ABOUT CANTON-POTSDAM HOSPITAL
Nestled in a residential area of Potsdam, N.Y., the large hospital system of Canton-Potsdam Hospital offers extensive detoxification and inpatient treatment to residents of the surrounding counties who are struggling with substance abuse. Outpatient and continuing care services are available through a nearby campus in Norwood.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
According to the facility’s website, detoxification lasts between three and five days, and clients can self-admit at any time. However, Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s website includes a few stipulations for detox: “We are unable to admit patients who are suffering withdrawal from crack/cocaine or marijuana, and Federal Regulations permit only two detoxification episodes using methadone in any 12-month period.”
After stabilizing, patients are referred to lower levels of care such as outpatient counseling or inpatient treatment. It should be noted that the entire hospital is tobacco-free.
The inpatient program offers a cornucopia of best-practice treatments including individual, group, family, and trauma therapy. Occupational and recreational therapy are also offered to help clients transition after completing treatment. 12-Step, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings are available on-site daily.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The center’s website notes Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s treatment team includes certified counselors, medical staff, physical therapists, nutritionists, and AA/NA support group leaders.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
According to the hospital’s website, the unit is designed to “promote privacy and confidentiality for you and your family.” The unit contains private counseling and patient rooms, as well as a communal lounge. The facility contains seven beds and all patients are expected to share a room. The eight individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing provided an average four out of five stars.
Alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com mentioned the use of therapy animals, which was comforting for some and problematic for others who experienced allergic reactions.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The four alumni surveyed by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing offered mostly positive reviews, with consistently high marks in treatment effectiveness and staff support.
J.M. gave five out of five stars for treatment effectiveness. “I came in all withered and by the time I left I was in full bloom. it was excellent,” they wrote.
Alum J.H. also appreciated the treatment they received, describing it as a “great program… It saved my life!” Another alum, who chose to remain anonymous, gave the facility four stars for treatment effectiveness and wrote the strengths of the facility included “lots of 1 on 1 time… lots of group time.”
Of the three alumni who were polled on whether they believed treatment at Canton-Potsdam Hospital was worth the cost, two responded positively and one remained neutral.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Reviews from the five loved ones polled to date were mixed, offering vastly different perspectives on the family program. When asked, on a scale from one to five, whether they would recommend treatment at Canton-Potsdam Hospital to others, the facility received overall ratings ranging from one to four out of five stars, which combined to generate a lukewarm average of 3.25 out of five.
Counseling options, exercise and leisure, and connectivity were problem areas, all of which averaged ratings of 2.75 stars for lower.
One anonymous loved one found the program to be highly effective. They praised the family involvement aspect of the program. “Family members were allowed to sit in for group sessions and were allowed to be as active as my brother wanted,” they wrote.
Another anonymous sibling, however, felt that family involvement was lacking. “They didn’t bother involving us, my sister’s family, in her treatment at all,” the loved one wrote along with a one star rating for treatment effectiveness. This reviewer also felt that their sister’s co-occurring mental health disorder went undiagnosed.
Another loved one, Darra, mirrored this sentiment, writing “could do more on the psych side.”
FINANCING
There’s currently no specific information available on pricing via the facility’s website. According to the website, this hospital accepts insurance and offers some financial aid to qualifying individuals.