1 /5 Karla Sofia: My daughter was admitted to Palms Behavioral Health & I had to take her out. My daughter was traumatized despite only being there for 2 days. On her first day, Monday, she witnessed fights and other patients having drugs and getting high, my daughter had never been around an environment like this before and was extremely terrified. On Tuesday they had visitations later that evening so I was able to see my daughter with her god mother. My daughter said she had panic attacks all day on Tuesday and nobody did anything, she wasn’t able to talk to anyone until it was group time and a therapist finally came to her unit. My daughter told us everything that had happen, including things like patients planning on doing Code Purples to get injected, Staff saying bad words to the patients and mistreating them, Patients sneaking drugs in and getting high, and how she was terrified because she did not belong there. I spoke to staff regarding her safety and everything she told me. On Wednesday, I continued to call the staff regarding her safety and wellbeing and seeing if I’d be able to take her out early. My daughter already has a therapist and psychiatrist that she has been seeing since she was 14 and has improved significantly and had never tried to harm herself. She was terrified that being there in that horrible place and environment would erase all the progress she had made and worked hard on. I was able to get her discharged on Wednesday. The staff were all nice to her that day and the people watching over the patients changed due to rotations and they were a lot nicer than the ones she had on Monday & Tuesday. Overall only three staff members were nice and did not mistreat the patients or my daughter. My daughter is severely traumatized still yet has been home for 3 days now. She still looks around for cameras, feels scared closing the bathroom door or locking it, terrified that she’ll get in trouble for being on her devices, and more. My daughter also said they would watch 911 or forensic files or law & order which would have heavy triggering topics like sexual abuse, overdosing, death, and more. I don’t understand why they were allowed to watch those things as those topics can be very triggering for people. After my daughter was discharged we drove home and visited her psychiatrist so she could see her because she was traumatized. Her psychiatrist said Palms Behavioral Health is one of the worst places in the valley and did not understand why my daughter had been sent there. Her psychiatrist was glad that I had taken her out and fought for her. Overall horrible place. I do not understand how this place is supposed to help people get better or get stabilized. The environment is horrible and dangerous, my daughter was exposed to things she had never witnessed or been around (drugs and fights) My daughter would like to thank Stefanie, Drew, and Sam, one female and two male staff that were nice towards my daughter and were understanding and made her feel comfortable and safe. Palms gave my daughter more trauma than help and she was there for 2 days. I am glad to have my daughter back and continue her usual treatment with her psychiatrist and therapist. Horrible place, I don’t understand how a place like this can be considered safe. If I could I would absolutely give this place 0 stars.
