This review is for the adult PHP/IOP program at La Amistad - I found the program to be a light in the dark world of trying to understand my mental health. I felt heard, supported, and well cared for while I attended the program. As someone who had never explored their mental health prior to attending, I don't have much to compare...however, I can say with complete confidence that I am healing and in a much better place after the program. The therapists, psychiatrists, and even nurses helped me to understand and grow through the grief and anxiety that I was battling. I now have an entire binder of resources and feel well educated in understanding brain science and responses to trauma. I will forever be grateful to La Amistad for providing me a safe place to heal and grow. read more

Stayed there twice, I once had a nightmare after my first time staying that I would be forced to go back and the day after I had that nightmare I kid you not my father and the staff cohersed me into going back. This facility made me 100 times worse then and 5 years later I can still safely say the care I received here was the type of "care" I would only reserve for my deepest, most hated enemy.​​​​​ read more

Cannot recommend. I am the parent of a teen who was a resident at La Amistad from March 13 through April 2. I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am with this establishment. I was never given a tour, I was never given a welcome packet that included the rules for my daughter and the rules for me as a parent. Admissions gave me a date and time, but no forms or instructions other than what is available on the website. When we arrived, we discovered the website was inaccurate. My daughter was often one of seven in a room, and she was constantly given changes in medication without my knowledge or consent, etc. Most disturbing, Administration is impossible to contact. Ever. When my daughter was hospitalized, I was told she may not be able to return. For the six days she was hospitalized, I called La Amistad multiple times to see if she would be allowed to return. I was never given an answer, I never even received a return phone call. Finally, the hospital called them and within 20 minutes, they called me to tell me that my daughter would not be allowed back. The only reason for a second star is the wonderful, experienced Therapist that my daughter and I met with throughout her stay. read more

This is one place I will NEVER forget. I was a minor and this place accepted my Dad's FedEx insurance provider. I was here about 4-6 months. I was a minor, a teenager. I recall my first time there I sat down in an office, and I will never forget the comments made by the head person in charge at the time who asked me questions in his office. The phone rang, and he asked about the insurance, he smiled, and said thank you. He looked at me, and asked me my name, and like 2 other questions, a girl came to the door, he opened it, told me we are all set, your dad has excellent insurance with a BIG old smile. I at the time didn't no much about insurance and the money behind it, but I informed my parents, and I got admitted anyways. When the insurance ran out the boot I got. I want to be clear here. I didn't benefit from anything except for 2 components. 1) I lost weight, and 2) Experienced Prozac, and ritalin. The counselor there was some Arkansas college counselor fan and honestly didn't help one bit. There was almost no 1 on 1 counseling. The schooling was a joke. There is no visitors, literally none. Outpatient or weekend outpatient visits had to be earned. Food was ok. Nothing great. Sleeping on bunk beds hard beds, and the lights are always on outside the room. There is no privacy, and staff visit like every 30 minutes with a flashlight. There is no media, at that time there was no internet interaction, no TV, just a journal, schooling, and a workbook, and group counseling listening to others problems with them asking questions. I don't know what has changed since 1997-1999. But to this day if my kids needed help this wouldn't be on the list ever. I am 36 now, and I find this place repulsive. **UPDATE** This is an update as I missed some details. 1) The man in charge at the time was a Male, heavy set, African American. 2) There were on at least 2 occasions of kids escaping the facility, and if I recall correctly I believe I heard someone say it was on the news because it was located near a neighborhood. I understand the company kicked out due to finances dried up from Federal Express. I understand they are in it to make money. BUT that doesn't excuse the business practice of just holding kids and doing nothing of value to collect a paycheck. I learned nothing, and it set me back educationally and behaviorally. A anger management counselor my grandmother took me to (and gma raised me) did FAR more and got me on the right path after all this nonsense. Long story short, parental divorce, parent anger issues at a young age is what needed addressing. They may have set me behind in High School, but graduated college 2 degrees, 4 certifications later, and happily married with 2 great children. All thanks to a grandmother, and some counseling. Nothing La Amistad ever provided. Sometimes a child needs to be heard AND understood, then guided. After my minor courses in Adolescent Psychology 1 and 2, I learned a WHOLE LOT of what was missing in my youth. I hope this update helps someone. Be safe, be informed. read more

I wasn't here as a teenager. We were regularly yelled at, and only allowed to sit in a chair with a journal, not allowed to interact with each other. Watch TV , get up and move around, etc. Nobody explained to me the rule system when I was brought in, and I immediately got yelled at by staff for violating it. There's forced quiet time in the cafeteria as well. Spending about half of my teenagers in here actually caused me to fail the second half of high school because their curriculum failed to be integrated. It is extremely misleading, two members of my family are educators and we're absolutely horrified at the quality of education here. They're also is no equine therapy or pool therapy despite them being listed on the site on the teen side in addition to the adult. I was here on the teenage side. There's an extreme emphasis on family therapy. read more

Staff I expected to treat me as I would be treated in any clinic, after coming in with a Headache that I could not manage on my own. Instead, I was treated the way I would be in the Accounting Section of an almost closed down Banking firm. With exasperation and lack of Patience: By a sole single lady who refused to listen to me when the pressures of being held in this facility were at their peak. I have absolutely no respect for this "motherly figure" of a supervisor, whose name I dont remember. Kindly asking to be let in my room, turned into an altercation that ended up with me walking out. Not just because I was mad I couldnt get my writing materials to pass some time, But because the only other options afforded to me in terms of pastime ranged from sitting in a circle listening to our Therapist group leaders bumble their way through each improvised little "therapy class", youd be forced to go to around 5 or 8 a day, Since the content of all of them is usually ignored by every single one of the visitors to the facility, in excited anticipation of sitting in the back and smoking packs of cigarettes all day. The pressures of having nothing to do, get to the "patients" quickly. The problem of gossiping which affects me extremely, as someone with Diagnosed Aspergers, autism, and having been forcefully secluded all my young life: Became violent and hateful towards me, because I simply wasnt part of the friendly chit chat. The main proponent of this was a tall white college guy with one of those mustaches you associate with crimes that would get you painted a target in most prisons, and always liked to wear a hat. I was threatened, and told the nastiest of things as I tried to meditate in my chair one night, by this guy, for simply being my silent self. A week of trying to speak to my assigned therapist later, he makes his way to me on Friday, saying he will be gone for the weekend and I only have 10 minutes to ask some "preliminary questions". This place sucks. Oh the food? Get fat. Have as much as you want. We got cancer cigs outside. read more

I was a patient here. I now work in psychology because of this experience. This place is unethical, psychologically abusive, inhumane, and concerning it is still an operating practice. During my experience, my parents were lied to about insurance, I was lied to by staff members, I was prescribed a medication that would make me fall asleep but then yelled at when I would drift off (even after I communicated this), I was woken up in the middle of the night for some type of EKG testing without being told what it was or what was happening (during this my body would spasm and they wouldn't stop), During a parent day at the facility my mom was forced to list things she doesn't like about me while we already had a difficult relationship (one of which was not my doing but this was completely disregarded), I was forced to say things that are not true in order to be released, I was put in horrible circumstances. Miss.Kathleen was my therapist and she did this to other girls at the facility. This is a money grabbing and fear ridden place. To all the parents out there, I understand. You have other options and they will probably lie about insurance to you too. Please prioritize your children's well being over the price. (PSA: as a therapist myself, residential places will always cause more harm than good unless there is a serious concern and even then YOU ARE NOT GUARANTEED ETHICAL CARE AT RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES) read more

my daughter was in the residency program and the partial hospitalization program. she felt safe, cared for and listened to. she got wonderful care from an amazing clinical team, therapists, teachers, medical techs, and admins. they really helped her on her road to recovery and supported our whole family. And She loved the food! read more

If you were considering sending your kid here, take it from me, DON'T. there are several reasons why La Amistad isn't a good place to send your kids. Firstly, there have been reports of physical and emotional abuse towards residents in the past. These allegations have been denied by the management of La Amistad, but they have nonetheless been documented by former residents and their families. Secondly, the facility has been cited by state and federal authorities for several violations of health and safety regulations. These citations include instances of unsanitary conditions, inadequate staffing, and insufficient training for caregivers. Also, the reviews of La Amistad on online platforms and social media are overwhelmingly negative. Many former residents and their families report feeling neglected, mistreated, and unsupported during their time at the facility. Given these concerns, it is safe to say this isn't the place for your kids, they will NOT receive help, they will receive trauma like i and many others have. It would be wise to consider alternative care options for your children. It is important to prioritize the safety, comfort, and well-being of your loved ones, and to thoroughly research and vet any potential care providers before making a decision. read more

If you're a parent who is in the awful position of trying to desperately find a place for your child, I get you. I'm so sorry. How hard is this. :( But, if you're like me and you read reviews of places before sending your child to be in their care, I would be horrified by these reviews that are posted. I will say, that our experience with LaAmistad was a gift. Unfortunately, we've had experience with other Behavioural hospitals and this one shines brightly compared to others in Florida and out of state. Most complaints are about rules that are in place to try to help people turn towards better decision making and ultimately good mental health. I had access via phone and eventually in person to my son (when he earned the privilege) to even go off campus; this helped us stay connected and continue to work on strengthening the parent/child relationship while still being cared for and kept safe in this environment. Most hospitals you have little or no access to your children. Also loved that my son could continue going to school here while in patient. This kept him on track for school and also made him feel like he was succeeding and not getting further and further behind. Every encounter from intake (thx Jackie!) to finances ( thx Kathy!) to teachers and principal (wow, they are awesome!) to his therapist (Lauren T!), was in a league of their own. My son has a job, is chasing health and is smiling more than he has in a long time. I feel this place was a God send that saved our son's life. We will forever be grateful for LaAmistad! read more

Rude staff member. Instead of reading their paperwork they have every interaction with staff asking you if you have been assaulted. From initial intake paperwork, phone conversations, and conversations with the staff it was asked 6 times. read more

If you're wondering what hell feels like, then go to La Amistad. That place is literally a joke. The people are a joke and just everything about it. I was told that there was a pool there and when I came didn't see no fucking pool. Also the horses were no where to be seen. I got told that the people were normal, but the people there are weird asf!!. Also they say we're not allowed to have friends. If we're allowed to have friends than change the place's name like do y'all know what La Amistad means??? Change it to Los Enemigos if we can't have friends. Anyways DO NOT go there! DO NOT send your kids there because you are not doing them a favor. read more

So sad seeing all the unhappy people posting their random frustrations, often by people who weren't even patients, about policies put in place for sound reasons that don't seem fair perhaps in normal circumstances. Being a resident in a facility such as La Amistad is, however, not normal due to the complex mental health concerns residents are forced to (by necessity) confront in the VERY SAFE and INCREDIBLY CARING and PROFESSIONAL environment there. I spent a month there. I saw many, many other patients there during my stay. They ranged across all generations and ages. I'm happy to say that I personally witnessed lives being changed, reclaimed every single day I was there. La Amistad saved my life. I can never, ever overstate the quality on every level of my experience there. Was it easy? No. Absolutely no. It was the hardest experience of my life. They helped put me back together and to become functional again. This can never be a simple, easy or painless process. They did what was necessary. I am so blessed a friend recommended them to me. I was beyond desperate, and had already experienced the absolute horror of another facility. I'm glad I took the chance. It's been a year. I'm not perfect. I never will be. But I know how to cope. They taught me that and so much more. I could write a book about all the things I personally watched La Amistad achieve on a daily basis during my visit and among the lifelong friends I made there. Please do not hesitate to send anyone you love to go to La Amistad. Please, please, please don't pay attention to the venomous posts here. I can tell you, I most likely would not be here writing this today without them. Best of luck and much love to all of us who suffer these pains. It won't be like this forever. read more

My review is from the perspective of someone who was a visitor and prospective patient. I had a now former friend there. The facility seemed decent despite the fact that the patient had mentioned the facility had lied to his mother several times. He also mentioned that his roommate was a former a drug dealer who was tempting him. Rooming a addict and a dealer together shows the care this facility has. Still, I thought of turning to them for my own mental health care. I went through the admissions process and was scheduled to go in. But at some point during the process, this friend had called me and they had an extremely heated outburst screaming at me that prompted the staff to come. I told the friend that I did not want to be the cause of his upset. The call disconnected and I never spoke to this friend again. Because a day or two later, I got a message from his mother stating that the therapist there had advised him to cut contact with me. Just like that, this former "friend" cut me out of his life, which they advised despite the fact many unresolved issues that I will now have to resort to legal measures to get relief from - which clearly isn't going to be great for the patient's mental health. This person had already been advised to cut multiple people out of his life despite the fact that he already lacked a strong support system and I had previously been part of that very small support system. I was extremely wary of any therapist who - while only knowing the patient for a few weeks - would tell an unstable person in rehab to cut just about every person out of his life while he was in there. A lack of a support system for recovery would lend itself to a likely relapse, though I suppose L'amistad would benefit from this. That is when I was called and told that my admission would be pushed back 2 weeks. Which coincided with the date I knew that my former friend would be discharged. I asked if there was a patient conflict to which the admissions lady said yes. I was told that the details were not available, but I explained that this former friend must have lobbied against me coming. I asked to speak with the person who had made this decision, but she said she knew they would not speak with me. I had already made all necessary arrangements to commit myself for weeks, saying goodbye to my children tearfully even, and suddenly they were saying it was their policy to do so when this had not ever been mentioned. At this point, I understood that it was unlikely that I would be able to receive quality or unbiased care from this facility. Of course they would side with the patient who had already been approved for a full course of treatment. I also knew that the staff would have already been told whatever the patient said about me, otherwise it never would have reached the top. Considering the unfair decision and their lack of transparency, I opted to withdraw my application. For L'amistad's part, they told me to just go get Baker Acted if I needed help. They obviously will put one patient's life above another, probably based on whoever is likely to provide them the most money. And there is simply no reason for the lack of transparency and refusal to speak to prospective patients from decision makers. You are never more important than the people that you are supposed to be caring for and helping. I wholly doubt that that former friend will not relapse considering the outburst he had there that was the worst I'd seen and considering the friends and support system they dismantled, likely because they felt he was being triggered by these people. Never mind teaching the patient actual tools to cope and build healthier relationships. You don't put people in a padded room devoid of relationships, and expect them to be able to navigate the real world when they get out. I'm grateful I got to see how they truly run their facility, because I feel like I dodged a bullet. read more

If I could rate this place negative stars, I would, I was a patient here about a week ago and I only lasted 5 days in their 30 day program. I left feeling far worse than I did going into it. The staff are very rude and only there for a paycheck, I was singled out by multiple staff members, and I wrote a grievance that was never resolved. I decided to go to promises 5 Palms and it is way way better. I also got verbally assaulted by a patient and they did nothing about it, I was suicidal at the time, and their staff pushed me to hurt myself, because of how many triggering things they would say, they proceeded to put me in a room by myself separating and isolating me from other patients, and accusing me of fraternizing with other patients when I am here for mental health, and I just got out of a relationship that was two years long, they don't like the patient becoming friends even though we are there for a month together and grow very close to each other. They don't condone, hugging, even handshakes or fist bombs they don't allow and they don't allow us to give out our phone numbers. Another thing is they don't allow vapes, but they allow cigarettes so explain that to me? 5 Palms is way better if you're looking for a solid rehabilitation center for mental health and substance abuse. They actually care about the patients and are genuine unlike the staff at La Amistad . read more

I usually will not leave a negative review, but I just cannot keep this to myself. My 16 year old daughter was in a Baker Act situation, and they would only send her to a facility. After scrambling, we landed here for a 6 week stay. I have to say this place DAMAGED her even more, probably more than her initial trauma for which she entered this type of treatment. We trusted the system and that they professionals there know what they were doing. I WISH I HADN'T. The lead Counselor, or director of the daily kids program, had us, as parents, DOUBTING and NO BELIEVING our daughter's trauma story. She felt that my daughter was lying because her story was not solid. My daughter was abused by a family member when she was LITTLE. Instead of helping us get her under control and to process the trauma any way she could remember it, we spent most sessions confronting my daughter on the truth. She is still suffering from PTSD and Anxiety from this. IT WAS HORRIBLE and she hates us for this experience. THEN, they never would send us a BILL and I could never get a straight answer for what I owed vs. what insurance paid. I just got (after almost 2 years) a collections letter for money I would have paid would they have sent me a BILL. Please do not send your kid here unless you live nearby and can visit often, and check their care. We lived 4 hours away, and it was hard to manage. I do not think this place is really safe for kids emotional well being. It may get the kids attention but our experience we are all effected for life. read more

boy do i have a bad review was told 'such good things' about this place they treated you like garbage here. most unhelpful place i've been. i'll just go off the bat and give you one of my worst experiences. i was in 'class', drawing out what i was feeling in a childish manner. something about being trapped there against my will and burning the place down, (i was a kid and at rock bottom), "teacher" snatched it, called someone, i went with one of the "counselors", sat in a room for multiple hours, got called into leaders office. gave me the option "bakeract" or "residential" (i was doing the day program.) i chose residential because of the experiences i had with a bakeract. sent me back to the room, i took a nap, and was woken up by a staff saying the ambulance was here for me. immediately broke down crying and told one of the staff to tell the psychiatrist and the program leader to gft and to rot. they bakeracted me because i was acting 'psychotic' while talking to them about residential. again, i was crying. ugly crying. i was a kid, at literal rock bottom, forced into an unfamiliar place with the comfort of being able to go home every day. i've been hospitalized several times but the place i got bakeracted to was literally a blast. i had such a good time there. (i was there once before la amistad) they didn't know how to deal with anyone. they'd either put you in a room or simply sit you out in a desk in a hallway when you were feeling upset. this 'dr' told me i was lying about everything and made me more upset. lead program runner was a butthead. overall, DONT SEND YOUR KIDS HERE read more

If i could give it none i would. My friend was admitted here and was gaslit and traumatized. Her therapist was convinced everything she had been through was made up. Wish there was a way to shut this place down. Also. A therapist that is telling multiple young vulnerable children that they are lying about what happened to them? Are you serious? what is wrong with you people read more

There is not one positive thing to say about this place. I went in with such high hopes for treatment and my experience was absolutely horrible! I was appalled at the terrible and disrespectful way that I was treated. They schedule on-site appointments for you but it's okay if no one bothers to show up or if they decide to show up six hours late after the originally scheduled appointment. This happened to me and when I tried to pinpoint what happened and question who lied to me, everyone covered for each other and I never had the appointment that they told me was so crucial for all new intakes to have. Also, what I was told versus what is reality is quite different so make sure you have (and see) everything in writing before you spend hours filling out endless forms in a 6 font size (bring a magnifying glass) while all other professional organizations and agencies use technology and online portals for their patients. Be prepared for three-ring binders and handouts in groups just like teachers gave to students in elementary school. It's that archaic. If you expect professional staff or accountability here, don't waste your time as I tried to get it but no one cared enough to address the staff and confidentiality issues that I brought forward. I was told that I needed to "lower my standards" and accept that no corrections would be taken regardless of what had happened to me. This is unacceptable and just illustrated to me that anything could happen to me and no one cared. No one should feel frightened or be made to feel this way especially in a treatment atmosphere. If this can happen to me it can happen to anyone so please do your research. I wish I had read more of the many negative reviews rather than the few positive ones. For the purpose of this review, I didn't "lower my standards" as I couldn't trust anyone in this place knowing that I was not respected or valued as a patient or a person. read more

I spend 15 days at La Amistad a couple years ago and unfortunately, it wasn't the best experience for me. It wasn't being away from home that was caused me stress (I live in Sarasota, about 2 hours away from here) and it wasn't the fact that I didn't have control of my meds (I am a bit obsessive about having control of my meds but in a hospital situation, it doesn't bother me). A huge part of the issue was that on a daily basis, meds were given out late. I'm not talking about 5 minutes late, I'm talking about up to an hour late. One day, I didn't get my morning meds (which at the time was given out at 8am or so) until almost 2pm. One woman who had some sort of disorder where she had seizures didn't get her meds on time and she had a seizure and was taken to the hospital despite the fact that she knew what she needed to do after a seizure. I have Panic attacks and I take xanex as needed for my panic attacks. I had several panic attacks while being at la amistad and the psychiatrist took my xanex away and gave me vistiril, which did nothing, even on a high dose of vistiril, it didn't touch my anxiety. The psychiatrist refused to prescribe me xanex while I was there. I went to this facility, primarily for med changes and I knew what I wanted to change and what I didn't want to change and the psychiatrist did nothing to help me find the right combination and my treatment plan had NOTHING to do with what I was there for. I played by this facilities games to be able to get out of there as soon as I could. I was there 2 weeks too long. The staff was very disrespectful towards me and when any of the clients would complain about something, the only thing they would say was "Well, I wasn't there, so I don't know why that happened but what can YOU do to change the situation?" I cursed one of the staff members out because I was so pissed and told her that it was her job to fix the situation and make sure it didn't happen again. I know I didn't handle the situation well and I could have done a better job of communicating what was wrong but when you're treated like a child for 2 weeks, you get pissed. Don't go here, they did more harm then good for me. My therapist at la amistad wasn't even helpful. I called my regular therapist on a nightly basis to talk to her with what was going on and how to deal with the situation. I've been in a mental health hospital 4 times and while I was watched like a hawk, it was for my safety and I wasn't treated like a child. read more

Before la I was a mess overdosing a lot I was at a place like this before palm shores which was shit I was always fighting there but when I came here some of the staff were bitches but I enojoyed my stay also if you know me from there my name is Trinity to contact me add me on Snapchat at trinity_wolfie the food was OK my therapist ms Lauren god I love her I did the VIOP program it was great! Since then I only tried to overdose once but after you go here I would suggest to want to coutinue to change I'm probably going to end up in another residential because I'm a fuck up but for thoses who want to change I believe I. You all :) one thing about la is that I HATTEEE when people are being dick heads and the staff don't do shit !! Like what the fuck if you have any questions just send me a snap that is have listed I went there in January 14 th and left March 10 or something so i was there for a good amount of time read more

As a patient who came to La Amistad with the idea of working as a group to fight our struggles, I was extremely disappointed in my treatment. The facilities shown in the pictures exceeded my expectations when I first heard about La Amistad, it looked so nice and had such a big area to be outside! But when I arrived I was utterly disappointed. As soon as I arrived to our main quarters, I was sat down at a table with some other girls. Nobody had told me what was happening or even gave me an idea of what we did other than therapy. I was immediately anxious and distraught by my realization that I was going to be living there for (what I was told by the other girls) anywhere from one to six months. Since I had already been able to contemplate being there for some days before and the whole day I was being processed in, I was (and I can imagine most of the others were) extremely anxious and on the verge of a panic attack. There was nobody there to walk me through anything or even tell me where I should put my belongings. Most of my time there was similar to this; being constantly confused, distraught, anxious, sad, upset, angered, etc. Later in the evenings we would have designated shower and phone time. There was little to no privacy anywhere you went. Orders were randomly assigned for shower and phones. We took showers on the first floor in the living room unless you had been given the privilege of lounging and showering upstairs. For phone time I was pleasantly surprised that we were given either 20 minutes to call one person or 10 minutes per two people to talk to. Having to complete all tasks (showering, calling, harm checks, lounging, group therapy, writing time, etc) in said living room made talking to family on the phone very uncomfortable. With my sensitivity and melancholy, I became upset easily and would often cry and beg my family to get me out of the place. This became daily. With my mix of medications and lack of seeing their psychiatrist, I became overmedicated and was constantly drowsy and confused. During school (which I had not had to participate in due to my situation) I had routinely fallen asleep in my class after lunch. I had no control of it but had began receiving low scores on out daily behavioral charts which had sent me into more of a panic as I had began thinking these scores would prolong my stay. One is also supposed to the learn the vast set of rules and regulations they have at La Amistad. None of which are provided to the patient; you have to learn to survive there. Since I had been marked for self harm I was invaded and checked twice a day by partially stripping without any prior telling. The main psychiatrist gave me the initial idea that I would be seen daily by a selected therapist and that I would meet with himself at least once/twice a week. After the first 3 days of my stay I was finally pulled out of my only outside time to talk with a therapist for the first time. After that, our meetings became almost routine but would only last nearly 30 minutes where I would only be given simple tasks to calm me down and bring me back to reality in which I had already learned from my relatively large past of therapists and counselors. Family sessions (which were online) were the only thing I looked forward to so I could see the family member I have, however, it became less and less nice to me as my therapist took a lot of the time away from the conversation that me and my family were there to talk about. Roughly 4 days into my, me and two other newer girls were awoken in (what I could tell) the middle of the night and into the boy's lounge (without being informed what we were doing) to get our blood drawn. After days upon days of crying myself to sleep in our confined sleeping quarters where I did not receive anything but sheets, my family had been able to settle and get me out. The night of the day the psychiatrist was informed of how unpleased me and me family was, he had placed me on suicide watch for the night. I was not informed I was on particular watch until I was discharged so that night I came to my bunk wondering where my prison mattress went. Low and behold I was ordered to sleep on the ground in the middle of the upstairs lounge (which was full of commotion by the staff both upstairs and downstairs) under the watch of staff for the whole night. I didn't realize how good sleeping in a bunk with the thin mattress was until I was forced awake all night. Almost every single day I can recall how painfully uncomfortable La Amistad made me, both physically and mentally. I can still feel the feeling of being awoken in the dead night where I was forced to give blood and sit, frozen by both the overwhelming coldness that always followed and the shock of being treated like a lab rat. I can still feel the confusions and dismay I had constantly experienced while there. I can still remember how negatively life-changing this place was for me. Please, there are options, don't make this one read more

I was a resident here for over a month. The entire staff administration, doctors, therapists, nurses and techs were extremely respectful and kind to all. The community of clientwas incredibly supportive of each other. I believe this stems from the entire environment here read more

I just got out of residential care. It was 2 months. The site says u will get out in 30ish days that's a lie. You can rarely ever talk. If you get sick and need medical attention have a cough drop. This place was hell on earth do not send ur kids here. I'd rather look at other options out of state. The staff was rude with a few exceptions. The only thing good was the group therapy that lasted an hour a day out of the whole treatment. The talking time was terrible some days, I'm not being dramatic we only got 20 minutes to talk. The entire day. The level system is so terrible. It rewards u for being there the longest. Sorry I'm not trying to be a level 5 and stay here for 3 months. You get punished by eating last being last at everything basically being the lowest level which they call freeze. I got freeze for talking at dinner. Yea. I did get better at this facility. This place scared the crap out of me and I realized if I don't get better I will have to come back. They give parents so much power and basically ignore the child's opinion in treatment. If your a kid voluntarily wanting to come here do not do it. My whole summer was ruined. I am traumatized. I would honestly do anything to never come back I don't ever want to accept help like that again no matter how much I need it I would rather suffer mentally then suffer worse in a place like that. They wanted to keep me longer. I switched from residential to partial hospitalization. Don't do that the partial hospitalization program is a joke. Virtual or what they call "IOP" is better. But be careful if u don't show up they literally call the cops on you. read more

This place was recommended to me by an assistant principal from Orange County public school and my personal doctor. My daughter was a patient for about 6 weeks. Using intense therapy and some medication she was able to return to school to regular settings. Big, big thank you to Michelle, school director, Sanya the therapist and the rest of the staff. You are the best.!!!! read more

If I've learned anything from playing "rehab roulette" it's that an ideal rehab doesn't exist, you just have to find one in which the pros outweigh the cons, which is the case with La Amistad. The pros: The head of substance abuse, Larry, is outstanding. I thoroughly enjoyed his process group and learned a lot from him. Unfortunately, he does no one-on-one therapy outside of an initial intake assessment. There is no attempt to cut you off from the outside world unlike other rehabs, cough cough, Recovery Village, cough cough. Phone and internet privileges are comparatively generous: there are about four hours each day when the phone can be used and the internet can be used for an hour a day for work or business purposes. Television privileges are likewise generous as well, with cable and streaming services, and there are screens in several different rooms so finding something that's appealing to watch isn't difficult and as long as you don't put on something really objectionable, no one is going to complain, at least when I was there. The library also has a decent selection of DVDs as well. I enjoyed the twice weekly yoga classes - it gets you out of having to sit through yet another process group, and it's a habit that's stayed with me. Food is ok. Institutional food is institutional food, and there's always the salad bar if the hot food option is unappealing. If you've been a good little boy or girl and go to most of the stuff you should have been going to all week, you are afforded a weekly trip off campus to a Starbucks, bookstore and an organized outing (equine therapy, movie, candy store etc.). After several weeks of treatment, you are also free to leave campus for a limited amount of time, with a family member. Again, there is no attempt to cut you off from the outside world, and if you haven't played "rehab roulette," trust me, that is a big, big pro. I don't know if smoking can be considered a pro, but they allow it. That got me smoking again after 15 years not smoking, so I have mixed feelings about that. The cons: If you go for substance abuse, there is ZERO, and I mean ZERO attempt at dual-diagnosis treatment. Sessions with the psychiatrist, Dr. Buchholz, were perfunctorily brief and of little value. In fact, I'm not even sure he is a psychiatrist. The only certification he had on his wall was as a medical examiner, which would make him a pathologist. That's kinda creepy, isn't it, having a doctor whose patients are normally dead? The only saving grace of the doctor was he did not cut me off my benzodiazepine script for panic attacks but he did not recognize my depression and failed to prescribe any antidepressants, which (after being prescribed a SSRI by a subsequent psychiatrist) made all the difference in the world (if you feel good about yourself, you don't need to abuse drugs or alcohol). The individual therapists, Erin and Colette are useless. Both are unpleasant and Erin also has the dubious distinction of being judgmental as well. At first I thought the weekly one-on-one individual therapy was inadequate given that you live there and have all the time in the world for therapy, but once I figured out how unpleasant Erin was, I was glad it was only once a week. The pool (if there is a lifeguard) is only open an hour a day, and if you want to exercise in their limited gym AND use the pool, well, you're going to have to choose one or the other. In summary, La Amistad gets three stars. It's far from my idea of perfect, but after being in and out of these kind of places, saying that it sucks the least sums up my sentiment about it. read more

I arrived at La Amistad not knowing what to expect. My purpose for attending was mental illness related disorders. I was welcomed by both the staff clients with a warm smile and introduction upon arrival. The staff at the facility were all positive. Each one of them greeted and smiled at me every day. They focused on being positive throughout the month and maintained an encouraging vibe during their shift. The team bent over backwards to make my stay as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. The food displays were presented beautifully and tasted delicious. The chefs prepared attractive display of hot and cold meals. Desserts were so scrumptious that I am craving them right now! The chefs served the meals with a smile and made sure that we had enough food to eat. Their hard work and interest in pleasing is pinnacle to the mental health facility. The strategies that I learned were invaluable. Cognitive behavior strategies were emphasized. We learned how to be mindful, change our negative thinking to positive, how to expand and contract our muscles to create relaxation, breathe effectively, and utilize our resources. The managers were effective. The day to day activities were systematic and ran smoothly. (And if they were having a problem, they didn't share any incidents with the patients.) They were firm, but fair and went out of their way to make my stay fantastic. They never made me feel awkward or a bother when I asked for personal items from the closet. No matter how many times I asked them to open that door, they always jumped up without any dismay. The staff were instrumental in my recovery. The staff went above and beyond so many times that I cannot count. Please know how much they take pride in assisting their patients! I would like to express my gratitude for your mental health staff. They were thorough during the assessment process. After a three hour flight, I thought that the assessment would be arduous. The doctor made me feel comfortable right away and evaluated me individually. She was attentive to my current functioning level and mental health needs and touched base with me once a week. My meds were adjusted in a professional and timely manner. I had two therapists within the month period. I thought that having two therapists would not be optimal in my mental treatment plan. The transition from one therapist to another ended up being smooth. One of them was lovely and suggested two books for me to peruse during my independent study time. The other met with me for counseling and was instrumental in delivering my treatment plan. The goals set by the team were appropriate and well written. They were spot on with my areas in need of development. Overall, I had an excellent experience with the mental health staff. They were vital in my progress and always made me feel welcome to discuss any concerns and questions that I had. I will never forget how much they cared. They are an asset to the facility and I am forever grateful to all of them for their insights and attention. The paraprofessionals and other staff members were always eager to assist. They escorted the clients outside when they needed to get some fresh air. They took pride in meeting our needs. Whether it was taking a walk outside or lending an ear to the clients, they were always there to help. They mingled with us while making sure that everything was running smoothly. They are an asset to the facility and I could tell that they cared about us from their heart! The nursing crew was very caring and kind. They asked me how I was feeling before giving me my medication. They made sure that I knew what I was taking before they administered my meds. Each pill was supported with a verbal explanation as to what I was taking. Both the daytime and evening nurses portrayed kindness, competence, and professionalism throughout their shifts. The housekeeper is also one of the people that made my stay enjoyable. He kept the rooms and other parts of the facility impeccable. Identifying himself before opening the door to my room prevented embarrassing moments for both of us. Whenever I asked for something housekeeping related, he did his best to accommodate me. I never felt like I was bother to him with his big smile and his desire to get me what I needed. The outdoor campus is beautiful. Allowing us to walk around the building for exercise was something that made me feel "normal." The patio was also a great place to relax each day. The outside property was perfectly adorned with table and chairs. I often sat outside and used some of the down time. read more

Horrendous experience. Misdiagnosed my son. Fed him addictive drugs. Would not let me to talk to the psychiatrist because he just turned 18. He was hallucinating and bouncing off the walls. His therapist was an intern, unlicensed. Would not provide me his business card. Took him out after 3 long weeks, and $10,000. Went to local shrink who got him off everything. This was 7 years ago. My son is wonderful, drug free, no medicines, no therspy, responsible. I have regretted all these years not writing a review. I'm sorry for others that have suffered there. read more

Terribly disappointed in this place. Arrived there and was immediately sent to the hospital. They didn't think I was on enough meds. Never even saw the psychiatrist. Now I'm stuck with a $570+ ambulance fee?! I would never trust this 'place'. read more

I voluntarily entered La Amistad's outpatient program for depression. I suffer from bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder and was struggling after a divorce from a long-term marriage and the death of my mother. La Amistad and most mental health professionals would also say that I had a substance abuse problem because I smoke marijuana recreationally. Both my psychiatrist and therapist knew I smoked marijuana recreationally. Anyway upon entering the program, I disclosed that I smoked marijuana recreationally. Of course they would have discovered this anyway, since they randomly drug test patients. Not a problem, I was committed to being abstinent from marijuana for the duration of my treatment. I was true to that commitment. Unfortunately because marijuana stays in your system for quite some time, I continued to test positive for marijuana use. On two occasions La Amistad alleged that my THC levels actually had increased. I disputed this since I had not smoked marijuana since entering the program. Nevertheless, they discharged me from the program involuntarily. The following day I went to an independent labratory and underwent a hair follicle test at my expense..$300. I did this to demonstrate to both my therapist and psychiatrist said I was being entirely truthful about not smoking marijuana. When the results came back, they indicated that I had not smoked marijuana in more than 30 days. My therapist called Amistad on my behalf to try to learn why they discharged me from the program-she referred me to the facility. My therapist was told that I was discharged because of marijuana use, and also because I wasn't participating in group therapy as much as they would have liked. To this I will only say, since I was not taking any benzodiazepines (also not allowed in treatment), when an anxiety attack would come on, I would excuse myself and sit outside until my anxiety abated. I later learned, upon treatment with another psychiatrist, that I wasn't experiencing anxiety attacks, but rather a side effect of a medication their psychiatrist prescribed while in the program. In summary, I entered their program hoping to develop some additional skills to better help me with my depression, I was prescribed medication that caused physiological symptoms typically associated with an anxiety disorder and then discharged on a false drug test. My theraputic experience, very negative! read more

An amazing life changing experience! The staff from the janitor to the executive director provide a warm, comfortable, safe and loving environment. They give you all the coping mechanisms and strategies necessary to live a successful, happy sober life. If you apply these tools to your life after discharge and and do your part there is never a reason to relapse into addiction or live a sad, unproductive life. read more

My brother went there through the adult program in Dec. If there are any other family members out there like me who has been spending countless hours on researching mental health/addiction treatment centers , you should stop looking . I love this place . When he left after 30 days he was a different person . It's a peaceful place. He wants to go back and do the php program. That's a good testimony right there . read more

Please, please do not send your child here. I was there for four months and to this day I still have nightmares about being sent back. The staff does not know how to handle people with issues like body dysmorphia, anxiety, and depression. We were made to do chores and drills (marching around, repeating phrases), which I can see helping someone with a major compliance issue, but tell me how this helps someone who's fighting suicidal thoughts? Staff gossiped about us, played favorites, talked loudly and played music during our sleeping hours, and harassed us. I was harassed by staff for wanting to call my boyfriend of over a year only one time a week. Often times I did not receive my phone call at all because at the time my family was stationed in Germany, a six hour time difference. It was made very clear that I was to be given my phone call earlier than the other patients to make up for this. However, this was denied several times. Staff also talked loudly about me and insulted in front of all the other girls because I had simply interacted with a boy at the facility. Therapy was hardly a place to work through your emotions. In fact, crying was seen as a sign that you did not need to leave and that you still had things to work through. Our discharge dates were often kept secret. On Facebook we have a group of 60+ people from La Amistad, and I can confirm many of them have gone back to their old habits, as well as myself. In short, this is hardly the place to receive treatment. read more