La Amistad Behavioral Health Services

I was in the adolescent program. I suffer from severe depression. The staff did nothing but make us feel worse about ourselves. We only see our doctor for 5 minutes a week, except me. I went two whole weeks without seeing mine. They put me on sleep aids that I was on in the past that didn't work. It's hard to sleep when you can hear the night staff talking and playing monopoly and then shine a flashlight right in your face every 15 minutes. (Yes, they should check on you, but for the light sleepers, is it really necessary to shine it right in their face?) My therapist lied to me about discharge several times, which made me cry, OBVIOUSLY, then he rubbed it in my face that if I'm crying, I shouldn't even be leaving. I also suffer from chronic migraines, like my mother, and I was only allowed medication for them every 24 hours. So if I got one after school, then had another migraine the next morning, I had to sit there and bear it. Also, when I was able to receive medication for them, I would tell a staff member and they would not get the nurse for me. So, again, I had to sit there and bear it. I was rarely allowed to even make my second phone call, as well. My parents are divorced, so clearly, a second phone call is needed. I dropped out of high school to get my GED before being admitted, and they made arrangements for me to take my TABE Test while I was there, and then proceeded to take me on the day AFTER the test, so then I had to wait until I got home to take that. Long story short, this place is probably the worst place to send your troubled child. more

I also went to La Amistad in the adolescent program. I was there for approximately four months. The staff that is hired does not seem properly trained in how to handle children with issues such as depression or anxiety. Girls were often harassed and embarrassed in front of the other girls. Staff would sometimes refuse to make phone calls for me at the appropriate time. (I live in Germany and had to make my calls earlier because of the time difference).They would text on their phones and gossip about the patients. At night it would be hard to sleep because of the staff playing music or talking loudly. We were not treated with respect or as patients, we were treated like we were there to do chores and follow orders. We are always told to comply and not ask questions, which for some of us is hard or very confusing. Staff also showed a lot of favoritism and punishment would vary from person to person even if the offense was the same. Variety of food was very limited and so was activity. We were limited to watching Disney Channel, reading old ripped paper backs, journaling, and talking with other patients. When you enter, you are made to feel like La Amistad will be a warm and caring place personalized to help you get better. This is a complete facade. La Amistad did change my life, but I would never recommend that anyone go there. There are many other MUCH better residential treatment centers that will offer your child better opportunity to recieve therapy. more

I went to La Amistad Behavioral Health for a period of time in the adolescent program, and I am sorry to say that I have very little positive to say about this place. The staff that watched over and 'cared' for myself and the other patients were loud, rude, obnoxious, and embarassed the several girls in front of the others. Many of them were extremely unprofessional and I was harassed repeatedly by the weekend staff about extremely personal things. My therapist never did anything to help me at all, and absolutely did not listen to anything I or my mother said in therapy sessions. Contrariwise, she sometimes insulted my mother and I, making underhanded references to my plain appearance and insinuating that there was something wrong with our gene pool. The doctors saw us for five minutes every week and barely spoke to us before increasing or changing our medicines, often to toxic amounts. I was on such a high dosage of my medications that it may have contributed to an extreme reaction I had while at La Amistad, which caused a massive and potentially deadly lymph swelling and caused me to be in the hospital for two months and have two neck surgeries. It could have been caused by other things, but I was on a toxic amount of a medication that had a side effect of swollen lymph glands. Also regarding the doctors, my friend who was at La Amistad while I was there was also put on a toxic dosage of her medication, and suffered extreme drowsiness and nausea almost all the time. It seemed to me that the doctors at La Amistad just tried to drug a lot of us into being docile, which is of course rather not a very good way to deal with every problem. To summarize, La Amistad is the last place I would recommend to a troubled young lady; it only causes more trouble and distress. more

La Amistad Behavioral has been such a blessing for me and my family. The staff has been wonderful. The therapy sessions have been life changing. Such a caring and safe place for my son. The environment was just what he needed to get back on the right track. I am so glad we such a terrific facility here in Central Florida. Kudos to all the staff. more

La Amistad presents itself as a facility that is geared towards the help and rehabilitation of children with behavioral problems in addition to addiction issues...this is FASLE!! A helpful and nice staff and clean facilities is a facade for a place that took my nephew from a controllable yet in need of help state to completely out of control!!! They mix young adolescents with teenagers and my nephew was exposed to unthinkable and traumatic issues of suicide and extreme drug abuse and addiction. He went from bad to worse due to the neglegence of the faculty and staff and when released they washed their hands of him offering no help for a solution to a problem that they nurtured! It is a shame that they can propagate they are for helping young people when in reality they are no better equipped to help the parents who come to them then the parents were able to do alone before seeking help! DO NOT send a child with behavioral issues to them unless you want them to be taught how to kill themselves, where and how to take drugs and then relinquish responsibilty for they issues they cause---one star is too much for this place!!! more

I have a 12 year old boy with Oppositional Defiance Disorder---La Amistad IS NOT--I repeat NOT- the place to take your child. The experience has been detrimental and has set not only my son but our entire family back. Yes- the counseling was very good. Yes the facility was nice, the staff was nice. I am not excusing the fact that our 12 year old did make poor decisions HOWEVER he was manipulated by 17 year old kids. He entered a troubled boy -defiant and left with suicidal thoughts, cutting, and baker acted. I know as a parent you become desperate for help. My hope is to save a family going through the pain we are enduring more

I would recommend La Amistad to anyone who is looking for a safe and caring environment for treatment and healing. The staff is extremely caring and the facility is terrific. Doctors and therapists were ""right on"" and have really helped in our situation. Pros: Caring Staff, and Supportive Environment more

I am very pleased with my experience with La Amistad Behavioral Health. The employees have been caring, helpful, and professional. The doctors have been understanding and thorough. I am grateful for this treatment site, it has been a God Send. Pros: Caring Staff and Great Environment more

You will not be given chance to go home and think about it. If you don't stay as an inpatient, they will call the police and have you Baker Acted to a nearby mental hospital whether you need to go or not. They are very nice as long as you do as you are told. The psychiatrist is very nice, but if you have a problem, he will ignore you and walk away. Think about this before you take your loved one there. Pros: Clean Cons: Will only see you if you remain as inpatient more