John Muir Health Behavioral Health Center, Inpatient Services

Fantastic experience: John Muir Hospital is truly exceptional! The staff here are amazing—compassionate, attentive, and dedicated to providing the best care possible. The hospital goes above and beyond to accommodate various dietary needs, offering delicious meals that make a real difference during recovery. What stands out most is the way they care for kids with so much love and attention, making them feel comfortable and supported throughout their stay. It's a great place that combines professionalism with genuine kindness. Highly recommend!

Negative experience: I was here in january and this was a last resort since i’ve been hospitalized before for suicidal ideation. The staff were very rude in the children’s unit and it honestly seemed like some of them liked triggering the patients there. I was also threatened with being sedated because I was crying (I was not being unsafe or doing anything bad) They also didn’t inform my mom until after I took the drug. On my first day there another girl was getting discharged and she wasn’t making it very hard to tell that she needed more help. The girl was saying she was gonna hurt herself when she got home at group and talking about it openly. The staff didn’t care at all and she was still discharged. I was also roommates with a girl that I believe was going through psychosis and she was probably sedated at least once everyday I asked for a room change because I legit had no privacy since she was on a 1-1, but apparently I was to "high risk" for a room change. The social worker that was working on my case also told my dad that I was faking it and “liked" going to hospitals so I don’t understand how I could’ve been high risk if I was faking it. There was also a 8 year old girl in my unit I don’t know why she was there, but she was playing around in the hallways and she went into another persons room, you know a normal 8 year old thing to do. Well the staff that was watching her put on one of his gloves and started threatening her "don’t make me put on my other glove" basically threatening to either restrain her or sedate her. The food was also not much of a choice, so if you didn’t like something or were allergic you just wouldn’t eat that meal. I don’t recommend this place at all, honestly this place just made me scared to ask for help and I had nightmares about it for months afterwards. They also would heavily medicate you if you were being "annoying" or crying, if you didn’t take the meds willingly they would threaten to sedate you even if you haven’t tried to hurt yourself or others. don’t ever send a loved one here please, this is just from the children’s unit I can’t imagine the other ones.

Fantastic experience: Incredibly caring and genuine people. I was recently here and I can honestly say that it was the biggest help after so many years of struggling. I was so scared but when I left I could not be more grateful towards these people. They really do care and they really do want to help you even if it seems like the choice is hard. Thank you John Muir Behavioral Health Center. You've changed my life.

Positive experience: my roommate was staring at me when I woke up

Fantastic experience: Top notch. Very professional and accommodating. Sound advice and service.

Positive experience: the food was good, they have a personal chef, the rooms were nice although some are colder than others. the staff in the day as well as the midnight shift are really nice. the evening shift can be kind of strict but are still very nice in my opinion. some social workers don’t understand, and will try to convince you that you have no reason to be in the mental hospital. it has its pros and cons but i’d say my experiences were really lucky.

Negative experience: Not ideal atmosphere for healing. They do not let patients go outside for fresh air and sunshine. They did not create a safe discharge plan. They sent my daughter out to find a shelter on her own because she no longer met criteria to stay. She is fairly functional but has Autism with some executive functioning challenges. She was discharged late in the day which will prevent her from securing a shelter bed because it is first come first serve. This may leave her on the street tonight. No compassion or individualized care received.

Positive experience: PM shift is better than AM

Negative experience: Borderline illegal activity goes on here. I was transferred here when I was 11 years old many years ago for S.I . I felt so hopeless already but when a male black staff started video taping and making fun of me for the internet I felt destroyed and uncomfortable. I complained but nothing was able to be “done” I also remember being dragged by a different male staff. I complained my pants were slipping and he didnt care. Another male staff (janitor) was cleaning the rooms. My friend said “im showering!” Loud enough but he still walked in.For these reasons I am unable to seek help again. I remember being very happy when I was able to go home after 7 days. There are better places.

Negative experience: When you look at reviews of this place, see when they were written. They used to be a 4-5 star place (visits between 2003 and 2015, bipolar disorder) and have gone downhill. I was told they could accommodate my BIPAP machine by their ER. After getting there, however, my nurse tried to pull a fast one on me and came in with a CPAP machine with my night meds. When I mentioned that I needed BIPAP (and I'd brought my own with me!) she literally threw a tantrum, berating me in front of other nurses and patients. I told her I'd failed cpap, doesn't work for me and BIPAP was medically necessary for me to breathe/sleep at night, and asked to be transfered to a facility that could handle it so I could sleep. "We don't DO transfers," another nurse said. Which is actually a lie. They pushed an AMA on me at 11pm on a Sunday. I took it even though the ethical thing would have been for them to transfer me to another facility. In a way I was glad to get out of there and received much better care at Herrick in Berkeley. But what they did was irresponsible, unprofessional and dangerous. Wouldn't send my worst enemy there now. So sad, John Muir used to have a decent psych unit. UPDATE: Numerous out and out lies in my chart. Unbelievable. John Muir should be ashamed. I hope they fix the problems here... Changed from two stars to one because of the lies in the chart notes.

Fantastic experience: All my stats were on the blossom adolescence unit I came here around December of 2021 For sucidal idiations. I remembered my stay back then was not so well, Alex Smirnoff who was my psychiatrist in the blossom unit upstairs, made me feel so uncomfortable whenever we talked. But I did receive a few support. As of this year now I was admited 3-17-23 Recently I was just discharged today, 3-23-23 My stay was nice, groups were nice although, some kids would just be so rude Abbott anything. I had a roommate in group who had fell from their chair *valerie* had got so mad at everyone when they were asking if the individual were okay, with me along politely saying excuse me, they feel, she made an entire seen, saying we were being really disrespectful towards her I don’t see how caring for someone who fell not on purpose was a problem.. and caused another individual to have a extremely bad panic attack . Cryiral, Maria, Janice, MJ, Ari, Chelsea, Verionca, Winnie, Angle. on blossom unit for adolescents, were the best staff ever! Especially Maria being my nurse, and making me feel heard, and always getting in good jokes with Cryiral, whenever taking meds as well. Learned great advice from peers, most especially Moe, who’ gladly rembered me from my stay back then. I kept to myself, stayed positive, and got outta there. Psychiatrist, worst Alex Smirnoff, who I’ve had, always has to mumble something after I’m talking, and did not even care to hear anything I was saying just went off with papers from PD and the hospital I was admited to, and never got to diagnose. Just to chance my meds from me.. The food has really great quality, rooms nice and neat, keep in mind it gets cold at night so ask for extra blankets:) And what I also liked, is that since I came in under an act, I had no clothes, what so ever the scrubs from the hospital, they were able to let me get clothes from the donation! And also provide new clean scrubs and a white T :) My social worker tho.. I wish I had gotten her name Only seen me once I had got there, and for the rest of my stay did not do anything with me, I had some lady who was working on papers with me another staff/ got to talk to the county about me getting a new tharpist n psychiatrist, so I thank her for listening to me other then the social worker who did nothing that I was assigned to, I though it was working with them for goals, accomplishments, and progress, but nuh uh. I’d rate it a solid 5/10 Some staff deserve full stars And some nope. ———————————————————————— I was admited 1/25/23 after an overdose, after almost losing my life I had few big panic attacks, Veronica and Cathy helped out when all the nurses walked by and did nothing, they kept me from harming myself more and provided tons of support, 5star to Veronica cathy, natly, heydee, ale, winnie and galey I had to lie myself out again, I didn’t learn anything, only seen the social worker once, Alex Smirnoff Psych gave me no new meds, I was on the same ones, I had prior to going, and was so useless, dr danilion, got me to leave I wasn’t even well the day before I left I was out of myself… but I was just glad to not be stuck in the hospital, I’d say I recived great mental health services than psych, but jhon muir it’s my number one place to go to, because all the others don’t provide as much as groups and isnt first to giving a shots and the food and staff provided are well I’d say I actually felt safe here for the first time

Negative experience: I hate to say this because they’ve helped my son in the past but if I could give them Sarah would they literally started my son on methadone on Sunday and just because they caught him hoarding medication in his room which attics do behavior like that that’s why he’s in there they’re kicking him out today after starting him on methadone with no meds no discharge meds at all . Professional say that that’s highly dangerous

Negative experience: I was in the Blossom Unit for suicidal ideation. They initially told me I would be able to go home the next day, then it changed to three days, and then it was "whenever we decide to let you out". They constantly made false promises to us about our discharge dates and treated us condescendingly when we confronted them about it. Singh was easily one of the WORST psychiatrists I've ever had. Extremely off-putting, unhelpful and generally mean as hell. He overprescribed medication to my roommate to the point where she was throwing up constantly and couldn't move. He snapped at her after she asked him for an adjustment and told her she wouldn't be having this issue if she wasn't an alcoholic. She ended up having SEROTONIN SYNDROME and had to go to the medical hospital. About five minutes before my discharge, he called my name and I misheard him, thinking he was calling for my roommate. He came back as I was packing up and got in my face, asking what was wrong with me (not in a concerned way, but with genuine anger) and why I didn't come when he called my name. I started crying and he told me he was pushing my discharge date back because I was "obviously too emotionally unstable". It took one of the nurses to step in and explain that a grown male doctor yelling at a 17 year old girl was obviously going to make her cry. Speaking of the nurses, some of them were great. Ariel was amazing and made me feel as comfortable as she could. On the other hand, one of the night staff nurses on the day I arrived threatened to sedate me because I was crying. I was not violent or displaying any unsafe behaviors. She treated all of us like an inconvenience and would audibly groan like an angsty teenager whenever one of us would try to ask her for something. The way some of the other female patients were handled was horrible. A 13 year old girl was forced to sleep on a mat in the group room because a 17 year old male patient tried to creep on her while she was changing IN HER OWN ROOM. The boy got to keep his room and received no punishment other than not being allowed to speak to the girl. My roommate was constantly being harassed by another boy, and he would show us his fresh wounds after we continuously asked him not to. At one point, he wiped his own blood on another girl because she told him he was being creepy. The nurses didn't do anything despite this being a literal biohazard. Also, the food sucked.

Negative experience: I've been to John Muir's detox unit a few times. It used to be GREAT. Ever since the pandemic it's gone way downhill. You used to be able to call and scheduled your admission and then just go, but now you have to call in the morning to see if a bed is available and then spend several hours in the emergency room to get medically cleared. It's not even a detox unit even more, it's now combined with behavioral health. They used to have groups from morning until evening and have 12 step meetings and now it's just a couple groups in the morning and then nothing. It's not all bad, there are some awesome staff members (unfortunately also some pretty awful ones) and Dr. Fred Vonstieff is a one of a kind doctor, there is no one out there like him. He has a great sense of humor. I love him to death and give him 5 stars. I went to detox primarily to see Dr. Vonstieff. I'm sorry to say though that it's gotten so bad there that I wouldn't go back. I would however look to see if I could see Dr. Vonstieff in another setting.

Negative experience: I went here and now i have ptsd.

Positive experience: opium

Fantastic experience: They staff were very helpful. Patients are able to go outside which is not common when it comes to inpatient psychiatric hospitals. This is one of the better behavioral units.

Negative experience: They are very rude, they won’t respect others feelings. They won’t think about patient emotions. If any one follow the rituals they will destroy that and if patient is connected to spiritual they will destroy that . They play with our emotions and feelings they give u mental disturbances and physically. After leaving the hospital also they won’t leave you until u r mentally disturbed then they will leave u . I never seen this kind of behavior in USA .

Negative experience: was here october 17 2022- october 23 2022. rude nurses got mad at me for “talking too long” on the phone with my family who were 3 hours away from me. food was good and one of the male nurses was nice to me while giving me my meds. my psychiatrist barely met with me and had me placed on line of sight even though i’ve never had a purging issue.. would not want to come back here but it was better than the other mental hospital i’ve been to

Negative experience: My child was here and it was awful. They were very disrespectful to me and my kid and treated the kids like they were in jail. When there was a small fire in the bldg instead of evacuation they are all put in one room with 1 staff member. There were a couple of great nurses but most of the staff just sucked. Yes we have been sadly to another facility that was incredible compared to this one.

Fantastic experience: John Muir Behavioral Center saved my husbands life. I hold the highest regards for the entire medical staff within the center and also all of the counselors that spoke. I was able to visit every day with my husband during the detox phase and attended all the counseling sessions I could on the weekends with my husband. I found it a great help to me and my coping with the disease of alcoholism. Anyone who has negative comments, I believe is still fighting the "want" to do better for themselves. Thank you to John Muir... 10months sober and counting!!

Fantastic experience: They treat addiction as a medical condition. Dr Von Stieff saved my life. The staff is amazing and the counselors are too. Any angry reviews are likely coming from people is their disease phase and not recovery.

Fantastic experience: Hello my name is Omar Carvajal. I was here in December 26 year 2022. This place is a great place to be if your in crisis. When I first got here I ran into this guy named Cassidy, he said “how old are you?” I said “I’m 17” he replied “cool since we’re both 17 let’s hang out.” I said “ok let me just fill these papers out.” First, time I went into groups they asked why are you here? Which was quite uncomfortable not knowing who these people are. My psychiatrist named Singh was a great psychiatrist. If you ever met me in John Muir’s hit me up my instagram is @therealomarcarvajal.

Negative experience: about a month ago I was admited again, due to severe sucidal thoughts, and plan on attemption, I was admited from a place in Campbell Ca, when I came here, it was alright for the start, the staff were being nice and respectful, though there were times we’re I had went in crisis, self harming in there, panic attacks and really bad thoughts, I remember galy was my nurse a few times, there was a time we’re I was having symptoms of a panic attack and just said I needed to walk back and fourth to calm down, he kept telling me to lay down I said that won’t help I know what I was doing, he was getting mad for some reason, and kept saying you wont discharge if ur being like that, I was like having a panic attack seriously? Then he took off aggressively we’re I had left the room and sat at the nurses station, Chelsea was there and politely asked how I was doing, prior to that I had taken medication but she just let me sit there and let it pass, and another time she actually helped me get out of an episode, with the tone of her voice and making sure I was okay really really supportive Groups went okay actually, like more of expressive arts, but man, nurse annisa was disrespectful, she would have her face talking then her mouth, she kept being rude and icky, with just me but the other patients as well, also really 5STAR to Heidi, keeping my wonds clean and being respectful and polite, and geo! Maria a nurse as well on the unit, completely switched up after seeing me have an episode, she just ingored me and was being disrespectful. I had again recived Alex smiernof still mumbles when being spoken to, doesn’t really ask much or seem to care just had to fake it to make it out of there. I wish my stay was to keep me safe but honestly some of it was okay, but then u have a whole other side of what goes on behind closed doors, extremely painful and, more truma to urself, I’d recommend going here but aye all experiences are diffrent but this is a place I’ve begged to go to other than a worser one I had gone to.

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend this place to anyone suffering from ongoing or acute mental illness. The nurses and doctors go above and beyond to make sure you’re stable and ready for discharge. They connect you to a lot of different services. No one’s perfect but they do their best being that it is a psychiatric facility ! Hopefully john Muir Muir can further be funded and open their own psychiatric emergency or show a thing or two to the Martinez facility which happens to be unfortunately the only psychiatric emergency facility in contra costa county.

Positive experience: The staff and counselors were great to talk to and the food was alright. Two staff members, Ekenè and Chelsea were the best to talk to for me. Some bad things though are one, the head doctor/psychiatrist who checked up on us daily, Doctor Smirnoff. He always spoke to us flatly and made me feel uncomfortable with his mood for the whole meeting. After we’d say something, he’d mumble some weird noise, which made it seem like he was making fun of me. Also, when they released me, I had no idea I was getting out that day. They just told me out of nowhere to pack up because my parent was already here and I was leaving. They sent me back with my abusive mom without a second thought. I would go back if I was required to though. Overall, the stay would be a 6/10 for me.

Negative experience: The group therapist mentally scarred me me the things he said the nurse called me a baby there was a boy that barfed two nights in a row they did nothing I harmed myself they did nothing there abusive .

Negative experience: my mom is thinking of sending me to a mental facility like this and from reading these comments i think going to somewhere like this will only worsen my anxiety and depression to the point that i'll want to die. to all you people who left honest reviews, thank you for warning me.

Negative experience: Mr. Dewy was the worst he told my roommate that they talked just to fit in , he was boasting about his wealth and he would make us feel uncomfortable

Negative experience: The guy above talking about lower class patients(blacks) I don’t see how you are above anyone in any class when a druggy is a druggy. The opiates your using in terms of class it’s the gutter of the drug world. However, we are all connect as one with nature and love. If people from another planet was to arrive here on earth, do you think they would say good white humans bad black human, high class Asians etc.. No they would have man-kind. Learn to love yourself, only then will your heart open and eyes to see the true enemy.

Negative experience: I was 14 when I came here and I still remember everything vividly. The staff wasn't any help. In fact, when I started quietly crying my first night there they locked me in what they called the "quiet room" where they normally locked a boy with autism in. They kicked him out and put me in there and said I wasn't allowed to come out till I stopped crying completely. My only good experience came from when I was allowed to interact with others during meetings, hearing others share their stories helped me. They just threw me back out with my abusive family after a week and called it a day.

Negative experience: do not send anyone here. The staff was incompetent and treated us like we were daycare patients, not children in need of mental help. I went to groups every day, but the one day I stayed in my room because I had a migraine the “therapist” revoked my outdoor privileges. Most of the time we were watching tv, not being helped. The day I was discharged the staff let another patient threaten and attempt to hit me, claiming that they were “too busy on the phone” to help. Do not send your child here.

Positive experience: It was one of the better ones i been too came out the same but wasn't as bad me and a friend actually managed to AWOL for a couple hours

Fantastic experience: i came here aug 3- aug 9 and it was the most helpful place ive ever been to. the staff dont just babysit they care and help you on how to feel better. big credits to Moe, Khalil, Sanusi, Natalie, Sheila, and miguel for being the best staff and for really caring about the people there. <3

Fantastic experience: my uncle kanye just stayed for a 72 hour hold, and he is now at home recovering & he’ll give a shout-out in donda2. He’s still making some comments about skete but he’ll get better w/ time

Fantastic experience: one of the best mental hospitals i've been to

Positive experience: This was my first time ever going to a psych hospital and it was not that bad all thought it seemed like it was the longest week of my life a councilor named Mose helped me a lot he did make me cry a few times But he helped me realize if you have selective hearing and you only here what you want it does not help you not get you anywhere. Mose has very deep talks but he only wants people to get better and he wants to help it’s not that he’a trying to be mean but he want to make sure you are paying attention to what you need to hear

Negative experience: this place sucks

Negative experience: dr. Neril - Fraud*

Negative experience: I have been trying to contact doctors regarding a family member for days. I spoke to a social worker today who did not even know what medication gave him the bad side effects. I just want an update on my loved ones condition. I would never recommend

Positive experience: I've come here twice in the past 3 months and my first experience was great,,,, but the most recent one was terrible. The nurses in the teens unit treated me poorly. They got me in trouble for no reason whatsoever even though I was following each an every one of the rules, especially nurse Misty. She was the nurse that triggered me the most and made my stay there a living hell. Misty really triggered me and made me cry multiple times during my stay, which is very unprofessionalon her behalf. I went there to get better and came out worse than before. I'd much rather be in my toxic home instead of that place where they treat me like a pebble on the side of the road. Overall a mediocre place :/ I wouldn't wanna come here again.

Fantastic experience: there u will find Stanley and rocksann the best nurse I ever met very kind and helpful

Fantastic experience: the best psych hospital i’ve ever been too, mose was so helpful and i felt so much better and safer leaving .the staff were super supportive and nice and the food was great . the rooms were really nice and so was the outside area

Positive experience: I've come here twice in the past 3 months and my first experience was great,,,, but the most recent one was terrible. The nurses in the teens unit treated me poorly. They got me in trouble for no reason whatsoever even though I was following each an every one of the rules, especially nurse Misty. She was the nurse that triggered me the most and made my stay there a living hell. Misty really triggered me and made me cry multiple times during my stay, which is very unprofessionalon her behalf. I went there to get better and came out worse than before. I'd much rather be in my toxic home instead of that place where they treat me like a pebble on the side of the road. Overall a mediocre place :/ I wouldn't wanna come here again.

Positive experience: Glad they’re taking care of my mom and helping her get better. Very angry that there’s nobody at the desk every single time I’ve called in hopes of contacting her though. Their robot menu options haven’t been any help either.

Fantastic experience: When I entered the facility I was badly addicted to alcohol and opioid drugs. The detox was rough, it’s what I truly needed. Then the care afterwards in their 30 day program was instrumental in bringing me to the point I am today, which is clean and sober. Without mentioning any names, I would like to extend my appreciation to the staff who work so hard to make me a success. I would recommend this program to anyone who truly wants to change.

Negative experience: I called them several times because I needed something. I couldn't get what I needed, but asked them if they can write an email that simply stated that I've called them. They were unwilling to do that either. All around unhelpful.

Negative experience: They're supposed to be taking care of my best friend and she called one night about how she hates it and I've tried to call her back but they always tell me she's not available or they put me on hold. When they don't answer there are these robot options but it doesn't help

Negative experience: This facility is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. The doctors on staff will not see a patient for more than 5-10 minutes every 3-5 days, nurses openly speak about private patient records, and they allow violent and unstable patients to accost and abuse other patients under their care. The entire hospital and its associated programs care about one thing; keeping people imprisoned as long as possible to rack up billable “treatments” including their base rate of $3700 per day. The psych ward and Center for Recovery are both poorly run facilities with abhorrent practices. The center for recovery is located next door to a FUNCTIONING CRACK HOUSE, and for some patients they will not let you leave the psych ward unless you agree to go there. My son spent over a week unlawfully held in the psych ward against his will and they only let him leave once he agreed to go to their “rehab” which is essentially just AA meetings, a twin bed and shuttle service billed at $22,000+ per month. If you care about the person you are considering sending to this place, please please please do not. My son was introduced to IV fentanyl and methamphetamine users while under the care of this facility, he also suffered through multiple traumatic experiences at the hands of other patients. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

Negative experience: Staff in children's unit incredibly rude. They seem to derive pleasure from making ten year old children cry. "Dr." Alex Smirnoff is is rude, arrogant, condescending, and just plain doesn't seem to care about the children or the family, refusing to listen to the concerns of parents. A vindictive and petty individual, he resorted to threats of 5250 to try to get his way. The only positive is that I learned a whole lot about California mental health care law. You will need to buff up on it if you or your child comes here.

Fantastic experience: I have been to about every psychiatric hospital in northern California but I will honestly tell you that John Muir was one of the highest quality hospitals I had the pleasure to be treated at. I have had around 3-4 average length stays and each time was consistent in quality care. The rooms are clean and safe and are monitored responsibly. The food is surprisingly good and they went out of their way to satisfy my vegan dietary needs. In fact, upon arrival they gave me a survey and asked my fool preferences, even for snacks. The staff are absolutely amazing! I'm not sure if they are still employed but I can think of several who went above and beyond for patients even when they didn't have to. The groups were also very captivating and helpful. They got very personal and invited you into a space where you could comfortably and personally share everything you need to get off your chest instead of just giving memorized speeches of the same things we're sick of being told. In conclusion, I owe a lot of my recovery to this hospital and I'm thankful to its staff, counselors, and psychiatrists.

Fantastic experience: I have to say without CFR and Dr Von Stieff I would not be here and I definitely would not be thriving. I checked in four different times and as of 2010 it finally just clicked. I had/have two close friends from the program and one has died from his addiction. You’re worth saving.

Fantastic experience: Good place

Fantastic experience: Honestly there's no words I was treated with so much respect at John Muir when I was 14 years old in my freshman year back in 2014. Food is nice, but making friends makes it so much better because all you can do is remember them, I do miss one friend he is one of the most realest people I met and sadly I have no contact with him :(

Negative experience: I was here once and it only worsened my anxiety and depression. Still suffering from it.

Negative experience: ive been here once and so far.....i still want to die so this place is no help at all. do not go here

Negative experience: If I could give this place zero stars, that still wouldn't be a low enough rating. This place was nightmarish. On my first night the nurses had me sleep on the floor by the front desk with the light on. They never gave me any clean clothes through the entire duration of my stay despite my asking repeatedly for clean underwear at least. They forced all the patients to attend group therapy sessions where all they did was tell us to get it together before we ruin our lives, and they force you to tell everyone why you were placed in the hospital. If a patient reports being neglected or mistreated, the staff vehemently objects and finds a way to blame the child. They could not control their more volatile patients either. Several times I was locked in my room while other patients screamed and begged to go home or die. They windows are patched up with tape and there are obscenities and horrible messages written all over the walls. My depression got significantly worse from this place. Never go here.

Positive experience: This is a very good medically supervised detox. The Doctor is very knowledgeable and experienced. The staff are very kind and will do all that they can to help you , they also are considerably experienced in the field of addiction and recovery. No one here will judge you, no matter how many times you have relapsed, or if it is your first time . The food is better than some restaurants , the snacks are also good. The rooms are clean as well as the bathrooms. If you want to detox from alcohol, and, or drugs comfortably. Then this is the place that you want to go. They will also help you with further rehabilitation and placement after detox. Also connecting you with professionals to help you so you will be able to stay clean and sober

Fantastic experience: I was in the Drug and Alcohol Detox part of John Muir Behavioral Pavilion back in 2008 Just to clarify there are Separate programs. Drug and Alcohol Detox Rehab, Adult Psychiatric Unit and Children and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit. The majority of negative reviews are from the Children's & Adolescent Unit which is very different from the Drug & Alcohol Program. I went in to detox off over 100 mg of Methadone but was told I also had to detox off my Anxiety medication. The first 2 days weren't so bad and I was given medication to help with the withdrawals, Methadone is the worst drug to get off, worse than heroine. Dr Von Stief is very educated about addiction and explains how each substance effects our mind and body, also the nurses were very compassionate, by the 6th day I was really sick and couldn't sleep, had restless legs so at 2:30 am the night nurse stayed up and talked to me, she also cleaned the jet tub for me to take a hot bath. The counselors were also great, as sick as I felt I went to groups and the NA/AA meetings. I was in for 10 days and learned a lot about addiction.The rooms were clean, bathroom clean, everyone shares a room, they avoid putting patients with the same substance addiction in the same room which I think is a very good idea. If you're ready to get clean and sober I highly recommend John Muir Pavilion in Concord, The food is also very good.if you're able to eat.

Fantastic experience: Very friendly people there

Negative experience: Idk if I should really talk but I wen't here just a week ago and got out yesterday and as my first time attending John Muir, well it sucked. Some of the staff were rude and disrespectful. I couldn't say that I wasn't because I was but as I got there I felt uncomfortable and distant to myself. John Muir staff wouldn't even allow me to have fun because I was "too focused on on other people"

Negative experience: This place is hotrible, please if your child is here remove them as soon as you can! Find another facility or source of help. The nursing staff rude, they do not let you speak to your child, they do not answere queations and will yell at tou. I am a nurse and the quality if care gor patients as well as compassion for flthe families is not there at all!. Remove your child! They will only do more harm

Negative experience: I was a patient in 2015. First of all I will admit that I do have a temper and I was the one who started most of my arguments with the nurses in the children's ward but they took it took far . After arguing with them I realized that it was my last day there so I really didn't want to risk my chances of being able to leave . So I calmed myself that entire day . But they kept trying to press my buttons and get me to start being angry . My mother was late for picking me up and I was obviously worried and they noticed this and said "you might leave today but you might not leave today " and the other one said "even if you leave that does not mean you won't come back" . As nurses they should be encouraging mentally ill patients to do better in life after the hospital not discourage them with comments like that.

Fantastic experience: Very caring, helpful staff. Clean and safe environment. I learned a lot with my stay at this facility and CBT services were great in Brentwood.

Negative experience: i was a patient there for a few weeks, i went there twice, tbh they never did anything, the pills they prescribed me made me through up, my doctor didn't care about me, i hated it there and the staff sucks

Negative experience: I was a patient in 2013, all I kept hearing was how great the hospital was from the staff... um no. There was one nice nurse, only one that actually cared about all of us. All they wanted to do was shove med down my throat, they had me marked as PTSD but they did not care, it didnt matter that anti-depressants played a main part in my PTSD. They could never figure out what they wanted to do with me, at first they wanted to lock me up in Nevada because i was miserable and refused meds (which by the way is my right whether your a minor or adult they can not take that away from you unless you actually try something there). Im pretty sure most of the patients would have started a riot if they didnt think theyd get stuck there longer when the nurses tried to shove a needle with the meds they wanted me to take in me. They had absolutely zero right doing that to me and threatening it if i didnt orily take the pills willingly I had given them absolutely zero reason to do that and by getting ready to do that and force me to take meds they took my right away when I still had it, the most i did was cry when they told me i could take the pills right then or theyd force them in me with a needle, im afraid of most medication (aside from anti-biotic) not to mention needles of course Id burst in to tears and get up against the wall and they knew this, my doctor and the nurses all knew this. This hospital did not help me at all, if anything it made things worse! The doctors did not care, neither did the nurses (except one) one of them actually told me to my face that she hated me. They talked about how the girl i was to be sharing a room with was dangerous and how they were fine putting me in there with her, well if shes dangerous put her somewhere she cant hurt anyone not where she can easily hurt her roomate thanks. All the night shift nurses did was gossip about patients and got annoyed with me because i had insomnia and would stay up till 3am drawing. Its not my fault they forced me in the hallway with lights because i refused medication and they wouldnt give me my sleeping pills when insomnia is in my file too. And when i actually took the pills after they got a needle next to me I had one of the major side effects... my neck got stuck as far back as i can bend it to my neck and mind you i already had problems with my spine back then, twice it happened during group and I begged them for something it took both my hands to hold my neck up so i wouldnt hurt myself when i walked out there to ask for something, anything to make the agonizing pain in my neck to stop and make it to where it didnt want to bend all the way back, what the nurse told me, "Go back to group, come back after." I have spinal issues, the problem was in my neck, honestly, how stupid and uncaring can you be! Not to mention my inhaler was given to them and they made a "special one" which was not my perscription, my inhaler was given to you i know because i gave it to you myself... you lock it up why cant i have mine, and yeah you guessed it they wouldnt let me have it during group. They wouldnt let me excersise, i get im very small for what i eat but im not anerexic all i wanted was to not be stuck cooped up on that freaken cold floor all day long, i mean honestly i dont look like someone who can freaken climb a fence and even if i could which i cant, im too lazy to. They acted like I was a flight risk when all i wanted was for someone to actually listen to me and believe me when i said i was being abused, but nope. They did not care at all for any of the patients i spent a lot of time in the hall because they didnt trust me to freaken draw without being watched by like 3 people no matter how many times i proved i didnt want to harm myself and honestly i didnt all i wanted was the hell out of there. DO NOT GO HERE!!! All they care about is their next pay check! I highly doubt any of the doctors or nurses would flinch if one of their patients died there.