Aurora Behavioral Health Care – San Diego

I was not at all happy with my child’s experience here! She was here in feb of last year. She was throwing up from nerves for the first few days and they were not at all comforting. They also switch meds right away on her without waiting to talk to her actual psychiatrist. This messed her up so bad. She also let us know about how shitty the other kids were being treated and threatened ! I will never ever have her go back her ever again !!

I have a special diet ant a nurse said that the meat was not spicy and to quit complaining,. The unit is so cold that even though I had 3 blankets I was still cold I could not sleep! FIX THIS!!!

Horrible patient relations. My step-​daughter was discharged WITH a refill for her meds. When she went to get the refill she was informed by the CVS pharmacist that it was not approved. Upon calling Aurora she was told they couldn’t approve the refill because she was no longer a patient.
WTF
Why did they give her a refill prescription upon discharge knowing they were not going to approve it ?
Horrible practice.

I was sent here on a mandatory 72 hour hold. They lose everyone’s stuff. They seem to just pick and choose what they want to inventory and then they toss everyone’s belongings into the same closet. When I left, they couldn’t find a few of my belongings where they said they would compensate me and they never did. As for some prescriptions, they didn’t inventory certain things when my sister brought them for me & I was basically dying there for the entire time I was there because they didn’t inventory my prescription for eczema and then lost it!
I stayed there for a total of five days where I was in PICU for 3 days and then I was released into the adjacent room (something that ends with a 2) for the remaining two days. Okay. PICU is a madhouse. I was hit on by another patient within ten minutes of arriving and I got there at 3 am. There were fights almost everyday. I heard a guy hid a spoon up his ass. A girl started stripping in the common room. There was a man who never showered. You couldn’t go ANYWHERE. The only outside was the smoke patio and I don’t smoke so it was disgusting to me. I felt like the longer I was there, the crazier I was getting. My family who visited me during visitation thought so too. I couldn’t sleep one night so I sat out in the hall next to some nurses and they were gossiping about another patient, right next to me! The therapy in PICU was really weird because some people here are super weird so you would sit there and people would ramble on and on… There was one guy who kept talking about being president. And I couldn’t leave because Doctor Flanagan required me to attend all the meetings that day so he could send me home sooner. Also, while I was in this unit, I’m pretty sure some nurses stole my panty liners. I don’t know why anyone would go through my bags to steal that, but okay, weird.
The day I got transferred to ICU2 (?) was so much better. Until I realized that everyone else in my unit was there for either drug or alcohol dependency. Then the therapy sessions weren’t really relevant to me there either, but literally anything beats being in the PICU. There was this one session I went to where the leader person was super offensive and by fifteen minutes through the therapy session, half of the room had left. The food here is better though! But unlike PICU, if you miss mealtime then they don’t save you a plate. Here, everyone walks down to the dining room and it’s cafeteria style. The food can be bland but it’s warm at least. And they give you ice cream if you ask :-) and in this unit, they always have snacks in the snack room which made things better.
Doctor Flanagan gave me 10 mg of Prozac and then quickly upped it to 20 mg within a day or two and my body didn’t even adjust to it, so I had a headache and was in my room during group therapy time. He and Martia, my social worker told me they were disappointed but it wasn’t me, it was my meds.
I don’t really know what to say anymore, but if you can avoid this place, please do. They lost my friend’s $ 1,000 diamond earrings she got from her engagement and won’t reimburse her for it because they did not inventory it.

My son was admitted here for inpatient and remained there for 5 days. The level of care was probably better than 1 star (maybe worth 2 stars, but the staff, social workers and overall disorganization of the place helped make the experience a nightmare.
It is a long review, but I needed to vent.
Day 1: Went in for the evaluation. After the evaluation, we were told a psychiatrist would be coming in to talk to my son in about 30 to 40 minutes. After 2 hours, I went out and got some food for my son, since we had been there for a total of nearly 5 hours already. When I returned he was standing outside waiting for me. He could have ran away, but luckily he did not. When we tried to re-​enter the building it was locked. Luckily someone was leaving so we got in and returned to the evaluation room. I then picked up the phone in there and dialed the information extension and asked what was going on. It was clear they had forgotten about us and someone finally came down about 30 minutes later. I asked where the psychiatrist was, and was told they would be seeing him in the morning, and whoever said the Dr was coming was wrong. I was assured the Dr. would call me after seeing my son. This is also when I learned I would only be able to visit my son from 6 PM to 7 PM daily. No phone calls either.
Day 2: I called about 10 am to see how it went, since I had not received a call. I was told the Dr. never calls after 1 visit but would call me tomorrow after a 2^nd visit. I was also told whoever told me the Dr. would call me this morning was wrong. It was explained to me they had so much turnover a lot of people did not know what they were talking about. That made me feel much better. When I insisted I talk to the Psychiatrist this day I was told, «If she calls in I will ask her to call you.» I asked why they can not call her and was told she was very busy. After a visit with my son, he was happy to be getting some help, but did not really have an opinion yet.
Day 3: My son had a bad night and was put on medication. The psychiatrist did call, and was professional enough, no problem with her. I had to go back and forth on approving the medication, no problem. Spoke to my sons regular therapist and was told that they would not allow him to visit my son except during the normal family visiting hour, of 6 PM to 7 PM. according to his therapist this is a new rule. We met with the social worker who told us he might get out in 2 to 3 days. She set up a transition to a nearby PHP program called Oak Grove. My sons therapist, as well as another therapist, told me NOT send him there. My son is not in for a drug problem, but they treat him as if he is. My son is in for depression. When i told the social worker we did not want to go there, and that we needed something in Orange County she said to let her know where and she would set it up. I called her the next day with 3 places I was interested in. She never returned my call. I was then told on my way out the door by the RN, that he was getting out the next day. I said I was told 2 to 3 days, which was it. Now, nobody knew for sure. I said I would take him the next day and was told they had to ask the Dr. if that was ok. We also gave the Social Worker the forms that the Dr. had to sign so we could get my sons school work given to us under a home/​hospitalization program through the school district.
Also was told they upped the medication, but did not ever receive a call for approval. My son wants out, and told me that he was told he was not allowed to make friends and the other kids.
Day 4: No call from the Psychiatrist. Spoke to the social worker and she told me she had to look into the programs I gave her, but she would work on it. During my visitation I asked about the forms I needed for his school. I was told by the RN, that the Dr. hates filling out forms so they usually don’t do it. I explained I needed it for his school
Day 5: No call back from the Social Worker. Called again and again. Was now told he would be getting out the next day. During the visit I asked for the school forms, and they had not been completed. These are 1 page forms that require the doctor signature. My son now told me he is telling them what they wanted to hear so he could leave.
Day 6: Came to pick up my son. The school forms were still not completed.
2 weeks after leaving. The social worker did nothing and even told me that after she makes arrangements (She chose Oak grove which is 70 miles from where we live) she is done. She never inquired about the places I asked about so I did it on my own. The system is hard to navigate on your own. We had new meds, and no follow up.
The new place and my sons school still have yet to get the paperwork from Aurora.
Don’t go here unless you it is an emergency and nothing else is open.

This place is an involuntary hold place. Like a prison with no set date that you get out.
So I think most people who get committed here hate its guts.
The food is nice.
The staff is good looking.
They are mostly very unprofessional.
Lots of claims of sexual harassment by the doctors against women patients.
I think they make up medical records too to keep people there longer.

To begin, I’d like to make it known that almost all the bad experiences and reviews about Aurora are from the INPATIENT service.
Contrary to the negativity surrounding the inpatient treatment service here, I can attest that the outpatient program is UNBELIEVABLE.
As a 19 year old trying to get sober, I felt alone in the process, as if I was the only person my age that was going through a rough time. After my consultation, I was put in a Dual-​IOP group called Freedom to Live, and it has completely changed my life. The group consisted of 6 to 10 young adults no older than their mid-20’s, allowing for a genuine, relatable set of people that truly understand the struggles of sobriety and mood disorders at such a young age. Everyone is understanding and non-​judgemental about each other’s issues, allowing for the group to really be there as a place of support and safety. If it wasnt for Aurora, I can’t imagine what life would have continued to be like for me. the people I have met in group have made a lasting impact on my life, and for that I am grateful.

Mental health? Nightmare. Took me off my regular meds, refused to give them to me, barely spoke to me at all before making me take all these heavy drugs and if I refused they threatened to force me with a shot. Staff is cruel and condescending. Practically had to fight the staff every meal for food without meat. They did not have underwear. I was on a hold at first, being my decision and when I had a right to ask to leave, they threw a court order to place me on a two week hold. The whole staff belong in hell for treating the patients so horribly. When I finally got out after a month and started healing from the ordeal, back on my normal meds, I was experiencing memories coming back from moments their that were so horrible that I blocked them out. One time I started violently choking and throwing up and absolutely not one staff member came to help or give me a towel. I threw up all along the hallway. They did not say one word to me. Next day the carpets were cleaned. Vile people, this place should be shut down immediately.

Pretty unfortunate that the facility demands that its patients sign 5150 or they won’t get a bed assigned. Rules are pretty draconian as well. Might as well be a prison instead of a transition facility.

We did not have a good experience here. The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. No communication between staff members. The one exception was Stan. We were impressed with him. Staff members stole my daughters purse and it was never found despite the fact that they have security cameras. It was very upsetting. People don’t go here because they are in a good place in life, so every effort should be made by the staff to keep the patients safe and secure. The doctor was clueless about my daughter, her patient, and was informed so she should not have made decisions for her. Very poor experience.

Facility is fancy, a lot of the staff are horrible and soured the entire experience.
I was forced to go here two times as inpatient for about a week each time, and many times as outpatient. While there were a few exceptions and there WERE some nice people working here, most of the staff were disrespectful, condescending and cruel. I mean, literally laughing at you for going through a bipolar episode and crying. Isn’t this their job? Isn’t this what they were trained to deal with? Aren’t they supposed to be supportive? It seemed to me the staff actually liked making me miserable, calling me names, and humiliating me instead of helping.
Not much to write about outpatient. Just groups. Talking for a few hours. If you’re lucky, you get to talk to some nice kids and then you go home. Staff are nice, sometimes.
In inpatient, the groups were fine. There was cognitive behavioral therapy, which was sometimes relevant, then the other ones such as chemical dependency which were really only helpful for those with severe drug and alcohol addictions… but when you’re given the option to be locked in your room the entire day or spending an hour observing these conversations, you’re kind of forced to go. Others were just ways to fill in space such as coloring pages and filling in crossword puzzles. The sing-​a-​longs were kind of fun. Basically this was my life there. Group after group of talking and talking I didn’t feel like I connected with at all, and didn’t help. A few times a week you got to go to their gym, if you were lucky… you could use the pool at 5 once it starts getting cold for an hour.
The psychiatrists literally treat you like a lab rat. I was fine on my medication I was on before, but they decided to give me random new (expensive) medications that made me more emotionally unstable and gave me extremely uncomfortable side effects, such as voices, hallucinations, body parts moving on their own, and others I’m too ashamed to write about. I felt like I wanted to die here. I kept asking to go back to my previous medications, and it wasn’t until my final day here they put me back on my old meds after much begging. Why? I don’t know. Maybe they like keeping watch on people to test their new meds with so they lock you up here for longer than they should until they’re content with their experiments. Oh yes, they lie to you about your release date all the time by the way, probably because they know the false hope of joining the outside world is the only thing that keeps you going.
Best part was the food and free cigarettes. I gained a few pounds and picked up smoking again, but without it, I’d literally have completely lost my mind. I wouldn’t with this place to my worst enemy.

I got a lot out of Aurora’s inpatient stabilization, and it definitely changed my life. While I’d been forced to go there, I was taken in on a voluntary hold. The unit you’re in can really make a difference, but transfers are common. The food is great, the staff is largely fantastic. It isn’t a perfect place, and you’re bound to find a factor or two that can grate on you. After a week and a half, it was actually bittersweet to leave, even though I’d come in distraught, crying, and looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

My husband stayed here for a couple weeks. It was a horrible experience for us both. He said it was very filthy and patients were not looked after. He fell and hit his head at one point and nobody even saw it happen. They assumed he had a seizure and he does not have a history of these at all. After test results came back it was negative for seizure. In almost the 3 weeks he was there I left numerous messages for the doctor because I was out of state and needed to know what was going on. The doctor called me once during these 3 weeks. Shameful and unprofessional establishment! They should be shut down. Do not bring your loved one here, you will regret it. He needed more care and was still manic and they decided to release him at the advice of this horrible DR Borck and Sarah the social worker. They suggested a plan for a partial hospitalization here. The therapist at Seven Hills which was recommended by the social worker Sarah from Aurora also told me that he should have never been taken out of Aurora. He is still very manic, a danger to himself, he can not function, and Seven Hills already discharged him on disrupting the class, sticking his hands down his pants, and other patients being afraid of him. That lasted 4 days At SH. Now I don’t know what to do with him. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL AND INCOMPETENT IS ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS STAFF DOCTORS & SARAH MICHELSON. STAY AWAY, FAR AWAY!

This place completely changed my life… I went to the outpatient program, and enjoyed it when we were in small groups. Sometimes they overcrowded which caused high anxiety for many. Once that got all situated I loved the bond I formed with my group. Staff is great and some of the interns were good too. Once I got on my meds they kept watch on how I felt, and were on top of it if I needed any changes or anything. Thank you!

I’ve been in both outpatient and inpatient.
My experience with inpatient was horrible.
The staff didn’t pay attention, or give me my medication for depression (which the doctor there prescribed).
We never went outside in the CAGED «garden» which was dirt with a weed.
I wasn’t able to breathe fresh air or have the sun touch me, for 2 weeks.
The therapists blab everything you say to others.
unclean rooms, disgusting food, rude nurses…,
I completely lost my mind in there. I broke down in uncontrollable tears and not one person asked what was wrong or tried to help.
I was also on «meal watch» for anorexia but then was restricted from food BY THE STAFF!
I hate that place with every cell in my body.
I felt trapped and isolated. No one there I could talk to. I used my «coping skills» and «communication skills» trying to deal with the staff (Dominic) but that got me into even more trouble. We were eating popcorn, while watching a movie. Everyone went to get a refill — I followed the rest. I got up, asked politely for more. Dominic shouted «KAY DOESNT GET ANY, FOR THAT MATTER SHE CAN BE SENT TO HER ROOM WITHOUT DINNER» im on fucking meal watch asshole. I’m trying to «make friends» with food.
I could describe every wretched night I had there with horrible experiences that never seemed to end but I think you got the point
The only thing it teaches you to do is to lie your way out.

I see all the other reviews about how horrible this place is and I have to totally disagree based on my experience at this place. I was inpatient and out and it saved my life. I was suicidal and homicidal with serious issues going on. The people at Aurora were nothing but helpful and life saving. The therapy, medication and overall treatment I received is still in use by me to this day and I have never felt better.
People who have had loved ones die will be angry and project at everyone else but the key thing to remember about all personal actions is that, we personally can only decide to turn thought into physical action. Not a single soul living can be forced to hurt themselves or others. Again, I know because I was there and was feeling these thoughts and going down this dark road.
I hope the best for everyone who has had a horrible experience or knows someone who has. The key is to stay on top of the treatment and make sure you never give up on yourself. YOU are worth everything and YOUR life is important. You don’t have to go to Aurora but don’t give up on treatment, it will change your life for the better, trust me.
Best regards

After 16 yrs of meds i finally got the right combo and was happy for the first time in my life, saved my life.

My wife went in here because her psychologist switched her depression meds and she began to feel suicidal/​homicidal within 2 days of switching. She was self-​admitted but still sent to the NICU for close observation. So many things went wrong that I don’t even know where to begin! They took all of her meds and dispensed their own medications. That is fine except she is on an extended release morphine. They didn’t give her the extended release but instead gave her the pill form, so she was walking around the place drugged up beyond comprehension. She asked why she wasn’t on the extended release and their response was that «they didn’t have that type there». Is that even legal? She tried talking with the psychologist there but he would talk to her like she was crazy and never once said that her suicidal thoughts were a result of switching her anti-​depressants, even though she felt better after being off of them for 2 days. Instead they implied that her depression was a result of her pain medications which she is prescribed for acute back pain. They tried bribing her to the «nicer» wing if she would commit to the detox program for a month and in essence refused to treat her depression unless she attempted to come off of the pain medications first. They lied and said they had to contact the police and notify the neighbors since she had mentioned she had homicidal feelings towards our neighbors. After being off of the different anti-​depressants for less than 2 days, the thoughts went away and, even at the intake session, she made it very clear that even though she was having these thoughts, both her moral and sensible side would never allow her to do that, and that these thoughts were simply something she felt she couldn’t control at that moment. Our cul-​de-​sac has about 40 – 50 adults and so far no one has showed up to notify anyone. She discharged herself AMA because she wouldn’t go into the detox program and now her regular psychologist won’t see her. One of the nurses refused to dispense her pain medications in the morning until she had her vitals taken because they had to check and see if «she was actually in pain.» I was unaware that vitals could indicate if someone was in pain. That same nurse (by the name of Porsche) said that the psychologist did not prescribe her any medication, but we found out later that he did call in a prescription of Zoloft (her normal anti-​depressant) for her.
I would give negative stars if I could. Do NOT go here!!!

I agree with others that this facility should be avoided at all costs. I know two people who have had terrible experiences there. One friend’s adult husband committed suicide after treatment there. Aurora can not be directly blamed for the suicide, but the treatment was certainly ineffective. Another friend’s son had a similar experience of being overmedicated after a single event. My friend said the doctor treating her son would never even speak with the family. I can’t imagine such a thing. The experience was traumatic for both families. Explore other options.

My brother killed himself one week after graduating from the outpatient day program here after two months of treatment, including emergency inpatient treatment. Peer review concluded that he was misdiagnosed as depressed but was actually bipolar and should have been taking a mood stabilizer in addition to antidepressants. The seven year anniversary of his death is 10÷7÷12, and I have not had recent contact or experience with the facility. The medical director at that time has since retired.