Admissions Criteria

There are two entry points to our progressively-staged, multi-site therapeutic community with a combined residential capacity of 60… our healing farm in Mill Spring and our urban 85Z campus. Our rural campus in Mill Spring, NC, which has been running since 2003, is centered on a ‘healing farm’, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains just south of Asheville. The new campus, “85Z”, is located on three wooded acres in the quiet, historic Montford neighborhood near the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA).

Entry to 85Z can be direct or via transfer from the CooperRiis campus in Mill Spring. Each campus has the same admission criteria, with the caveat that individuals with substance abuse history or the need for a ‘quieter’ start will generally begin their CooperRiis experience in our rural setting in Mill Spring.

The CooperRiis Healing Community accommodates individuals who are at least 18 years of age and demonstrate a desire to recover our mental health, demonstrated in part by their willingness to work closely and willingly with their mental health professionals.  Our residents’ symptoms of mental illness and emotional distress most often have resulted in their being diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive or anxiety disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, or personality disorders, including borderline or avoidant personality disorder.

Some of our residents may have previously abused substances such as drugs or alcohol and must demonstrate that their abuse has ceased. Residents must be assessed as not being at risk of harm toward themselves or others and must be able to function as responsible citizens within our small therapeutic community.

After an average initial stay of 7-9 months, about 50% of residents also make use of the CooperRiis Community Programs, which provide access to longer-term, supportive housing and support to help residents attain and sustain educational and employment opportunities.