Rob Caldwell - Clinical Director

• Licensed LCSW
• Masters Degree in Social Work
• Bachelors Degree in Psychology
• Experienced in working with at-risk teens in a wilderness setting
• Avid Outdoorsman

As the Clinical Director for Mountain Homes Youth Ranch I am committed to the success of your child. I am not just an employee at Mountain Homes, but have ownership. My family and I have a strong personal investment in assuring our program works. I have combined my extensive experience working with at-risk teens and my appreciation of the unique nature of every child to create a clinical approach at Mountain Homes that has a significant and lasting impact on each child I work with.

An individualized treatment plan is developed for each youth that enrolls at Mountain Homes Youth Ranch. I work with the parents, the child’s therapist, and others that can offer insight into the child’s background and personality, to target the child’s destructive behaviors. The treatment plan is articulated very thoroughly. It is a comprehensive assessment, a blueprint to provide clear-cut goals and objectives to the family, the student, and the staff at Mountain Homes. During their stay at Mountain Homes each youth is involved in a variety of therapeutic situations designed to teach proven skills to overcome their specific challenges and as the student progresses in the program, long and short term goals are updated regularly. Your child’s treatment team meets weekly, or more often if needed, to gauge the effectiveness of our plan and make any needed changes.

As a wilderness therapist I have had the pleasure of leading countless young people to a more rewarding path. The kids I work with have difficulty with a variety of issues. Many of them display negative attitudes, are apathetic, impulsive, ungovernable, irresponsible, have poor self-esteem, and lack accountability. In most cases I find their interpersonal relationships have been based, not on mutual trust and respect, but on manipulation and exploitation. I enjoy being a part of their experience at Mountain Homes, watching as they learn to talk things out, rather than act them out. The metamorphosis as they learn about responsibility, integrity, self-respect, self-discovery, and working as a team is a beautiful thing to see. Helping these kids find their true path and bringing forward the wonderful traits all of them possess is very rewarding.

I am also skilled with specific diagnosis such as AD(H)D, ODD, Depression, Mild Tourette Syndrome, Conduct Disorder, Bi-Polar, Attachment Disorder, Anxiety/Panic, and Social Phobias. From working with at-risk teens with such a variety of issues and disorders I have learned not every student is right for Mountain Homes, and there are some disorders that could become worse in a wilderness setting. Your admissions counselor will work closely with you and the clinical team to determine if our program would be right for your child. We encourage parents to discuss the possibility of wilderness therapy with their child’s home therapist as well.

At Mountain Homes Youth we are concerned about the safety and well-being of each of our students. We are licensed by the State of Colorado Department of Licensing, and are monitored on a regular basis. Parents are able to contact the Colorado Department of Licensing with any concerns or licensing complaints regarding the program by calling 303-866-5958, press 0. Any concerns regarding child abuse or neglect incidents can be reported to the county authorities where the students are located. These counties are Rio Blanco County (970-878-5011), or 911 after business hours for an on call worker, and Garfield County (970-945-9193), or after 4:00 PM Mountain time call Dispatch at 970-625-8095. Mountain Homes Youth Ranch willingly participates in partnering with the State of Colorado in helping safeguard each child placed in our program.

I appreciate your interest in the programs at Mountain Homes Youth Ranch. If you have questions regarding our therapeutic approach please contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it I welcome the opportunity to discuss your child’s specific needs in detail.

Best Regards,

Rob Caldwell