carrier clinic belle meade nj

[david]

carrier clinic belle meade nj GOOD OR BAD?

[Medgal]

david wrote:

carrier clinic belle meade nj GOOD OR BAD?

Give them about half-a-star, if they had to be rated.

Just transferred a family member over there with great effort, and initial relief. Was made many promises about cooperation, and all the great things they had available to patients. Pretty campus, not far from Princeton. It has been distressing to learn instead how much the staff and treatment team has been totally disorganized, inconsistent, ill-equipped, and arbitrarily changing rules and agreements at their whim, sometimes without notice, including for visiting hours. One doctor at times, has acted erratically over the past week, agreeing to write certain orders, failing to include them in the chart, and also canceling others at the last minute in spite of extensive arrangements made with her original approval, cooperation and encouragement. Her actions and conduct could have been carried out with much more thought and control, instead of behaving unprofessionally and causing costly damages to the family for her angry and abrupt cancellation.

Don't know if it is because it is summertime, and the staff takes such frequent and lengthy vacations. Sometimes, they hire outside temps for the contact support staff, who don't know the hospital's policies. Many times, won't even provide the very basics, including access to recreational therapy, supplies and personal products, although they boast about them on their website.

Heard some very good things about them before. Now, hearing from others that they are a notoriously difficult provider who doesn't work well with the rest of the mental health community, nor families of their clients.

Depending on why you are asking, please keep in mind and don't learn the tough way that they have extremely limited visiting hours for some units, and are very inflexible, regardless of any hardship it might cause for someone. You will also not be able to regularly check on your friend or family easily. Outsiders are not allowed to connect to the nursing station.

Hope that helps a little, and hope things over there improve, soon.

[Avrum David]

We were so relieved & hopeful that our cousin's admission to Carrier would be part of the answer that we were hoping for, sadly we were let down.
Our cousin who has been on the road to destruction since she discontinued her medications for her bipolar disorder was arrested & sent to jail again. Her only hope was Carrier & she was discharged within 3 days from admission to her crazy world. We were left in the dark, she has continued to threaten to kill her husband of 40 yrs., but Carrier said that she is not a threat to herself or others. Do not send your loved one to this facility, it is not what you have been lead to believe. We are waiting & wondering when the next shoe will drop, please pray for her.

[Dorothy Duvall]

I have a 17 year old nephew in there. I'm not happy with the way things are going. 1. Only the parent can see him. 2. No one is aloud to go to his room. This is red flag 1 !!
They keep changing their story on what is wrong. Oneday his doing pretty good. The next, he may never come out of the state he is in. The f____g Social worker calls up my Sister and gives her bad news, over the phone. Who on the hell is she, to be doing this? The doctor has about 10 min. To talk about him, and this is suppose to be a good! Hosptial?

[Manda Franny]

October 27th 2009-
I've been to Carrier twice, the Blake unit, twice and am going on my 3rd time in a few days but I will be (hopefully) in their duel diagnosis program. I guess that can tell you how well they work. The staff was very supportive (for the most part, at least) but I had a few problems with nurses and MANY MAJOR problems with the social worker/counselor I was assigned, the 2nd time I was in. She was a mess and uncharacteristically rude. Not something I'd expect in the person I am hoping to help me. I wanted to stay as long as I possibly could and luckily I have good insurance and should have been able to, unfortunately she did not fight for me to stay the 30 days I wanted to, and was discharged in less than a week. The first time I was in there, I only met with my counselor twice and I guess that was good, seeing as I didn't want to be in there...but I do look back and wish she was more interactive and supportive. The social workers/counselors are not helpful at all and don't seem to even want to be there, let alone help the patients with their recovery.
I was so upset and frustrated, feeling like I'd never fully recover, I said f**! it and actually left the facility to cop and get high. I do not blame Carrier for continuing my addiction but I do believe if I had more time to recover and get my life together, I would have had a better chance at being clean.
My first time in there, wasn't actually all that bad, either was the 2nd (but the 2nd wasn't too great). There was a lot of theft going on in there and it seemed like people came and went frequently...maybe a little too frequently? The staff didn't really do too much about the theft, and it continued until the one who was stealing left (was discharged, not kicked out), even though we all had a very good idea as to who it was. My room mate actually had their TOOTH BRUSH!!! stolen, and returned. Ew..
My second time there, a day before I left people were trying to get me in on getting money together (you are allowed to carry up to 20-30 dollars with you) and getting someone to bring heroin in. 2-3 days after I left, I found out that a girl actually did have her friend bring her drugs and that 3-4 people were kicked out. Very disorganized. The girl supposedly had her friend come and walk right onto the back yard type thing, not on a visitation day, just during a smoke break and sneaked her dope.

[Manda Franny]

^^ continued...

Again, they ARE very disorganized at times, and I feel like you don't really get situated for 2-3 days after being admitted, which is not favorable when most stays are only about 5-7 days. They also do not have your medication on hand, which is really hard if you're coming off a heavy heroin addiction and start going into full withdrawal at 1:30am and can't get your medication until 6:30am because the doctor isn't in. Even though the hospital with the medicine is no more than 40 feet away.(true story)
Carrier Clinic is maybe 2.5/5 stars. Blake unit seems to rely very much on structure (i.e constantly being in meetings, following a strict schedule, submitting to the staff and your superiors) vs. a therapeutic environment, which in some cases is good, but others bad. It depends on the addict. I personally have found that I need more sensitivity and therapy than "tough love". Hopefully I get into the duel diagnosis program and it works out better for me than Blake did.
I was in during the end of March/Early April of 2009 and end of June/Early July of 2009.
I hope this helped...it isn't a horrible place to be, and if you're like me and don't have many options, this is a decent place to detox at, but not necessarily recover at. My choices are Princeton house (can't smoke cigarettes and very unsanitary from what I've heard, there was an outbreak of the swine flu or something a few months ago) or Carrier, and again..I'll choose Carrier. Any rehab will work for an addict who WANTS to quit, though. Just get passed the people who may seem like they're trying to bring you down, and tough it out. It's worth it.

[Manda Franny_cont]

continued from above...
Again, they ARE very disorganized at times, and I feel like you don't really get situated for 2-3 days after being admitted, which is not favorable when most stays are only about 5-7 days. They also do not have your medication on hand, which is really hard if you're coming off a heavy heroin addiction and start going into full withdrawal at 1:30am and can't get your medication until 6:30am because the doctor isn't in. Even though the hospital with the medicine is no more than 40 feet away.(true story)
Carrier Clinic is maybe 2.5/5 stars. Blake unit seems to rely very much on structure (i.e constantly being in meetings, following a strict schedule, submitting to the staff and your superiors) vs. a therapeutic environment, which in some cases is good, but others bad. It depends on the addict. I personally have found that I need more sensitivity and therapy than "tough love". Hopefully I get into the duel diagnosis program and it works out better for me than Blake did.
I was in during the end of March/Early April of 2009 and end of June/Early July of 2009.
I hope this helped...it isn't a horrible place to be, and if you're like me and don't have many options, this is a decent place to detox at, but not necessarily recover at. My choices are Princeton house (can't smoke cigarettes and very unsanitary from what I've heard, there was an outbreak of the swine flu or something a few months ago) or Carrier, and again..I'll choose Carrier. Any rehab will work for an addict who WANTS to quit, though. Just get passed the people who may seem like they're trying to bring you down, and tough it out. It's worth it.

[Manda Franny]

sorry for double posts!!

[Please Help]

I went to Carrier in May 2007 because I was going through a horrible divorce. My husband talked me into going there just to make sure my meds were ok. I was on a low dose of paxil and meds for rheum. arthitis at the time. He told me if i just went and let them tell what I was taking was ok he would stop the divorce and we would work it out. we were married 16 years at the time with 2 children under 12. I went and talked to the nurse she asked me lots of questions and I answered all very honestly. At the end she told me that she couldnt tell me if my meds were ok or if I would benefit from another antidepressant that she would call my insurance co to see if they would agree for me to stay the night to see a dr. the next morning(it was a Sunday night I was there) She then said to me, my sister and my husband she really didnt think they would say yes because I had no thoughts of hurting myself or anyone else but i had really great insurance so she would try her hardest for me. We waited in the lobby while she called. We thought we would be turned down anyone going through a unwanted divorce feels the way I did right? Well she came out and said they approved the stay! I really dint want to stay but she explained that I could be home the next day and be working on getting my marriage back on track. She had me go into the offfice to fill out the paperwork. She explained that she was the only intake nurse on duty that night and things were really hetic. Well she ran through all the paper work so fast! sign here here and here ect. By this time I was there for 4 hours already and was not to excited to be there but did want to save my marriage so I signed. I said goodby to my sister and husband and was taken to the floor. It was late by then and I was taken to my room showed around told the rules ect. went to bed. Monday morning I meet with the Dr. explained what was going on she said my feelings were normal really but I was on the lowest dose of paxil and she thought upping it to the next dose might help. I agreed I thought ok my husband will see that Im doing what he wanted and listening to the Dr. She said she wanted to have me stay the night to make sure the increase dose didnt mess with me. She explained that the rules were that for the first 24 hours paitents stayed on the floor for meals everything which meant I would be on the floor till the next morning because I came in so late the night before and by 24 hours nobody would be allowed off the floor. I didnt say a word about it it was the rules right but she didnt see why i had
to stay on the floor because she had no concerns about me. Right after I saw her she walked to the nurse and told her I had no restrictions and could go to the dining room for breakfast. Well I guess this dosent happen because the other people there were not happy. They questioned the nurses and me as to why I got off the floor in less then 9 hours!

[Please Help]

Later that night my husband came to see me and informed me that he never intended to call off the divorce that he tricked me into the hospital and was going to court the next morning on a emergency hearing to take the kids from me. When he left I asked to speak to the DR. but she was gone so thay sent a nurse sup. to me I explained what happen and she looked in my chart told me the dr was sending me home in the morning but to be on the safe side she had me fill out a 48 hour relese form. The next morning the dr did let me go but my husband got to court before I could stop him and got the order from the judge because I was in a mental Hospital!! I went to court explained to the judge what happen ect. and was told to come back with a report from Carrier to prove what I told here. My children were taken away from me crying screaming and asking why! It took me weeks to get a report and when it came it said that I was in there because i was worried I was going to kill myself! It says nothing but lies. I think the nusre who called the insurance company said things to make sure I could stay thinking I would never know. It said nothing about the dr letting me off the floor early and it had the 48 hour relese the nurse had me sign with it and stated I signed myself out!!!I'm still fighting for my kids! I told the lawyers the judge everyone the truth but get nowhere. Instead they sent me to another dr that my husband got to pick for an evaluation but my husband got to go talk to the dr. too and gave him the report from Carrier so now the new dr. says I dont except my condition. Please if this or anything like this happen to you let me know or if you remember me there with you by getting off the floor early because alot of people were not happy with that please contact me. Thank You

[Kris]

david wrote:

carrier clinic belle meade nj GOOD OR BAD?

I was there myself, and as a rehabilitated person (with no help from carrier), i can say from first hand experience that place is a nightmare. patients are abused and generally mistreated. the staff is awful and gets physical with patients. the nurses pay no attention to serious problems.

it's really a shame what is allowed to go on there. and no one who has been there is ever believed because of their 'state of mind.' i think the police need to do some sort of investigation. it is designed to help, not hurt. all i saw was inaccessible doctors and a lack of professionalism. i can't believe i put my health in the hands of such incompetent people.