The Ridge Behavioral Health System is a 110-bed psychiatric hospital in Lexington, Kentucky that provides acute behavioral health and substance use treatment for children, adolescents, and adults. For individuals with substance use disorder, The Ridge offers a medically assisted detox unit that serves up to 18 adults and gives patients the safest environment to stabilize, see a provider daily, and participate in full day therapeutic programming. The Ridge has been recognized by Newsweek for the past two years as one of the nation’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers.
With experience as an inpatient social worker and now as the Director of Business Development, Lucy Gentry, LCSW, helps connect community partners to the full continuum of care available at The Ridge. Patients can step up into inpatient treatment for detox, then transition into PHP, IOP, or sober living through established partnerships like the one with Primary Purpose. Discharge planning begins immediately to ensure each person has a clear path into ongoing support.
Lucy shared that the collaboration between Wayspring and The Ridge has been helpful for addressing barriers that often make it difficult for patients to stay engaged in treatment. Transportation, distance, insurance complexity, and limited support systems are common challenges. “It makes everything feel streamlined, helpful, and supportive,” she said. “That is what gives patients the best chance at success.”
One thing Lucy wants more Kentucky providers to know is that The Ridge is part of a larger network. Through Universal Health Services, the hospital has sister facilities across Kentucky, which allows the team to help locate placement options when beds are full so individuals can begin receiving treatment as quickly as possible.
Lucy also brings a deeply personal connection to this work. “Helping people has always been in my DNA,” she shared. “People in helping professions often feel called to the work at a young age.” That calling continues to guide how she supports patients and community partners alike.
Her advice to others in the field echoes the heart that brought her into this work,
“You have to take care of your own mental health. This field requires a deep passion for serving others, and self-care is what allows you to stay in it.”
Source: https://ridgebhs.com/