ABOUT ERIE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER (ECMC) – CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY AND PSYCHIATRIC CARE
Priding itself as one of the largest chemical dependency treatment centers in Western New York, the Erie County Medical Center’s (ECMC) Regional Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health runs a full range of services, including detoxification, inpatient treatment, and outpatient programs for psychiatric disorders and substance abuse. Serving all ages, the behavioral health unit has psychiatrists on-site in emergency rooms and offers 24-hour chemical dependency and psychiatric evaluations.
According to its website, ECMC’s chemical dependency treatment center has partnered with the local Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center and the Erie County Department of Social Services. It also employs bilingual counselors to better serve Buffalo’s Spanish-speaking community.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
ECMC’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) is for patients of any age who are in immediate crisis. Occupying an entire floor of the behavioral health outpatient center, the program has short-term housing and an extended observation unit. It also provides psychiatric treatment in a patient’s own home through its mobile crisis outreach and offers a four- to six-week crisis intervention and family education program. Patients have access to mental health assessments, individual and group counseling, medication evaluation and management, and dual diagnosis treatment.
Individuals struggling with substance abuse can begin treatment at ECMC with a chemical dependency evaluation – offered daily from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. – to determine the most appropriate level of care. Where necessary, clients start with the Substance Intervention Program, ECMC’s 18-bed medically supervised detoxification unit. ECMC also runs a 20-bed residential rehabilitation program and three chemical dependency outpatient centers, one of which is designed exclusively for vocational rehab.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The behavioral health treatment team at ECMC consists of physicians and master’s level psychiatrists, carrying a range of specialties in geriatric care and psychotherapy.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The only details provided by the center regarding its accommodations are the number of beds in each unit. In ECMC’s psychiatric facilities, there are 132 psychiatric beds (including a 16-bed for adolescents and an 18-bed for seniors), as well as six “extended-observation beds” (EOBs).
In the chemical dependency program, there are 18 beds for detox and 20 beds in the residential program.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Alumni reviews for ECMC’s Behavioral Health Center are mainly positive. Former patient Tanya told Best-rehabs.com that encouragement was the hospital’s biggest strength, commenting: “They detected not only did I have substance abuse problems but MENTAL health issues.”
“The facility is located downtown, easily accessible via bus or car transport, as well as being located near the airport,” another alum told Best-rehabs.com. “I really enjoyed the instruction administered by the counselors, and my stay overall.”
Collectively, four alumni gave ECMC excellent ratings of 4.5 stars out of five for its family participation, the staff’s level of training and experience, and the affordability of programming. Other praise for ECMC included effective groups, an understanding staff, and solid accommodations, but one alum pointed out that detox may be more effective than residential treatment.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Loved ones shared mixed reviews of ECMC’s behavioral health programs to Best-rehabs.com. Though they mentioned that staff checked on patients often, one anonymous reviewer felt that the hospital needed more evaluations. “I was satisfied but it wasn’t exceptional,” another reviewer quipped. Still, another reviewer anonymously called the hospital “a good place” and claimed that they “Welcome everyone with home feelings.”
Beyond their differing levels of written feedback, eight loved ones shared average ratings of 3.38 out of five for the staff’s level of training and experience, 3.25 for the counseling options, and 3.5 for the family participation available.
WHAT STAFF SAY
In their anonymous Best-rehabs.com survey response, a staff member listed a variety of strengths such as “Numerical Know-How, Insider’s Insight, Project Leadership, Sustainability.” They gave the hospital top marks in cleanliness and deemed treatment here cost-worthy.
FINANCING
According to its website, ECMC accepts most insurance plans and offers sliding scale payment rates.