In a December 2009 list published by Forbes Magazine, Huntsville, AL was named one of the Top 10 Smartest Cities in the World (in the company of such cities as Singapore, Amsterdam and Houston) and the news is no surprise to the highly trained staff at the Pinnacle Schools and Elk River Residential Treatment programs. Located in the Huntsville Metro area, the facilities have been servicing troubled teens and their families since 2005.
The Pinnacle Schools, Founder, President and CEO Karen Lee proudly proclaims, "We pool our staff from this group of 'smart people'. It gives us an advantage in all facets of our programs, from our certified teachers to our licensed clinical staff. This distinction for our city will hopefully overcome some of the stereotypes about the South still held today - we are, in fact one of the smartest places in the world."
Elk River Residential Treatment Program, Elk River Academy and Elk River Healthy Lifestyles programs are based on a medical model and offer rolling admission and flexible length of stay for their patients.