This is a "detox" located in a "hospital" setting. It is in actuality an unimaginably dirty, cold, uncaring dungeon for gays and lesbians struggling through both emotional turmoil and addiction. My paperthin, rock-hard bed had dirt, lint, bedbugs, another patient's dirty clothing, and a spoiled container of milk in it upon arrival. Welcome to hell! A detox certainly shouldn't be The Hilton, but being an addict or alcoholic doesn't mean one should be relegated to demeaning and filthy conditions. This was disgustingly uncomfortable. The unit was so ice cold that all patients walk around in draped in numerous white hospital blankets. I could see through my bath towel. The chairs in the "group lounge" all had the stuffing coming out. Although other units in the hospital (non-gay) go to the first floor cafeteria for meals, the PRIDE Unit gets its meals delivered cold, hard, stale, and undiscernable. The staff was rude, arrogant, and condescending.
The unit psychiatrist, Dr. Peter Ventri, shows up to the unit at will. Somedays 9am. Somedays you need to wake up from your sleep at 11pm to see him. I did go to his office once upon release per "aftercare". It is a cattlefarm. Herd'em in, herd 'em out. Scribble a prescription or three, collect some $, and you have 5 minutes to shout out your problems..."Go!" Times Up... See you in a month. I immediately got a new psychiatrist. Prescriptions were subsequently transcribed incorrectly causing me to take wrong doseages.
There is a "medical" doctor who visits this "hospital". One must REQUEST to be seen by him. I requested to be seen the day before my discharge at 6 am due to a severe cold / sore throat. At 10pm I was told the doctor had been to the unit and chosen NOT to see me!!! I was discharged with undiagnosed strep throat. So, a warning... Don't CHOOSE to get sick at This hospital!
Aftercare here is an afterthought. Lindsey, the director of aftercare did absolutely nothing for me. I made all of my own follow up appointments, obtained my own therapist, and arranged my own AA meetings. Other issues were also left for me to contend with alone.
The Director of Nursing, Alan Dupuis is an absolute joke. He would not return my post-discharge calls. I simply wanted to address these concerns with smebody who may be able to prevent similar situations arising in the future. He did not return calls. It seems he is perfectly content to rest on his a* and collect OUR money as long as possible. Unfortunately, we as a group~ those of us with addictions or mental disorders~ are most likely to be taken advantage of; and Alan and this institution seem to have little moral compass steering them in a diferent direction.
I just received a bill for $1,500. $300 a day for 5 days (co-pay)... Never heard about this 'til today!
Do yourselves or your loved ones a favor and just google the words "detox Fort Lauderdale" and choose to go anywhere else! This place simply does not provide the optimal chances of success. God willing, I will be sober for 6 months in three days. Some of the people I was in here with were in this place for the 6th, 7th, 8th time. I believe that this staff likes to see people fail as often as their insurances will allow. Repeat business and job security.
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