No, no, no, no! There are four reasons many people might not want want to go. Before I begin with those, let me say that I think it's a travesty that good mental health services in Arizona are so difficult to find. Mental health clinics linked with Cenpatico/ACCCHS prioritize those who need drug treatment, court-ordered treatment, and homeless services. These are necessary programs--I would never dispute that--but mental illness is a disease like diabetes is a disease. One doesn't go to an endocrinologist and expect to be treated like a drug addict or a criminal--they don't expect to be counseled as if they're both--and there are plenty of diabetics in the homeless community. What I'm saying is that throwing everyone who's mentally ill into the same stereotypical basket is offensive. Onto the reasons for my review:
1) I brought a friend here after a fairly long wait for an appointment. Having already been evaluated by her previous clinic, which she was at for several years, she just needed a doctor to manage her medications. Banner insisted on doing an "intake" which would take 2.5 hours, which included "assessment" by an unqualified individual and a meeting with a "services coach" (who helps the homeless with bus tickets and applying for indigent programs) before they would even consider letting that person see a psychiatrist.
2) They asked my friend, who has a terrible social phobia, PTSD (caused by criminals) and generalized anxiety disorder, to show up 30 minutes early for that appointment, only to keep her waiting....and waiting. The paperwork she had to fill out was largely about illicit drug use. "How many times a day do you use meth? Heroin? Marijuana?" She doesn't use drugs and never has. She's never been addicted to any prescription drugs. She doesn't even drink.
3) She felt unsafe as they asked her to go to a waiting room full of people, some who were wearing ankle monitors. After 15 minutes, she left the building, and I drove her home. They called 45 MINUTES LATER to say they were ready to see her.
4) Seeing a psychiatrist should be like seeing any other doctor. It should not be a labor-intensive process filled with unnecessary obstacles. The mentally ill shouldn't be made to jump through hoops or forced into services they don't want or need. They shouldn't be made to feel "less than" and this, in my opinion, is what Banner Whole Health does. read more
