Mountainside Mental Health

08/29/09

Good and Bad

by Susan Sackinger at Citysearch

The normal wait period in the office is about half an hour, although I've had waits that have exceeded an hour and a half.

You are canceled if late by 15 min. and a permanent mark is put on your record for each missed appointment. Should you get two such cancellation marks, you are dropped from service. Seldom do you receive a courtesy call. People working with the mentally ill, must realize there can be extenuating circumstances preventing a patient from remembering (or perhaps misremembering an appointment) yet no latitude is given. Medication is dispensed on a monthly basis with no refills. Thus even chronic patients with an outstanding record of stability must pay for their services on a monthly basis. This is not government mandated except in the case of controlled substances. Three month turn around is available, but each month you must get special permission to have your medications released to the druggist.

They are, to my knowledge, the only health care facility in the city to take medicare patients. Thus I continue to use their services.

• Pros: Work with you to get right meds.
• Cons: Treated poorly

06/04/09

Not a bad place

by dwhowe at Citysearch

I felt I was being taken care of. Staff was friendly and remembered my name. If you missed an appointment you had a long wait before another but they help you with meds and stuff.

• Pros: Caring helpful staff
• Cons: You never see a MD, not even once a year

01/22/09

Horrible Place!!!

by Meme1974 at Citysearch

I am not a patient, but my husband is. We were forced to transfer there after 3 years with Good Samaritan, due to funding issues. This is the worst place. I have watched them treat their patients like cattle. Yell at them treat them with disrespect. Tell them they "Don't want to hear their problems" "Pay your co-pay, or we will drop you as a client" I watched them strongarm a mentally ill man with the mentality of and 8 year old child into paying a "late fee" for missing an appointment he knew nothing about, or he gets no prescription. When patients get "upset" they have a security guard remove them. They are not allowed information on whether what they are doing is legal or not. If a mother or other support person asks questions they are rudely told to LEAVE they have no rights. If you go here take your advocate....but do yourself a favor....don't tell them your person is an advocate and let them watch what goes on there....oh and take alot of money cause you pay for visits you didn't have $40 for an appt you may or may not have missed...don't matter cause if you don't pay you don't get your scripts....also $2 per prescription, which I am quite sure they write one script per page, so carry a pocket full of money. And don't inform them you want to move your services elsewhere cause they will bilk you out of $2 per page if you want your files transfered. Not our fault they didn't go electronic like everyone else. I feel for the people going her on a fixed income, and a limited understanding of how to be treating with dignity and respect especially by the reception staff....appauling. I am filing grievences with anyone and everyone I am truely disgusted with this place. What about people unlike my husband who have no one, who don't understand or have no memory and have to go there for services. Horrible people! they wouldn't have to post signs about being "Nice" or being removed! If they just exercised a little patience and kindness.

• Pros: After being fee'd to death you get your medications
• Cons: disrespectful reception, rude, condesending and inept

12/28/08

Wonderful Place

by Candilife at Citysearch

I've been going to Mountainside for almost six years now, and they have helped me immensely! Though my depression has a genetic/physical base and I know that I am probably going to have to take medications for the rest of my life, I am confidant I am in good hands.

• Pros: Just about everything.
• Cons: A pain to get into in an car, and little for children to do if parent has to bring them along because of scheduling problems.