About Summit

Where Growth Happens Step by Step

For three decades, Summit Achievement has been a place where adolescents rediscover their potential, families build understanding, and growth is guided every step of the way. Nestled in the mountains of western Maine, Summit stands apart as a residential therapeutic school built on trust, transparency, and a belief in what’s possible when hope and healing meet.

Our Mission

To foster lasting change for students and families through personalized clinical support, accredited academics, and adventure therapy in a model designed to build resilience, restore connection, and prepare students and families for life beyond treatment.

Our Vision

To redefine what’s possible in adolescent treatment, one family at a time.

Life at Summit

What Makes Summit Different

At Summit Achievement, we’ve built something intentionally different. We’re not just one of the best therapeutic programs; we’re a place that meets students and families exactly where they are, offering a balanced approach that honors the complexity of adolescent growth and family healing.

The Summit Model

Summit’s approach offers an intentional, integrated model. Every week balances personalized clinical support, accredited academics, and adventure therapy to help students heal holistically. This rhythm creates real momentum, empowering students to carry their growth into daily life.

The Right Support, Right on Time

Summit fills a critical gap. It’s a short-term program for families who need more than outpatient therapy, but aren’t ready for a long-term residential stay. The outcomes are lasting, and the timeline is responsive to real-life needs.

Healing That Begins With Transparency

At Summit, healing starts with clarity and collaboration. Students arrive aware of the work ahead and supported by a team committed to matching their effort every step of the way. This shared understanding builds trust, fosters openness, and lays the groundwork for meaningful, lasting change.

Nature With Structure, Not Isolation

Set in the mountains of western Maine, Summit offers the best of both worlds: access to nature and adventure alongside the comfort and consistency of a structured residential campus. It’s healing in a place that feels both grounded and expansive.

Families Grow Here, Too

Change is most sustainable when it’s shared. Through the Convergence Path, families engage in their own parallel work, which includes meaningful coaching, therapy, and reflection that strengthen bonds and prepare everyone for lasting reconnection.

Built to Lead, Not Follow

Summit was one of the first to unite therapy, academics, and outdoor experiences into a single program. That spirit of innovation persists. With a legacy of leadership and a future rooted in values, Summit continues to raise the bar for what ethical, effective treatment can be.

Led With Heart, Not Headquarters

Summit is owner operated by professionals who are present every day. The team leads with care, not corporate policy, bringing decades of experience, deep ethical commitment, and an unwavering belief in each student’s potential.

Authenticity Is Welcomed Here

Summit creates a safe, affirming environment where students can explore and express their authentic selves. We welcome and support LGBTQ+ students, including those who are transgender, gender non-conforming, or gender fluid. Our clinicians are trained to guide students and families through questions of identity with compassion and expertise, helping build understanding, acceptance, and confidence. At Summit, every student is seen, respected, and celebrated for who they are.

See Summit for Yourself

Walk through our campus, explore our classrooms and residential spaces, and experience the landscape where students build resilience and reconnection. Our virtual tour offers a window into daily life at one of the region’s most trusted residential therapeutic schools.

Our Accreditations and Affiliations

Recognized for Excellence

Summit Achievement is proud to maintain some of the highest standards in the field of adolescent treatment and outdoor behavioral healthcare.

Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Accreditation

Summit Achievement is accredited by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) as an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Program — one of only 15 programs nationwide to meet this rigorous standard. We are the only accredited program in the Northeast and one of the first in the country to achieve this distinction. AEE accreditation demonstrates that we operate above industry standards in ethical care, treatment evaluation, and risk management practices.

State Licensure

Summit is licensed by the State of Maine as a residential treatment center, with all licensed clinicians on staff.

SEVIS Certification

Summit is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to enroll international students. As a SEVIS-approved institution, we can initiate new F-1 student visas and transfer existing ones, ensuring international families can access our program without interruption to their students’ visa status. This certification reflects our commitment to serving families globally while maintaining compliance with all federal education and immigration requirements.

Academic Accreditation

Our academic program is fully accredited as a licensed non-traditional private school, with a certified Special Educator on staff to ensure students earn transferable credits without interruption to their educational journey.

Research Designation

Summit Achievement is a Research Designated Program awarded by the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), reflecting our commitment to evidence-based practice and continuous improvement.

For over two decades, we’ve chosen to pursue and maintain these credentials because they reinforce our commitment to the families we serve: to continually strive to be the best in the field.