ABOUT INDIAN RIVERS MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
Founded in 1967 and located in downtown Tuscaloosa, Ala., Indian Rivers Mental Health Center is a nonprofit, comprehensive health center that provides a variety of behavioral health services, including substance abuse treatment for adults. Programs offered include outpatient treatment for women and the general population, as well as inpatient residential treatment for women. Detoxification is not listed as an on-site service of the center.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
According to the facility’s website, substance abuse treatment services are provided through three separate facilities located in and around Tuscaloosa. Both day and evening educational sessions are offered, as well as assessments, individual therapy, and group therapy. Case management and referrals to additional services are also available.
Inpatient residential treatment is available for women, and pregnant women are given preference for treatment. According to the facility’s website, duration of stay is short-term (one alum surveyed by Best-rehabs.com indicated that she remained in treatment for 28 days), and “person-centered” treatment is administered by female counselors.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The facility’s website indicates that counselors for women’s programming are female. Otherwise, there is currently no information provided by the facility regarding its treatment staff
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
No information regarding the facility’s accommodations and amenities is provided by the organization, however, the three alumni surveyed by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing each provided five-star ratings for the center’s accommodations, cleanliness, and meals/nutrition.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Reviews for this facility are currently limited, but the three alumni survey responses collected by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing were universally positive. All three respondents noted that they would recommend the facility to others and two polled on the center’s counseling options and staff experience/training gave each metric five out of five stars. “The groups are small enough that one on one counseling is given to each patient, as well as the group sessions,” Kristine wrote, adding “I left there with a much higher feeling of self-worth, as well as confidence in my ability to overcome my addictions.”
Some alumni commentary indicated that programming is strict, a quality that was perceived as both challenging and beneficial. “The rules both had their benefits and downfalls. I loved it,” Dana told Best-rehabs.com. L.J. noted that she went in “kicking and fighting,” but “came out with a desire to stay clean.”
Contrary to the opinions of alumni who wrote to Best-rehabs.com, seven reviewers left a low average rating of 1.7 out of five stars for the center on Google.[1] Reviews contained entirely complaints, the overwhelming majority of which centered around staff. K. wrote of observing “tired” and “overwhelmed” nurses. “I am a client of this clinic, and many former employees report how little time they have to manage their patients,” the alum wrote to Google. “The staff has no sympathy. and the physiatrist doesnt even listen to what the patients say,” Kyra wrote.
WHAT STAFF SAY
Best-rehabs.com has not yet received any reviews from this facility’s staff, however, feedback left on secondary reviews sites were mixed. On Indeed, 12 current and former employees provided Indian Rivers with an average overall rating of 3.2 out of five stars.[2] The majority of these reviewers enjoyed working at the facility and felt the work was rewarding. One anonymous reviewer “liked the way they treated the clients,” adding “Dignity, humor, kindness, and caring were all things I observed while working for Indian Rivers.”
Most reviewer’s complaints referenced issues with management and a lack of benefits. One reviewer characterized the staff as “messy” and the coordinators as “messier,” while another noted the management’s favoritism. Another former employee cited a lack of communication between staff and management. “The coordinators never get anything fixed and never listen to the staff members that works with the clients,” they wrote.
CONCLUSION
According to the facility’s website, Medicaid, Medicare, All Kids, and many private insurance policies are accepted. The website also notes that a sliding fee scale is available to qualifying individuals.
In February 2015, TuscaloosaNews.com reported that a wrongful death suit had been filed against Indian Rivers Mental Health Center after a woman died of hyperthermia when an air-conditioning unit broke and the organization allegedly failed to fix it. At the time of this review, no additional information was available.
[1] https://goo.gl/c8UGRg
[2] http://www.indeed.com/cmp/Indian-Rivers-Mental-Health-Center/reviews