ABOUT SIERRA VISTA HOSPITAL
Located in Sacramento, Calif., Sierra Vista Hospital is a large behavioral health hospital that offers both short-term inpatient and outpatient-based programs for adults and adolescents (ages 13 to 17) struggling with chemical dependency, mental illness, and co-occurring disorders. The hospital also provides medical detoxification for individuals admitted for alcohol dependency, though does not offer detoxification services for drug addiction.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Sierra Vista Hospital provides free assessments to determine the most appropriate level of care. If a client requires stabilization, they may be referred to the short-term inpatient program. During inpatient treatment, patients participate in a structured schedule of therapy groups and educational classes. Individual psychotherapy, along with pharmacological intervention, may also be utilized to stabilize the patient.
The goal of the short-term inpatient program is to stabilize the patient and refer him or her to a less-intensive level of care. Adult PHP is held on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2:20 p.m., and the facility offers a specialized partial hospitalization program for adults struggling with co-occurring issues. This program is held Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 9 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. Sessions of the intensive outpatient program are also available.
Sierra Vista Hospital also facilitates a specialized outpatient program for individuals struggling with a primary issue of chemical dependency, and its sessions are held Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Consisting of individual and group counseling sessions, the chemical dependency outpatient program typically lasts between 20 and 32 sessions.
Additionally, Sierra Vista offers a mental health treatment program for adolescents, with therapies including process groups, recreational therapy, individual and family meetings, and medication management. Clients also take classes in distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal relations. A positive reinforcement program helps clients’ loved ones learn how to communicate effectively with them.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Sierra Vista Hospital employs psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, and licensed professionals experienced in behavioral health treatment. The four individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com to date rated staff’s level of experience and training 3.25 out of five stars.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
According to the facility’s website, the 171-bed facility offers patients 24-hour nursing care and a “safe, controlled, structured environment.” While specific information concerning the facility’s accommodations and amenities is scarce, the four individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com to date provided an average rating of three out of five stars for the facility’s cleanliness and 2.25 stars for its exercise and leisure activities.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The sole former patient polled by Best-rehabs.com to date was critical of many areas of Sierra Vista. They submitted a rating of two out of five stars for its overall treatment effectiveness, the level of family participation, and its counseling options. While the former client offered a five-star rating for the facility’s ability to treat co-occurring disorders and praised its quality of food, they commented: “The people there are awful. It’s not a fun place to be.”
On Google, 56 reviewers at the time of this writing rated Sierra Vista a poor two out of five stars. Negative reviewers overwhelmingly condemned the facility for improper treatment from staff, poor accommodations, and lack of communications. Alum Ashley wrote: “Staff and doctors don’t care about you, no order to anything, unsafe environment.” Another alum lamented, “i never even saw my doctor and stayed there for 72 hours i was lucky enough to get discharged against all medical advice.”
Similar commentary is provided on Yelp, where a total of 20 reviewers ranked the facility an average of two out of five stars as well. Problems with the facility’s staff communication, professionalism, and cleanliness were all listed as reasons for low-ratings. “This place is horrible. Poor communication between staff & patients & staff and family members,” one representative reviewer wrote.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The three loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing differed in their opinions of the program. While one survey respondent felt the program was effective overall, submitting a rating of four stars for the facility’s counseling options and describing the staff as “friendly,” the other two loved ones disagreed.
Rating the facility’s level of family participation with two stars, a loved one commented: “Doctors not readily helpful. Family not kept informed of progress.” While admitting the facility offered “good” mental health services, the other loved one added: “This facility would be great if all staff were trained properly.”
WHAT STAFF SAY
Though Best-rehabs.com has yet to receive feedback from staff members at the time of this writing, four reviewers on Glassdoor generated the low rating of 2.4 stars. The most common complaint expressed was that the facility was short of staff, and one employee critiqued Sierra Vista for “Constantly hiring new RNs and not taking the time to properly train them.”
FINANCING
Sierra Vista Hospital works with most private insurance companies and accepts Medicare. The four individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing gave the facility’s affordability an average rating of three out of five stars.
[1]
[2]
[3]