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Worst Hospitals In America: UBH / Mayhill 
My daughter was admitted, her head bashed into the wall WHILE she was walking away from an angry girl. She was crying for me that evening (and she’s NOT a crier) and the nurses would not let her call me because it was after hours. I was not contacted until the next day at around 7 p.m. regarding her being attacked. I had tried to reach her several times that day and they said she was not available. 24 hours with no phone call alerting me to the fact that my daughter had been attacked and the nurse was brought in to examine her. I called the police, filed charges, took my daughter, and left. I need an attorney. I am furious. This was about two weeks ago. UBH would not give me any prescriptions because I withdrew her against medical advice so I have spent the past two weeks trying to get my daughter’s medicines refilled. NOT an easy task as her psychiatrist of the past two years had her on completely different meds than UBH thought she needed. Finally got this wrapped up today after at least 8 combined hours on the phone because UBH double dosed her and insurance was unwilling to pay for two prescriptions that were practically identical. What are the chances of shutting this place down or at least having the state demand more people on staff so these type of incidents do not take place?
I am so happy I came across your story. I thought I was the only person in the world who could have possibly experienced the horrific events I experienced during, after and now never ending since I took Chantix. Your story is much like mine in that it’s like a nightmare that never ends and just keeps unraveling and getting worse and worse. I am so sorry all this happened to you! I really can’t get over the lawsuit filed against YOU! A most ironic thing occurred today (I am SURE it was God’s plan): I found your story in Denton TX and I also found the story of a professor at East Carolina University here in Greenville NC where I live and get this…she if FROM Denton TX! Her story: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/video?id=7965702. I believe this drug is an exponential problem…it sure is the starting point of some horrifying events and I am sure there are more people out there not willing to speak up like you…I am glad you did. I am curious if you filed a claim in the Chantix litigation? Would you be willing to maybe work with me to do an online petition to the FDA and congrerss? They have been very successful when used on social media…I think any parent who knew there was a possibility of their kids bus driver, school teacher, child care provider taking this drug would sign it. Think about it…
Jenn
My 17yr old daughter was admitted to UBH early Wednesday morning for depression and our experience with them has been a complete and total
Nightmare. When I called her Wednesday evening she was crying so hard that she could barely speak and was begging me to get her out. She said she was being sexually harassed by other patients and was put in a room with an aggressive patient of whom she was terrified. She also stated that the staff was “mean” and didn’t care. She had been in another facility twice previously who were wonderful and I knew it wasn’t like her to make this up, besides she sounded terrified! I immediately called the hospital staff to see what my options were to get her out of the situation. I was told I could transfer her or could request a discharge which would require a 4 hour waiting period. I told them I wanted to start the process for both because I wanted her out of the situation immediately. After that, the bullying, avoiding, and flat out lying started. No one would call me back. I waited 2 hrs and then finally went to the hospital. A woman came in and told me it was true that my daughter was sexually harassed by another patient who would be kept completely away from her from now on and she was accidentally put in a room with a “problematic” patient who wasn’t supposed to be placed with anyone. My daughter was sleeping on a cot by the nurses station because she was too scared to sleep in her room. She wanted me to take these explanations and drop the discharge request. I told her no I still wanted her out of there as soon as possible no matter how it was accomplished. Even though I was told on the phone that the 4 hr wait would begin when I called to make the request, they then stated that it started when I signed the paper which no one had even told me about. Thank god I took the initiative to go to the hospital at 11 pm to check on my daughter! They then were supposed to call me as soon as the dr decided whether to put her on a 24 hr hold. Of course they didn’t. In fact I couldn’t get anyone to tell me anything or much of the next day. They refused to try to find a place to transfer her until I dropped the discharge request. I refused to do it because I did not trust this inept hospital to do anything they said they would do. They couldn’t return phone calls or give me a straight answer so why would I trust them to do that? They had also told me they were having trouble finding open beds anywhere so I knew they were giving me the run around. I called and insisted on talking to my daughter so I could hear for myself that she wasn’t crying and felt safe. She told me the boy that had been harassing her was still around her and not being kept away, she was still in the same room with the “problematic” girl, and a female patient had been sexually harassing her as well! Finally in the the late afternoon, we found out the dr was going to make us go to court for a hearing! She had placed our daughter under a protective order and applied to keep her there for 2 weeks!! Keep in mind, my daughter sees a psychiatrist once a month, sees a tgerapist twice a week, and is on medication. We have always complied with her treatment plan and had been through 2 stays at another hospital that we were very happy with and complied completely. We simply wanted her out of this horrible hospital and placed somewhere where she felt safe. She also had not attempted suicide or hurt herself in any way. She stated that she was depressed and had suicidal ideation but no intent or plan. I was so upset! This hospital was not protecting my daughter and I was powerless to do so!!! So yesterday morning we went to court scared to death that we were going to lose. Before the hearing a nice, and FINALLY a sensible man, came to speak with us. He told us there were NO grounds to hold her unless when he spoke to her she said she was going to hurt herself. We were so relieved. After waiting a couple of hours they dismissed the case and we were able to take her with us. When we looked through the papers they gave us, we were disgusted. The dr had said my daughter was a danger to herself AND OTHERS. She has never hurt anyone EVER. There were also papers in there that were supposed to have been given to my daughter the day before notifing her of the hearing and her rights. It told her about her attorney and how to reach her. She of course did not receive it. Neither did we. We were kept completely in the dark. They didn’t tell her about the hearing at all. The psychiatrist did try to bully her into getting us to drop the discharge request though by telling her if we didn’t she would be sent “somewhere” to be observed for 2 weeks. Imagine being terrified, trapped, and the adults around you not protecting you and then your dr bullying you!!!! I have to tell you I feel extremely traumatized by this experience and so does my daughter. She woke up several times last night after having nightmares about being trapped. My view of the entire mental health system is tainted. I will never again sign over my child unless I have absolutely no choice and have thoroughly researched the facility.
THIS PAST AUGUST AARON GOWER WOULD BE 25 YEARS OLD,INSTEAD I HAD TO VISIT HIS GRAVE AND RELEASE A BALLOON. WE GO EVERY WEEK TO THE CEMETARY WHERE AARON IS BURIED.HE DIED WITHIN THE WALLS OF UBH ON UNIVERSITY DRIVE.THE WAY IT TORE OUR FAMILY IS UNIMANAGEBLE YET UBH IS STILL OPEN AND OPERATING AS USUAL NO ONE WILL REPORT THE TRUTH ON WHAT THEY DO TO THE PATIENTS . GOD KNOWS AARON NEEDED MEDICAL HELP AND THEY GAVE HIM TWO ADVIL WHEN HE SAID HIS HEAD HURT, BY NOON WHEN HE DID NOT SHOW FOR LUNCH, THEN SOMEONE WENT TO HIS ROOM AND AARON WAS UNRESPONSIVE. AARON NEVER WOKE UP, DURAL SINUS THROMBOSIS TO THE BRAIN. ALL THEY HAD TO DO IS SHIP HIM TO THE ER, LIKE THEY TOLD US THEY DO WHEN HE WENT IN. . THEY LET RAPES GO ON WITHIN THEIR WALLS. I TALKED TO ONE WOMAN WHO 12 YEARS AGO WAS RAPED REPEATEDLY ON THE NIGHTSHIFT BY AN EMPLOYEE WHO DRUGGED HER. SOMEONE HAS TO STOP THEM.
I have waited a couple months to write this review on UBH Denton to keep my anonymity. I attended this facility VOLUNTARILY for my issues with PTSD as I heard it was a great facility…Boy I was wrong.
WARNINGS DO NOT GO HERE…THE REASONS WHY?
My Background: I am a career military veteran with 15 years of service 6 Combat Deployments, very stable, great conduct, no criminal background, no suicide attempts, no harm to others, and no history of violence, drug, or alcohol issues. I was told UBH Denton was a great place to go and allowed freedom in a secure setting. I was also told when I went it was only going to be for my PTSD. The UBH staff picked me up from the airport and acted so nice as I pulled up to a building with one door (Should have realized something was wrong there). However when I arrived I realized I made a TERRIBLE mistake.
From minute one during entry my bags were taken from me, I was locked in a room, forced to fill out stacks of papers, and basically strip searched by the staff like a prisoner. All of my possessions were taken to include cell phones, watches, and even lighters and tobacco. At this point I surrendered my freedom unwillingly to this facility and was deceived to the true purpose of its operation. This was lock, stock, and barrels a “meat packing plant of mental health” in a profit driven scheme.
As I explained I had a business to run and I would lose thousands a month without my electronic devices all I heard was…That’s tough its hospital policy due to HIPPA (Even though all the staff had their phones on them at all times). I was treated like a prisoner at this point being processed and forced to open my mouth, take off my shoes, and put on a wristband…Again even though my background made me ABSOLUTELY NO THREAT. The nurse blew me off like I was a crazy person and gave me no respect whatsoever.
I was escorted back to a 2000 SQFT common area with 10 rooms in the back that was my so called “Home” for 30 days (I will cover this later). At this point I was forced to do a drug screening and strip naked to get my skin checked for so called marks. If you did not feel like a prisoner before you certainly did now as all illusion of freedom was lost. My meds I have been taken for years were confiscated even though they were prescription (As they do this with everyone) and replaced by Generic drugs (That caused serious health issues with me that were ignored).
As I progressed in the program I did an intake form and I was told I had to attend a Drug/Alcohol program in conjunction with my PTSD treatment due to a Drinking binge (For 3 months) three years ago (I am sober and in control now and 3 years before I went). I refused to do the Drug/Alcohol program for a week or so till I was threatened with treatment failure for not attending (EVEN THOUGH I WAS ONLY THERE FOR PTSD AND HAD NO PAST PROBLEMS WITH ADDICTION!).
So for the 4 weeks I was basically FORCED to conduct the Drug/Alcohol program against my will with fear of program failure. Fuck you to all the addiction counselors for forcing me to do so as the time spent in your worthless class could have helped me for my PTSD TREATMENT…YOU KNOW THE REASON I WAS REALLY THERE (Not for your job security and to put money in your pocket)?
The Daily activities were regimented like prison as now I found out…The military sends everyone to this facility they deem “Mental Cases” and this facility was never a “PTSD specific” ward as I was told by the Military Leason Mr. Michael (Yea fuck you too for lying you piece of shit). I shared my so called “PTSD Specific clinic” with Drug Dealers, criminals, Gang Bangers, Suicidal Patients, Scum of the army “Troublemakers”, and Drug addicts. I only saw 1 or 2 people voluntarily come there so be advised most people are “FORCED” to attend and have very bad attitudes…And it rubs off on everyone stunting your treatment progress. You can’t shave on your own and even need to be observed shaving by the staff regardless of your history.
Your life for 30 days gravitates in a 3000 SQ-FT area shared by 15-20 folks. Every door except for your room is a locked door; you have an open bathroom (With no door), prison mirror, flat broke beds, and no privacy whatsoever. You can’t wear shoes with laces (Or anything with ropes), can’t even go outside to smoke on your own. You are regimented to a smoke break every 1 ½ HRS where you go to an enclosed fenced in 30X30 FT courtyard, only get 2 cigarettes or 1 cigar, and this is all you see of the “Outside” for 30 days. The furniture is bulky, uncomfortable, and is your run of the mill office chairs with little to no padding.
1 TV is shared by the group and you can’t even watch it from 0900-1500 DAILY as you do class EVERY DAY MON-SUN. Again cell phone and computer use is NOT PERMITTED due to HIPPA (Bullshit as all the staff had theirs) and this cost me about 1200 dollars financially because of the Ward Directors unwillingness to even listen to my problem. You have a dial phone at the desk in the open (No privacy) and are limited to 15MIN a day.
Your Travel options are simple and again this is all you do in a 30 day period:
1)Line up and take roll count, wait to go through a locked door, turn right 20 feet and turn left, Go through another locked door, turn right and walk 20 feet…you arrive at the chow hall…Eat…and Line up and take roll count to go back the way you came. This is your chow hall trip 3X times a day. And the chow hall is horrible. Food is terrible, we were refused seconds in multiple occasions, and the facility was trashed in a bad state of disrepair.
2)Line up and take roll count, wait to go through a locked door, turn right 20 feet and turn left, Go through another locked door, turn right and walk 40 feet….You arrive at the gym…and go back the way you came. This is your gym trip. The gym or lack of it was in horrible state of repair. Basketballs and other items were messed up, lights broken, and no weights are provided.
3)Line up and take roll count, wait to go through a locked door, stand on a 30X30 pad and smoke your two cigarettes…OH BTW you got 10 MIN and you Line up and take roll count, wait to go through a locked door back to the 2000SF prison.
4)Line up and take roll count, wait for meds with one person giving them out (20 min wait)
These four options are the only traveling you will ever do in this facility so don’t let the military leason tell you any differently. No matter what you are there for, or what your record is you will be treated the same as any of the other inmates there. Voluntary or not you will comply with the rules of this facility.
As for the small issues you should know about that make your life a living hell here:
1) Lights out is strictly enforced at 10:30PM (Even if you can’t sleep you’re going to your room)
2) No Ecigs allowed or electronics at any time
3) Can’t use a computer even for looking at bank statements
4) Caffeinated Coffee is CUTOFF at 12:23PM and even DECAF is pulled at 6PM
5) The “gym” has absolutely no free-weights, or even resistance bands…don’t be fooled.
6) Chow hall food is Military grade at best and the kitchen staff is horrible
7) All bank cards / IDs / EXC are confiscated and you must ask for access to your own property
8) Shower items are signed out and the front desk and must be returned after use (Seriously)
9) Staff feel you are a burden for asking for any of the above items and treat you so BTW
10) 15MIN checks are done all night long in rooms and nurses open doors with bright lights
11) Every door is a locked door and you need permission from the staff to do ANYTHING
12) WANT TO COVER THIS AS IT IS IMPORTANT: Doctors give a “Canned” and rehearsed experience (Especially the counselors and the Chaplin) just like they are reading off a script. Many times when I talked to Chaplin “John” he specifically repeated stuff back to me I did not even say. You can tell the counselors are fake as they give the same speeches in a repetitive fashion.
Final thoughts: I wanted everyone to know the real truth about the Military Freedom Care Program at UBH and what to really expect if they volunteered to go for PTSD. Eighty Five percent of the people that do attend this program are command referred due to being Drug Dealers, criminals, Gang Bangers, Suicidal Patients, Scum of the army “Troublemakers”, and Drug addicts so if you’re looking on focused PTSD treatment you will NOT get it here. Your trapped in a room with 15 miserable people with their own shitty problems and excuses and find it very hard to focus on your own issues.
DO NOT GO TO UBH DENTON for VOLUNTARY PTSD treatment…you will be treated like a criminal and you will waste 30 days of your time. Hope this guide deters anyone from attending this monstrosity of a madhouse psychiatric ward. You are 1800$ a day plain and simple and they care less who enters the doors as long as the cash keeps coming. GO TO AUSTIN PTSD CLINIC OR ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE…Trust me.
God bless and hope this helped,
BC
BC, I’m so sorry this happened to you, but I am not surprised. 😦
Just thought I would let you know that Joe Zuraszek’s lawsuit started today. They picked the jury (which I was not chosen) & the judge stated he expects the case to be all week. Just thought I would let you know
Thanks for the update!!!!
We admitted our daughter to UBH voluntarily about 18 months ago because there were no beds available at Children’s or the Seay Center (Presby). Immediately realized that it was a terrible mistake, especially since our daughter was not receiving medical treatment for a serious and painful condition. With help from information on this site, we were able to get her released within 48 hours. Warning, if you decide that you want your child removed from UBH, you have to be prepared that they will not let your child go willingly, even if you admitted them voluntarily. Here are some things we wish we’d known.
1. If your child still needs inpatient care, request a transfer to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, the Seay Behavioral Center in Plano, or Children’s in Fort Worth. Children’s in Dallas will tell you if there are any beds available, but the Seay Center will only communicate availability with another facility. You will have to request the transfer with UBH no matter where you want your child sent — they have to handle it.
2. If you want your child released to your care to pursue intensive outpatient care, call or visit UBH and request that your child be released. State that you would like to file a “request to release.” The psychiatrist then has 4 hours to respond to you with either an “okay” to go home or put a 24-hour hold on your child.
3. If the psychiatrist places a hold on your child, immediately tell him/her that you still want the child released. S/he will probably respond that a court case will be filed to keep the child involuntarily. This is to be expected; don’t panic. You do not need an attorney; a court-appointed attorney will be provided for your child.
4. Ask at the front desk, or call UBH to find out when your child’s court date is set. Your child may be able to tell you during visiting hour – that was how we found out our child was going to court the following day.
5. Do your homework. Type or write up a safety plan for keeping your child safe at home, and spell out the details of what kind of therapy you have lined up for your child. If the courts do not feel you can keep your child safe, the child will probably be ordered back to UBH. If you need information about other programs in the Denton County area, call MHMR. They are extremely helpful and can indirectly help with your child’s release if you have a good plan for your child’s safety and ongoing treatment.
6. Court is held at the Denton County District Courthouse, 2nd floor. You’ll be told to be there about 90 minutes before your child’s case is due before the judge, and UBH will transport your child about an hour before the court time. At the courthouse, you’ll probably be interviewed by someone from MHMR. This person makes a recommendation about what happens to your child, so have your ducks in a row and your safety plan in hand. When your child arrives, s/he will also be interviewed. Based on this information, plus the information submitted by UBH, the MHMR person may make a recommendation to the District Attorney to dismiss the case and let your child go home. You’ll also meet with your child’s court-appointed attorney.
7. Sorry to say that my knowledge runs out at this point. Our child’s case was dismissed and she was released to us, so we never saw the judge or the inside of the courtroom. Upon reading the case paperwork when we got home, we found that UBH had submitted some significant factual errors. If your child’s case does go before the judge, it might be a good idea to request a copy of the case paperwork to read over while you’re waiting, then point out any errors to your child’s attorney.
8. If your child is released to your care, you can take them right away. You will have to return to UBH to collect their belongings, which may take a while. And don’t be surprised if you have a call from the billing department before you even make it home.
9. Don’t let the experience with UBH deter you from seeking mental health care for your child. There are wonderful programs available elsewhere.
Postscript to add that our daughter received outpatient therapy through the Seay Center and with a private counselor, and she is now doing great. Glad that this is a distant memory but empathetic to those going through it with their child. Educate yourself and don’t give up!