I'm reviewing their White Avenue location.
My sons are both treated for ADD at this facility and it's a very good representation of mental health care in the US at this moment in time. It's lousy and designed to accommodate "the system" instead of its patients.
One of my sons is 14 and was diagnosed with ADD at age 7. Medicines are the only focus of psychiatric care right now in the US. There is no "treatment" and when I ask questions about ADD, I get nonsense. These "highly qualified professionals" are not well informed per se, they are simply the gate-keepers for controlled medicines. Visits with their personnel are usually around 15 minutes - I believe they would be even shorter is they could legally get away with that. The 15 minutes are spent taking vitals and recording the answers to basic questions (appetite, sleep etc.). If my son is struggling, there is no time for that. If he has questions about his care, there is no time for that. If he is curious and wants more information about kids like him, there is no time for that. This is mental healthcare in the US. That is all.
When there are mass shootings in the US, there is a 5 minute conversation about mental healthcare in this country. When those 5 minutes are over, more guns are sold, and kids with challenges are once again forgotten. No one really cares enough to address the basic inadequacies of our system. Centerstone is just a good example of what's wrong with out entire mental healthcare approach in this country - "every man for himself".
On a more micro-level, Centerstone's front-desk people, who sit behind sliding glass partitions, suck. They couldn't care any less than they do right now if you receive "good customer service". You have to plan weeks ahead for appointments and Rx refillesw, and you're really screwed if you lose your meds or your paper Rx. They take forever to accomplish even the smallest administrative tasks and are usually rude while doing whatever it is that is required of them. It's not like you can go elsewhere as this is the "best option" with many insurers for juvenile psych care. So....unlike employees at a restaurant or retail establishment, they really aren't striving for "happy" customers or good outcomes. They get paid either way - and boy howdy that really comes across in their approach to patients.
Be prepared, advocate for yourself and your child, and read all the rules and policies. Know your stuff - and you might be ok with these folks. read more