I appreciate Beth's review. Bear in mind as you read these reviews that people come to this place in a crisis. We have had 2 separate experiences with Aurora. It is not the Sheraton, but it is clean, the staff (with the exception of nurse Vera) is very responsive, thoughtful and professional. The social workers and doctors called back when they said they would- not as soon or often as I wanted or asked- but they kept their commitments. They handle an incredibly stressful job with more compassion that I expected.
If you are there for your child or adolescent- My heart aches for you- your child will want out, will want to come home, will push you to rush to the next step. Be patient-- hang in there. This is a tough, emotional time and it is hard to keep emotion out of the decision making process.
I would say if you are at the point where you need this level of help- this is a very good place to get it- please understand you are heading into a behavioral health facility and they are responsible for keeping EVERY patient safe- not just you or your child and they are working within constraints.
That being said- ask them how to navigate the system--- ask your social worker for strategies for getting the level of information or care you expect. Ask if your expectations are reasonable. If you are reading this- you are cognitive enough to understand what a behavioral hospital is, and more importantly--what it is not.
It is NOT going to make everything better. It is NOT going to be a vacation. It IS a place to keep you or your loved one safe while doctors and counselors help you reach stability. The even harder work begins when you leave.
If you can-- call ahead. Even with an appointment we waited 4.5 hours for intake.