Student Visit Policy
We encourage family and friends to visit as long as they will encourage students in their restoration and not promote or engage in activities that will hinder their progress. We are committed to protecting the environment and community of the ranch, ensuring that the positive environment is not compromised when we do have visitors. The following policies have been put in place for the students’ best interests.
We ask that students only receive visitors twice - once during their program, and once at graduation if desired. Visits can be very helpful and encouraging for students, but they can also be difficult, and lead to homesickness and distract from their focused attention on meeting their goals. Students who have had frequent visitations have usually not benefited from the higher volume.
The following two options are our proposed visitation schedule on a given week. Each of them is essentially an evening and the following day, roughly 24 hours or so. We’ve found that a short, focused visit is best for the student being visited and for the rest of the students.
Midweek - Tuesday - Thursday
This is our preferred visit schedule, as it is the least disruptive to the other students and easiest to accommodate.
Arrival on Tuesday, participating in Community Dinner. On Wednesday, visitors can be shown the ranch by the student, engage in some sightseeing activity in Scott Valley, and take the student out to dinner Wednesday night. Departure on Thursday.Weekend: Saturday-Sunday/Monday
Arrive Saturday, meet up with the students with the option to take the student out to eat for dinner. On Sunday, go to church with the students (where you can meet many of the staff), go out to lunch, explore the area after church. Departure Sunday night or Monday morning.
Visitors must notify Rockside Ranch at least one week in advance to arrange a visit and allow enough time for scheduling and planning.
For multi-day visits, please make off-site arrangements for overnight lodging.
For a list of hotels near Etna (3 miles from Rockside Ranch), click here.
For a list of hotels near Yreka, (22 miles from Rockside Ranch) click here.
Siblings and other children are welcome to visit with you, but we ask that they remain under your direct supervision at all times. Children should not be exploring the ranch, hanging out in the student house, interacting with the animals, etc. without you being physically with them.
Permission is required to take a student off-site. Off-site visits may last up to three (3) hours and students must stay in Scott Valley. Students must return to the ranch by 9pm and will be drug tested and breathalyzed upon returning.
Absolutely no tobacco products, alcohol, or recreational or illegal drugs (including marijuana) are allowed on site.
Absolutely no over-the-counter medication, tobacco, or nicotine-containing products may be provided to any student at any time.
If visitors use tobacco or e-cigarettes, they must use them off-site.
Visitors may not bring any weapons onto the ranch.
Visitors may not bring any pets to the ranch.
Any gifts, money, items, etc. given to students or purchased for students during a visit must first be shown to and approved by a staff member.
Visitors can be a great help to students and an opportunity to connect with the people in their lives who are supporting them and who care about them. Visits can also lead to a student becoming homesick or questioning their commitment.
We ask that visitors adopt a posture of supporting the program at Rockside and encouraging the students in their progress and in their resolve to stick with their commitment to personal growth and achieving their goals.
If you have any questions about this policy or about an issue not mentioned above, please reach out to our staff by calling (530) 467-4044.