By Isaac Axel
Healthcare integration presents complex challenges, particularly when attempting to balance evidence-based clinical practices with spiritual care. Most treatment facilities struggle to address patients’ spiritual needs without compromising medical standards or alienating diverse patient populations. However, one residential treatment center demonstrated that such integration was not only possible but highly effective.
A Dual-Track Treatment Philosophy
Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center operated on a foundational principle that comprehensive healing required attention to “mind, body, and spirit.” This holistic approach distinguished the facility from purely secular treatment centers that often overlooked patients’ spiritual dimensions entirely.
The facility, which served women and adolescent girls struggling with eating disorders, substance use disorders, and mental health concerns, maintained rigorous clinical standards while simultaneously offering optional faith-based programming. When Acadia Healthcare acquired Timberline Knolls in 2012 for $90 million, the parent company supported this innovative dual-track approach rather than requiring standardization across its network.
The introduction of The Grace Program in 2019 represented the culmination of this integrated philosophy. This optional Christian track allowed residents to “integrate principles of Christian faith into the evidence-based therapies and services” they received, demonstrating how spiritual care could enhance rather than replace clinical treatment.
Clinical Rigor Meets Spiritual Support
The success of Timberline Knolls’ integrated model rested on its unwavering commitment to evidence-based therapeutic practices. The facility employed established clinical modalities including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and trauma-informed care approaches. These evidence-based treatments served as the foundation upon which spiritual care elements were carefully layered.
Licensed Christian therapists at Timberline Knolls specialized in incorporating faith and values into therapeutic sessions while maintaining professional clinical standards. Rather than replacing traditional therapy, these practitioners enhanced treatment by addressing spiritual wounds and conflicts within established therapeutic frameworks. The facility also employed a board-certified chaplain with a Doctor of Ministry degree who provided specialized spiritual care and continuing education on evidence-based research regarding spirituality’s role in recovery.
Acadia Healthcare’s support for this multidisciplinary approach enabled seamless coordination between clinical and spiritual care providers. Treatment teams included psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed therapists, dietitians, and spiritual care professionals who collaborated on individualized treatment plans that addressed patients’ comprehensive needs.
Measurable Outcomes from Integrated Care
Patient testimonials consistently highlighted the effectiveness of addressing both clinical and spiritual dimensions of recovery. One former resident noted her decision to continue with partial hospitalization specifically because she wanted to “continue with the DBT principles, continue with yoga, and continue speaking with the chaplain,” demonstrating how integrated care created synergistic treatment benefits.
The facility’s 15-year operational history provided substantial evidence of this model’s effectiveness before its closure in February 2025. Throughout its operation under Acadia Healthcare, Timberline Knolls maintained high clinical standards while pioneering approaches to spiritual care that influenced broader industry practices.
The center’s inclusive approach welcomed “women of all religions, faiths, and beliefs” while offering specific Christian programming for those who chose to participate. This balance between inclusivity and specialized spiritual care demonstrated that treatment centers could address diverse spiritual needs without compromising their clinical mission or excluding patients with different beliefs.
The model developed at Timberline Knolls proved that healthcare integration challenges could be successfully addressed through thoughtful program design, appropriate staff training, and organizational commitment to treating patients as whole persons rather than collections of symptoms.
