I really didn't think I'd write a review for this place, but now that I'm suffering from the PTSD…read morethe facility caused, here we are. I admitted myself after a phone conversation guaranteeing they had space and encouraging me to come in to treat very intense suicidal thoughts with intent to act. I was on my last leg, and my motivation was my boyfriend.
The intake was great. They answered our questions and explained I would start on a 24-hour observation floor, then move to a room. They said I'd meet with a psychiatrist for medication options and encouraged honesty about suicidal thoughts, noting I was well masked and could lie to leave early, which I eventually did.
On the observation floor, they sat me far from the TVs. I noticed they did that with everyone so staff could watch TV. Soon after, another patient was brought in. She threw food everywhere, threatened to kill staff, said she was sent to "kill all white people," then claimed she was white and God. It took far too long for security to respond. When she walked toward me making threats, they let her. I crawled out of my chair and was offered the bathroom for protection. I stayed there about an hour.
Afterward, she continued wandering over to threaten me. When they tried to medicate her, she fought them, stripped, and was eventually allowed to lock herself in a room. They offered me hydroxyzine to sleep through it. I took it, but was too afraid to sleep. I stayed awake all night watching her.
At one point, I dozed off and woke to her whispering, "I know you're pretending," after they allowed her to walk across the room to me while I slept.
After 24 hours, they told me they wanted to send me elsewhere due to lack of space. After everything, I refused and said I'd leave instead. Suddenly, they had space. The voluntary floor had multiple empty rooms.
During the six days I was there: no group therapy, no individual therapy (only med management), inconsistent rules about belongings, blankets, and visitors. A patient with lice was admitted and not disclosed, just given a hairnet that wasn't enforced. No outdoor time. Blinds stayed shut. No clear instructions for hygiene; I didn't have underwear for three days and wasn't given hand soap initially. It took four days to decide on medication, and psych visits were brief Telehealth check-ins asking the same questions.
On my last night, a nurse I hadn't seen before threw away toiletries other nurses told us to keep, was rude, and treated us like children. I requested a pillow due to pain. She said no. I requested a blanket. I was told no. She took my eye mask and shined a light in my face every 15 minutes, loudly closing the door. Other staff had been careful not to wake us - she was not.
She talked loudly at 1am. I couldn't sleep. I went to read, declined more medication, returned to bed, and the noise resumed. For the first time ever, I had homicidal thoughts due to sleep deprivation. I eventually cried myself to sleep, waking every 15 minutes.
At shift change, a different nurse was able to do checks without waking me. I asked to leave. I acted fine, lied about my thoughts, and was discharged.
While I appreciate the resources they offer to unhoused patients, the care stops there. I actively discourage people from going here. I'm writing this because I had a full-blown panic attack from flashbacks. I have nightmares that I'll be attacked if I sleep. This place is hell.
