Menu
Login
Peachford hospital does not treat the mentally ill, they abuse them. Recently one of the doctors was indicted on several counts of sexual aggravation of a patient. My brother received a black eye, allegedly from, falling out of a chair. They count on the facts that they are dealing with the mentally ill and the family members will not believe what they are told by the patient, and Georgia has effectively stripped family members of their rights to intervene on the patients behalf.
If you have a mentally ill family member, take them to Emory and never, ever take them to PEACHFORD HOSPITAL.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
As a previous patient of Peachford Hospital I do agree on how badly others are treated. The staff doesn't care about the patients which is really sad. My first stay was in 2015 due to my severe anxiety and depression, couldn't even leave my house and going to school was a major issue, when I arrived at Peachford a worker there placed me in the boys room for a while then took me to the girls room, though I went laid on the ''Day Room'' the entire five days I was there the patients were out of control, they would argue with each other, one tried to fight the doctor and another tried to choke herself with a towel. It was awful. A year later or two I was sent there yet again for some reason by a Family Ties therapist, I was having a asthma attack that day and was looking a bit pale. The therapist recommended me to go to the hospital which I started to freak out since I had a huge fear of Peachford, my first time was horrible and I knew the second wouldn't been any better, inside my gut I knew she was lying. I knew I shouldn't have trusted her.
I felt it in my gut but then again I was helpless in that situation with my asthma so I went, on the way there I was with my mother in a room, minutes later the doctor pulled my mother out of the room to explain to her that I needed to go to PH, not sure where in the world he got that idea though looking back now it's obvious the therapist told him since she pretty much lied and left me there. I cried when the doctor placed his hand on my shoulder and told me I needed to go back to PH. honestly I was shocked and confused to why I was being sent there again. Nonetheless the entire day for me was turned upside down as I was sent to PH once again. The only times I was uplifted was when a couple of dogs visited the patients and seeing the sun outside.
During my 2nd stay I got discharged I was relieved to have the doctor tell me I was being discharged! The entire day I was so happy, I packed my stuff and waited for my mother's friend to pick me up, my mother's friend drive her all the way there so when I saw my mother I ran up to her and hugged her went home, ate a favorite meal. My expirence with Peachford Hospital did not help with my anxiety & depression nor did Family Ties as a matter of fact I had a difficult time with therapists and doctors. I'm just glad I don't have those therapy lessions with Family Ties anymore, been discharged years ago which was a huge weight of my shoulders. The Family Ties staff weren't no better either and the lessons were tiring with the psychiatrist, I had a different therapist visit me each lesson and oh, my goodness how exhausing that was. At times I didn't even feel like speaking to anybody. I couldn't have been any better now that I am much more happier. I now enjoy going out, I now don't have to take pills or feel sad for no reason. My anxiety and depression has got better, I am much more lively.
~MGH
Was not given anti rejection medications until after missing 6 doses for a newly transplanted cadaver organ. The doctor's, Social Worker, nurses and staff were all aware of this and when I would go to the extremely rude Medication Nurse "June" she would YELL "You Ain't Gonna Reject This Soon Now Go SIT DOWN". If my new organ would have rejected they would have more issues than my mental stability to worry about, I also informed them of having a compromised immune system and felt as if I had C.Diff. C. Diff is a highly contagious illness and asked them to please send me to the transplant unit at Emory as I was having sever stomach aches and diarrhea. Emory was never contacted. The useless Dr. ordered a C. Diff test and no nothing was done, I had to share 1 restroom with all of the other women all day with this illness. It wasn't until I was discharged, and 2 weeks after the fact that someone called from Peachford to give me my positive results. Imagine the horror I feel for all of the other prisoners that were in there with me and they may be sick now and will never be notified? I asked if they were going to let the other patients know for their safety and she abruptly hung up. I have nightmares from being in this place, the nice couple of ladies I met was the only reason I made it and prayer. Worst place ever and darkest point of my life, harder than 8 years of dialysis in 5 days at this filthy facility. If you know of anyone that was from June 27 - July 2 please inform them. Thanks. June Med Nurse should be fired as well as her buddy Shay.
Med Nurse was Joan not June.
Hi Wendy, I’m so sorry to hear of the abuse you suffered. I suffered terribly in there too, and I now suffer from deep trauma and doubt I will ever be the same again. Like you I was abused horribly, I wasn’t given the replacement drug for Oxy (taken for severe pain for 13 years) as promised until I had gone into full blown withdrawal, they couldn’t be bothered with me at all, and the head nurse actually said that, and told her staff to move me to geriatrics. I never once had my rights explained to me, and I was held for 7 days against my will even though the doc couldn’t be bothered to see me, and kept saying he was too busy, and even forgot my first appt. So if I was a risk to myself as his nurse claimed I was, why did he then neglect me completely once I was in there? I even threw out the words ‘side effects from drugs he had me on’ and he still wasn’t interested. His words were ‘I don’t have time’ as he looked at his watch, even though I was supposed to get a meeting with him every day.,He just said again that he didn’t have time, which was his excuse for most of the days I was there. Without my pain meds I was in sheer agony, my whole body was searing in pain and I kept running my arms under the cold tap but to no avail. I was crying in agony because they hadn’t given me the replacement drug I was promised, but they didn’t care, they just yelled at me to shut up. Having suffered the worse night of my life, the next morning I was hyperventilating, the pain was so bad I was close to fainting, and I couldn’t feel my face because it had gone numb, and I collapsed. No nurse came to my aid, a big burly security guard came up to me and screamed at me to get up, that I was faking it, and just kept yelling at me to get up, even when I told him I was too dizzy, weak and in too much pain to do so. He just stood there over me yelling. A lovely patient who saw what happened stepped forward to help me up and he pushed her back and snapped ‘someone that size is going to break your back!’ Eventually I found the grit to push myself back up on my hands but with no help from anyone at that hospital. I watched them deny a homeless woman a pair of disposable underwear and made her stand there and pee herself because there was a line to the only toilet and they wouldn’t let her into her room for a second under supervision if that was the issue, and just stood there and snapped at her ‘no you can pee yourself’ and in the end she couldn’t hold it any longer and she did. I watched every morning as the whole unit was threatened with being sent to unit 8 where the nurses allegedly had the right to detain you as long as they want. Or the head of the unit thought she had that power. The whole unit was terrified of being sent there because it was known as a unit where they sent patients that were very unstable and where there was excrement on the walls. One poor girl who was sitting next to me one morning and had her head in her hands and just gently said ‘man, I’ve got a headache’ was met with this by the unit head ‘you do that again and I WILL send you to unit 8!’ And I have never been forced to use a more disgusting toilet in my life. There was only one for the 40+ patents, and it was perpetually covered in vomit, blood and diarrhea, all caused by forced discontinuation of drugs you were on, reactions to new medications, and Women’s monthly periods, and some patients had HIV, so that put the rest of the patients at risk. The toilet was rarely cleaned and it was so bad one day I told them I’d clean it myself. I was denied my opioids necessary to treat my medical problems while they locked me in a waiting area for over 10 hrs, all the while I had been due my next dose, but when I went to the nurses area they slammed the door in my face twice. When they finally took me through at 1.30 am I was forced to do a humiliating strip search, with no kindness from the nurse. By that point my pain was out of control, and it has been out of control since. I am with a neurologist and he cannot find anything to ease the horrific pain I have now been in for the years since it happened. I am now facing a spinal stimulation implant so at least I can get out of bed. I’m not depressed, I’m just in constant agony. I can’t wear clothes inside my home or have a sheet over me at night because it burns too much. And when the humidity is high I am now in crippling pain. I had pain issues before which is why I was on the opioids, but what they caused is a different pain than before, and it’s unrelenting. They have utterly destroyed my life. I told them I needed a sleep apnea machine and without it I could die in my sleep, so they brought me a useless oxygen machine, and when I told them I needed an apnea machine they just laughed in my face, like they did when I asked if I was in withdrawal . So they put my life at risk, and I barely slept for days without the machine, even tho the incompetent nurse who sent me there against my will promised me I would have one. It was her incompetence, and that of the receptionist, and the neglect of the doctor who abandoned my new patient appointment to go run personal errands, that landed me in there. I wasn’t a risk to myself, but she lied to the police and had me dragged over to the hospital anyway. The doctor himself, that couldn’t be bothered to see me once in there, later said he failed me and I shouldn’t have been in there in the first place. He said his nurse also denied me the right to go somewhere that was better prepared to handle my medical problems, a lot of which stemmed from cancer and 7 years of chemo. All I needed was a medication switch that could easily have been supervised outside of the hospital, yet his nurse lied to me, lied to the police and lied on my medical notes. I still don’t know why. I asked the doctor once I was finally released if he knew what happened to his patients once he sends them to peachford, and if he knew of the abuse they suffered in there, and he said he had no idea. Shouldn’t it be their responsibility to know what their patients go through in a place they send them to? If he’d have bothered to spend some time with me in the hospital then perhaps I could have told him what I was suffering, but I never got the opportunity. Now my life is ruined. They have all caused me significant emotional, psychological and physical trauma that I doubt I will ever get over.
Very unprofessional, rude, incompetent, poor to no communication with me as a parent of a minor. Poorly run facility. A nightmare. Never put your child here. Waste of money and that is all this place wants is your money and insurance. They should be shut down.
Yes, to all above complaints. A nightmare from the minute we walked in the doors until discharge 4 days later. I’d love to sue the doctor and the hospital. They did absolutely NOT ONE thing to help my daughter who was diagnosed with depression. Do not send your loved ones here. Prison I’m sure is better. Everyone from admission to discharge was very rude and rude to me as a parent. They did not care to communicate with me or my child. I feel they kept my child longer than was needed because we had insurance. Group therapy was only therapy offered and was a joke. I am looking into exposing this place and the staff and filing a formal complaint. This hospital caused more trauma and stress to my child and to me. What she went through was unnecessary and treated as a criminal not someone with depression and mixed with deviants and patients who had cut themselves. I am looking for an attorney to sue. I chose a private hospital for her and expected far better. I am still traumatized as a mother from the admit process and what they did to my daughter. Never ever put your child here.
Did you ever find an attorney? Just got out of there...same story now...
My 22 y.o. son was admitted to the hospital, under dual diagnosis, he was under suicidal watch along with substance abuse. He had overdosed two days before being admitted to the hospital. He was admitted to the Regional Hospital in Athens, Ga on Tuesday October 3rd around 5 pm. On October around 6 am (according to the Regional staff) he was transferred to Peachford. He waited for 7 hours in the waiting room at Peachford. He called me the day he arrived. He told me that he was being administered Suboxone and he was feeling better. I asked him to sign release of information so I could talk to a doctor. He signed it on Friday, and thought that it was all he needed to do, since this is the only customary action in other medical interventions that we have been involved with. They didn't tell him that he needed to call me with the patient ID number. On Sunday October 8th mid-morning my husband called the hospital and they said they couldn't say if my son was there or not without the patient number, them my husband asked what if my son passed away, if they would call us. The person at the hospital said that if our son passed away they wouldn't let us know and we should look in the obituaries in Atlanta to see if we could find our son's name. My husband was very calm on the phone, he was not agitated, and the hospital staff said to him; Sir, don't be overdramatic and beligerant. This is an unexpected attitude from a mental health hospital staff, being that deaths do occur due to overdoses or suicides. I left messages every day that I would like to talk to a professional because I was worried about aftercare. Nobody called me and the first time that I received a call was on Monday October 9th just to communicate that he was being discharged. I told her that I live out-of-town and what was the procedure if the patient doesn't live in-town, she answered me that they could drop him in a homeless shelter (my son said that she told him the same thing). I asked the nurse if he was under any medication, she didn't know. I asked to talk to a doctor before he was discharged. Dr. Vaughn called me, he was polite and he told me that he would prescribe him meds and he would keep him one more day. I was a little appalled that after only 5 days in the hospital and being administered Subxone while interned, they were discharging him with no medicine, and nothing planned to deal with withdrawals. It took me to talk to a doctor to get a minimum of aftercare. But there was no information about how difficult these meds would be to find in a normal drugstore. We arrived in Watkinsville around 7pm and spent the next two hours driving around and calling drugstores to find a drugstore that had these meds. Around 12 hours later there was a call from Kroger Pharmacy that the subscription was missing a registration number that allows Dr. Vaughn to prescribe certain meds, and his number was busy and mailbox was full. I had to call the Hospital Pharmacy (talked to Marcia, THE ONLY POLITE AND CARING PERSON THAT I MET AT PEACHHFORD) and asked what I should do, they called Kroger Pharmacy and finally this problem was solved. It does seem odd to me that Peachford Hospital discharged my son without his meds, without communicating with me how difficult it would be to find these meds and absolutely NO CONCERN that he would be almost 48 hours without taking his meds, which very well could send him into withdrawals. Also there was a certain malaise and a "I-don't-care" attitude, not to mention downright rudeness permeating the whole staff. Being that this is a hospital for mental health care, this type of attitude is non-acceptable.
Could be they don't care, or could be they don't know what they are doing. Probably both. They cut me off all my psychiatric medicines cold turkey. Any [censor] knows you can't just stop after taking for 20+ years. I could have died. Best of luck to you and your son. May he never return to Peachford.
peach ford hospital was not helpful to me or my family either they didnt help us they told my mom i wasnt sick that i was stable the doctors there have poor quality training and they give u shots sometimes for no reason they dont k what they are doing i think they should get shut down and never open agian they treat the patients like dogs like they arent human i had to go to another hospital i said i was well i really wasnt i hated it there no one gets cured and the ones who say they do probaly dont they probably just say it to get out of there!
I have experienced the same problems my husband is in that place and the staff is so rude and a big black lady came in telling him he could check his self out and getting attitudes and stuff and we told them that we wanted him released and they treated us so badly and I told them that I wanted a supervisor person and she comes in and acts like she really don't care and we telling her what the other lady said about he can sign himself out and she is like no he can't do that and giving all these excuses this place is rude unprofessional and I have made a complaint with the state of Georgia and the Medical Board about this S*** hole.
they don't let you visit with your family for very long and the wait was 4 plus hours it was omg so I hope this place gets shut down.
I was also abused by this facility in so many ways that I can't remember on the fingers of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir but I lost my glasses and my cellphone between Murray Medical Center in Chatsworth Georgia and Peachford Hospital in Atlanta, you decide who's responsible! Emory was great though and I appreciate the treatment I received from them.
I was admitted on a 1013 after having what I can only describe as a nervous breakdown. My mom, a family therapist, says that at most I have severe depression with psychotic features, because I was having auditory and visual hallucinations on the day of admission. I've never had them before, nor have I experienced anything since. I stopped a car outside my house because I was afraid to go back inside, and begged them to call 911 for an intruder in my house. I do still have nightmares about still being in Charter Peachford. I was there at the end of January for 8 days. Yes, I have good in$urance.
I can't even begin to convey the level of unprofessional, degrading, purely rude, and borderline illegal behavior exhibited by the staff of the mental illness ward at this "hospital." They acted as if every patient with a question or, God forbid a request, was an inconvenience and would blatantly tell other staff members, in front of other patients, what the problems with "this one" was. They would roll their eyes at each other no matter if the patients were still standing there or not. They screamed at patients for no real reason. I mean, we were paying customers who were being treated as if we had broken a major law and were criminals. Like many other reviews, being treated as criminals is so accurate.
Examples of mistreatment, bordering on torturous, was the sleeping situation. As written by others, is is policy for the "nurses" to do bed checks every 15 minutes. I swear it's like notes are taken on each patient and tally marks made for how "bad" they had been throughout the day, and the staff would take it all out on each patient, tit for tat, by acting like fools during the 3rd shift. They would many times come in the room, 2 staffers together, and stay for extremely long, unnecessary periods of time. During this time, while in our rooms trying to sleep, they would run and slide in the rooms, make stupid faces, sing songs, bang the door open and shut a few times, all while both staff members would be laughing to each other hysterically. This type of behavior happened all night, every night, every 15 minutes. I was so sleep deprived and pumped with unnecessary drugs that I was zombified. I could not stand straight, write, speak, or understand what others were saying for the length of my stay. I tried to stay on all the medications, but there was no way I could successfully run a business as a zombie.
I learned early on that the only way to get out was to not ask questions, not complain to anyone, take all the medications, and go to each group and make sure to speak up and play the group "games." Also, brag on staff members when they do any slightly nice gesture, like give you a tylenol when you have a blinding migraine.
I was throwing up ALL night with an awful migraine and was told by the Charge Nurse when she finally came to check on me, she would see what she could find for me. Needless to say, I never received anything, no Tylenol, Aleve, nothing, all the while I clearly saw them give out over the counter pain medicines to others that felt a headache "coming on."
For 2 days I felt like we, the patients, were part of someone's experiment on how treating patients nicely in comparison to treating them horribly affects the patients behavior. The first day, they treated us extremely well. They were very helpful, kind, empathetic, and pleasant, I wondered if they had finally been reprimanded for their previously bad treatment. Boy, the patients paid for it dearly the next day. They woke us all by screaming at us at the top of their lungs at 5:30am to give blood, and take vitals. We were not allowed to go back to bed even though I, personally, had been up all night throwing up with that severe migraine. This was a Sunday, which we were told was more or less a free day with no groups. Instead we had groups starting at 10am until 8:00pm, with breaks for lunch and dinner. They took away smoke breaks with no warning.
Like the previous patient stated above, "If you weren't crazy before you went in, you would be when you left." TRUTH.
I will NEVER go back to this place. PLEASE do not let anyone you know go to this place. Even if you think you are doing a huge service by making someone go, PLEASE SEND THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE. It is 2 months later and, like i stated, I'm still waking up with vivid nightmares that I am in THAT PLACE. HELL ON EARTH.
God, honey, it sounds like you went through the same hell I did. It's been years, and I still have nightmares about that place. I was severely depressed and crying most of the time, and the staff said I needed to suck it up and my hormones must be messed up. How many more people will be tortured before they shut that horrible place down?
Hiya, I went through the most traumatic period of my life in there, and now I’m deeply traumatized emotionally, psychologically and physically through abuse, intimidation and neglect. They have left me with so much damage and severe PTSD I will have to do lifetime counseling and I don’t think I will ever truly recover. I have been left with such physically damage from ripping me cold Turkey off my medications that I am in agony 24/7 and I will likely need a spinal stimulator implant. These people are criminals, I believe the only reason I was physically dragged over there with my arm twisted up behind my back, and was locked up against my will, having my rights completely denied, and my negligent doctor was too busy to see me but kept me in anyway, was totally due to insurance fraud. If I was such a risk to myself why did my doctor completely neglect me? And would you believe after the fact he apologized and said it never should have happened and said he had no idea what happens to his patients once they are sent there. It was nothing but a scam and now I’m left with permanent debilitating trauma for life, and such crippling pain I can barely wear clothes, and I certainly can’t live a life anymore. They have destroyed me as a person. If anyone knows of any lawyers or organizations I can go to I would be eternally grateful. God bless you all and I feel so badly for everyone who has had the same traumatizing experience
Ridgeview Institute in Smyrna is worst Zi was sent thier for a mandatory 72 hour watch for taken an over dose of prescription antidepressents. I was drugged beaten and raped. They Smyrna police did nothing. Unfortunately when the large black man that beat and raped me did so he didn't introduce himself. So I didn't have a name. And I was drugged (by the hospital, given multiple shots against my will). They said the bruises on my face and the inside of my thighs were from restraints needed to keep me calm. Restraints often give one a black eye and swollen face. And they are always placed on your upper leg. My life has been distroyed. Physiotherapist, lost job and marriage close to a divorce. All from a hospital that was suppose to help me. And the irony is if you are raped in Georgia the only program is at Grady. After Ridgeview I don't think I am going to Grady!?
RIDGEVIEW in Smyrna is even worst! These hospitals need to be stopped. The 72 hour stay is only a way for these torture hospitals to make money. They leave long and lasting scares!
Was drugged beaten and raped at Ridgeview hospital when sent against my will after an attempted suicide. The police did nothing. My other doctors did nothing. Over a year and my life is shattered and I want to die every day.
Have photos but when shown no one cared!
I misspelled alot lol. Kid running and them hiding shanks etc... but I am writing these sitting with my son waiting tosee a psyciatrist and realized that peach has given me the wrong follow up for. Not my child's and the mothers name isnt my own. This place is ridiculous.
My son was admitted to Peachford hospital bc of mentioning suicide to school. I hoped as a parent with no control that floyd hospital in ga was sending my child to a place that could help him. First of all he said they stripped searched my 10 yr old son then threatened to put him to sleep with "the needle" . My son said the dr never really talked with him to find out why he was there. He also saidhe was in two fights, witnessed a child ringing to excape with patents busting him out, a girl trying to stabb a nurse and kids hiding Shanes under their beds. This sounds like a prison but we are trusting them to help our kids.. all they seemed to care about was medicating my child, which I didnt allow and after my first visitation they trued to get me to sign him in voluntarily. Which meant he could only leave when the dr allowed it. The form was very vague so im sure alot of parents signed it thinking they had to. I myself already disliked peachford bc the staff was rude and hearing the stories my son told. Ofcourse I questioned everything they did. We'll never be back there.
My friend and her sister went there I dont wanna say why but it was a horrible experience for them but ever since she been she has been woundering who "rip julie" is. does anyone know who she is and what happened?
Not impressed with this facility at all. At the recommendation of my child's psychiatrist we took her to Peachford due to depression. We arrived at 7:45PM and it wasn't until 2:45AM the next morning that our child was assigned a room. Although we were assured our child would be allowed to catch up on sleep we discovered she was woken up with the rest of the unit at 7:30AM. Since she was a new patient she was not allowed to leave her room until she saw the doctor. We were assured she would see the doctor first thing in the morning. Well she didn't see the doctor until 7:30PM so she was confined to her room the whole day. The story gets much worse, but the bottom line is my impression of Peachford is not that great. I heard there are other places in the Atlanta area that are much better.
My son was admitted to Peachford Hospital on November 3, 2015 with severe depression and suicidal ideation. It was only after November 9, when he was released that he told me what he had experienced during intake. He was required to strip completely naked, searched and then told to crawl around in a circle naked. This was abusive, despicable and I believe a criminal procedure. How could this possibly be allowed to happen to anyone in 2015 let alone an individual suffering with all that goes along with life threatening depression as he was at the time?
I should also mention that on the following day, nurses, doctors, and staff ‘forgot’ to administer his medication and it was not until he called me at 4 pm that he mentioned this to me and I urged him to do approach a professional about this, at which time they gave him all but one medicine, an important antipsychotic that he had been taking.
This experience has set him back terribly, I believe largely due to the trauma caused by the degradation and memory he is now trying to deal with.
I was recently released from this incredibly unprofessional prison. I was drinking one night and said the wrong thing. Next thin I know, EMS was a my door and took me to Northside Hospital. They said I was going to rehab at Peachford. I begged them to take me to another place, but Peachford saw that I had great insurance and before the doctor ever saw me, he insisted on five days of treatment What they do not tell you is that Sundays and holidays do not count as one of your days. I was placed in the section for depressed people. I am NOT depressed! As far as doctors visits, they few and very short. Until you see a doctor, you are not allowed in the cafeteria and are given a plate of whatever. I am a healthy eater and a vegetarian. Do you think they cared? NO! The food was inedible. All cooked in fat and fried. My doctor was very rude to me every time I saw him. I pleaded with him to let me go after 72 hours because I own my own business and I live alone and work alone. I have clients around the country tha need to support 24/7. He did no care. Dr. Ummed should be fired. He kept me an extra day because he "thought" I was not ready (or my insurance would cover it - more $$$ for Peachford).
He also gave me meds that he never told me about. I took notes every time I saw him. When I went to the nursing station, I questioned her on ever med. They were nothing as what the doctor told me he was giving me.
As far as the nurses/counselors - they treated us like criminals. The sleeping arrangements were horrible. They checked me every 15 minutes flashing a light in my face. I had not slept 3 days prior to coming to Peachford - and I did not sleep any while I was there.
As far as their "sessions" - they were a JOKE! Sitting for hours with unprofessional counselors playing stupid games or talking about depression - I am NOT depressed. And the facility has NO availability for physical activity. Number one rule for depression, addiction etc. is physical activity helps people feel better! I don't know where these people got their "degrees", but I would not be surprised if they were mail ordered.
When I was leaving, people were "submitting" themselves in for "treatment." I wanted to scream - NO- go somewhere else.
I would never wish his place on my worst enemy DO NOT GO TO PEACHFORD! DO NOT SEND A LOVED ONE TO PEACHFORD!
My ! this place sounds like something out of a horror movie. If some one is depressed this will further their addiction and illness .I have a grandson that was admitted there a few days ago and if i find this is true with him you can bet on it something will be done, because i will stand on every government desk until it is done.
I Cynthia Watson...This place kept me a total of 209 hours when I was a patient here. I checked in early July 2015, and didn't leave until July 29th. In addition my suitcase and everything in it on unit 15 was stolen. Also, I had thyroid cancer removed shortly before the admittance during assessments and when I meet Dr.Medhi and the medical staff, they refused a copyo my medical records. I was NOT given my meds as promised, I had a migraine and asked them to call Dr.Bruce Bosses the medical director at North Fulton. I ask to speak to Mat Crouch after no resolve from Shelia, the patients advocate. I'm ready to SUE!
This is amazing . . . I was there last week and the descriptions in these reviews are still accurate. I begged my husband to call 911 and get me out of there. I inflicted harm on myself in order to get medical attention. It didn't work. I was basically told to "deal with it." I did not understand the necessity of being so demeaning. Over twenty women share one bathroom during the day (one toilet, one sink). The rooms are locked and not available during the day. On the weekend, the staff is severely limited and unable to do anything more than medicate and babysit. Some of the women there were admitted voluntarily for depression and others came straight from a jail (still wearing orange). I have never felt so hopeless in my life and will probably need several weeks to recover from the trauma of what was supposed to help me. I am thankful to no longer be at Peachford. On the positive note, I am now willing to go to any length to treat the depression and symptoms that took me to Peachford. My heart breaks for loved ones who think they're doing something positive for a family member and then find out what this place is really like.
I was admitted into Peachford Feb 28 of last year on account of threatening to [censored] because my parents found out I had dated a girl (I am a girl myself). This relationship had been going for 9 months and my parents would try anything to stop it so while I loved this girl I was banned from seeing her and threatened to bang my head into a wall if the cops got involved or my parents hit me for it. But known to the fact that I would never actually hurt myself my parents still dawned on me that I needed to be put into a mental hospital...I have no mental illness and there was no point of me going there but to waste money. ALTHOUGH I do not regret the stay AT ALL. Peachford was one of the best places I could have ever gone. Yes, the employees can be complete ### but while every else complains about them treating you badly...you got into this mess and they are there to put you in your place and teach you right from wrong. Yes, the beds were not comfortable but what do you expect from a pysch ward, cmon! The bathroom showers were actually made of granite during my stay there and I have never eaten a better chocolate cake or tilapia ANYWHERE else. Apart from getting vitals taken I never had to be given medication so my goal was mentoring to the other teenagers and helping them with their troubles. It became an amazing experience for me. I met wonderful people who are still my friends today and so many of them looked up to me and it warmed my heart so much when Happy Tails brought the puppies for us to see. I was also blessed with a very sweet social worker who told me to talk to her if I ever needed anything, plus Mr Perry can put a smile on anyones face as long as you have the right attitude going in here. This was the best way to get away from my parents for 6 days and have no contact with people from the "real world" I even cried when I had to leave. I do not recommend a mental hospital unless it is absolutely necessary considering even if you had no reason to go there people will still judge you for it, but overall Peachford is an okay place to be.
If you have no mental illness, as you say, then you shouldn't be there just to get away from your parents. You obviously can't see it from the point of view of someone who is sick and really needs help. Don't tell people, "you got into this mess and they are there to put you in your place and teach you right from wrong." First, people don't ask to be mentally ill. Would you tell a cancer patient that they got themselves into this mess? Second, the doctors and staff are not there to put you in your place and teach you right from wrong. If parents can't do that, then maybe jail can. Peachford is supposed to be a hospital, not a prison. They treat patients like criminals. It's not supposed to be a daycare to babysit misbehaving or attention-starved kids, either. I am glad you did not have a horrific experience there like I did, but it sounds like you weren't sick and didn't need to be in a hospital in the first place. Maybe you should consider a career as a counselor or therapist since you seemed to thrive in that environment.
This is all true ! The state needs to step in and correct this facility
I attempted suicide and was sent to Peachford. Upon my admittance, I was sent to the geriatric unit for 2 days without counseling or the medication that I need to take everyday for my physical health. They had us sit quietly and watch television all day long. I didn't see a doctor till the third day of my stay. The staff was abusive and cruel, and would verbally attack me for questioning any of the papers they were trying to force me to sign. They kept me days longer than the required 72 hours for a suicidal patient because of my insurance. A girl admitted after me was let out a day earlier than I because she had no insurance, so they weren't making money off of her. We finally had to get the insurance company to say they would refuse to pay for me to stay another day, and magically, they said I was ready to be let out. Have you seen or read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? Well, I lived it. If you love someone NEVER SEND THEM HERE. It's why I will never trust another mental healthcare facility ever again.
I was in Peachford for 3 days, just returned home yesterday. It is the biggest fraud I have ever seen. The staff was rude & and uncaring. There is no therapy or rehabilitation done at this place. If you have a disability, they couldn't care less. I have Parkinson's and have had Deep Brain Stimulation. My Parkinson's meds where withheld. The charge nurse stood over my bed and pointed her finger at me and said "I had better get up and walk down hall and get with it".
Another patient sat on floor and cried out loud for about 15 minutes and all the nurses, case workers and counselors walked by her and never said a word to her.
I was never acknowledged as a person.
I can't believe that the State of Georgia puts up with this.
I went to Peachford in april of last year. I agree it wasn't an experience that i ever want to go again. I was forced to stay there by the doctors for another day. I told them that i don't have good insurance so they insist me staying there another night. It was cold at night the blankets were thin and they told us when to go outside and when to use the restroom. we weren't allow to go pee for 4 to sometimes 5 hours later. I went in there for depression but staying there didn't help it cause the depression worst.
this place is horrible
If you were in peachford or know someone who was and you know there was neglect and abuse or wrong medication given please contact me. I posted on her 6 months ago about my 83 year old grandma and her breaking a hip there. I have retained an attorney and he will be more than willing to listen to you if you have a valid claim. please email me at whymrry1@yahoo.com if you have any questions or information. These people need to be stopped. Thank you Melissa McMahon
My name is Ronald Carter and if you are sueing these people I would like to help you close this disaster of a hospital down. Please call me at [protected].
I would too. abc@warpmail.net
I have PTSD from being there.
My cousin was a patient here and is a normal educated person. She was there 3 days and wasn't asked until the 3rd day to remover her hijad (Muslim head dress). They could not provide any written policy that required her to remove it and they threatened to transfer her to the stabilization unit if she did not remove it. Worst of all they recommended she put a sheet or a pillow case on her head instead! She was obviously singled out because of her religious practice. The staff was very rude and unprofessional. We are are currently in the process of suing the facility for religious discrimination.
This place is ridiculous and needs to be shut down. They let my sister go kneading that she was going home to an abusive guy who does drugs. The very next day she was released, she went into psychosis. I never received a call from her social worker until I threatened to report her on her voice mail. She then tried to lie and told me she called me several times. Also, staff stole half of the things I left for my sister. This place needs to be shut down.
Reading all the posts from different dates nothing much has changed at Peachford. For almost two years I would wake up from having a dream that I was being chase by a white light. When I would wake up my heart would be pounding and yes I know it was just a bad dream. The group session and the way patients are treated at Peachford is a joke. I saw firsthand the treatment of patients. I was told that I could return to work the day after my release from four nights in hell. I get lock up because I got angry with my new health insurance on the phone and they think I am going to [censored]. I never did go to cardio rehab after having open heart surgery because I was still trying to get my husband cardio rehab from over two years ago paid for. WE ALL NEED TO PLACE A COMPLAINT. WE NEED TO STOP THE ABUSE.
Georgia Department of Community Health
www.dch.georgia.gov [protected]
I tried to Call Ms.Barbara several times and keep getting her voicemail; I've stopped trying to go into in-patient when need be; I'm trying to get into the Riverwoods PHP program down in Riverdale; Heard it was good
WE AS A GROUP NEED TO STOP THE ABUSE AT THIS MENTAL HOSPITAL.
PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT AND IF EVERYONE OF US DID THIS THEY MIGHT LISTEN TO US.
Everyone that is posting here needs to file a complaint on Peachford Behavioral Health system of Atanta
Call Ms. Barbara Belcore, Health Care Section Healthcare Facility Regulation Divison [protected]
Fax to Ms. Belcore [protected]
Georgia Department of Community
2 Peachtree Street, NW
Atlanta, Ga [protected]
I just recently was discharged from peach ford. they had me overmedicated my whole time there. So once I was finally able to go home I had very severe drug withdraws which landed me in the er. the doctor who wrote my prescription to take home with me messed up and the pharmacy was not able to fill it. I ended up in the ER after having a severe panic attack from not getting the drugs that peachford forced me to take my entire stay. do I have a case? should I consult a lawyer? my dad who saw me have the panic/withdraw attack thought I was dying. it was pretty serious
My 83 year old grandma who has dementia and memory loss was declared a 1013 by an e.r doctor after i took her to the hospital for a severe anxiety attack. She was placed in peachford and only there for 4 days. She fell during the night and broke her hip. She just had surgery and a blood transfusion last week. She is now in a rehab facility for at least the next 8 weeks of physical therapy. Peachford knew she had a stability issue because i took her a walker the first day she was there. After doing research the medication she was on is not approved for people with dementia or memory loss. Causes fainting, confusion and death . My grandmother said she doesn't even know how long she was laying on the floor crying for help . Peachford didn't even call me till 8 hours later . This is a horrible place and someone needs to be held accountable .
When my Patient rights was violated at Peachford; I told the patient advocate the day i got released; she told me that there would be an investigation into the violation and to call her back in a week; I called her back; got transferred to her voicemail; let voicemail after voicemail and still haven't got a response
FYI : CCHR IS a Scientology front shop. Run!
Today I sent a seven page letter to CCHR. Please everyone else needs to contact them. Peachtree Mental Hospital is a very scary place to be. http://www.cchrint.org/about-us/
I recently outlined the serious problems I had with Peachford Hell, and with the Doctor that sent him there, Dr. Gary Fiegel. I see my comments were removed. Apparently the ostrich Technique is also one of their repertoire specialities.
In short, I brought my 87 year old Father there for observation, and after refusing the 1010 form, and observing their horrible operating procedures, I tried to leave. They would not let us leave without a Doctor's permission, even though we had not completed the check-in. My A-Hole Dr. Fiegel would not release him. F.U.Dr.G.F. To all who read this DO NOT GO TO PEACHFORD HELL!
My daughter was sent to Peachford--even though Ridgeview had a bed waiting for her and was expecting her. I hold a Ph.D and 5 Master's degrees (one of which happens to be in Juvenile and Adolescent Counseling) so I can relate to what the statements above. My daughter's 1013 hold was up on Friday. We did our discharge and family counseling on Friday morning; but, late Friday afternoon, I got a call from her doctor stating that she wanted to try her on a new medicine and would monitor her then let me know on Saturday how she was doing. Of course I got no such call from anyone at Peachford on Saturday so when I went up there to request her discharge, I was presented with a 1010 form to sign. PARENTS NEVER EVER EVER EVER sign the 1010 form at Peachford. They present this form to you because signing it means they can keep your child for an additional 72 hours. I REPEAT NEVER SIGN THIS FORM.
During visitation, there is one child there that screams constantly and he was grating my nerves. My daughter said he does that 24/7 and cried to please come home.
NEVER EVER allow your child to go to Peachford or even consider sending your child there.
Signed,
One Mom Stuck in Peachford Hell