Ava Recovery Center | Luxury Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Austin, TX - Buda, Texas

Jeremy P.

Ava recovery was the one and only treatment center I will ever need. From the moment I walked in I felt safe and at home. In processing was so easy and fast. Colby was the best. The treatment plans and groups were very helpful. I was taught all the tools I need for my recovery

Ella

I came to Ava Recovery center in a desperate place in my life. I needed help with mental health and I had been struggling with substance abuse related to mental health.

From the very start, I was lied to by Brian the administration representative who works remotely and is not at a physical location. I was told there would be equine therapy, there was not. I was told EMDR therapy was offered at this location, it was not. I was told That this place would support a track for only mental health struggles, however that infrastructure was not built up and I was not provided with the support that I needed.

Not only was I lied to from the start, but this company illegally falsified medical documents and billed my insurance with a code for alcohol use on my FMLA paperwork in order to get more money. I have not used or touched a drink in over 13 years.

The whole time that I was at this facility, it took asking between an average of 4 to 7 times for any single thing to get done.

My time at the facility was incredibly frustrating, I got little to no support for what I came to check myself in for and although the staff were nice and friendly, I could've been doing exactly the same thing at my house. All we did was sit around and watch Netflix in our room rooms, it was not a good environment for Recovery. I would not recommend going to this place.

I transferred out of this place after 12 days of really trying to give it a chance. I transferred to Windmill Wellness Ranch located in Canyon Lake Texas. My experience there from start to finish was absolutely phenomenal. They never lied to me or falsified my medical records. because of Windmill wellness ranch, my mental health has been restored, I am happy and healthy and clean from six months later. If I had stayed at Ava Recovery center I do not believe I would have recovered from my mental health challenges.

I have thought about taking legal action against Ava Recovery but I just don't have the time and energy to devote to it. Please stay far away from this place unless you want to be lied to and have your medical records potentially falsified and have that go down in your medical history for the rest of your life.

Aubrey J.

Ava Recovery Center presents itself as a supportive environment for healing, but in practice, it faces serious operational and ethical challenges that affect both client care and staff wellbeing.

One of the most consistent concerns is the lack of cleanliness throughout the facility. Basic hygiene standards are not consistently met, which compromises the safety and comfort of clients and staff alike. This issue is made worse by frequent shortages of essential supplies, including food, toiletries, and cleaning products — all of which should be reliably available in a residential treatment setting.

The equine therapy program also raises significant concerns. The horses are routinely left without food and adequate care, amounting to clear neglect. Animal welfare appears to be a low priority, which undermines the credibility and therapeutic value of this component of the program.

Staffing conditions are equally troubling. Employee pay has been delayed by over a week on three separate occasions within just 7 months, creating financial strain for employees and contributing to an already high level of staff turnover. Additionally, there is no clear structure or consistent enforcement of rules for clients, which leads to confusion and a lack of accountability.

A particularly serious issue is the lack of support for staff when confronted with threats or disrespect from clients. On numerous occasions, clients have threatened or verbally abused techs, and no meaningful action was taken by leadership to address or prevent these incidents. This inaction sends a clear message that staff safety and respect are not prioritized.

These ongoing problems have fostered a toxic work environment where employees feel undervalued, unprotected, and overextended. The absence of reliable leadership, clear protocols, and consistent support has made it difficult for staff to do their jobs effectively or to feel safe and respected in their roles.

Often times there is no nurse or medical assistant on shift to dispense meds, and technicians are expected to pass meds. Technicians are so under trained that Medication errors are a common occurrence, Putting Clients at risk.

In conclusion, Ava Recovery Center requires urgent and systemic changes in its management practices, staff support, and ethical standards in order to fulfill its mission and create a truly healing environment for clients — and a safe, respectful workplace for staff.

Gabriel R.

If you want your loved ones to get rehabilitation and therapy like they advertise do not send them here… my ex wife came back on the verge of relapsing cause they didn’t offer no therapy to treat the root cause of the addiction. They didn’t get her prescriptions ordered or schedule appointments like they said they would when she was discharged. This place is a bunch of bulls***. For the the money that was paid they did not do their job.. they failed as a rehabilitation facility.

Maddiey F.

This place is a mess, please do not let the luxury house setting fool you. After being dismissed from a different treatment center that put me on opioids, I sought out further treatment and landed upon this facility. During intake, I was told they could fill out my FMLA and Accommodations paperwork. Everything was going smooth, the technicians on staff were kind and welcoming, until it became time to meet with medical staff & therapists. First, I was told they could only complete my FMLA paperwork and not my reasonable accommodations paperwork- I was told by the nurse practitioner (No doctor or psychiatrist on staff, only nurse practitioner and nurses) that my accommodation paperwork for work-leave had to be completed by a special kind of doctor in the state of Texas, and they would not be able to fill it out. So, I decided to continue until 4/25, which was my original discharge date at the facility I was at prior. On 4/24, they did a random drug test. I was pulled out of classes and was told I tested for THC and I didn’t test for THC during my intake. Most people with a high school degree knows that THC stays in your system for a long time. Especially after chronic use. I had them call the detox place I was at a day prior to coming to Ava, and they confirmed over the phone that I had tested positive for THC then. Problem solved, right? Nope. My assigned therapist, Tammie Mcdonald, told my family member that was in contact with AVA that I had refused to meet with a psychiatrist… there wasn’t one. So I was confused as to why Tammie would lie to my family. Tammie also has little to zero clue as to what FMLA/ Reasonable Accommodations, etc. is, and she told my family that they could get all of that paperwork done for me and that I was just choosing to leave on 4/25 because I was ready to leave treatment. All of which was not true. After the drug test fiasco, I was told shortly after that clients had complaint about me “nodding off.” I recently had an increase in Seroquel medication, which can make you quite drowsy. I did doze off late night after my meds along with another client who frequently dozed off. Instead of having a consult about my medications and helping me find a better solution that didn’t cause such drowsiness, I was told I was being asked to leave a day early and that they were now unable to provide me a return to work letter. So here I am, unable to return to my job.

I cannot even begin to express how unprofessional, rude, ignorant, and uneducated Tammie Mcdonald was. She constantly put off i take assessment & treatment plans, then told other staff that I refused to sign a treatment plan. I was never shown one , never knew about one, and definitely was never asked to sign anything. We could barely get to through the intake portion of things because Tammie lacked understanding of the questions she was asking & the concepts presented.

In summary, this place is a false advertisement mess. Tammie (Tammara) Mcdonald is not even a licensed therapist in the state of Texas. They advertise that they offer “Medicated assisted therapy,” “EMDR and trauma therapy,” “Experiential Therapy,” and “Positive Psychotherapy,” which is all not true. They also advertise that they specialize in dual diagnosis, but were unable to assist in medication management or even initiate a discussion about medications used for PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression. They also advertise a 1:1 client to staff ratio, which is far from the truth as they are complete understaffed. They also advertise that they offer a medical detox, which is untrue. They send you to a place called Evoke Wellness in San Marcos that is a former psych hospital and it still looks like one and is ran like one. Lastly, they advertise that they have a chef onsite. That is not the truth, and meals were made by clients and technicians. Panda express and Pizza were ordered 2-3 times a week.

PLEASE reconsider your choice in looking for a place for recovery. If you have no mental health or medical concerns, then you MIGHT enjoy this place.

Marvin K.

The best place to recover if you really want it. The staff is A-1. We Do Recover! I'm from Georgia but I found my new beginning in Texas. I'm never leaving 💯 Thank you AVA💯

Jessica C.

Ava was a truly life changing experience. Every single staff member brought something unique to the experience and showed such loving kindness. Also, I have Celiac disease and was able to eat incredible food, safely, thanks to chef Ben. Mind, body, spirit… all three were nourished at Ava. I am forever grateful for this place in my recovery.

Katerina B.

The staff and programming at Ava make it a truly unique and a valuable place to get help or send a love one to. Being a woman in long term recovery and working in treatment for these past 5 years finding places that offer a level of care as remarkable as Ava isn’t always an easy feat. I would recommend this facility to any loved one or person who is struggling.