⛰️⭐SUMMIT ACHIEVEMENT, located in the beautiful White Mountains Region of Maine, is a licensed residential treatment center for adolescents navigating anxiety, depression, and neurodivergence. Through a fully integrated model of personalized clinical support, accredited academics, and adventure therapy, students engage in a weekly rhythm of classroom learning, therapeutic programming, and outdoor experiences. Each student is supported by a master ’s-level therapist and interdisciplinary team, while families participate in weekly therapy and coaching to grow alongside their child. At Summit, growth doesn’t happen all at once. It’s supported through consistency, care, and the space to try again. In a structured, compassionate setting, students begin to heal, reconnect, and build meaningful resilience.

Summit Achievement is one program with two phases: Venture and Traverse.

1. Adventure-based expeditions - 4 days/3 nights per week
2. Accredited academic classes tailored to each student’s individual needs
3. Residential Community typical of a small therapeutic boarding school
4. Client Centered therapy – incorporating individual, group and family
5. Family inclusion via therapy, phone calls and visits

As an intentionally small, owner-operated program, we serve adolescents of all genders, ages 13-19, from around the world.

🏫⭐SUMMIT TRAVERSE is our a short-term therapeutic boarding school. Students attend classes at our accredited school for 5 days a week and go on "front-country" adventures/activities on the weekends. Meant to be a transition to home or a more traditional environment, Traverse is a natural next step for students graduating from our Achievement program or another similar primary treatment program. Family/home visits are incorporated to help with the transition to home, along with intentional family work.

Call (207) 447-9450 to learn more about our different programming. We also have success working with insurance companies.

General Information

Summit Achievement
1997
Shannon Palentchar
Rolling admissions

Admissions

Children/Adolescents
6
24
13
Rural
Female
Male
Transgender
Yes
Yes
Yes
No

Billing & Payments

Private | Self Pay
Call for more information
Yes

Insurance

Yes
N/A
No

Levels of Care

Residential Treatment
Residential Treatment - Mental Health
Residential Treatment - Short Term
Teens

Accreditation

National Association of Therapeutic Schools & Programs (Professional Member)
Small Boarding School Association (SBSA)
Other
New England Association of Schools And Colleges

Ownership

Private Company - Owners On-Site
Leased By Program

Clinical Operations

< 8
All therapists are licensed by the state of operation
0

Treatment Modalities

12 Steps Groups
Art Therapy(with certified art therapists)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Eye Movement & Desensitization and Reprocessing
Family Focused Therapy (FFT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Other
Yes
Call for more information

Family Involvement

HIGH: Family Expected on weekly calls (or more) & to attend all family workshops (weekly , monthly or quarterly)
HIGH: Family Expected on weekly calls (or more) & to attend all family workshops (weekly , monthly or quarterly)
1 hour max call with therapist per week
Family Handbook
Family process facilitated by another therapist
Family Workshops Available
Parents Visit as Needed

Therapy - Individual

Yes
All therapists are licensed by the state of operation
6
Not Applicable
No

Staff

Yes

Programming

Doubles

Academics

Summit Achievement
Year Round School (either quarters, trimester, semesters)
K-12
Possible Community College/College
Yes
Finish high school blended learning
Teachers support blended learning
Yes
Yes
No
Tests
Yes

Transitions

Yes

Research

> 50%
Yes