Family Center for Recovery, Lantana FL

I am leaving this facility today I completed it at the risk of ending up worse than I started when initially entering. The staff/ therapists/ and doctors do not communicate with each other at all. So the coordinators can never figure out what to do about any important situation. They refuse to give me my meds because I work and it is inconvenient for them to help me when I begged them multiple times. I’m currently in the hospital because my body is having such a bad reaction to the amount of meds they forced me to take (they won’t let you move forward in the program if you don’t do what they say) the staff and doctors publicly humiliate you in a public setting on a daily basis. They tell the parents of the patients untrue facts just to keep the family away from communicating with their loved ones so they stay in the dark. It’s more a place for families who do not want to deal with their mentally ill loved ones and have a justified reason to leave them there. Unfortunately dr morans reason is milking families of their insurance. In closing this was the worst place I’ve ever been and now I will forever be more proactive in my own decisions so I will never end up in something like this ever again.

In my opinion FCFR was not the place for me. My first ever Community group to introduce myself was off putting. The Doctor said to me in frontbof 25+ patients and about 10+ Med Students, "so what should we add for your medicine cocktail" that there was a bad sign. I think by my 6 month there i was on 18 pills at night and 10 in the morning. I told the Doctor my suicide ideation was 10 everyday. My depression was 10 everyday. And my self harm urges and actions were more frequent. He said "his way or the highway" so i started refusing. I had to do up to a 32,000 word essay until he told nurses and staff that i will sleep on the 4th floor hallway. He refused to give me my blankets and my pillows. Plus the 4th floor had no air conditioning and the lights are on 24/7. He does listen to your problems. But he makes the final decisions. I was outside at the transitional apartments with other patients over hearing a staff member tell a patient to go kill himself because hes wasting air and a spot for someone who really needs it. Plus the transitional apartments are in Lake Worth. You step outside the apartment gates? Its a whole druggie neighborhood. I would not recommend FCFR to anyone. Most staff there are nice. But a good amount of staff bring their problems to the job. Its quite an upsetting environment. Thats all i got to say.

This place over drugged me and traumatized me into developing PTSD, the treatment there is not up to date and forces patients into lying to get out. The volunteers are payed to say most of the positive reviews I even recognize some of the names and faces of them. They also let people run out of the building witch is next to a sketchy neighborhood filled with drugs. “I don’t care what happens” is Michaela’s response, she is a ‘psychiatrist’ there. Visit at your own risk! Please get your loved one out!

I had my own difficulties and experiences with some of the people. There are a lot of ways it can improve. But I am giving them four stars because they really helped more with SSI than any other center I've been too.

I was there during the covid 19. I had some of my own things but some of the medications helped sometimes.

I think they could improve in doing more outings to get more people out of the place, as well as doing more communal activities, because there was fighting all the time.

I think they could add more PhD or PSYd therapists there, because social workers can only do so much

Worst thing thats ever happened to me. DO NOT SEND YOUR LOVED ONE HERE. Left more depressed and traumatized than when I came in.

I volunteered to turn myself into this place about 5 years ago when it was called “Wellington retreat” and it was probably one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had. I had a fiancé and a baby on the way along with a step son I’d raised for 2 years at that point, they refused to let me call my family or even have a “family weekend” they didn’t give me my letters or any pictures that were sent in. My therapist at the time Rachel was horrible she would literally roll her eyes at you as you were talking and when I was the only one to step up and call her out they treated me even worse. I went to court with one of the employees who drove me and dr Moran specifically told me I was “not aloud to speak to any of my family at court” well that obviously didn’t happen and when we got back they brought in practically the whole staff and all the therapists just to berate me and tell me that I’m a narcissist and some other choice words. About 2 days later they brought me into the therapists office and made me sign a paper signing myself over to their halfway house without my parents knowledge or consent and still told me that I was NOT aloud to use a phone to call family but expected me to go find a job. First thing I did was go to the gas station and called home and in 2 days they came and picked me up. As this was happening the therapist and dr Moran called the halfway house to threaten me if I left because I was on probation at the time even though they illegally sent me to a halfway house. They then double charged my dads insurance and sent him a $15,000 bill but when my father called to confirm there was no knowledge of a bill being sent. This place is a scam and needs to be shut down.

I was a former patient of FCFR in 2016. I have used a pseudonym for this honest review.

Make no mistake, Dr. Moran and the people who work under him, rule this place with an iron fist. Of the 19 treatment centers I have personally been to, FCFR was undoubtedly the most authoritarian. While you are there, it is "their way or the highway"-Quite literally, because if you want to leave, it means you get NONE of your personal belongings, and will be on foot. To some people who desperately want treatment for their sick family members, this may sound appealing. But I personally believe that if someone is capable of making their own decisions, staying in treatment (or not) should be their own choice.

I don't know if it is still this way, but when I was a patient, FCFR's IOP housing was actual former Section 8 property that Dr. Moran had purchased and renovated himself, in Lake Worth. If you are unfamiliar with Lake Worth, let me tell you firsthand. It's a rough area. And FCFR is not beneath making patients sleep outside for failing to abide by their rules; it happened to me personally!

In retrospect, I can honestly say that the level of restriction and structure FCFR imposed was the opposite of what I needed to be healthy. This treatment center is essentially the textbook definition of an institution. In the end, I made my most serious suicide attempt (out of several in my life) there just so I could be free of it. Fortunately for me, it worked.

I can't say I recommend FCFR to anyone who might be like me. If you seek freedom and autonomy, I can promise that you won't find it there.

The place is a safe haven for whoever needs mental health assistance. The staff members are exceptional, the facilities are wonderful, and the treatment team really helps you to create a recovery plan for the future. I highly recommend the program to anyone suffering from mental health and/or substance abuse disorder.

Don't waste time with other facilities when it comes to getting help for addiction and psychiatric illness. Family Center for Recovery has enabled my son to feel like he can be himself again. He suffers from mental illness. He is now independent in an apartment, working and has been properly medicated after many local psychiatrists failed. Dr. Moran and his highly educated and dedicated staff make all the difference in the recovery of the entire family.

Family Center saved my son’s life. Doctor Moran is the best of the best. He and his staff are dedicated to treating our loved ones and the family. They took my son in when he gave up on himself. He now has a purpose in life and continues to work his recovery daily. They gave him his life back, they gave me my son back. I will be forever grateful to the Family Center for Recovery team.

My brother has schizoaffective disorder and for years my family struggled to care for his needs. Family center for recovery has only been treating him for about 3 months and already he's able to overcome some of his deep anxious impulses and psychosis. The facility not only took him in, but my family as well; in order to educate us on this truly life and death situation. They truly value his life. They have given us hope for his recovery.

Dr. Moran, his treatment team and everyone at the Family Center for Recovery has helped our family tremendously in understanding and treating psychiatric illnesses. This is by far the best treatment facility in South Florida for those that are struggling with substance use and/or psychiatric illnesses. Don't think twice about calling them to get help for yourself or a loved one.

When I first came to Treatment I felt like I lost control and was going downhill. Therapy has helped me overcome these problems, is good. Surrounding myself with the community helps me and helps them get better. Dr Moran has help me understand my Diagnosis and helped me understand the medication I am taking to get better. As right now I consider myself a capable member of society and want to be better, I want to work and prove myself and my community that I am healthy.

This is the only Joint Commision Certified Center with a Triple Certified Medical/ Addiction Psychiatrist that is on site and meets with patients daily. The counselors, staff, coordinators and families all work together to promote healing. He staff and Dr. Moran worktirelessly to provide optimal outcome by providing individual treatment plans

This treatment center saved my life, Dr. Moran and is staff care about the patients and work hard to help their lives.

Damien, Monkey Boy and Ashley S, agree, agree, agree with everything you said. I too drank the Kool Aid at the beginning and tried to be on board. My (25yo) son was brought there for depression, bi polar and substance abuse. After 2 1/2 months, he looked worse than when he went in. I received a call the next day saying he '"left the premises" the previous night. He didn't leave on his own, in the night in a questionable neighborhood. LIES. He was ASKED to leave after a disagreement with another patient. No-one would see him the next day after he was told he could advocate back in and after REPEATED messages via Group Me to Dr Moran, Kristin (therapist) and James asking if he was formally discharged, I was ignored. COMPLETELY DISREGARDED. Told to take my 'concerns' to the "family group me' discussion. How dare this place call themselves a Family Care center when the family doesn't even get a response when they have no idea whats going on! Shame on them. On an aside, I will say that Mario was the only one to communicate effectively when he was his therapist. Other than that, HORRIBLY handled.
So disgusted.

This place may have mixed reviews, I personally am eternally grateful to Dr. Robert Moran his program is not easy and that is as it should be, as a former patient I wouldn't recommend any other place to go for help.

THIS PLACE IS A JOKE, dr. Moran is a narcissistic fool. I was only one who had the balls and got up and left this place because he brainwashes everyone to think they have no where else to go. The things dr. Moron oops I mean Moran does to these poor kids at fcfr, he should be held in a state prison locked in his own cell. There was this one kid, can’t say a name, but he had Tourettes and he completely made the kid feel like he was worthless, everyday If I knew I wouldn’t do jail time myself I would’ve knocked dr moran out for the way he treated him, it was UNBELIEVABLE!

I’m not saying fcfr is this “terrible” place, because yes it has helped some people. Hell its given me around 10 months clean (I’m gone now) but seriously some of the things that go on there are just wrong staff and all. I know most of the clinical team has no clue what REALLY, I mean reallllllllly goes on there and as you say you’re preparing us for the real world yet The world most of us “normal folk” live in, consists of keeping Yourself accountable, not the other way around. So when things do happen which is usually on a daily basis Most people forget there are 3 sides to every story, but unfortunately in many of our experiences at FCFR the two other sides (our “truth” and “the truth “) of a story 90% of the time get dismissed IMMEDIATELY and individuals are not given their opportunity to share, because well verbatim from “He Who Must Not Be Named” we are not allowed to have any opinions, period. #AllTeaAllShade

OH AND PLEASE, STOP using the words “EVERYONE & EVERYBODY”If you have a brain you’ll know what I mean by this. ‍️

Finally, true evidence based treatment consistent with current medical, psychological and pharmacological science. I felt like my son had been everywhere. Treated for addiction and mental illness at places specializing in dual diagnosis patients, they all seemed the same. Asking huge amounts of money for a 30 day detox. And then what? Another relapse?

No, FCFR is not a country club rehab. My son has been to those too. FCFR is focused only on what is best for the patient. It creates an internal community that mirrors society and rewards respect for self and for others. This structure teaches the patient beneficial behaviors to help avoid relapses.

I'm not a professional, just a parent. I could go on about the director and his staff's knowledge and expertise or the tools for co-dependents, but my message is that I trust FCFRs approach. Figure out what works, teach what works and do what works.