Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.

Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.

ABOUT MERIDIAN BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE — GAINSVILLE

Meridian Behavioral Healthcare is a private nonprofit organization operating nine facilities in and around the Gainesville, Fla. area, including one in Starke and Lake City.

The main campus in Gainesville is located on the border of Sweetwater Wetlands Park and offers residential and partial hospitalization programs for individuals struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. These programs include a dedicated unit for chemically dependent pregnant and postpartum women. The facility also provides long-term housing for individuals with emotional disabilities. On-site medical detoxification services are available and involuntary admissions are accepted.

TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT

The main Meridian Behavioral Healthcare campus offers residential treatment for adults using a therapeutic community model of treatment with 12-step participation. The duration of residential treatment ranges from 28 to 90 days.

The Mother’s Intensive Support Treatment (MIST) program is available to substance-using pregnant and postpartum women. Mothers stay in the residential portion of the program for 6-12 months and then transition into an intensive outpatient program.

The Substance Abuse PICC Program treats clients with a history of IV drug use and severe infection requiring antibiotic treatment. Clients in this program receive 24/7 monitoring, home healthcare services, supportive counseling, and interventions to improve mental and physical wellness.

STAFF CREDENTIALS

The treatment staff at this facility consists of licensed clinicians, master’s level counselors, physicians, nurses, licensed mental health counselors, recovery counselors, and recovery specialists. The residential facility is staffed 24/7.

ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES

The adult residential facility can accommodate 44 clients, while the MIST program has 10 beds. All Meridian facilities are tobacco-free. According to Best-rehabs.com, Meridian has received mixed ratings for its accommodations, amenities, meals, and nutrition. However, it has received positive ratings for cleanliness, with an average of four out of five stars.

WHAT ALUMNI SAY

According to Best-rehabs.com, alumni feedback for Meridian Behavioral Healthcare is mixed. Some alumni have given low ratings for the facility’s holistic offerings and staff experience. However, there have also been positive reviews highlighting the effectiveness of the treatment and the friendly and attentive staff.

Negative reviews often mention a perceived lack of care and attention from staff members and long wait times for appointments.

WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY

Reviews from friends and family members are also mixed. While some have given high ratings for overall treatment effectiveness and counseling options, others have expressed dissatisfaction with the facility’s holistic options and a lack of follow-up after treatment.

WHAT STAFF SAY

According to a former staff member surveyed by Best-rehabs.com, there are mixed opinions about Meridian Behavioral Healthcare. The staff member praised the organization’s broad scope of services and treatment options, but expressed lower job satisfaction.

FINANCING

Meridian Behavioral Healthcare offers a sliding scale fee structure and accepts most major insurance policies, including Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. The facility also has contracts with Lutheran Social Services and County Commissions to provide care for indigent clients.

Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. Reviews

Meridian services are so-so, it's what you make of it. I will say inpatient CSU needs to be changed, not enough intake workers which forces you to wait for hours, which makes it dangerous for patients because we can get aggressive. The doctor and staff are professional and tries to help everyone.
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    • This place is a joke. If you're going there for a drug addiction, please don't go. The doctors don't care or just really seem like they don't care.
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    • This is the most slowest place I've ever been to. Like today I watched this worker just sit in there office doing Nothing took this person hours before calling back Individual . They need to understand this is a job not a place of riding the clock. Individual and their parents has job and daily lives that does not stop cause your staff feels the need to be lazy maybe this isn't the place some of your staff needs to be. Some one needs to be checking on the proforma nice of your workers. To be in one visit for over 3 hours is unacceptable un
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    • Awful. I voluntarily signed up for one-on-one counseling in December, they scheduled my first appointment 3 weeks away. At which point, I had my picture, mugshot style, like I was a criminal. Was given mix-matched information about the sliding scale program. My first appointment wasn't even with a therapist, it was with a very cold, very stiff, woman sitting behind a desk asking extremely generalized questions - because stereotypes can be used for the national census can be used for mental well-being, right? My second appoint was with the psychologist, and was suppose to be an hour, but was only 30 minutes as she was "behind" and "so busy". The first robot-like person I met with was suppose to look up a specialist / physical therapy treatments for a specific condition that I suffer from, and it never happened. The psychologist wasn't even aware of it when I got there. My appointment was also scheduled a month away. The psychologist scheduled my NEXT appointment, after speaking to me for only a brief 30 minutes, a month away AGAIN. And was suppose to contact me in the meantime about a specialist for this condition. This condition was in her "expertise". Something you think would have been covered in freakin GRADUATE SCHOOL...but apparently not. My next appointment finally rolls around, and SHE FORGOT IT ALTOGETHER!! I came all the way down there, and she had to reschedule it for two days later, but she can't even keep track of her appointments. I didn't even show up, and no one even bothered to call to find out why. Horrible. A pathetic excuse for a "Doctor" and a pathetic excuse for a mental health facility. If you are uninsured, talk to your tax representative about getting insurance. There are loopholes out there. This isn't your answer. Trust me.
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    • If family trys to dump you off there, especially for kids they talk to you for hours. When they learn how bad their life is they don't do much but say sorry and call DCF who does nothing!
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    • Strengths: Cleanliness Hospitality Helpful. Weaknesses: Nutrition Leisure time for patients. They never got my refils for prescription on time.
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    • Clean. good staff but No follow up
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    • A decent facility but needs better exercise and leisure activities as well as improved family participation.
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    • Close to home. Sober 6 years.
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    • It's not the problem of the addict that has to be involved with process of a faculty to unite. I prefer Christian based facilities wherever that is. I am in recovery group outside facility housing. I am free and God has given it all back. I recommend getting with your higher power there is no other solution get right with God. They don't ever allow you to walk out thinking your in recovery. God has to be in it somewhere. They offered me dual diagnosis and to me that treated me for a mental problem...
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    • Most difficult psychiatrist I have had yet, and I have had three. She will charge you for everything she can and is very difficult to communicate with. Her office does not return your phone calls or your pharmacists. She will never communicate with you directly even through email. You are responsible for getting everything done that she is paid to do. She is also not personable and doesn't remember any details about her patients. She is also somewhat judgmental. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.
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    • I couldn't wait to leave. The staff was friendly but the downfalls included the cleanliness, understanding by the counselors of addiction the the inadequate supervision.
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    • It was a place where I felt comfortable, food was good and staff were very friendly and attentive. When you asked for help with something they did not hesitate in helping. There were well organized plans of treatment. However, it was too far from my location.
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    • Broad scope of service offered and treatment options.
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    • Best available in area, that we know of.