Beyond Behavior Ames
5500 240th St, Ames, IA 50014
YSS Ember Recovery
Also known as Beran
Address: 420 Kellogg Avenue, Ames, IA 50010 · Map
Phone: (515) 233-3141
Intake: (515) 233-4930
Website: yss.org
About YSS Ember Recovery
YSS of Ames acts as the main hub for YSS and delivers a broad set of programs designed to help young people and families throughout the community. Situated in a landmark facility, it provides several essential services, including a counseling clinic, an emergency shelter, and residential treatment for addiction through the Ember Recovery program. The center’s offerings cover mental health therapy, substance use counseling, and crisis stabilization, helping ensure that youth facing urgent challenges can access coordinated support.
Alongside these main programs, YSS of Ames also offers afterschool and summer activities for children, mentoring opportunities, and parenting education for young mothers. The Rosedale Shelter, Iowa’s first youth shelter, gives young people in crisis a safe place, with assistance such as meals, clothing, and guidance. Working closely with local partners and Iowa State University, YSS of Ames strives to create a supportive setting that encourages youth to move toward a healthier and more hopeful future.
Services reported to SAMHSA
- Levels of care
- Residential/24-hour residential · Long-term residential · Short-term residential
- Treatment focus
- Substance use treatment · Treatment for co-occurring disorders plus serious mental illness (SMI) in adults · Treatment for co-occurring disorders plus serious emotional disturbance (SED) in children
- Opioid treatment
- Prescribes naltrexone · Relapse prevention with naltrexone · Accepts clients using MAT but prescribed elsewhere · Lofexidine or Clonidine detoxification
- Medications used
- Buprenorphine with naloxone · Naltrexone (oral) · Clonidine · Medication for mental disorders · Nicotine replacement · Non-nicotine smoking/tobacco cessation
- Treatment approaches
- Anger management · Brief intervention · Cognitive behavioral therapy · Contingency management/motivational incentives · Motivational interviewing · Matrix Model · Relapse prevention · Substance use disorder counseling · Telemedicine/telehealth therapy · Trauma-related counseling · 12-step facilitation
- Education and counseling
- HIV or AIDS education, counseling, or support · Hepatitis education, counseling, or support · Health education services other than HIV/AIDS or hepatitis · Substance use disorder education · Smoking/vaping/tobacco cessation counseling · Individual counseling · Group counseling · Family counseling · Vocational training or educational support (for example, high school coursework, GED preparation, etc.)
- Special programs
- Adolescents · Young adults · Criminal justice (other than DUI/DWI)/Forensic clients · Clients with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders · Clients who have experienced sexual abuse · Clients who have experienced intimate partner violence, domestic violence · Clients who have experienced trauma
- Ages accepted
- Children/Adolescents · Young Adults
- Genders accepted
- Female · Male
- Payment accepted
- Federal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programs · Medicaid · Federal military insurance (e.g., TRICARE) · Private health insurance · Cash or self-payment · State-financed health insurance plan other than Medicaid · SAMHSA funding/block grants
- Payment assistance
- Sliding fee scale (fee is based on income and other factors)
- Licensing and accreditation
- State substance use treatment agency · State department of health · Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
- Ownership
- Private non-profit organization
- Recovery support
- Self-help groups · Housing services · Assistance with obtaining social services · Mentoring/peer support · Employment counseling or training
- Transitional services
- Aftercare/continuing care · Discharge Planning · Naloxone and overdose education · Outcome follow-up after discharge
- Other services
- Case management service · Domestic violence services, including family or partner · Mental health services · Social skills development · Suicide prevention services
- Language services
- Spanish
Facility-provided information
- Care offered
- Residential Rehab
- Substances treated
- Benzodiazepines · Co-Occurring Disorders · Cocaine · Drug Addiction · Heroin · Methamphetamine · Opioids · Prescription Drugs · Synthetic Drugs
- Conditions treated
- Anger · Anxiety · Depression · Grief and Loss · Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) · Post Traumatic Stress Disorder · Stress · Trauma
- Therapies
- 1-on-1 Counseling · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy · Eye Movement Therapy (EMDR) · Family Therapy · Group Therapy · Life Skills · Online Therapy · Play Therapy · Trauma-Specific Therapy
- Approaches
- Family Involvement · Personalized Treatment · Trauma Informed
- Who it serves
- Adolescents · Boys · Girls · LGBTQ+ · Young Adults
- Aftercare
- Continuing Care
- Languages
- English
Questions to ask YSS Ember Recovery
- Is my specific plan in network, and do you need prior authorization before admission?
- How long is the typical residential stay, and can family visit?
- Which medications do you prescribe (buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone), and can I continue a medication I already take?
- Do you treat mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety at the same time?
- Is there a waitlist, and how soon can you do an assessment?
- What happens after the program ends: aftercare, alumni groups or step-down care?
Also confirm the facility is licensed by Iowa (this facility reports accreditation). If you are withdrawing from alcohol or benzodiazepines, ask about medical detox; do not stop suddenly on your own.
Paying for treatment at YSS Ember Recovery
YSS Ember Recovery reports accepting Medicaid, Private insurance, TRICARE / VA, Sliding scale, Self-pay. With Iowa Medicaid, treatment is usually covered at little or no cost, though some levels of care need prior authorization. Most private plans must cover substance use treatment on terms comparable to other medical care under federal parity law. A sliding fee scale is available, so bring proof of income.
Distance to specialized care from Ames
Measured from the population center of Story County, using SAMHSA locator data mapped by FindRehabMap:
- Nearest medical detox: Pleasant Hill, about 30 miles
- Nearest methadone clinic (OTP): Ankeny, about 22 miles (1 within 25 miles)
- Nearest buprenorphine (Suboxone) provider: Ames, about 2.6 miles (2 within 25 miles)
See the Story County treatment map, methadone clinics near Story County and Suboxone doctors near Story County.
Frequently asked questions
What services does YSS Ember Recovery offer?
YSS Ember Recovery reports these levels of care to SAMHSA: Residential, MAT, Dual diagnosis. Call to confirm current services and openings.
Does YSS Ember Recovery accept insurance?
It reports accepting Medicaid, Private insurance, TRICARE / VA, Sliding scale, Self-pay. Ask whether your specific plan is in network before admission.
Where is YSS Ember Recovery located?
420 Kellogg Avenue, Ames, IA 50010.
How far is the nearest medical detox from Ames?
From the center of Story County, the closest program offering medical detox is in Pleasant Hill, about 30 miles away (straight-line), based on SAMHSA locator data mapped by FindRehabMap.
Other treatment facilities in Ames
Eyerly Ball CMHS
2521 University Boulevard, Ames, IA 50010
Eyerly Ball CMHS
2521 University Boulevard, Ames, IA 50010
Richmond Center
1619 South High Avenue, Ames, IA 50010
YSS Ember Recovery
420 Kellogg Avenue, Ames, IA 50010
Youth and Shelter Services (YSS)
125 South 3rd Street, Ames, IA 50010
See all 11 facilities in Ames · Residential · Outpatient · MAT · Accepts Medicaid · Accepts Medicare · Private insurance
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Facility details come from SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov locator and facility-provided information. Confirm services, availability and payment directly with the facility.