ABOUT CHICAGO LAKESHORE HOSPITAL
Located a few blocks from Lake Michigan, Chicago Lakeshore Hospital is a private behavioral health facility that specializes in treating youth and adults with psychiatric conditions, chemical dependency, and co-occurring disorders. The facility offers a continuum of care for individuals struggling with substance abuse, including medical detoxification, inpatient treatment, and outpatient-based services. It also treats food-related, sex, and gambling addictions, and offers dedicated programming for the LGBTQ community.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Patients undergo an initial behavioral health and psychiatric assessment to identify the appropriate level of care. If needed, they will be admitted into inpatient care for medication-assisted detox to alleviate the discomfort of withdrawal. The length of stay is between five and 10 days.
After detox, some patients transition to inpatient chemical dependency treatment, a structured program that includes: individual, family, and group therapy; 12-step recovery meetings; spirituality and educational groups; meditation; therapeutic recreation; and artistic expression. Others may attend the facility’s weekend detox program with follow-up outpatient care to maintain work or school obligations.
Outpatient services, which include a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and intensive outpatient program (IOP), are other step-down aftercare options. IOP sessions are held during the daytime and evening to accommodate client schedules.
The center offers an LGBTQ inpatient program and IOP. Treatment consists of culturally-competent individual and small-group therapy, family or couples therapy, dual diagnosis treatment, and care coordination.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Chicago Lakeshore Hospital employs a multidisciplinary team comprising psychiatrists, addictionologists, licensed therapists, psychiatric nurses, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, and dietitians.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Chicago Lakeshore Hospital is separated into age-specific floors, with three floors designated for adults, including one residential unit, as well as a children’s and an adolescent unit. As pictured on the website, the facility is a large brick building with tall windows on a tree-lined site.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Five alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing offered largely positive feedback about Chicago Lakeshore Hospital. They provided satisfactory ratings for the major categories of the survey: an average of 3.2 out of five stars for treatment effectiveness and accommodations/amenities, and 3.6 stars for meals and nutrition. They had a generally good impression of the staff, awarding an average of 3.8 stars for the staff’s level of experience and training. “The staff was professional, caring, compassionate and trained,” alum Van wrote. An anonymous alum praised the art therapist as “AMAZING” and two counselors who “care about the patients and take time to really help them,” but had critical comments about the psychiatrist and other staff.
Although they gave three- and four-star ratings, on average, for the facility’s cleanliness and affordability, the alumni offered two- and three-star ratings for exercise and leisure, holistic offerings, and family participation. In all, these former clients expressed their experience in affirmative terms, such as: “It helped me stay clean. This facility was very helpful” and “They helped me rehabilitate myself.”
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com at time of writing gave overall positive feedback for Chicago Lakeshore Hospital. The anonymous reviewers awarded perfect five star and high four star ratings for treatment effectiveness, accommodations/amenities, and meals and nutrition. They offered the same high ratings for the facility’s counseling options, family participation, discharge planning, and the treatment staff’s level of experience and training. “The facility was nice and i felt comfortable there. The staff was amazing,” a loved one wrote. Offering a perfect five stars for the likelihood of recommending the facility to others, a reviewer added: “Excellent follow-through and out-patient treatment.”
WHAT STAFF SAY
On Glassdoor, feedback was generally negative about Chicago Lakeshore Hospital, based on 18 reviews, which averaged two out of five stars.[1] Both current and former employees were not necessarily involved in programs for substance abuse. While many reviewers felt their co-workers were dedicated, some were critical of upper management. “I did work with great nurses and mental health workers,” one representative reviewer wrote, but added: “The management team is awful for the most part.”
FINANCING
Chicago Lakeshore Hospital accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and has agreements with all managed-care and private insurance companies.
[1] https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Chicago-Lakeshore-Hospital-Reviews-E120829.htm