrangement, with the hospital supplying the nursing services and the Foundation managing and supplying treatment staff and resources.
1980
A new program model is adopted, based upon the theory and work of Drs. Robert and Mary McAuliffe. This model recognizes and identifies a distinct pathology which develops in individuals who have a pathological relationship to mood-altering chemicals and also identifies this same pathology in co-dependent family members. Rimrock is the only center which has adapted this research into an integrated model for the treatment of addictions other than chemical dependency and co-dependency.
Rimrock Foundation's Advanced Integrated Model of Addiction Treatment permits the treatment of multiple addictions as well as dual diagnosis patients within the same environment, providing the widest possible diversification and high quality clinical care.
The Foundation is the first to treat co-dependents on an inpatient basis and admits their first Eating Disorder patients in 1980.
1996
Acquires a Specialty Mental Health License.
Pursues and receives CARF Accreditation (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) to replace the less addiction oriented JCAHO (Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations).
1998
The first gambling patients are treated.
1999
Rimrock opens the new Crisis Stabilization Program to address the community need for sub-acute Mental Health Care.
2000
Initiates a major facility expansion adding three stories to the front of the building and 5,000 square feet, which provides a large increase in office space for the expanding work force, and puts more treatment beds into service.
2001
Purchases 4-plex and opens Michel's House, an off-campus residence where mothers and their dependent children live while the moms are in treatment. The program is supplemented with education in parenting, life skills and job skills.
Domestic Abuse Program is launched.
Outpatient Relapse Prevention program is established.
2002
Montana's first Family Drug Court begins operation as a result of Rimrock Foundation's intense lobbying. Substantial research and logistical support by the Foundation help to get the program up and running. The Family Drug Court in Billings becomes the model for other Montana communities. The Foundation contracts with the city to manage and operate the drug testing program associated with the Court. Rimrock's Clinical Director sits on the Court's Treatment Team.
2003
Rimrock Foundation cooperates with the school system in the city of Billings to establish and run an innovative "Truancy Project" to identify students who are at risk or already have problems with drugs or alcohol. Students are evaluated and counseled by staff members from the Foundation and the school system.
The Freedom House Project begins, to provide a special level of care for Veterans of the Armed Forces. Property is purchased and renovated to house 6 Veterans during their treatment stay. A subsequent contract with the Veteran's Administration makes dramatic improvements in the accessibility of treatment services to Montana's Vets.
2004
To address the community's need to provide low cost housing for persons in recovery, the Sober Housing Project is initiated. Rimrock purchases property with existing facilities to house 8 people and help them with establishing a new life — a life free from addiction. The property holds great potential for expansion, and plans for more units are being drafted.
2005
Rimrock Foundation assists the local Judiciary with the formation of the Billings Municipal Adult Drug Treatment Court.
Our culture becomes more complex every day. Now pathological gambling is treated effectively within this advanced model. The addiction industry is just beginning to recognize that other addictions and compulsive disorders must be addressed in any setting which professes to treat chemical dependency. Most, however, lack an integrated model within an organized framework with which to provide this type of advanced treatment.
The Future
Rimrock Foundation continues to expand services and innovate in ways that provide people the opportunities and the skills to have a better life.
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