Our Admissions Process
No pressure. No judgment. No surprises. Here's exactly what happens when you reach out to Williamsville Wellness.
What to Expect
We know reaching out for help can feel overwhelming. That's why we've designed our admissions process to be transparent, respectful, and completely pressure-free. Here's exactly what happens, step by step.
1
Your First Call
Who answers:
You'll speak with one of our three admissions team members: Kristen, Allison, or Jenny. They're trained professionals who understand what you're going through, and their job is to help you figure out if we're the right fit.
Kristen Barney
Admissions Director of Outpatient Services
Allison Weatherford
Admissions Specialist
Jenny Gilmore
Director of Operations
What they'll ask:
- What you're seeking treatment for
- When you'd like to start
- Whether you're planning to use insurance
The tone:
Confidential, compassionate, and zero pressure. This is a conversation, not a sales pitch. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you.
🔒 Important: We treat your information with the utmost confidentiality and respect your privacy throughout the admissions process.
2
Insurance Verification (If Applicable)
If you're using insurance, we'll verify your benefits during the same call. This typically takes just a few minutes.
What we check:
- Whether your plan covers addiction treatment
- Your deductible and out-of-pocket costs
- Any pre-authorization requirements
Out-of-network plans: If your commercial plan is out-of-network, we can explore out-of-network benefits. Many plans still provide substantial coverage.
What we accept:
- ✅ Most commercial insurance plans (Cigna, Anthem, Piedmont Community Health Care, Beacon Health Options, OptumCare, Sentara, United Healthcare) — see more information about insurance here.
- ✅ Virginia Medicaid plans for outpatient (Optima/Sentara and UnitedHealthcare Medicaid)
- ❌ Medicare (we do not accept Medicare)
- ❌ Medicaid for residential/inpatient
No obligation: Getting your insurance verified doesn't commit you to anything. It just gives you the information you need to make an informed decision.
3
Brief Pre-Assessment
Before scheduling your full assessment, we'll ask a few preliminary questions to ensure our program is appropriate for your needs. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
⏱️ Quick & Easy: This is also when we'll schedule your comprehensive assessment (Step 4).
4
Comprehensive Assessment
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Purpose: This assessment helps us create a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. It ensures you receive the right level of care and, for those using insurance, helps us demonstrate why you need treatment, why that specific level of care is appropriate, and why it should be covered.
What we cover:
- Basic Information: Name, address, date of birth, contact details
- Clinical Information: Medical conditions, current medications, allergies
- Behavioral Health: Anxiety levels, sleep quality, mood, appetite, financial stressors
- Readiness for Change: Previous treatment history, what's motivating you to seek help now
- Substance Use History: In-depth discussion of your substance use patterns and any periods of abstinence
- Recovery Environment: Relationship/marital status, living arrangements, family history, support system, work/school history, legal concerns
💡 Why it matters: This isn't just paperwork. The assessment helps us understand your unique situation so we can build a treatment plan that actually works for you.
5
Getting Your Start Date
How quickly can you start? It depends on your timeline and readiness.
⏰ Important timing requirement: Your assessment must occur within 3 days of admission. For example, if you want to start in 2 weeks, we'll schedule your assessment about 11-12 days from now. If you're looking to start in 1-2 months, we'll likely have you call us back closer to your desired start date to ensure the timing still works and nothing has changed.
If you're ready to start ASAP:
- We can schedule your assessment as soon as same-day (if timing aligns) or next business day
- If you're appropriate for our program and medically cleared, you can typically admit next-day (barring weekends)
- Same-day admission is possible if your assessment is early in the morning and you can arrive between 1-3pm, but this is rare. Next-day is more common
Medical clearance requirements:
- We're not a medical detox facility, so if you need medical detox first, we'll help point you in the right direction and get you admitted as soon as you're cleared.
- If you've been using alcohol or benzodiazepines, we require either 5 days of abstinence before admission or clearance from a medical detox provider — whichever comes first. This is a safety requirement due to seizure risk, not a barrier to getting help sooner.
✓ Bottom line: We move as quickly as you're ready to move. No unnecessary delays.
6
What to Bring / What to Expect Day One
Knowing what to pack removes a lot of the logistical anxiety. Here's exactly what you need:
✅ What to Bring:
- 📱 Electronics: Cell phone, laptop, tablet, Kindle, iPod, smartwatch, or fitness tracker are all allowed. (Note: Phone usage may be restricted if it interferes with treatment. We have a safe for valuables.)
- 🧴 Personal hygiene items and toiletries
- 💵 Money for personal expenditures
- 🎒 Backpack
- 👕 Personal clothes and shoes: We have a casual dress code. Focus on comfortable clothing. Bring workout clothes and sneakers (we have a fully equipped gym). We have laundry facilities, so about a week's worth of outfits is sufficient.
- 💊 Medications: Bring a 30-day supply of all prescribed medications in their original bottles (name on bottle must match patient name). Over-the-counter medications must be in original, sealed/unopened packages. Vitamins and supplements must also be in original, sealed/unopened packages.
❌ Please Do NOT Bring:
- Mouthwash, perfume, or any products containing alcohol
- Weapons of any kind (pocket knives, guns, etc.)
- Overly revealing clothing or clothing/accessories depicting alcohol or drug-related items
We reserve the right to ask someone to change if their clothing is inappropriate for group sessions.
🏠 We provide: Bedding, pillows, linens, towels, laundry detergent, and toilet paper. Our kitchen is fully stocked with various foods, snacks, and drinks shared with everyone.
📋 For more detailed packing guidance: Visit our comprehensive packing guide for residential treatment, which includes specific information about Virginia's climate, electronics policies, and preparation tips for your stay.
7
Family Involvement & Communication
We believe family support is crucial to recovery, and we make it easy for you to stay connected.
Phone access:
- Patients typically have access to their phones during free time
- You can call family/friends whenever you're not in a scheduled treatment session
- Exception: Recent gambling addiction admissions may have restricted phone access initially (but landlines are available for calls)
- Phones cannot interrupt treatment times unless there's an emergency
In-person visits:
- We do not allow in-person visits for residential/inpatient treatment
- This helps maintain therapeutic boundaries and focus on recovery
Family sessions:
- We offer family therapy sessions as part of residential and PHP treatment
- These can be conducted virtually or by phone
Updates to family members:
- If you sign a Release of Information (ROI), we can provide updates to designated family members
- We respect your privacy. We only share what you authorize on the ROI form
- You control what information is shared (e.g., treatment plan info but not psychology test results, or vice versa)
🔐 Your privacy, your choice: You decide who gets updates and what they're told. We'll never share information without your explicit written consent.
Ready to Take the First Step?
You now know exactly what happens when you call. No surprises, no pressure, no judgment. Just honest, compassionate people ready to help you figure out the next right step.
Call Now: (804) 655-0094 Contact Us Online