Boy, do I have a lot to say about this horrific, abusive place. I was sent to Coastal Harbor when I was 16-years-old due to Severe Depression from past abuse. I am currently in my 20's now, and though I am no longer depressed and it was so long ago, I remember those 2 and a half months of witnessing STAFF abuse children that needed help.
Where do I even begin? This is a place where parents send their children so they can get HELP. Receive TREATMENT or at least STABILIZATION for past incidents that haunt them and affect their daily living. Children that were physically/sexually/mentally ABUSED, children that have schizophrenia, children that were neglected, children that watched their own parents die IN FRONT OF THEM, children that feel like they no longer want to live because of how horrible they feel on the inside from the past and some even present.
It wasn't All of Coastal Harbor's staff that physically and mentally abused those innocent children. It was some of the female African America mental health technicians that would do so. When I'm saying these children did NOTHING to get abused, i mean they did NOTHING. Seems to me as if maybe some of the staff members had a bad day or to feel powerful, and took it out on these already hurt children. Some of these mental health technicians would take them into the quiet room (i believe that's what it was called) and beat them. Yes, beat them. They would come out with bruises on their body and face. There are cameras in the hall, so that's why they would take the children in the quiet room to abuse. How can you do this to these kind of children that are already so hurt inside : ( I also remember this mental health tech would call me anorexic and Ethiopian because I was naturally skinny, and she knew I didn't like being skinny. That's something I was teased about my whole life. She knew that. I remember one time where I was actually in the hall way, and I had just came back from the beach with my family so I was pretty sun-burned, one of the female mental health tech's hit me in the head, and in my own bathroom slapped my leg where my sun burn had hurt the worst. I knew there were cameras in the hallway, so I told my therapist about the encounter. She said she reviewed the tape, and saw nothing of that act. I was appalled! I knew she was lying, assuming because she didn't want the great ole Coastal Harbor to be in the spotlight for actual evidence of abuse to a patient from a staff member.
Wouldn't be such a great look for this "prominent facility". Whatever the reason for why my therapist lied to me, she lied, and it wasn't right. I was devastated that my own therapist who is suppose to help and care for me lied : ( NOT all of the staff members are horrible there. Just my therapist and some of the female African American mental health technicians were. Some therapists and mental health techs were amazing and so helpful. Also, my psychiatrist wouldn't visit us much nor talk. She'd pretty much just talk to us about the medicine and other things for one minute.
This review is for PARENTS OF UNSTABLE CHILDREN EVERYWHERE THAT ARE THINKING OF SENDING THEIR KIDS HERE, PLEASE DON'T! Please! I do believe it is a great idea for your children to get help and therapy, but please, do not send them here. I want you to believe my review, but if you don't choose to, your child may come back to you more hurt then cured.
Sources:
