The Shepherd Center in Atlanta: What It Is, Where It Is, and How It Helps

The Shepherd Center in Atlanta is one of the city’s most recognized specialty hospitals, known especially for its focus on rehabilitation for spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, and related neuromuscular conditions. If you live in Atlanta, are moving here, or are considering coming into the city for care, it helps to know what this center does, where it’s located, and what to expect.

Where the Shepherd Center Is in Atlanta

The Shepherd Center is located in Midtown Atlanta, just north of Atlantic Station and near major medical corridors.

Main campus address:

• Shepherd Center
  2020 Peachtree Road NW
  Atlanta, GA 30309
  Phone (main line): 404-352-2020

This location is on Peachtree Road NW, a major north–south route, making it relatively easy to access from many parts of the metro area.

Getting There: Transportation Tips 🚗

If you’re planning a visit, here are some basic transportation notes from a local perspective:

• From I-75/I-85 (Downtown Connector):
  Take an exit toward 10th/14th/17th Street or North Avenue and follow surface streets west toward Peachtree Road NW.
• From Buckhead:
  Head south on Peachtree Road; the center is on the left as you enter the Midtown area.
• Public transit:
  • The nearest MARTA rail stations are typically Arts Center or Midtown on the Red/Gold lines. From there, people often use rideshare, taxi, or MARTA bus routes that run along Peachtree.
• Parking:
  The main campus has visitor parking garages; visitors generally receive information about parking locations and validation during appointment scheduling or admission planning.

Because parking and route details can change over time, it’s wise to confirm directions and parking guidance by phone before your first visit.

What Kind of Center Is the Shepherd Center?

Shepherd Center is a specialty rehabilitation hospital rather than a general hospital or urgent care clinic. It typically focuses on:

• Spinal cord injury rehabilitation
• Brain injury rehabilitation (including traumatic brain injury)
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular conditions
• Complex medical rehabilitation for conditions that affect movement, function, or independence

In the Atlanta healthcare landscape, this makes Shepherd Center different from large general hospitals like Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory University Hospital, or Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, which handle a wide range of medical and surgical needs.

Acute Care vs. Rehabilitation

For many people in Atlanta, the pathway may look like this:

1. Emergency or acute care at a hospital (for example, after an accident, stroke, or major medical event).
2. Transfer or referral to Shepherd Center for specialized rehabilitation once the person is medically stable and able to tolerate therapy.

Shepherd Center generally does not function as a walk-in emergency room. Instead, it’s usually entered through planned admissions, transfers, or referrals.

Who the Shepherd Center Serves

People come to Shepherd Center from across the Atlanta metro area, from elsewhere in Georgia, and sometimes from out of state. For Atlanta residents, it is often considered when:

• A spinal cord injury affects movement or sensation.
• A brain injury (for example, from a car crash, fall, or sports incident) impacts cognitive or physical function.
• A stroke leaves challenges with speech, movement, and daily activities.
• A person is living with multiple sclerosis, ALS, or another neuromuscular condition that affects mobility and independence.
• A patient in a local hospital needs intensive, coordinated rehabilitation services beyond standard physical therapy.

Age ranges and program details can vary, and not every person or condition will be appropriate for admission. Decisions are typically based on:

• Medical stability
• Rehabilitation needs
• Insurance or funding
• Availability in specific programs

The best way to know whether the center is appropriate is usually to have your current doctor or hospital team contact Shepherd Center’s admissions staff.

Key Services and Programs

While programs may change over time, the Shepherd Center typically organizes its services around a mix of inpatient, day, and outpatient care.

Inpatient Rehabilitation

Inpatient rehabilitation means you stay overnight at the center for a period of time. In Atlanta, this may be recommended if:

• You need intensive therapy (often multiple hours a day).
• You require medical monitoring while going through rehab.
• Your home environment is not yet set up for safe return.

Common components of inpatient care can include:

• Physical therapy (PT) to work on strength, balance, walking or wheelchair skills.
• Occupational therapy (OT) to address daily activities like dressing, bathing, and home tasks.
• Speech-language pathology for speech, swallowing, and cognitive skills.
• Nursing and medical care with a focus on rehabilitation.
• Psychology and counseling support for patients and families adjusting to life changes.

Day Programs and Outpatient Rehabilitation

For many Atlanta residents, outpatient services are a key part of recovery once hospital-level care is no longer necessary. These services may include:

• Ongoing PT, OT, and speech therapy
• Neurorehabilitation for brain and spinal cord injuries
• Follow-up care for spasticity management, mobility aids, or assistive technology
• Support with returning to work, school, or driving, when appropriate

Day programs often provide a middle ground between full inpatient stay and standard outpatient visits, where individuals attend for several hours daily but sleep at home.

What to Expect if You’re an Atlanta Resident Seeking Care

If you live in Atlanta or nearby suburbs like Sandy Springs, Decatur, Marietta, or College Park, the process generally follows a few familiar steps.

1. Referral or Initial Contact

You, your family, or your doctor can generally:

• Call the main line (404-352-2020) and ask for admissions or referrals.
• Have your hospital case manager or physician send medical information to Shepherd Center for review.

Expect that admissions staff may ask for:

• Current diagnosis and medical history
• Hospital notes, imaging, and test results
• Information about insurance coverage
• Details about your current level of function and support at home

2. Insurance and Financial Questions

For Atlantans, the Shepherd Center typically works with a variety of:

• Private health insurance plans
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Workers’ compensation and other funding sources, depending on the situation

Coverage for rehabilitation can be complex. It’s common for families to speak with:

• A hospital financial counselor where the person is currently admitted, and/or
• A Shepherd Center financial services or admissions representative

These conversations usually focus on what services may be covered, for how long, and what out-of-pocket costs might look like. Policies can vary widely between plans, so individualized information is important.

3. Planning for Transportation and Lodging

If you’re in metro Atlanta, your main considerations are usually:

• Safe transport from your current hospital to Shepherd Center (often coordinated between facilities).
• Parking and commuting to Midtown for outpatient sessions.

For families coming from outside the city or out of state, housing is often a concern. Over time, various short-term housing options, including nearby hotels and extended-stay-style properties, have been used by families. Social work or case management teams at Shepherd Center can often provide lists of local resources, but availability and pricing change frequently.

Support for Families and Caregivers

Shepherd Center tends to emphasize family and caregiver involvement as part of rehabilitation. For Atlanta-area families, that can mean:

• Training sessions on home transfers, wheelchair use, and daily care tasks.
• Education on home safety modifications (for example, ramps, grab bars, bathroom changes).
• Guidance on community resources in the Atlanta region such as:
  • Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) for employment support.
  • Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) programs that focus on aging and disability services.
  • Local organizations that support people with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or multiple sclerosis.

Caregiver education is especially important when the home is in an older Atlanta neighborhood (where doorways or bathrooms may be tight) or in multifloor homes common in suburbs like Smyrna, Lawrenceville, or Alpharetta.

How the Shepherd Center Fits Into Atlanta’s Healthcare System

For someone trying to understand healthcare options in Atlanta, it can help to think of Shepherd Center as part of a larger network of care:

Many Atlantans might first encounter Shepherd Center through a hospital discharge planner or case manager who suggests it as a rehab option after a serious event.

Questions to Ask if You’re Considering the Shepherd Center

If you or a loved one in Atlanta is considering admission or outpatient care, you might find it useful to ask:

1. Am I medically ready for rehabilitation now, or do I need more acute care first?
2. Which specific program at Shepherd Center would be the best fit for my diagnosis?
3. What therapies will I receive, and how many hours per day are typical?
4. How long do people with similar conditions usually stay in rehab?
5. How will my insurance coverage work, and what might my out-of-pocket costs be?
6. What support is available to help my family prepare our home in Atlanta?
7. How will my care transition to local providers near my home once I’m discharged?

Writing these questions down before you call the center or meet with your current hospital team can make conversations more productive.

If You’re Visiting Atlanta for Shepherd Center Care

Some patients and families travel into Atlanta specifically for Shepherd Center services. If that’s you, a few local points are helpful:

• Nearby neighborhoods: Midtown, Buckhead, and West Midtown are closest; options expand into Brookhaven, Virginia-Highland, and other intown neighborhoods.
• Air travel: The city is served by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). People often use shuttles, rideshares, or MARTA to reach Midtown and then continue to Shepherd Center by car or taxi.
• Climate considerations: Atlanta summers are hot and humid, which can affect outdoor therapy or wheelchair mobility; winters are usually mild but can have occasional cold snaps. Dressing in layers and planning for heat are often part of practical daily planning.

When Shepherd Center Might Not Be the Right Fit

Shepherd Center is specialized. It may not be the best match if:

• You need emergency evaluation or immediate life-saving care (911 or a local ER is more appropriate).
• Your primary needs are general medical, surgical, or psychiatric care without a major rehabilitation component.
• Your condition is outside the center’s typical focus areas.

In those cases, your primary doctor or an Atlanta-based hospital can help direct you to alternative resources within the metro area.

How to Take the Next Step in Atlanta

If you think Shepherd Center may be relevant for you or someone you care about in or around Atlanta:

• Call the main number:404-352-2020
  Ask for admissions or for the department that handles referrals and new patients.
• Speak with your current doctor or hospital case manager in Atlanta:
  Ask whether a referral to Shepherd Center is appropriate and how that process would work.
• Gather key documents:
  Have recent discharge summaries, medication lists, and contact information for your current providers ready to share.

By understanding where Shepherd Center fits into Atlanta’s healthcare ecosystem—its location, focus, and role in rehabilitation—you can make more informed decisions about whether it’s the right center to contact for your situation.