Austin Family Mental Health

"Please do yourself, your family, and your loved ones a big favor and avoid this “doctor” at all costs. Read below for why. Our daughter’s appointment today was the first time we had the opportunity for an in-person visit. She had prior sessions remotely but after she was prescribed amphetamines, we wanted to go in as a family to discuss before putting her on the medication. This class of drug can have serious side-effects and a strong proclivity for tolerance and addiction and thought it best to go in as a family to talk over the diagnosis and rationale for the prescription. One would think that would be welcomed considering the name of the practice “FAMILY Mental Health”. The visit had started fine as the staff seemed friendly but it didn’t take long for the experience to turn into a nightmare. Our daughter was taken back 25 minutes after our scheduled appointment time. The “doctor” requested he talk with her alone before we met as a family. No problem. We waited more and were invited into a disheveled and frankly, filthy room to meet. The unkempt “doctor” asked why we had come in and we replied with our desire for more information and our questions/concerns surrounding amphetamine treatment. They may have been difficult questions for the “doctor” but we were unexpectedly met with extreme adversity. The man claimed that I was the one that needed therapy. In front of our daughter. I raised my eyebrow but tried to shrug it off and continue the conversation as to how he arrived at his diagnosis. He gave us no comprehensible reasons, examples, or answers. After listening, I was understandably even more skeptical on putting our child on this potentially dangerous medication. He then proceeded to get visibly upset with me for questioning him. I did nothing wrong. I was calm, respectful, and never accusatory in the slightest. Here’s the kicker, he then proceeded to tell me that he’ll be happy to treat my daughter going forward but refuses to speak with me directly EVER again. Absolutely stunned, my wife and I left the dirty room so the “doctor” could wrap the visit up. We all left several minutes later. I asked my daughter if she wanted to tell us what he said in those final minutes alone with him. She did and told us that he had the audacity to tell her that she “needs extreme therapy to deal with your parents” and that “parents are always the problem, that’s why I don’t deal with them anymore”. Mind blowing… If you are looking for a new mental health practitioner, run away. Run far away. And please reconsider if you are a patient or a parent of a patient here. This quack is rude, unprofessional, and downright dangerous."

"Front office is a mess. They don't answer the phone, don't respond to emails, and don't respond to texts. Can't get an appointment confirmed, and they've ghosted me on medication refill requests. Absolute worst. Edit: Well, I found out what it takes to get a response: a negative public review. To be clear, you offered me an appointment last week, but you failed to confirm and the doctor was a no-show. Your then failed to respond to multiple requests via email and text (your stated preference for contact). As a result, I ran out of a medication that you're DEFINITELY NOT supposed to stop abruptly. By the time you responded to this review it was too late. If that's not malpractice, it's very very close. So you'll forgive me if I don't find your response persuasive. Hope your patients in the future have a better experience."

"Synopsis: Love my practitioner. Don't love the front office staff. • Have been a patient here since 2019. I love my practitioner; she's been the best mental health provider I've ever had. They don't get any better than Megan Banks. • This is a dog-friendly office, which I love and appreciate. • Virtual visits are offered. • The building itself is easy to spot, but it can be difficult to locate the actual office. • The front office staff is beyond being just bad; they are maliciously bad. This affects everything in the practice. • *I recently won a dispute over charges they were not authorized to make. _____ When I first started visiting this practice, the front office staff were great. But, it went downhill over a very short period of time. They are incredibly rude, condescending, passive-aggressive, and insensitive. I was once sitting in the waiting room (alone) and could hear two women talking about me. When I let them know I could hear them, one of the women chortled and walked off. They don't return phone calls, they don't return emails unless they are collecting money, and if you have an issue or a question, you may or may not get an answer. They charge $15 to relay a message to your provider when you are in need of a refill for meds (between scheduled visits). We didn't know this until we received a bill. When my husband's practitioner was leaving, he was trying to fill his med scripts and switch to another doctor - in the same practice - and it took them more than a week plus another doctor intervening, for him to even be acknowledged by the front office. *I have been sent emails stating I owed money for visits I had already paid for or even prepaid for. I was told I owed money on top of what I had already paid for visits I had already had months prior that they had told me the wrong price for. My card - which is not supposed to be kept on file and I have told them such multiple times - has been charged three times without authorization. Cannot get answers from them. No explanation. Zero help. Not even an acknowledgement. After involving my bank, I won my dispute. They lack the decency to respectfully speak to or deal with mental health patients, even in reception or with clerical matters. The anxiety I have felt having to deal with, or even the thought of dealing with them, actually makes me feel physically ill. I think many people don't understand how important it is to have competent office staff in any medical providers office. At this time, AFMH does not have that competence in their front office. It can be detrimental - and potentially life-threatening - to someone on prescription medication if they don't receive a refill when they are supposed to. It can be devastating and hugely impactful for anyone to be disregarded or spoken to with disrespect in a mental health practice, leading to things such as missed appointments or abandoning treatment. If you decide to roll the dice with this place, I strongly suggest having direct contact with your provider for everything from scheduling to payments to prescription refills to any questions or concerns you may have. (*Put it in writing that they are not authorized to keep your card on file.*) I am personally very fortunate to have such a strong doctor/patient relationship with my provider; I couldn't handle dealing with this office staff every time I have to see her or have a question."

"The care I receive at Austin Family Mental Health has always been exceptional. I’ve been a patient here for quite some time and each visit reaffirms my choice. The staff exudes warmth, always ready to assist with a friendly demeanor. Dr. Holcomb, with his kind, funny, and down-to-earth personality, makes the hard conversations feel like a breeze. It’s a place where I feel seen, heard, and cared for. Highly recommend!"

"I’ve had a really wonderful experience with Austin Family Mental Health. The front desk has been very responsive and friendly. My practitioner, Blake, is thoughtful and really cares! He’s very knowledgable and has gone the extra mile to help me find the right balance of medication to fit my lifestyle and needs. The office is peaceful and relaxing and there’s always a sweet pup or two or three roaming around, happy to provide a little unofficial pet therapy. =P"