ABOUT FAIRMOUNT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM
Situated on 27 acres in Philadelphia, Pa., Fairmount Behavioral Health System is a 239-bed psychiatric and behavioral health treatment facility and the largest freestanding behavioral health hospital in southeastern Pa, according to its website. The well-regarded facility provides specialized, gender-specific inpatient programs for adults struggling with a primary psychiatric disorder, chemical dependency, or co-occurring disorders. Fairmount also offers inpatient care for children and adolescents (ages five to 17) and a partial hospitalization program (PHP) for adolescents (ages 14 to 17) struggling with psychiatric difficulties. If necessary, the facility provides medication-managed detoxification services on-site.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
All programs at Fairmount are gender-specific, and children and adolescent inpatient programs are age-specific to treat children, younger adolescents, and older adolescents separately. To determine the most appropriate program, clients undergo an initial psychosocial assessment and psychiatric evaluation upon intake that lasts one to two hours.
Fairmount provides several inpatient programs for their clientele. Psychiatric inpatient programs are tailored to the functionality of the population. Chemical dependency is treated separately from primary psychiatric care, though the facility does provide a specialized inpatient program for individuals struggling with co-occurring disorders.
The inpatient program to treat chemical dependency and co-occurring disorders utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI) modalities. Implemented through individual and group therapy sessions, these approaches help clients to address issues of denial and rationalization while identifying irrational thinking patterns.
Clients also attend on-site 12-step meetings and educational group sessions that focus on anger management, healthy living, stress management, and relapse prevention. Along with core programming, clients also participate in activity therapy (art, music, and movement) and recreational therapy.
Inpatient care to treat primary psychiatric disorders and co-occurring difficulties also includes counseling sessions and therapeutic activities, such as art and recreational therapy. In addition, Fairmount integrates pharmacological intervention and ongoing medication management to alleviate psychiatric symptoms.
The inpatient program for adolescents and children emphasizes family therapy and support, educational classes, recreational therapy, and group therapy. A daily school program, with K-12 curricula is also available. Once an adolescent client is stabilized, they may be encouraged to utilize PHP as a “step-down” aftercare service. The short-term program typically lasts between two and three weeks.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The facility’s multidisciplinary treatment staff includes psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, master’s level clinicians, a physician assistant, and both doctoral-and masters-level intern.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The facility consists of several separated units, including five units for adult psychiatric patients (each with different programs based on the patient’s needs); five units for children and adolescent psychiatric patients (with 32 beds designated for adolescent females only); and 67 beds for those struggling with chemical dependency. Residents live in shared bedrooms and have access to furnished communal areas.
Eight of the 12 individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing gave the facility’s cleanliness and upkeep an average rating of 4.13 out of five stars. Four of the survey respondents did not rate this aspect of treatment.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The majority of the nine alumni polled to date by Best-rehabs.com provided positive feedback, with many citing the staff as its strength. Six of the nine alumni polled on the matter gave an average rating of 4.17 out of five stars for the treatment staff’s level of training and experience.
Offering a rating of four out of five stars for the facility’s counseling options, alum M.S. wrote: “Most staff were aware of my individual case and worked very hard to help.” Alum Mark gave five out of five stars for the facility’s ability to treat co-occurring disorders and simply wrote: “Beautiful location. Great staff. This place was great.”
However, some alumni did cite the age of the building and amount of downtime in treatment as facility weaknesses.
On Google, the facility earned 2.3 out of five stars from 67 reviewers to date.[1] Negative reviewers complained about the food and understaffing concerns. In a representative negative review, alum Debra wrote: “My time the was horrible the food was raw rats the the cafe .and the staff lack of staff.” In a representative positive review, alum Ryan wrote: “There are plenty of groups and plenty of time to talk to techs or nurses about your concerns. Each person is assigned a counselor, who you meet with Monday-Friday each day. They help you find housing for when you leave, they’ll help get your dietary needs sorted out, they’ll talk to you about personal needs and concerns.”
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
To date, the two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com generally approved of Fairmount Behavioral Health System.
One survey respondent offered a four-star rating for the overall quality of treatment, while the other respondent submitted four-star ratings for the counseling options and the level of family participation. “She liked the treatment for substance abuse,” the family member wrote.
WHAT STAFF SAY
At the time of this writing, the sole staff member polled by Best-rehabs.com felt the facility could improve in multiple areas, offering two out of five star ratings for the staff’s level of experience and training, discharge planning, and counseling options. “Staff need ethical and rehab training,” the anonymous staff member wrote, adding: “Patients are treated like patients not people.”
FINANCING
Fairmount accepts Medicare, Tricare, and most major private insurance providers, including Aetna, Cigna, Magellan, Value Options, and more. The facility also offers payment plans for patients based on their ability to pay and accepts Medicare and Medicaid.
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