Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health System Outpatient Services, San Diego CA

Run, run, run away from this facility! Yes there are definitely some good people here, but it doesn't make up for the overall level/lack of care! Without a doubt Dr. Kushnir is the worst doctor that I have ever interacted with in my life! He does not care one bit about his patients! None! He is a money sucking scumbag! All he cares about is making money! He NEVER, EVER RETURNS PHONE CALLS! EVER! NOT ONE TIME! He does his rounds in the middle of the night, so as to not interact with any family members. He gives sedation meds at midnight and then comes by at 1: 00am and wakes the patient up to see how they are doing! Really? ! How do you think they are doing? ! You just gave them sleep narcotics and then when they fully kick in, you wake them up to see how they're doing? ! Unbelievable! He needs his license revoked! Again run away from this place. Told the CEO, and he did nothing! Apparently he doesn't give a rip about his patients either!

I'd like to begin by saying it really does depend on a patient's own experience.
I have heard a lot of good experiences about this place and I have had a few here, myself.
I spent three months here since the end of January until today May 11,2017. And I would have spent more time here if the place wasn't so crowded. The staff, although they are very caring and they try very hard, are very busy. Like many mental health programs, especially the ones that accept Medicaid and Medicare, (God bless them I'm glad they do), *they don't seem to address post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms as a civilian issue still*!
They can address anxiety and depression symptoms and do psych education, which I can appreciate on one level. But I believe that it's very difficult to address deep mental health issues here, especially very individual mental health issues, like my extreme anxiety when I'm dealing with crowded places. Also one thing that has been bothering me has been *it doesn't seem like the van drivers are very well versed in dealing with people with mental health issues*.
They seemed to get very impatient with me and I don't know if other patients have been going through this but I think that from now on the staff here should be mindful of the training of the van drivers to deal with mental health issues.
I don't expect them to be doctors or nurses or therapist but I'd like them to try and treat patients extra kindly-not taking our behavior personally. Many of his patients do not mean to be disrespectful as it's very hard to deal with symptoms and anxiety especially when things are confusing about transportation and when many of us have trust problems with mental illness!
When having a mental illness, trust problems can be augmented and magnified. We do appreciate and depend on these van drivers to be dependable and kind to us and not to take things personally when we're in bad moods and we're having symptoms. API is okay it's not a bad place. There are some good people here you be the judge let your conscience be your guide. I've appreciated what I've gotten out of it. This is an honest up front criticism and compliment of API out patient services. Glad to have been there but due to the issues with the van drivers I've had to leave. If I were you I would self transport.
Thanks.
Peace