[MAYER, AZ] — Spring Ridge Academy uses multiple types of COVID-19 testing to ensure high-quality therapeutic programming, allowing students to spend time with family in the local area and at home. Students interact within a therapeutic milieu. Parents can shadow their students on campus and Spring Ridge can hold in-person family workshops.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, experts have recommended comprehensive testing to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Spring Ridge developed a close relationship with a local provider early last year. This relationship has been vital in testing and contributed to how it has evolved over the last year. Because timeliness and accuracy are necessary to make decisions about student and staff safety, through this partnership, Spring Ridge can get PCR test results in hours instead of days. Antigen tests, which can be administered on campus and have results in 10 minutes, provide information quickly.

Area and home visits are an essential part of the therapeutic work at Spring Ridge. Visits provide an opportunity for families to reconnect and use the skills they have been building in therapy. Then, the families can process the issues that arise during the visits to ensure success when students transition back home. Spring Ridge uses a combination of antigen tests and PCR tests as a safety precaution.

When students return to campus, Spring Ridge staff gives them an antigen test before allowing them to interact with other students. For five days, students live in small milieus and on the 5th day receive a more sensitive PCR test. Once those tests come back, Spring Ridge can make decisions about bringing the community back together as a whole.

Parents can visit campus and attend family workshops with either a PCR test or antigen test administered within the 48 hours before their visit. The Spring Ridge staff working with the families in these workshops are also tested. Many staff members have received the vaccine.

Although the testing process far from normal, it allows Spring Ridge to bring normalcy and safety back into programming. They can focus on the critical work of healing.

About Spring Ridge Academy

Spring Ridge Academy, located 1.5 hours north of Phoenix, Arizona, serves young women ages 13-17. Founded in 1997 as a female and family-owned Residential Treatment Center. It is licensed by the State of Arizona. The academic program/school is accredited by AdvancED. Spring Ridge has created a relationship-based setting that allows the students’ emotional, relational, spiritual, intellectual, and physical growth.