Four Winds Saratoga

I went to Four Winds over four times as a child. Some patients have scared me; and so did the staff. Many were not attentive; another patient said they were gong to kill themselves a day before discharge and they didn't care. Also, another patient didn't eat for days there, and the staff did not care. They had very repetitive groups, and taught me some of the behaviors such as cutting or doing drugs that I do today. more

Prior to my daughter being sent here, in the last hour my husband read some of these reviews and became terrified. Due to this I would like to add my comments to relieve some others fears. We found ourselves at Four Winds because my 17yr old daughter needed medication support to help deal with the severe depression she was suffering from. Unfortunately, we were unable to get her the needed support without this option. From the point of arrival to her departure from Four Winds, we were happy with the care she got. She was NEVER given any new medicine, increase or decrease in medicine before first consulting with my husband or I. She received counselling daily which was individual, group or both. If she had to complain about anything it probably would have been the food. Typical cafeteria food. We were allowed to bring in food for her when we visited. (at least until there was a teen with severe food allergy in her same unit) We could visit twice daily and included in the family night counseling session with other parents. I also want to add that I was grateful for Four Winds assistance post treatment as we needed this until her first Psychiatric appt. You see it was 2.5 months before we could get in to see a psych. They were wonderful in helping us with our needs during this time. I definitely recommend Four Winds. more

Place is just cold. Staff there is cold as well. Just don't care only want that paycheck more

Mental health patients are treated like 2nd class citizens and this is no where more apparent then at Four Winds Saratoga. Some of the staff are kind and considerate but most are on a power trip. Cure coincides with your insurance running out. They will keep you past the need or discharge you too soon depending on what is best financially for them. The administrative staff are arrogant and condescending If you want to be treated like a human and get real help, go to Ellis in Schenectady. If you want help, real help, stay away ... far, far away. more

This is NOT the place you want to send a teen with an eating disorder. My daughter was voluntarily admitted for her eating disorder and depression. She had been in in-patient treatment for 5 months at an out of town residential center and lasted less than 24 hours at Four Winds. She called the following morning after admission begging us to get her out of there. She was placed in a house with all adults, mostly depression and was placed on "suicide watch", which meant that someone opened her unlocked door every 15 minutes. No one was monitoring her adjustment or food intake and she easily was able to purge all the meals. The other patients on the ward scared me, let lone a young girl (many creepy looking men watching her). When I went to sign her out they made us wait four hours (I almost just walked out with my daughter) and we had this horrible psychiatrist tell us that insurance would cut off further treatment for leaving. We signed the papers and got the heck out of there. Admitting my daughter to this place was the worst mistake I ever made. The place is old and dirty and the staff could care less. I should have known because when she was 16 she attended the day program for ED. This program was also a total joke. The best treatment for ED is at any of the Renfrew centers (she went to Philly) or in Boston (Klarmen center). Do NOT waste your time, money or the future of your loved one. more

Four Wind's staff is notorious for misdiagnosis. When I was a patient, I found out later, the Psychiatrist assigned to my care was found guilty of professional misconduct and was subject to a censure and reprimand in August 2004 for gross negligence and gross incompetence. Stay away is all I can say. more

Four Winds returned my daughter to full mental health after a bipolar event. You have no idea how grateful I am. more

I have known several people who have been patients at Four Winds Saratoga and, unfortunately, no one has had a good experience. Some members of the staff are caring and show concern but the Dr's and clinicians are very condescending. I discussed Four Winds with a very prominent psychologist in the Albany, New York area and was told that Four Winds, Saratoga is not well regarded by the medical community. Four Winds is prone to misdiagnosis and resist amending patient records. I know a person who went to Four Winds on the recommendation that electroconvulsive therapy was necessary. Four Winds refused this treatment despite two stays over the course of two months. Finally, this patient went to Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, was provided ECT and has not been hospitalized since. In addition, Four Winds does not release voluntary patients upon request. My friend voluntarily went and they refused to release her even though she gave notice. Her release coincided with her insurance running out. Lastly, if you are a sportsmen, DO NOT go to Four Winds. Known to report people under the Safe Act even though patient is presumably not released until safe to themselves and the community. Ellis Hospital is Schenectady is your best and safest bet. more

They could care less if you get better- also they kept my child there a week beyond when insurance would pay for it and then tried to get me to sign a paper about it- I refused- all they care about is money and pushing pills - they have no idea how to actually treat someone more

I went to Four Winds for depression. As a Voluntary patient, you can sign yourself out unless they believe that you meet the criteria for an involunatry hospitilization. I was a patient for about a week and felt better so I tried to sign myself out but they wouldn't let me leave and kept me for a few days until my insurance stopped paying. DON'T go to Four Winds unless you want to be treated like a prisoner. This place should be reported. I have checked with several therapist in Albany and when I mention Four Winds, they roll their eyes. Unfortunately, it is better then CDPC and is the only other game in town. There is a hospital near Springfield in Mass. I haven't been there but hear that it is a better place to go. more

I went to Four Winds for Depression and left with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After VOLUNTARILY going for help, they misdiagnosed me and simply doubled the dosages of my medication. They reported me under the safe act three days before my discharge because I was a danger to myself but two days later, found that I was safe to discharge into the community. My "cure" coincided with my insurance running out. At Four Winds, the worse your insurance, the faster you are cured. Obviously, they only care about the money. The beds were terrible, don't get me started on the food. I lost 5 lbs in a week. more

I was assulted by a Mental Health Worker,who's Mother works there! more

I was on the freshwater unit for 2 weeks. I was the youngest kid there everyone was 15-17. It helped me tremendously. I went in for drugs depression anxiety isolation suicidal ideation suicidal tendisys suicide attempt alcohol anger irritability skipping school and running away. Im very happy now and my anxiety is very low. If i ever need help again i will defintely go back there! more

Four Winds was the worst experience of my life. DBT was the focus of every group and had me drawing pictures of flowers. There was one Doctor to prescribe medications and I was on things I should not have been taking. I came out of this hole no better than when I went. Groups had you say what you were there for in front of others and made me feel violated. The food was terrible and once I sat at a table and had to move as it was a staff table to eat at.I would not recommend this place to anyone. One star. more

The nurses and mental health staff play favorites, and treat anyone they don't like with disrespect and contempt. You will only see a therapist once or twice, the rest of the time is spent sitting and taking notes in group...because that totally helps, right? Art Therapy doesn't heal PTSD or depression. I was totally disregarded by the doctors, put on nearly 10 medications that I DIDN'T need, and treated like a criminal because one of the patients attacked me unprovoked. They believed the person who attacked me and did not even ask for my side of the story, and released this dangerous person back into the unit less than 24 hours later while I was still there! After I threatened to sue they allowed me to leave. I left feeling worse than I did before I arrived. This place is pathetic, and there is only one incredibly inept doctor servicing 50+ adults and their medication needs. While I was there, FOUR separate attacks occurred in my unit, including the one against me. I felt very unsafe the entire time, when I wasn't feeling ignored. This place should be investigated. more

I checked myself into Four Winds after numerous recommendations thinking I was going to get a head start on coping with my fight with PTSD. After 3 days of being disregarded and realizing I was not going to get the help I had hoped for, I requested to leave. They assured me that things would turn around and I just needed to focus on myself regardless of those around me so I attended every group, participated, took notes and realized nothing more than the fact that the groups are merely there to make the day appears structured. You are woken up at 6:30am and have a total of 3, 45min-1 hour groups throughout the day. Not exactly a time consumer. If you're lucky you'll meet with your therapist once or twice and if you show or express and concern you will be treated as a "problem". A majority of the staff was either disregarding or incredibly rude. You are nothing more than a name on a checklist. You could be sobbing in a corner and not a single member of staff will so much as glance in your direction let alone offer support. I went in with an open mind and left with nothing more than disappointment and anger for not only the lack of care I received but the lack of care for every other person in my unit. The only positive I can say about the experience was the friendships I left with. I wouldn't recommend this place to anybody especially those suffering with any sort of depression or mental illness. more

I thought this would be the place to help my kid but guess what WRONG. When you come in very nice people until you leave. I live three hour away, I will call hear nothing call again nothing. Until I became very rude everyone there thinks they are perfect and come look at the new person as a proget. With rude as 'll they looked at is the money coming in more

Worst place in the world for a teenager. If you think leaving your kid on Cell Block H with criminals is a good idea then bring her/him here. The building where they admit you looks like a country club. Once you sign the papers they send your kid to a filthy building, boys and girls in same building. I was terrified she would be raped. PS you can't get them out for 72 hours. Also, this place is useless since insurance will only pay for 7-10 days. more

This place was useless. I went to learn some coping skills for anxiety and depression but I didn't connect with the classes as they were mostly based on drug and alcohol. I could NOT grasp the DBT's that we were supposed to apply to our situations and I expressed this MANY MANY times. Then my insurance was up and they told me I was good to go. I made them write in my discharge paperwork that I DID NOT AGREE. The staff was no help at all. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone. more

My husband went here for 10 days voluntarily advised by his pshycologist He has been home for 3 weeks and he is no better possibly worse than when he went He went for mental problems and we are now working with yet another pshycologist wondering if we will ever get a right diagnosis Whole family feels it was a very big waste of money as we are no further ahead than before he went more