Palm Partners review: horrible experience!!! 34

As a person who went to both state funded facilities, and a few insurance based facilities, I am seeing a few things being brought up, that people might not be taking the time to consider before posting. I'll share some tidbits of what it was like ( good and bad) about both state funded and Palm. 1. At the state funded facility, beds were donated, food came from a good pantry ( supplemented by some eggs, sandwich fixings " when funds allowed"), we wait in one of 2-3 rooms from around 8am until 9 pm except during meals, recreational time, our 1x1's ( done 1 time a week), or the occasional outside meeting. While there, I had the limited opportunity to participate in what Texas calls copsd. That gave me the opportunity to work with my unit therapist weekly and a copsd therapist weekly as well. I got a sponsor, worked the steps, and completed. During each stint, I made great recovery friends ( first time was in 2010), and am still friends with a few. The longest I stayed sober afterwards was 8 months. I went to pp in September of 2015. Since I had only been to state funded facilities, I will say I had very low expectations. I am a sober meth addict, so my time in detox was very short, but I had no issues with seeing the doctors quickly after my arrival. I am not only a drug addict, but also have bulemia, bipolar disorder, and am HIV positive. Once I got to res, I got situated, and because I am a smoker, a couple of guys that had gone over before kinda helped me my first day or 2 with introducing me to others etc. Dug and Heidi were great, I met with Joy my counselor weekly, did ended, met with the nutritionist, participated in yoga, accupuncture, chiro, did my work phased up went to the beach, got a sponsor, played volleyball, swam, went to alumni meetings ( phase 2 could go)... Yes people hooked up ( HIV unit at the state facility was co-ed, but traditional men's unit was 2nd floor women's was 3rd they still hooked up.Meds weren't handed out by nurses there either, people still relapsed ( we had visitation on Saturdays), private pay or insurance based facilities are required to keep the same records as state funded so hospitalizations, transfers, etc are audited, the clients age groups are all mixed together most facilities... Iop is recommended after you leave most stayed e funded facilities as well. Did I stay sober afterwards, no, did I stay sober after leaving the next facility, no. Was I doing the things that all these facilities told me to do, no. . I would complete, do iop with housing, complete, stop seeing a therapist, go to as, but not really do what is recommended, quite doing the things Dug and Heidi was having me do... I'll also state that I worked for years at a hospital in patient financial services, so have a rough idea that when the insurance says no more, it's done ( authorization is typically for a set period of time, then you submit for more hoping it's approved). Unfortunately, pp is not federally or state funded, and until we go to a different healthcare system it is a business. That means that the company needs to make money to stay open ( 2020 would be the perfect time if you want to change it vote). Put in what you expect to get out ( but don't be like me and stop). I celebrated a year on July 26th, and even though I didn't stay sober after leaving pp, I can definitely tell you that I wouldn't be alive today had that not been an experience I hadsome of the things we did there, I wouldn't have a year if I didn't start doing some of the things that I was doing there.

I'm on a plane back home after 9 days! All lies save your insurance $$!

Wow...the thought of a parent having to worry about a facility throwing their child on the street or not providing transportation to an airport is discerning. Very disturbing. Not the place I would want my loved one.

I was re-directed to PP by a phone line of salesman of sorts. They informed me that the places I was considering were inadequate due to my seizure disorder and that PP had a "top notch" Neuropsychiatrist which would be to my advantage. I only met with this guy twice, and it was nothing to do with Epilepsy. I informed him that I had suffered with depression since childhood, and seen psychiatrists for 30 plus years (primarily for sleep meds). I told him no SSRIs had ever worked. He offered me the current version of these meds (cymbalta and the like) stating they possibly might work with my AEDs. He (Rotondo) and Dr. Seely were not even aware of Ketamine Infusion Therapy which not only removed my suicidal ideation, but got me willing to attempt working a program of recovery once again. Seely asked me if he could start this practice with his medical credentials. He also thanked me for "my service" as an LSD peddler in which I did a lot of time behind bars. Weird huh? Rotondo did write me a script for my meds when I chose to leave PP after 3weeks of seeing through the scam. I HAVE BEEN IN MANY INSTITUTIONS... This wasn't that hard to figure out.
I expressed my issues with their program so they "tailored it to my needs" stating I could go to morning groups and hangout by the pool in the afternoon (how's that for therapy!).
They suggested EMDR therapy which I was willing. This was effective as the therapist was quite good. Others were touched by this also, but I believe it also lies on ones willingness to participate.
Chiropractor is dangerous in my opinion having people sign Waviers before "adjusting" 14 people's backs and neck in a 15-20 minute span. The Waviers asked how many times one fallen in the past year, I put too many to count due to my epilepsy Tonic-clonic seizures. There is no way possible he read these before his rampant speed adjustments.
Giribek is a good yoga instructor and spiritual woman. Tristan a tech of sorts (overworked) offered good spiritual guidance as well and recommended a book for my level of consciousness which I am reading. Jerry Egan (as most stated) has a wealth of knowledge in mental programming and I am currently reading his book Redemption from Addiction.
Here's more negative stuff. One on One counseling is not gonna happen here. You will have difficulty buying groceries at Target for a healthy diet (they are trying to put weight on you). I met briefly with a nutritionist and was supposed to have special low cholesterol meals prepared, but that rarely happened to be awaiting me when I went through the chow line. I gave up on that and ate bananas and cereal or just ate the same stuff everyone else was.
Techs (not nurses or medical people) handed out meds. Detox nurses handled meds without gloves. People were moved out of detox too early to make space. My roomie still had shakes from alcohol withdrawal. We had as many as 20+ new people move from detox in a 3-4 day span, confused by the disorganization of the place and improper introduction to the system. We were flooded with newbies still jonesing for detox meds. This threw the scale of sanity waaay out of whack. Many kids trying to get a new girlfriend/boyfriend.
Much time wasted on "dance therapy" Doug and Heidis hoopla and very limited time to actually spend on filling out assignment sheets describing what we were getting from our classes. Seemed to me a pacifier for insurance companies to me.
Your 90 day program will end up being 28 days (I have top level Blue Cross- BS). You will then be told you need an IOP program and a halfway house which they direct you toward.
Being that PP is owned by Peter Harrigan who also owns G&G and Orchid as well as 2 Halfway Houses and 2 Pharmacies which undoubtedly supply meds for all establishments, I smell a dirty rat.
When I realized how dirty all of this was, I decided to get out of Palm Beach County in search of a more stable community for recovery; The process of doing this became nearly impossible as Google searches continued to route me to South Florida "the recovery capital of the U.S." I literally mean it when I say calling 1-800 numbers for places like North and South Carolina, I was referred to Fla. for a Halfway House! Palm Partners even answered one of these calls. A 145 rehabs are squeezed in Palm Beach County amidst Crack Houses and Heroin Dens. This is not a good scenario. I went to the office to express my frustration and said I hated Delray Beach and that it was "dirty". A tech stated that I "was from the woods." I have more education than him, my folks are very wealthy, and I have lived all over the country. We also have a house accross the street from the beach on a very exclusive Island near Charleston SC. I guess he didn't understand "dirty" the way I meant it. They gave me a breathalyzer test and searched our apt. after this encounter. I am now in a halfway in Charleston and clean. I plan on staying here a year (I found it after I got into a more expensive one).
There was not enough emphasis on 12 step recovery which will be your saving grace after Tx. I could go on about more negatives, but my thumb is sore. FIND SOMEWHERE like Hazleton, or go somewhere, detox, halfway, meetings, steps and Sponser and new associations in recovery.

My son is there...well at the local psych unit.. PP almost killed him night one with a drug he should not have been given..his roomies saved his life. I'm far away from there. Lots of confusion ..miss communication basically a hell week.. we DONT have money at all.. He is on disability and I just put him on my insurance to get him help for a TBI...your remarks coincide with what he has said and what I suspect. They're supposedly sending him to smaller sister facility after he leaves the hospital...can anyone tell me what that place is. THANKS RIta12012@yahoo.corita12012@yahoo.com and or about it. I have legal guardianship but seems no rights in Fl..

Palm Partners is a huge scam. The staff are all young and on a power trip. My iPad was stolen, by a staff member from my room, and I had valuables stolen from my locker which is in a room that only staff can access! When I brought up the thievery, rather than do anything about it (they refused to review security footage because no one was authorize to do so) I ended up having to call the police and file a report over the phone and nothing came of it. They treat you like a prisoner and none of the extravagant promises they make over the phone are true. The food is terrible, the nurses are all Haitians that do not care about the clients and you will wait in line up to an hour and a half to get your meds dispensed. I was there for two months, and I did graduate, and the whole time was a struggle. Not because I wanted to drink, but because the staff, facilities and disrespect was unbearable. They are making millions by running a rehab racket full of empty promises and corrupt guards. I would urge anyone who is serious about sobriety to avoid this hell on earth at all costs. Your better off going to AA or something on your own. Oh, and the massages, acupuncture and all that stuff they say you'll receive is at an extra cost to you out of pocket and not included in the upfront cost, if you can even get in to see the scheduler/secretary who is responsible for coordinating all 150+ patients. It's a joke. I paid out of pocket for this treatment and it was the biggest waste of time, money and emotional energy I've ever experienced. If anything, I left Palm Partners with less trust for others and with resentment that is unparalleled. Beware of empty promises and abysmal medical care.

I would have to agree, I just got out of this place and got but up by bed bugs it was a nightmare.

What a rip off. I know they have rules and you suffer the consequences. The counsleor's don't do there job. And when you soeak with one of them the total lack off disrespect is not professional. My sister was asked today is she had money for my daughter. It's what i call extortion. So to sum it up the place sucks.

I have read complaints on almost every rehab facility and it seems that the negativity never ends. This is truly the addictive voice speaking loudly in your heads. How is your life now? These rehabs continue to stay open despite your bad reviews. I wonder why?

asdasdas

All the reviews stating that Palm Partners is around to milk your insurance companies pocket is totally true. They will tell you that your recovery is complete when your insurance runs out...talk about instant recovery...it's like magic. My husband called around for a treatment center for me and thought this was a great place to go. He was told nothing but lies. I was dropped off at the detox center and stripped of all my rights. If it weren't for my husband continually calling and calling they finally allowed me to talk to him...with the stipulation that I told him that everything was good and not say anything negative (which things were not good)...they even listened to my call to make sure I didn't say anything to him. I was then afraid for my life.
After detox, I was sent to what they call "Residence" and all that is, is a playground for kids who have no desire to get clean. All they care about is hooking up with others and bragging about their war stories. They run around the place like they own it and have no regard for others especially the staff. The place is run with few techs who are abused by both the clients and management.
The facility does have classes that might be good if you could hear them and are by instructors who claim to have worked for Anthony Robbins...I have been to many of Tony Robbins seminars and if he knew they were using his material and trying to preach his work I am sure he would flip. What a joke it is to see them try to motivate in the meetings using his material. The instructors (Doug and Heidi) are so fake I had to pretend my interest in their behavior that matched most of the kids that attend this place. I have to say at least is it was comical.
All in all, if you want to party on your parents or insurance company's this is the place. If you truly want to get clean please do your research and good luck to you with this deadly disease.

Palm Partners is an amazing facility you get out of it what you put into it I am a family member and i went for their family program it is amazing. My son is still sober to this day and he was there in 2011 he stayed for over 90 days then went into royal recovery halfway. Im sorry but anyone with a negative comment about this program went into the facility with a negative outlook.I would send everyone I know to this facility they helped us become a family again.

I went in 2012. They will tell you anything to get you there. This guy Chris was the biggest lying POS I ever heard. The whole thing sucked. The good thing is you recover really fast if your insurance runs out. I was 50 years old and a drunk. I got stuck in a facility full of 18 to 22 year old spoiled druggie kids who weren't at all serious about getting straight. Luckily after almost walking out they put me in the executive house with few real human beings. Me and my room mate got along well and that was more therapeutic than anything else. If you go, you will not get one on one treatment. It is not dual diagnosis. It is AA meetings with a bunch of fruit loop repetitive classes. Hindu teachings, Dance therapy at 8:30 in the morning with loud techno music. Motivational speakers I wouldn't buy a used car from. Your core group with your useless therapist who doesn't really want to be there. You will not get to go to the beach unless you ditch and walk there like I did. Then you will be pulled out of bed for the piss test when they figure it out. The best entertainment was watching 50 addict alcoholics getting turned loose in Publix.. I was sick with what turned out was pneumonia most of the time I was there and getting medical attention was a joke. No on staff MD so they send you to an off site clinic if you don't die first. They did stick to there word and they took what the insurance paid . I was not billed. I wouldn't have paid anyway. It is a money making racket and I'm just jealous that I didn't get in on it. I mean who is easier to take advantage of than desperate, vulnerable drunks, addicts and their loved ones. I am still sober despite this experience. I realized I'm not powerless over alcohol.

Be careful with this place. It's a money mill. Just came back. They pack as many people as they can in. They are overbooked and understaffed. There's a bunch of young people in their twentys there on their parents dime all hooking up and don't give a crap about recovery. You'll see a PA not a doctor for meds. You'll be lucky to see your counselor. The classes are packed with 80-150 people! Do your research and find a good rehab this place is just plain crazy!

Every negative thing said above, I second. Worse experience of my life. From crazy Linda in the main office who with no, provocation felt it was alright to snap at the paying clients, to Janice, the gum smacking therapist who didn't have a clue about phobias and anxiety, very unprofessional. They twist the truth when selling you on their facility. They act appalled when you tell them about it. They say they will take care of it, but person after person comes in there telling the same story. They are all lied to. I felt like a prisoner. And I felt I was treated with disrespect. And I paid for it. I was addicted by prescription to Ativan and suffered from a severe anxiety disorder. After I left Palm Partner I was able to get into a true dual diagnosis clinic. I am drug free and my anxiety, that was disabling, is now manageable. Palm Partners was a waste of time and money, if you are under the age of 25 and suffer from addiction only, this place may be able to help you. Anyone else, if you have a brain, run, don't walk away from this horrible place.

Prg1123 you cannot say it any better. I was there back in 2008 and it was same thing. They are the worst there is and needs to be brought to justice. I could write so much negatives about this.place please begging use palm partners

Run, don't walk away from this facility. They lie, will tell you what you want to hear, and then don't follow through when you arrive, I heard almost everyone complain. Some took it better than others, but I never was so glad to be away from a place. The staff in detox is exceptional, but once you leave there, the quality of care goes down. I had to go to the emergency room because I couldn't get the staff at Palm Gardens to help me. They left me there in the middle of the night. No one goes with you and when you call to be picked up, no one answers the phone. Safe yourself the money. They milk you for everything they can. If you are under 23, have parents with more money than they know what to do with, then maybe this place isn't all bad. But if you fall into any other catergory, run as fast as you can. They prescribed two medications for me, which I found out after I left, that taking them together can be fatal.

I apologize for the mistakes in my post, for some reason my computer was acting up and I couldn't get it to do the spell check for me. Also, I had alot to say and I apologize again for the long post. I am just very let down and frustrated at the way I was lied to and treated by some of the staff at Palm Partners. I will post on every complaint site I see so that I can get the truth out to everyone I can or who researches this facility. I do and should have added that the techs at the residential are mostly recovering addicts and they understand your frustrations and will talk to you should you need a shoulder to cry on. Special thanks to Toni, Danielle and Beth.

I just left that hell hole AND I did graduate. However, let me advise people considering Palm Partners some advice, read all of these complaints and take them to heart. First of all, to all of the people who will write that I sound like someone who wanted to do things my way and not participate in the program, I did EVERYTHING required of me so that I could say I gave it a fair shot. I was told on the phone by someone named Chris that I would be going to the beach as part of my recovery every week that didn't happen. I was told that I would have my cell phone all day (and I understand that other treatment facilities do not let you have them at all but don't lie about the time frame you are allowed to have it) I suffer from chronic pain and was told "we use the high-powered non-narcotic drugs the dr.doesn't tell you about' no they don't use "any" drugs for those of us who are legitmately suffering from chronic pain (i have medical records to prove that), I suffered for 35 days until I got home and spoke to my physician and got on something non-narcotic for some relief.When I saw the psychiatrist he talked to me for a total of 5 minutes and tried to take me off of all the non-narcotic drugs my physician had me on for muscle spasms and neuropathy I told him"you have talked to me for 5 minutes, my physician has treated me for several yrs and I have medical records to prove my reasons for taking these meds so please do not take me off of something that helps my condition".itnessed people including myself going through obvious withdrawl from our drugs of choice and when we were told we had to see the dr, I understood that but i thought i would see a dr. there on staff that evening or early the next day for much needed medication for withdwls, it was 2 days and one patient was seriously detoxing from alcohol and could have had a seizure. Fortunately for her, that didn't happen. After detox, I was sent to the residential program and found that people were relapsing right under the techs noses. Drug dealers walk the walls waiting for an addict to come along. Yes, they will supply them with the drug and a syringe if needed. I saw one female who was a heroin addict jump the wall to get away from this facility (I hope she is okay). One night, two females shot up heroin, one jumped the wall and the other one got shot up with heroin for the first time. There was a female client that tried to commit suicide, There are rehab romances going on and they are going behind dumpsters, behind sheds and there is even a "smush bush". The groups are all repetitive."you are an addict because..." You are requied to go to na or aa meeings which is a good thing, I have been doing the 90 meetings in 90 days since I have been back home. and also doing an IOP program (Intensive Out Patient) Which I am getting much more out of then I did Palm Partners I would have been much better off listening to myself the first time I was checking on rehab programs and just went IOP and detoxed locally. I MUST add that I saw ALL of the therapist coming and getting their patients for one on one sessions. Mine, I never had a one on one with him the whole 35 days I was there. After being there 30 days, and completing ALL of my required step work, going to groups everyday and also my na meetings, I asked on the last weekend I was going to be there if i could go to the beach, I was told it was "not theraputic to my recovery and it wasn't a "recovery based trip". REALLY? The life coaches, Doug and Heidi, are WONDERFUL. I actually got something VERY useful out of there groups But like I said, the others are just the same ole thing. How many times do they think an addict one needs to be told they are an addict and two, why. After two weeks I got the idea. Please be careful when considering this rehab program and tape your conversation when you call. I wish I would have, I could have used it when I got home. And if you do decide Palm Partners is for you, remember you are arriving there probably high or drunk (everybody does it, gotta have that last high or that last drink), they will get you to sign your paperwork at that time. Be careful, you are signing that if you decide to leave AMA that you cannot pick up your belongings for 24 hours after you leave. I witnessed this being told over and over. After speaking to an atty when I got home, they cannot hold YOU to that paperwork as you are not of sound mind at the time you are signing that paperwork. If you decide to go after reading the other complaints as well as mine, I can respect that just know that I read the complaints and thought "these people are crazy" they are not crazy, they know and are expressing honest feelings about this facility. Take care and I wish you the best in your recovery.

I agree. They talk a good talk when you call seeking help for a loved one; especially where insurance is concerned. If you have good insurance, beware...they will milk it. I have pages and pages of EOB's for 'lab work' totaling thousands over and above the treatment charges. I thought that everything was included in the advertised $5000.00 per week fee but apparently not. Previous comments about how unprofessionally the place is run are not exaggerations. They allow certain people to have a 'pass' and when the person comes back stoned, they drug test everyone staying in the same unit as that person and bill the insurance. When I questioned this, I was told that only people who have been in treatment for 90 days and are going into the next phase of the program are allowed a pass. Really? If someone is ready for the next phase they shouldn't be at risk for using again and jeopardizing everyone else in their unit. What a joke. I do not recommend this facility to anyone. It is an insurance mill incompetently run.

THIS PLACE IS AN INSURANCE MILL! THEY DO NOT TREAT ANY DUAL-DIAGNOSIS OTHER THAN DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY! THEY LET CLIENTS DO WHATEVER THEY WANT INCLUDING WALKING OFF TO THE BEACH AND HOOKING UP! THEY WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY TAP YOUR INSURANCE AND PUT YOU ON THE STREETS! NOW THEY ARE LINKED UP WITH MICHAEL LOHAN -- GREAT MESSAGE! LOL

I disagree. I came to Palm Partners a few months ago because I was suffering from a very serious addiciton problem and my mom found out about it for me. At first, I refused to go but I realized that I really needed to stop before I died. I stayed 43 days there. They helped me understand why I was addicted, showed me how to be more confident. Relapse was never mentioned, but they showed me how to avoid it. The group counseling, the dancing, exercise, lectures, and more was just what I needed to open my eyes and see how selfish and destructive I was. Don't just take my word, or even the original complainer's word. Do your research first.

I have heard mixed reviews about these places really helping but also "brainwashing" people into thinking they cannot return home and distance themselves from family and friends. Anyone heard/felt that out there?

I think the OP started using again and is upset because of it. They are wanting to blame it on the facility instead of taking responsibilty for it themselves.

Thankgod...how long were you at the facility? Are you still living down there? Or did you end up returning home? I hear they "recommend" people stay for 90 days then go into their outpatient program?