McLean Hospital

McLean Hospital Belmont Massachusetts

McLean Hospital is a comprehensive psychiatric hospital committed to providing easy access to superior quality, cost-effective mental health services in the Boston area, Massachusetts and beyond.

ABOUT MCLEAN HOSPITAL

As the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. is well-versed in evidence-based practices. With 11 locations throughout the Boston area, McLean has been serving the needs of clients suffering from mental health issues and substance abuse issues since 1811. Currently, the facility provides short-term inpatient treatment to adults requiring detoxification and stabilization. It also provides a variety of outpatient treatment programs and a partial hospitalization (PHP) program for adults struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health issues.

TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT

The adult inpatient program provides detoxification and 24-hour medical monitoring. Patients typically stay three to five days before being transferred to PHP or another program. Clients who need intensive care but are medically stable and able to commute daily from home are ideal candidates for PHP treatment. Patients attend treatment five days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The program features education on chemical dependency, relapse prevention, and recovery life skills, as well as medication management, individual and group therapy, and case management. Recovery groups focus on learning healthy coping mechanisms and addressing psychiatric concerns. There are also support groups available for family members. A number of outpatient services are available on an individual basis, including medication management and dialectical behavior therapy. There are also a variety of outpatient groups that focus on substance abuse recovery or cater to the needs of those with psychiatric conditions such as personality disorders, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. The Landing program at McLean Hospital provides intensive inpatient treatment for adolescents with substance abuse issues and a co-occurring mental health issues such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder. The program is co-educational and typically lasts 45 days. The treatment team utilizes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), DBT, motivational interviewing, and 12-step based facilitation. Teens participate in medication management, continual assessment, individual counselling, and educational and therapeutic groups.

STAFF CREDENTIALS

The program is led by PhD level Clinical Psychologists and includes a multidisciplinary treatment team of board-certified psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, registered nurses, and expressive therapists.

ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES

The facility is located in Proctor House, a historic building on McLean Campus just a short drive from Boston. Rooms are shared and contain reportedly comfortable beds. There is access to common areas and a fitness facility. Food is typical hospital food; Best-rehabs.com uncovered several reviews that were critical of provided meals.

WHAT ALUMNI SAY

Best-rehabs.com received numerous mostly-positive reviews from alumni. When asked if they would recommend this facility, the five alumni polled on this metric at the time of this writing gave an average score of 3.75 out of five stars. The cleanliness, the connectivity/visitor policy, and the staff’s level of training and experience were among the highest rated metrics, with four, 3.8, and 3.8 out of five stars, respectively.

Complaints from reviewers centered around a lack of 12-step integration and holistic offerings, while repeated praise was given to the “very strong and supportive staff” and helpfulness of group meetings.

WHAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY

Families were pleased overall with the treatment their loved ones received. When asked if they would recommend the facility, the 11 loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com gave an average rating of 4.18 out of five stars.

The same 11 respondents gave average ratings of 3.9 and 4.2 for McLean’s counseling options and staff’s level of training and experience, respectively. Ten alumni provided average ratings of 3.1 out of five stars for holistic treatment offerings, 3.3 stars for affordability, 3.4 stars for exercise and leisure opportunities, 3.5 stars for the connectivity/visitor policy, and 3.9 stars for the level of family participation in treatment.

FINANCING

Although fees vary according to each client’s needs, the residential programs are self-pay only and listed on the facility website as starting at $1,880 per day. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify.

McLean Hospital Reviews

Call in January 2021 for information about the trauma treatment program and was told by admission coordinator that McClean only accepts Massachusetts residents. Recently found out that this is not true.
It was surprising to me how little depth of understanding the workers at McLean Hospital had of Mental illness. I really felt insulted even though my family spent $20,000 for me to be there. It’s been tough getting over that trauma.
My son relapsed with alcohol, and was feeling suicidal when he made the decision to check himself in here. He was brought to detox, and I was told that he would be out in a day or so! he had another dangerous drug in his system, and since he contemplated jumping off the “highest bridge,” I would have certainly thought that they would have kept in for the maximum ten days for residential psychiatric care, but instead, they shipped him to the first extended residential program because they had a bed. How about a bed at your facility to further evaluate my son, and see if he is even capable of making the next step? To make matters worse, I wasn’t even given the common courtesy of a phone call that our son was leaving for another facility. No wonder mental illness is so prevalent in our society. Most of these places are just looking for a paycheck with little to no regard for their patients and their families. Insurance have to do a better job of finding facilities that have a much higher success rate. Otherwise, our children will just be a statistic or part of a vicious cycle of one hospital after another.
I have been to both Silver Hill (Main I /inpatient and River House) and McLean (Proctor II) McLean is sort of like a full-on insane asylum which is scary. The food is revolting and I have no other words to describe the polyester bedding and peeling paint in the shower. Silver Hill on the other hand, is dignified, comfortable and I felt like I was supported by other like-minded patients. At Silver Hill, I felt more like a valued client than some random ill patient.
Treatment EffectivenessI've been at McLean inpatient about three times and did ECT there. I got the best care there out of any place I've ever been. It's clean, the staff is awesome, and there are good groups to attend. You make it what you want it to be. I did have a problem with one of the nurses and it was handled in a professional and immediate manner. Highly recommend it. Go on the walks!