Crisis Center at UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor

"Some are the workers are amazing but the rules and how they run the building can be irritating and can be a of time"

"I am so glad this place exist because they do care for our mental and physical health. Thank you for understanding me, and tried to be there for me. If I ever need help agin, you guys are the first place I will go. I am feeling mentally and physically better because of you guys, and I will always be grateful to you guys."

"Posting from an alias account to protect my identity. This establishment would 302 a toothpick if they could. It's incredibly embarrassing that UPMC is affiliated with this disaster. As a UPMC employee I'm going to say this once: do not go here, do not take anyone you care about here, do not recommend this bastardization to a family member or friend or really anyone who you care about in the slightest bit. Often times you would be better off doing nothing than contacting them. I promise you most UPMC employees are not this bad at their jobs elsewhere."

"Evan Daley is a the crisis clinician who works for this establishment and also with MPD. I called Evan with my counselor to have a ride to the hospital for an assessment. Evan and the MPD took it upon themselves to turn my voluntary 201 into an involuntary 302 for what he at the time described as a liability concern. It now has come to my attention they are strictly doing that to take people's guns away. Absolutely shameful this is how they treated me when I called them asking for help in one of my most vulnerable moments ever. They looked me directly in the eyes and lied to me, don't let it be you next. Do better Evan. Ask a parent or trusted friend for a ride to the hospital if needed. These people are not here to help you."

"My experience at the Crisis Residential Unit was abysmal at best. I went to this pitiful institution as I was struggling with very significant anxiety, depression, PTSD, and all of the lovely symptoms that go along with all of that. I was feeling very hopeless and despondent. I thought that this would be a helpful place. Boy, was I wrong. I wasn't aware that one of the employees there was someone that I had worked with before at a fast food job. She was probably one of the last people that I would ever want in a therapeutic environment. I went to other staff with this concern and eventually ended up having a discussion with the program director, Sharon Sandberg. She reassured me that this employee would not have access to any of my information, and that I would not be required to attend any group or therapy with her. While this was nominally reassuring, given my previous experiences with this individual, I had little confidence that my confidentiality would be protected by this individual and said so. I was again reassured that this wouldn't be an issue. However, what WAS an issue is still having to see this employee as they go about their business, and knowing that this is not someone who keeps things to herself. And of course not being able to participate in some of the therapeutic activities that I am there for because of the presence of this person. After another full day, I again spoke to the program director, and informed her that I could not continue to remain there, as it wasn't doing anything for me but increasing my anxiety. She then agreed that it would be appropriate for me to be discharged early due to the unique circumstances of my situation there. I asked her if this would be considered a discharge against clinical advice, and she clearly stated that it would not. I asked several times just to make sure that I understood correctly. She said that I would still have to wait overnight for the nurse but could be discharged first thing in the morning. When discussing this situation with the discharging nurse, the nurse said that of course it would be a discharge against clinical advice and wasn't sure why I would have been told otherwise. She refused to do what the Director of the program assured me would be the case. I submitted a complaint, via letter, to the appropriate entities, regarding this and other serious treatment issues. I was never given an answer as to what went wrong, who made a mistake, why was I given false information by the person who more than anyone else should know whats going on, and not even an apology. The letter I got in return was basically a form letter saying "we investigated ourselves and cleared ourselves of any wrongdoing". Crisis Residential is an absolute joke and a waste of time and appears to just be another easy way for safe harbor and UPMC to get government money. I would never recommend anyone go here for any reason unless you want to see an paragon of incompetence in action."