ABOUT FORT LAUDERDALE HOSPITAL
Located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., less than two miles from the beach, Fort Lauderdale Hospital is one of the 35 behavioral health hospitals in the state of Florida. Offering an inpatient, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), and an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for adults struggling with chemical dependence, psychiatric disorders, and co-occurring disorders, this facility is also one of 153 to provide programming to adolescents, and one of 140 to provide programming to seniors. If necessary, the facility also provides medically-monitored detoxification services.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Upon intake, clinicians conduct a comprehensive assessment to form an individualized treatment plan. Along with age-specific program tracks, the facility offers several specialized programs to provide relevant treatment to its clients. The facility offers a program for individuals in the LGBT community, held on its own designated floor of the hospital, as well as a Christian-based program track.
The hospital’s program to treat chemical dependency is based on the principles and practices of 12-Step. During inpatient treatment, clients attend 12-step meetings on-site, study fellowship literature, and may participate in 12-step workshops to help clients perform “step-work.” Along with 12-step immersion, residents participate in individual and group counseling to address the underlying causes of addiction.
Programming to treat primary psychiatric disorders and co-occurring concerns may include a combination of counseling sessions, coping skills workshops, and pharmacological intervention. In addition to core treatment approaches, residents also participate in recreational therapy. To include loved ones in treatment, loved ones are invited to attend therapy sessions and addiction education workshops.
Once a resident completes treatment, clinicians may encourage the individual to “step-down” to less-intensive levels of care. The partial hospitalization program (PHP) includes four hours of daily programming, five days per week, while the intensive outpatient program consists of fours hours of daily programming, three to fours times per week.
Both outpatient programs are designed to treat individuals struggling with a primary psychiatric disorder, as well as dually diagnosed clients. The hospital also offers a range of aftercare services for its alumni, including therapy sessions, alumni events, and mentoring/sponsorship opportunities.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The hospital employs a multidisciplinary team comprised of psychiatrists, medical doctors, nurses, master’s-level therapists, and mental health technicians.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The hospital features 100 beds and age-specific units, making it significantly larger than the national average of 13 beds in inpatient hospital facilities. Also, one floor is designated for the Pride Institute, which provides specialized treatment programming for the LGBT community, a feature offered by only 22.2% of Florida facilities. While information is scarce concerning the accommodations and amenities, six of the seven individuals polled on the matter were critical of the facility.
The facility is clean and well-maintained: 3/5 stars
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The three former clients polled by Best-rehabs.com were critical of the facility, citing the facility’s cleanliness and its staff as areas in need of improvement. Offering a rating of two stars for the treatment staff’s level of training and experience, and the facility’s counseling options, one anonymous alum wrote, “Overcrowded, saw a Dr. once, mental health and addiction patients together.”
Alum I.B. agreed. Although submitting a rating of three stars for the respect shown to clients, the survey respondent commented, “Staff was not very supportive.” Alum Robb criticized the LGBT program, offering one-star ratings for the effectiveness of facility’s individual and group counseling. “I was very lonely and it was almost impossible to speak with anyone outside,” he wrote.
Secondary sources tended to support these critical opinions. On Google reviews, 52 individuals gave the facility an average rating of 2.5 out of five stars at the time of this writing.[1] Reviewers also tended to criticize the facility’s cleanliness and its staff. “I would not recommend this place to anyone looking for actual help,” Leah, a representative reviewer, wrote.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The four loved ones surveyed by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing had more positive opinions of the facility.
There are many counseling options to choose from depending on the client’s preference: 3/5 stars
Facility staff are experienced and well-trained: 4/5 stars
“They are well trained and it’s a very clean And safe place,” loved one Gordon wrote. Another loved one cited “one on one” attention as a facility strength and described the facility as good place. Although one survey respondent gave a two-star rating for the level of family participation, they did cite the “good counselors” as a facility strength.
On Yelp, which has an average rating of 3.5 stars from three reviewers to date on its homepage, many “not recommended” reviews negatively comment upon the behavioral health unit in particular. Loved ones critiqued the facility for being dirty, medication-dependent, and overly strict. In a representative comment, loved one K.M. wrote, “Never in my life have I met with such disregard for patient’s rights, or such rude and uncaring staff.”
WHAT STAFF SAY
Though Best-rehabs.com has yet to receive staff feedback to date, secondary sources revealed mixed employee opinions of the facility. On Indeed, 27 reviewers gave the facility an average rating of three stars. While some reviewers praised co-workers and felt the work was rewarding, other employees did express concerns with understaffing. “The patient to staff ratio is way over what is initially told upon hiring,” one representative reviewer wrote. Another echoed alumni complaints about cleanliness, writing, “Work place is dirty.”
FINANCING
According to the facility’s website, Fort Lauderdale Hospital accepts Medicare and most private insurance plans. Its HealthGrove page suggests that state insurance and Access to Recovery (ATR) Vouchers are both also accepted.[1][2][3][4]