The staff at Sheppard Pratt have been consistently unprofessional in my experience. On multiple occasions when calling to speak with a patient, I was met with a curt tone, interrupted, and placed on hold without any explanation. What's even more concerning is that this does not appear to be an isolated incident. Other family members and callers have reported being placed on hold for extended periods (15+ minutes) and then having their calls abruptly disconnected without explanation. If a patient is unavailable or there are communication restrictions, that should be clearly communicated. Repeatedly placing callers on hold and disconnecting calls creates unnecessary stress for families trying to check on their loved ones. For a facility that provides mental health care, a higher level of professionalism, communication, and empathy should be expected. unfortunately, my experience has not reflected that standard. read more

Horrible experience. Truly scary. 8 minute showers, finger pricked at 5 am, weighing you daily with a paper gown on. Measurements in Kg thinking you a cant convert it into pounds. Escorted to the bathroom, you can't flush the toilet. They conviently have a key that can only flush the toilet. Oh and if you don't eat 75% of your food, even you don't like it, Ensure it is until drink it. The worst experience of my life. Since then I lost my lower extremity, SP was worse!! read more

As a patient first hand, I wanna talk about my experience only a few months ago, and please trust me on this, if you're sending a child here, take this review as what they might experience first hand. I was originally hospitalized at the ER, barely avoided inpatient, went to outpatient day program ( adolescent ) and half way through the day I was sent to inpatient. Of course there's no avoiding trauma in this experience, but I left worse, dealing with flashbacks, and learnt barely anything. When I was first taken in, I was left alone in an extremely panicked state for what felt like an hour ( they dont have clocks! only one which you have to go to the center of the area for, and i couldnt see ) scratching, pulling my hair out, sobbing, they had a window to see me doing this and they definitely saw. However the only people who noticed were the other kids, trying to ask me if I was okay through the window, and then they got yelled at. When I was evaluated, they deemed me safe to be alone, however I told them I did not feel safe alone, they did not follow that plan and treated me like i could handle being unsupervised. I was then taken back to get straight naked and squat ( understandable ) they did have a lot of respect and held a towel up. From then on staff were extremely rude. They would yell ( which was a trigger for a lot of kids ) they would ignore kids, they would sleep on the job, etc. One staff member said to a new kid sobbing that to get out sooner, you need to cry in ur room and that people dont wanna see that. ( cant exactly word it ) when we made staff aware about that, they excused it and questioned if it was " really worded that way " and continued to talk about how staff feels about our behavior. Or, on my first night I witnessed my first violent episode from another kid, the whole night was full of me sobbing as I heard repeated code greens and screaming, I was full of regret for everything, I wanted to never speak about my emotions again, I was new, afraid, and confused on what was happenin, and when staff found me sobbing in my room they said theyd be back to help me in 5 minutes, and then left me for an hour to deal with the kid, when they found me still sobbing, they silently stared and left. The staff were the worst part, I was ignored, forgotten and traumatized by ignorant people who shouldn't have been working in psychiatric care. Another story, it took them almost 2 minutes to get in between me and a 18 year old larger girl as she threatened to kill me and I was screaming sorry for doing absolutely nothing. They only got in between us before she attacked me, she had me cornered. Later that night all i heard from the hall was her threatening me loudly talking to the staff about it, constantly talking about how she would beat me. Everytime staff knocked on my door my heart was 200 miles per hour thinking it was her. The next day, my doctor blamed me for it yelling at me for " starting drama " which I promise I would never ( believe me, i understand this environment is no place for drama and that girl was going through real stuff and i understand and forgive her ) DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE DOCTOR, the doctor was so mean to me, when she didnt find me in group, she'd yell at me for not being in group. Kids were going through real depressive episodes unable to get out of bed, and I deal with sensory issues and the room was too loud, i was working on my worksheet in there. And when i couldn't state what i learnt yesterday on coping skills detailed and specific, she'd yell ( i have adhd and its known, i struggle with detailed memory issues from adhd and trauma ) and to give a short rest of my review, the group was extremely unhelpful, staff didn't notice anything, nobody cared to treat you with kindness as someone struggling, and staff were just genuinely horrible people to have this job please send ur kid elsewhere, consider outpatient, consider a program that allows phones if that would work with ur child, etc. this happened in the bay suite around february of 2026. sheppard your staff are HORRIBLE. read more

My experience at Sheppard Pratt DO NOT GO HERE I WENT HERE AND PLS READ MG STORY When I was admitted to Sheppard Pratt following suicide attempts, I was told that the mental health unit was full and was instead placed in the behavioral aggression unit. Upon arrival, my first night was overwhelming. My roommate was the only person who seemed decent. However, one of the first individuals I encountered was a boy named Ethan. He appeared threatening, with noticeable scars across his face and a concerning demeanor. That night, after a confrontation with staff, Ethan mocked them and later verbally harassed my roommate, making it difficult for me to sleep. Out of fear, I ended up hiding in the bathroom. My roommate shared disturbing stories about Ethan and another individual, Shawn, who I later witnessed engaging in a violent altercation. While trying to avoid the conflict, I was physically attacked by Shawn. I defended myself and hid in my bathroom for safety, armed only with a toothbrush and a book. Physical fights like this became a daily occurrence. One morning, I witnessed a boy severely injured--he had a bloody black eye, facial lacerations, and a possibly fractured wrist. He was discharged after being assaulted by Shawn, who struck him with a tortilla and shoved it into his mouth. Days later, another massive fight broke out in the common area. In the chaos, I hid once again, only to find my and my roommate's beds torn apart and soap spilled everywhere, likely from someone searching for us. Later that day, my roommate Drew ran into our room severely injured. His forehead had a gaping wound with visible teeth marks, and he was bleeding heavily. I did my best to stop the bleeding using a wet paper towel and a pillowcase. Eventually, once the fight subsided, I sought help from staff. However, staff response was slow and inadequate. Ethan was later restrained and removed from the unit, and the next morning I was moved to a different unit--but the damage, both physical and emotional, was done. On top of this, I suffered a serious injury myself. I dislocated and likely fractured my kneecap after falling off my bed during a sit-up. Despite obvious swelling, bruising, and immense pain, my cries for help were largely ignored. Multiple nurses promised to get assistance or an X-ray, but no one followed through. The next day, a nurse entered my room and, despite me explaining that I physically could not walk, yelled at me to go to breakfast. She said, and I quote, "N*gga, don't pretend u don't know how to walk! Get yo ass up and get yo fuckin breakfast!" For five days, I was forced to hop on one leg without medical assistance. When I finally spoke to a social worker, I hoped for help, but instead she screamed at me, forcibly manipulated my injured leg, and gave me only a single Tylenol pill. She then forced me to walk on the leg, worsening the injury significantly. Additionally, my personal clothing was confiscated under the pretense of being searched for weapons, but never returned. Staff promised to replace them, which never happened either. In short, Sheppard Pratt proved to be an abusive, neglectful, and inhumane facility. The staff demonstrated a blatant disregard for patient welfare, prioritizing profits over the very individuals they are entrusted to help. read more

Sheppeard pratt is the worst place to go. They are not LGBT friendly or trans friendly. I been going to the program for almost 12 years and they don't care about their people only how much money they can make off of you. I been trying to get transferred to a different program for a while but they won't write the transfer letter so I can go to a program that can actually help me. The prp program doesn't teach you anything good and are not trauma aware I have had a lot of crisis and they did nothing to help. There are a lot of narristic people as well. I dated one and when I broke up with them due to them being very abusive to me and the program decided to believe the narrist and treat them like the victim and pick their side and be very bais instead of hearing boths sides or staying out of it. I have heard many stories about people unaliving their selves in the residential program and I have seen so many people go. They constantly lose therapist and psychiatrist so when you get close to one they leave and then you have to tell your story like a broken record it's very inconsistent. I used to be in the residential program and when I ran out of food I had to fight tooth and nail to get food they gave me old back up canned food they had for emergencies. And another time when I had went grocery shopping I asked the residential program for a ride back cause it was like 92 degrees it was an extremely hot day and I have asthma they refused to give me a ride and I had to carry a lot of groceries in extremely hot weather to my house which was like a mile walk. And one time in the residential program one of the residential had pooped their selves in the house near the bathroom and couldn't clean it up their selves and the staff wouldn't clean it up so I had no choose but to clean it up myself so no one would get sick from it. I have so many more war stories from this program that I could write a book. This program is a joke. This is the worst program ever and is such a disgusting place. If you want your one piece of hell come here if you have enemies send them here they will be traumatized and broken till your unrecognizable read more

Shepard Pratt - Counseling & Mental Health Near Me - Towson, Maryland

the care i got here as a kid in RTC set me for life, i want to thank the old staff that always had my back

Let me be honest. My stay was not the best. I spent my almost my whole summer here, this is a review for their edu (eating disorder unit). I would say overall the staff were nice and I felt they cared (Ms Korey, Mr.Cory, Ms. Bianca, Ms. Destiny, Ms. Anayah, Ms. Brittany, Ms. Jala, Ms. Khayla, Ms. Valentina, Ms. Jackie, Ms. Diyonia, Mr. Mike and Ms. Nita although there may be more), although there's a reason I've said overall and not all. Staff such as Ms. Hermine (don't know how to soell it but it should be spelled Hermean because well she's mean and honestly very un courteous.) And Ms. Jaden this was due to the fact that she was often very passive aggressive not just to me but to many of the patients (I do give a somewhat passive aggressive because it did seem she had a lot on her plate but I did see her acting very nice to the adolescences so there is a somewhat plus) Won't lie I did have many nightmares some of which were trauma related (not related I know). But the meals for the most time were on time I enjoyed my therapist Ms. Brittany (and the nurse was fabulous too they have the same name to clarify). I would say Ms. Tiara is hit or miss somedays but she was also a very good staff member. Oh also I found tin foil in my breakfast on the morning of my discharge but other then that wasn't bad food. The groups were okayish at first but I was there basically the whole summer so yes they did get very repetitive. Overall this place would've gotten a 3 star if it wasn't for some of the staff. Although tread with caution if you or your children have/ are on the list at Sheppard Pratt. read more

The Communication and care is amazing. Thank you for taking good care of my son. We have been visiting and the warm in the greeting to leaving is unmatched . read more

I went here at 10 years old and I will never forget it it was the worst thing ever they put me in the "quiet room" for crying to loud and when your in there they leave you in only your underwear and nothing else and it's for a while too I hate this place so much I hope it fails and get put out of business more like a prison or insane asylum read more

Adult Day Hospital is WONDERFUL! I was just there for 10 days August 2024. I left there 150% better than when I started. This is THE BEST staff and program is filled with small group sessions. It was the most comfortable, safest, supportive place I have even attended. The staff is amazing and the group members lifted each other up everyday. To be honest, I was sad to leave. I reached my goals and made incredible progress but it is just such a place of safety and comfort I would've stayed for a month if need be! Great job by great people! read more

Run to a different hospital...I went to Sheppard Pratt for help today...I walked in looking for help...was directed to the assessment folks...got metal wanded...went to next guy...said I'm looking for help with my depression and suicidal ideation..."is there someone I can talk to???...nope..."all I do is process the intake paperwork"...is there someone we can ask??...nope..."is this where I can get referrals???...nope...so I can't get help???...nope...so here is an moron hourly employee telling me "nope"...no help for you!!!...I looked at the despondent father sitting with his 20 something son filling out paperwork a few seats over...and I said to myself..."this kids a deadman"...just like the kid I met in 2017 Kevin Yealdhall...I was an involuntary patient for six days...he reminded of myself...he was dead in six months or so...find somewhere with compassion...definitely NOT SHEPPARD PRATT... read more

After sharing my experience of seeking help for my spouse, I was told every time I called them that their was no help available. Two years ago, husband was treated virtually by two incompetent staff members of Sheppard Pratt. I found out one was doing volunteer assessment for her residency work and the other was NOT A PSYCHIATRIST but a nurse practitioner. I ask them if they could perform in-home treatment for patients, they do not due to the shortage of team staff members. My husband primary care physician or his office workers do not understand that it is extremely hard for us to find the appropriate PHYCHIATRIST FROM SHEPPARD PRATT. Apparently certain patients are treated fairly while others are tossed to the side. If I could give them a zero, I would. They need to be thoroughly investigated for a major mental health institution. read more

Hi my name is Tara I discharged from this facility on unit A1 waterfall unit in between August and September I went here for hi and si. I just want to start by saying This place is awful the patients were awful I have witnessed at the lowest 5 fights including riots. I myself was attacked by patients and the staff would restrain me and the other patient. I had a serious allergic reaction from one of the medications that thay put me on and injected me with I was later sent to the emergency room for chest pain it was very hard to breathe I have experienced verbal abuse from the staff and patients I was sextually assaulted by a security guard in a restraint while having two Niddles in shoved into my thighs hitting my bones causing Bruising. All staff that worke at that hospital love restraining and sedating patients no staff member that works here has any empathy for any patient. so if you are looking to come here or send your loved one here I have a short and sweet advice for you DON'T read more

Sheppard Pratt allegedly a top name in mental healthcare. If this is the face they show, I'm glad I didn't experience the back end. I will give a tip of that hat to one man I met there who was honest with me. The rest...I wouldn't trust they could sit the right way on a lavatory. Read on for a delightful review of a few hours there. Triage nurse who doesn't recognize standard psychiatric medications. When you ask what exactly an "overnight stay" will provide that cannot be provided on an outpatient basis and get told: 1. We can titrate drugs faster. Oh really? A medication that takes 4-6 weeks to work, but you can make it work in a few days? Yes I am right aren't I? Funny that. 2. You'll be around other people with similar problems...hmmm that's not considered valid learning model in schools, so why here? Oh I might help someone else! Great...and what about me? 3. I've not tried an inpatient experience before so I might as well give it a go...I've not had a 3-way with Heidi Klum either, but I'm not being encouraged to give her a call. 4. I can see a psychiatrist every day! Oh goody! See my answer to #1. When you tell them you want a treatment plan. You aren't going to let them hold on to you without a plan. But they are triage, they don't treat. Besides they only do that after you sign the form? Healthcare is more regulated than just about everything. Show me your written procedure, aren't you ISO9001 certified? When they give you the form for voluntary admission, you read it and find out it constitutes a "formal request for treatment." Meaning they can keep me for 3 days and I can request release with 72h notice, but they can decline and your records is to request a sanity trial. Yup you'd have to be crazy to sign that. But when you mention it to the clinician they read it multiple times as if they didn't know what was written. I might be horribly depressed, but I didn't forget how to read. Then they laughingly comment maybe they should have given you just the first page (side) to sign. In my stand up routine that's a joke, but in that situation it's pretty poor taste. When you say you'd be willing to accept an INformal treatment (where they have no right to hold you for 1s more than you agree) but find out that isn't an option? Why exactly? Doesn't make sense to me. You'll only treat ppl who agree to give themselves over to you for 3 days? But the best part, truly the best part is getting to read the clinical notes for a lot of other patients. I am without doubt an intellectual, over thinker, and question everything and I suffer from crippling depression. But it's amazing how quickly attitudes changed when asked if they knew what constituted a HIPAA violation. Seriously...if Sheppard Pratt is your final hope...I feel very, very sorry for you. read more

terrible experience I went in in January of 2024 and had a terrible experience I was treated like crap by the staff and so were the other teenagers there we were talked to very rudely and the rooms were disgusting to say the least do not go there read more

If you live in Baltimore, you have driven by the iconic entrance to Sheppard Pratt Hospital on Charles Street and probably wondered what it was. We attended a tour of the Sheppard Pratt campus, the Gibson Museum, and the Gate House with Baltimore Heritage. The tour started with a little background information about Moses Sheppard and Enoch Pratt by a historian. The hospital is steeped in history. It was founded in 1853. It is one of the oldest private psychiatric hospitals in the nation. The original buildings were designed by architect Calvert Vaux. The Gothic gatehouse was built and designed by Thomas and James Dixon in 1860. We have always wanted to see the inside, and we were thrilled that we could. It is now modestly furnished and is used for visiting guests. It has a living room, powder room, laundry on the first level and a bedroom and full bath on the second level on the one side. Then as you cross over the arch, where there is another bedroom, on the other side of the arch is another bedroom and bath and stairs leading down to the dining room, small kitchen with microwave, sink and dishwasher, and a powder-room. It is quite cozy. The Robert W. and Diane E. Gibson Museum is open by appointment only. It showcases the artifacts and the history of the hospital. There are three rooms that include The Moses Sheppard Exhibit, The Enoch Pratt Early Years Exhibit, and The Hospital Activities Exhibit. We really enjoyed having the opportunity to visit Sheppard Pratt. read more

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This review is specifically for the people who answer the phone and make appointments for the outpatient care program. I don't know if it is only myself but there are specifically a man and a woman that give a vibe that they are talking down to the patients. They seem defensive when answering questions and many times are not polite and seem as if they have a chip on their shoulder. I had complained the last time that I had to schedule an appt with my therapist. This time when asked if it was time to schedule an appt with my therapist, I was treated with rudeness and sarcasm... Shepherd Pratt I know is a very caring and patient oriented facility, however this particular portion of Shepherd Pratt seems to be going against this facility's fine reputation. read more

I have bipolar disorder have struggled for 20 years and been to many mental facilities. Here, by far, has been the best stay that I have had. The nursing, mental health care workers, kitchen staff, psychiatrist all treated me with much care and respect. I suggest if your having problems sign yourself in instead of waiting until things blow up. Meals were great - not as good as outside but decent and the staff does the best it can to create a community with the patients that works. lots of time to rest but also some groups. they were on time and detail oriented with my medication. read more

Shepard Pratt - Counseling & Mental Health Near Me - Towson, Maryland

My first stay at The Retreat was in 2009 when it was under the care of MD Donald Ross. He has now retired, and is moving to Texas. The turn over since then (I have been multiple times since the lack of "quality" treatment in my area) is astonishing. I am also someone who works in the field and continues to go for a higher education in clinical counseling psychology. I have a diagnosis of AXIS I PTSD and AXIS II Bipolar 1 Disorder. When I was brought this time to the retreat my family was told, by admissions, they were able to handle and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I believed them, because the Retreat has a Co-Occurring with addiction Unit, which the "gateway drug" to addiction is trauma. I was under the impression the Unit and the staff would be and qualified with Trauma Informed Care, at least the nursing staff. By my fourth day, and my second flash back, I could see this was not the case, holding this certification myself. There was a fire drill, I was huddle in a ball trying to ground myself from the noise and crowd of people and a nurse grabbed me with out asking, sending me into a downward spiral and flashback which they could not control. When I brought this up to one of the leadership committee Psychiatrist group members , in group. He said this is something I will bring to rounds. After talking to new nurses and older nurses I had found out no one was qualified to deal with trauma or any kind of true trauma emergency. My last night there I pushed the emergency button, since I again, had another flash back. I stayed grounded enough to know a nurse did not come to me until they could find the only nurse to deal with a trauma situation, because she was trained years ago, when Donald Ross MD was there.It was minutes. I also had upsetting situations with the food. My stomach was upset, having just tried to overdose, and I asked for grilled cheese. I took 4 hours then a nutrionist knocked on my door asking why I wasn't eating and gave me a yogurt, She soon was able to give me a grilled cheese. The next day the cook told me "I had to buy my own bread and cheese and make it myself because they don't do special orders" for the amount of money you pay, you think you can get a grilled cheese when sick. Lastly (negative) psychodynamic groups are sad. Dr kuskca (sorry for the spelling) sits there saying nothing using silence as a tool. I was told multiple times while there that I am a better counselor than the doctors working there. There is also a new Dr, who keeps answering every question himself and doesn't turn it back to the group, which you learn in undergraduate group 101 not to do. Peer to peer learning and support is was more valuable then hearing him and his ideas. Multiple staff also agreed this doctor was not a good fit to run groups but was afraid to say anything themselves, so the clients were paying the price. If you go even after all this, ask for Dr Larooo (from south africa) He is a thinker and a listener. He will give you advice and tell you truth from the heart which is rare from a doctor. Also, alway go to teresa f? tall with dark hair. She has been there a LONG time and knows her stuff. She will take time with you, and her heart and soul is in this job. she will love you until you can love yourself. read more

My teen stayed on the adolescent psych unit recently and it was a horrible experience. A few things that happened according to my child: 1. My child is gluten free and we were told during admission that this was no problem. The morning after their first night, they called and said the only thing available for them to eat for dinner the night before was tater tots. I told the psychiatrist about this and she said there was nothing in their chart about a special diet despite my telling two staff the day before. 2. My child is on a special treatment regimen for a serious health condition with various supplements and medications. The psychiatrist informed me the day after admission that they took my kid off several of them WITHOUT TALKING TO THE PHYSICIAN OVERSEEING THE REGIMEN OR TALKING TO ME FIRST. 3. One staff member named Antoine reportedly called out to a patient who then came to the desk. Antoine said "I've been calling your name." The patient said, "Oh, I didn't hear you until just now." He responded, "That's fine. The next time you call my name I'm going to ignore you." Antoine also told a patient that they couldn't have a spoon with their pudding because he thought they passed gas, so he expected them to eat it with their hands. 4. Another staff member, India, quotes the bible to kids in groups. After people complained, the psychiatrist talked to her about it. The next group, India came back to the kids and said "Too bad if you have a problem with me quoting the bible. I'm a woman of faith so I'm going to keep doing it." India also reportedly told a patient that if they were going to cry in group they should leave. 5. Poor communication between staff - we were told numerous times contradictory information by different staff members. 6. The one good thing about this place according to my child was the nurses. They were friendly. However, one nurse forgot to give my child their nighttime meds once. If we ever need a psych unit again, I will drive hours more to find one that is better. This place was horrendous - staff are poorly trained and cruel to the patients in my opinion. I feel very sorry for anyone who has to stay here. read more

The quality of the security is very disturbing. The facility may be OK. The staff itself may be OK and the programs are good but the security is terrible upon visiting a friend in the facility. I have seen security come and go smoking inside and outside the building drinking on the job, as well as inappropriate acts against mental health patients I do not recommend taking your loved ones for care at the facility due to the safety that is not there by security read more

Stay away......look at all of the answers to "patient and parent negative reviews"... on google. They don't even have time to truly answer the review....one stock answer for everyone....call our patient advocate. It is merely someone that answers that telephone.....no help at all. Give it a try....the only people that Shepherd Pratt has any interest in.....is the one that sends the check. I have no idea how anyone that works in this institution ....actually has a heart or conscience..... read more

I recently spent a week at Sheppard Pratt The Center for Eating Disorders. The program is amazing for people who have serious eating disorders. The staff is kind and warm and are always there if you need a shoulder to cry on. The programing really gets to the core of the issues the patients have. With the good comes the bad. The program is not individualized and you need permission from your Sheppard Pratt doctor for all issues. Also, I was lied to by staff. I was told that I would be able to meditate twice a day and I was only allowed once a day. I was told that I would have my own room and I had to share with someone. The food is okay and they will allow for special diets. Overall, despite the "bad", I would defiantly recommend this program to children and young adults that have serious eating disorders. On a scale of 1-10, I would give it an 8.75. read more

So I just recently spent two months on the eating disorder unit here ("B1") and while I can say I'm grateful for the opportunity for treatment and the help staff gave me along the way, the program is not without its flaws. A key example of this is based in communication, or in many cases, the lack thereof. I was scheduled to do a phone assessment at a certain time and Sydney ( discharge planner ) delayed it trying to get a hold of the treatment center I was being referred to but did not send anyone down to let me know that she was running late. My therapist there, Julie, was also frequently tardy to appointments and although apologetic, certainly didn't help my overall situation. I had a hearing scare during the middle of my stay where I thought I was almost deaf in my left ear. Instead of allowing me to do a hearing test and potentially order hearing aids, all I got was a "we don't do specialty services here unless it's an emergency ". I would consider acute hearing loss a crisis/severe situation but apparently it was just an "inconvenience " according to my psychiatrist. Speaking of her, she seemed to be condescending more often than not, and I cried after being reamed at one of our short daily "sessions ". The floor staff ( Blair, RN Gelsey, RN Jarred, Leah to name some of the gems ) were outstanding and so helpful. Also, my fellow patients made it bearable, even though I'm not the most social person. Sorry if I was ever a jerk, guys! I am currently attending partial and plan to go to residential soon, as previously planned. Pratt isn't perfect, but the staff will work with you on things like fear foods etc. I'd certainly recommend the program if you're in the Baltimore area and in need of treatment. read more

One of the best places I have ever been to. I think the problem with the huge differences in ratings is between those who were in the Trauma Disorders Program like me and then all the terrible reviews come from people who were not. I was treated like family here. I felt so comfortable, talking to my therapist 3x a week and my psychiatrist every day. Everyone on this unit had DID except for me but I was never made to feel left out or different, and the treatment was never geared away from me. I made good friends and felt like I was finally understood. Another thing I noticed, if you go somewhere like here you obviously have to be ready to do some work. There were times when I considered my psychiatrist to be the biggest jerk in the world, when I hated the food (other times when I loved it) when I felt like I was being pushed or the staff was being mean (they weren't , they are mental health professionals and know what's good for you). They would wake me up in the morning by yelling at me and I wish someone would have kicked my bed! It's a mental hospital not a vacation. The staff was so good there I felt like I could talk to any of them easily. The only bad thing was that we had just moved floors and we didn't have any art therapy or physical exercise to speak of. Just two medium length hallways to walk up and down which got old really quick. Unfortunately when I got home I had another really bad round of depression hit so I will be going back soon. This time I'm looking forward to it. The Trauma Unit saves lives. I would recommend it to anyone struggling. read more

If you love your child, don't send them here. I was there myself a year ago in the adolescent psych ward, and cannot properly describe the trauma and neglect I went through there. There was mold in the bathroom, rats (kids called them the "Sheppard Pratt Rat" when sighted), and none of the described therapy programs on their website took place. We spent our days sitting on chairs in a common room and were yelled at or complained to when we asked for treatment. Eventually we stopped asking, and would warn new kids who came in not to ask either. We truly spent our days doing nothing, while the staff scrolled TikTok sitting in the corner. The two activities I did there were "yoga", on smelly mats, and "art therapy" which consisted of us coloring in cut out paper rabbits with dried up markers. Oh, and they had us scrub, mop, and sweep the common room at night. That was about it. Not once in my stay there did I see a therapist or psychiatrist. I was released with no outpatient plan--I repeat, NO OUTPATIENT PLAN--after only five days, leading to multiple suicide attempts following. Even after these attempts, my therapist (who my parents found on their own) and my parents chose to keep me out of the hospital so I could continue my treatment elsewhere. I eventually got better, and I can say it was with absolutely no help from Sheppard Pratt. I still have nightmares about that place and am currently diagnosed with PTSD. read more

I was part of the Family Services residential program for over 8 year. it was fine until one year during the yearly trip to Ocean Cit, a man who was also part of the program had seizures on the bus home. Not one seizur, but at least 9. I have epilepsy and I know that him having them back to back is not good. I went to the staff at the front of the bus and they told me they're handling it and go sit down. They didn't for the rest of the ride, even though I kept begging them to help, which they claimed they were doin. When we arrived back at the location of the day progra, there was no ambulance or any help. He had a few more seizures and again, no help. Later in the week I was asked by my caseworker about it and I told him I was upset. I later had an appointment with my psychiatrist and she too asked about it, as did my therapist, both of which I didn't start that conversatio. I still told them my feelings and everythin. I later get called into the head's office and they were like Dr. whoever told me that....uh...don't you know about HIPPA laws and all? I left soon after that read more

Psychiatric Urgent Care is a joke. If you are actually concerned for your child go elsewhere. My child did a day program there, which I received no support or information on her progress until a day before she was discharged from. Within a month of ending the program she was self harming again. We went to their urgent care facility in Elkridge with fresh blood still on bandages from her self harming yet we were turned away from inpatient treatment as an option because that wasn't considered enough of a danger to herself. Of course my child wouldn't willingly disclose the truth to a random stranger, which I stated, and was again told that inpatient wasn't an option because they had to go by what my 12 year old said instead of me as her parent. I was also rudely informed that if I didn't like that I could take her to the ER. read more

i went here because i needed help for behavior issues and feeling suicidal. i did NOT expect the amount of disrespect i got from staff. the staff obviously didnt know what they were doing and didnt know how to handle someone with adhd. everytime i couldnt sit still, they would kick me out of the therapy room and email my parents due to my bad behavior. on the second day of me being there they kicked me out due to 'bad behavior'. they handled it very very VERY unprofessionally. they walked out to my dads car in the pickup circle and nocked on his window, telling him that i was being discharged and was allowed to go back to school. i was NOT in the right mental state to go back, and my dad complained about how horribly they handled the discharge. they ignored my father and absolutely disrespected him. the staff here are NOT qualified for their position, due to them screaming at the vulnerable patients on multiple occasions, and shoving different medicines down the throats of the patients without the permission to do so. the staff here are very rude. the care quality is AWFUL. if you are in need of mental health help, please seek it at another facility. read more

Worst place that I was ever seen! I was there for an ECT with no compassion for the patient. Was a nightmare

I went to the one in Elkridge, and my favorite social worker there was Ms. Nina. She was the coolest and sweetest and most understanding. She treated us like people, not sick awful patients. I love her. But aside from that, it was a nice facility, compared to the one in Towson, it was very clean and the food really wasnt too shabby. They discharged me too early though. Which lead to me getting admitted to GBMC again. Now im getting sent to residential, unfortunately. Also, ms nina, if you ever read this I miss you! Thank you for your great help! I hope you and ms tonya and claire and ms erin get a raise soon! Yall are my favorites (you being my #1 though). I also got signed with a modeling agency! In short, Sheppard Pratt Elkridge was a the nicer campus and they treated most patients there well. read more

Took my son, who was suicidal, to SP Urgent Care the day before Thanksgiving. They saw him for 15 minutes and he walked away with a phone number. Since then, he has had One telehealth visit with a therapist. After 2 months, still waiting for a psychiatrist and medication. I cannot figure out how to get him help during this pandemic. If anyone can help me, I would deeply appreciate it. read more

As someone who has been personally placed under the Child Care Program, I remember everything regarding the practices there. As a witness to what goes on within those walls, I am happy to inform that this place is not worth all the superiority talk these "professionals" brag about. Day one, I immediately caught on with what these people are doing. Every group of children had their own rooms. Of course, there are different reasons why children are admitted. Maybe they have a bad mouth, or they have some behavioral issue that makes them a danger to peers around them. The doctors here do not focus on everyone as an individual, but rather they lump everyone together and force everyone to listen to the same shtick with each other, even though everyone has different issues. The only people that genuinely tried are the people that administer medications to the children. I always had health issues with previous medications, and they found medication that got past the medication that gave me so many health issues. But this isn't enough to remotely balance out the drawbacks. We were all forced to sit during group stuff. We are not allowed to get up. If you showed small signs of "bad behavior," then you're forced to go to a room with a heavy door. The inside of the room is poorly lit, the space is small, and all you have is a chair and a bunch of painted walls. There was a reason why I fought hard to get my parents to keep me from going there. The place was terrible, and it wasn't worth me nearly failing my sophomore year in high school. I ran on an A/B schedule and missed two entire weeks of school. Missing an equivalent of twenty days of work was not worth it. I advise against going here until there is some kind of reform with how they perform their care here. read more

This is in reference to the Outpatient Intensive Therapy Day Program. I was really at a low when I entered into this program. Prior to entering I was very afraid. After being there for some time it felt safe. The staff members are very helpful and resourceful. They are willing to assist in whatever your need may be at the time. It may be a little uneasy on your first few days because you have to get to know people and be comfortable enough to want to share your story. You are never forced to do anything. This is a very intensive program. I suggest if you are not ready to do the work to help you heal this is not the program for you. The program teaches numerous skills that can aid in getting a grip on your mental illness. On the outside you may feel like an outcast. This is one place you can come and not be obligated to wear a mask. Meaning you can be yourself. You have the opportunities to listen to others story. You also have the opportunity to share your story. You receive plenty of advice and suggestions. There is a daily schedule. First meeting with your nurse to discuss the daily questionnaire you must complete each morning. Next you move on to a class with your social worker. Once that is completed you continue with 4 more daily classes. The day starts at 8:30 am and ends at 3:20 pm. The program is Monday thru Friday. If you are truly ready to learn more about your illness and are ready to apply learned skills this program may be for you. I appreciate what is being taught there and look forward to using the learned skills to make coping with my illness easier. read more

Sad to say... the care given in a psychiatric hospital is only going to be as good as the amount of money the insurer is willing to pay. I was in SP back in the late 1970's and was treated like a young prince who's every thought and movement was monitored and fussed over by a team of attractive professionals. In hindsight, it was ridiculous, and a huge waste of money. As much as I hate HMO, insurance companies, etc., the idea that anyone who threatens suicide gets fawned over for months on end is an idea who's time has come and gone. So... little point bemoaning what is now gone forever. Sheppard Pratt is more of a museum now than anything more. read more

I went to SP a little over ten years ago after a difficult divorce. I took part in a day program that offered group therapy. There was little one on one interaction, and when I was given the opportunity to talk with a counselor It was often rushed and unhelpful. Out of all the staff, only one counselor gave me the feeling of genuine concern, and I only interacted with him for less than 10 minutes. I'll also mention that it was not cheap (but what health care isn't these days) and I had no insurance at the time. Fast forward to present day. I'm dealing with some really difficult issues, and I've reached out to SP to talk about treatment options and making an appointment with a doctor. I made multiple calls, left messages, and my calls were never returned. Yes, I was calling the correct number. I'm still looking for help I but won't be considering SP as an option ever again. Judging by the reviews this is all too common. read more

I was inpatient back in 2019 and it was by far the worst inpatient stay I have ever been to! The staff was rude and they never helped at all!! They never let you stand up you always had to sit down and if you were standing they would yell at you to sit down! The showers were only 8 minutes and if you went over that time then they would bang on the door and yell at you to get out! When they would get you up in the morning they would literally kick the bed and yell at you to get up! The food was so horrible and stone cold all the time. The staff and the nurses never cared and they were just mean and not helpful! Some of the staff wouldn't even show up to do any of the groups so we basically did nothing for over an hour. If anybody ever needs to go inpatient, this is not the place to go!!! Sheppard Pratt is a JOKE!! read more

Im a teenager who struggles with many disorders and i recently tried to hurt myself and take my own life, fortunately i was saved by the ambulance. A couple days after i was sent to the Sheppard Pratt in Towson. It was absolutely HORRIBLE! The treatment was okay but the some of the staff were horrible and they had said such awful things to the patients and treated us with such disrespect and had said so much that it had harmed our mental health. I was in Unit A1 with Mood Disorder, some examples of the disrespect were when we were trying to explain how we felt to the staff and they would just scream and yell and say they hate children. A child also has said they were starving when they first got there and one of the staff there (Melissa) said they could stay starving. Another staff member (Kori Ragin) has always been "dress coding" people that arent wearing anything revealing such as, shoulders legs & breasts. She has said for women to put on a bra while they were in their pajamas for breakfast and for a woman to "cover" her shoulders up. A young woman should not be getting dress coded for these things in a mental hospital, I personally believe that a young woman's clothing should not be the main focus in a ward. They were always yelling and telling a woman to cover up her healed scars or her legs that had nothing on them. It was just her skin. This place was HORRIBLE. read more

I was patient @$heppard pr@tt in the 80's 4 long time and patient there in summer of 2016 and it has changed a lot, I feel sorry patients these days because Sheppard pratt was amazing place back then, it was like college campus and I could spend much of day off the hall in groups, walks, greenhouse, athletic stuff, dances coffee houses etc, I am not kidding at alll...there was a community of patients them in and out of hospital, very sad it ended, but it still a good place, better than most read more

Been here for treatment 5 times -- twice as an inpatient and three times in day hospital (where you go home at night). Very nice and professional staff, good treatment. Robert on TE ward is the best, as is Miss Pat. If I need treatment again, SP will be my first pick. I knocked off one star because the food in the units is not really good, although the cafeteria is better. read more