Momentum for Mental Health

Did they write this positive review? Because it contradicts literally ever statement I’ve ever heard about this place. Horrible care. Really, really awful: flat out.
This place is an awful joke. I would have given up completely if they had anything to do with it. They are, incompetent. These people didn’t know enough about Mental Health to recognize when someone is really struggling. 15 minutes with the Doctors. Terrible case workers. Utterly clueless staff. It’s sad that we’ve allowed for this black hole to exist for as long as it has. They should have their State contract reviewed with a fine tooth comb. How many lives have they let slip right between the cracks? I grew up in a world where Doctors were required to do more harm than good. That have no concept of this. On behalf of real Medicine, and someone who grew up around the Ivy Leagues, they are grossly incompetent. It’s so egregious I tried to return and let the first complete violation of my rights go. They still managed to violate my rights, my emotional well being, and my stability. They ignored basic symptoms, and actual pleading. They were supposed to be watching out for me. They are, no good to this community outside of their few over coddled «favorite» clients. What an awful excuse for a Mental Health provider.

Definitely zero. Staff highly unprofessional and disorganized. For this to be an organization to support mental services they do not return calls, or follow through & late for scheduled appointments because they «went to Starbucks». What a joke for a mental health organization!

Momentum is a mixed bag. Some of the therapists there are good and dedicated, but two of the best have left recently. Some of the other staff seem to have very little relevant training and basically just mail it in. The worse thing about Momentum and La Selva is the lack of supervision of the residential houses and the apartment that they run for people who are not in the inpatient facility on Forest Avenue in Palo Alto. One big problem is that there is very little supervision of these «independent» facilities by staff, and, unbelievably, the folks living there do not have to attend the classes at the 206 California facility, even though the classes are one of the most vital parts of the program. So, a number of the clients get almost no treatment, other than periodic psychiatric visits and often once over lightly sessions with assigned staff therapists, some of whiom are reported by other patients to be almost laugahably incompetent. Therefore, a number of patients are sometimes left to their own devices. As a result, in the independent facilities a number of patients regularly smoke and drink and do drugs, even though some of these houses and the apartment building are designated as alcohol free. There are rules about substance and alcohol abuse but they are not enforced. People trying to overcome alcohol and drug dependency can sometimes get triggered and actually get worse by staying there. The problem is that there are very few competing facilities like Momentum/​La Selva, so the bar is lowered and they can get away with shoddy care and a money making orientation without losing clients. Some people clearly get good results there, but I certainly would never recommend it to anyone.

This place is really bad. Please, if you are having a bad experience with this place, please post it. They literally care so little about mental health they will discharge you rather than help you if say anything about the horrid treatment. They are abusing the mentally ill of your community. This isn’t right! I was a client until I questioned why the doctor couldn’t remember who I was or the right symptom list. No stars. Literally the worst of the worst. I’ve been treated by doctors at Yale and Stanford, and this place is the lowest common denominator. Really uncaring. The worst mental health car I have ever witnessed. And I was in a coma in 2009.

My husband came to this facility looking for treatment and support. He was diagnosed as Bipolar II. I was very happy when I saw their curriculum and thought finally we had found a place where he could relearn life skills and how to cope with his symptoms. He has been in the outpatient program for two weeks and I’ve only witnessed an increase in his symptoms. He is allowed to have his phone and text during classes so I don’t see how this helps him learn how to focus and concentrate or how he can even absorb what is being told to him. He has rage episodes at home that have increased since his time at La Selva. After a particularly upsetting episode he had at home, I reached out to Betsy, my husband’s case worker, to find out if there would be any opportunity for Jeremy and I to get counseling together so we could learn how to co-​exist. Betsy spouted off how I needed to find help for myself — which I had done but counseling for myself does not help my husband and I as a couple. I needed to know how to help my husband on a personal level — since they were counseling him and had a treatment plan — or so I thought — wouldn’t it make sense for us to talk to one of his doctors? Each person is different so there is no blanket solution and starting over with a new counselor who knew nothing of my husband’s history didn’t make sense to me. They have never talked to me about my husband’s history or behaviorn nor have they wanted to know how he was functioning at home so they have no idea what is really happening — only what he tells them. I had called Betsy crying and begging her to help me find a way to help my husband and our relationship. She said she would send me a list of resources and would offer one session for the two of us. She told me I should probably leave my house. I explained to her my husband was going to need support if we separated. That he was not understanding finances or simple things due to his mental illness. She said nothing. The next day another horrible episode happened and I again reached out and left her a message telling her that it was vital for us to have a session together so they could understand how serious the situation was. Betsy wrote to me letting me know she could not offer me anything, she took back her offer of a counseling session and told me I should reach out to outside resources for help. This was shocking and appalling to me. To tell a family in crisis there is nothing to do for them — La Selva had nothing to offer in the way of support and guidance — was appalling. I agree with the reviewer above, they are only in it for the money. If there is no help for the family then there is no help for the person suffering from mental illness. This is a family disease not an individual disease. Unfortunately, this was one of the few places my insurance would cover. DO NOT GO TO LA SELVA if you have other options.

Such a joke. These classes far from help people suffering from mental illness. They are merely in it for the insurance money. Avoid at all costs! People use drugs and alcohol while attending this program, which is not beneficial for the people trying to get well. This was mentioned and no one was kicked out or disciplined.
Also the facility is extremely dirty.