[still_crazy]

i go to one. not too bad, actually. i didnt have any insurance coverage when i first went to one, now i do have medical coverage, but...

honestly, i think the overall "quality of care" is about what I got out of private practice psychiatrists, minut the overbilling and later straight up fraud (long story).

having said that...they have a couple spots reserved, just for law enforcement. can you say "social control" ? LOL. I don't much care for that aspect of it, obviously.

i do kinda wonder...if I didn't have my family behind me, if I didn't haggle ("advocate for my own interests"), etc...what kind of care would I be getting, at this point? And I don't know. so, I thought I'd ask all of you...

have you all had experiences? good, bad, neutral? Thanks.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Do you mean like nonprofit mental health agencies? I work for one and I know our therapists are amazing. I am a peer support specialist there

[Blue_Bird]

I go to a community mental health clinic, have been seeing the same psychiatrist and therapist there for several years now and my experience has been wonderful. Really kind , caring people

[gina_re]

I go to the local community services board. I'm not sure if that is a community clinic, but I don't have any real complaints about the place. It's similar to what I've had with private practice clinicians.

[Innerzone]

Good experience here too.

[Nammu]

I've gotten excellent care at community health centers and so-so care never bad. I've found that the physical health care is better than the community mental health care. But dental lags behind both. Snotty snobby greedy dentists

My only stint with community care is that after my attempt (we did not have insurance and were unemployed). I volunteered (but would have been forcibly committed if I hadn't) to go to the inpatient facility were others were sent involunteerly. People there were in major mental health crisis and some may have been sent by family members who used committing them as revenge (obviously, I can't know for sure).

The place was severely understaffed. We were babysat and observed. I said very little as I was terrified of being deemed "mental incompetent and incapable of handling my affairs". When I was released five days later, they did say I was capable of making my own decisions. With that threat in the back of my mind, it was hard to really explore what was wrong with me though the fact that I voluntarily went did show that I acknowledged something was wrong. I still struggle understanding what went wrong with me. I have had a good life. I finally did get care in the Veteran's Administration system. I really like the care my psychiatrist has provided so VA care has been better than community care or civilian care. I think she has a better handle on it than any other mental health professional has but I hate the side effects of my psych drugs. Oh well. Life isn't perfect or fair but I still have joy. However, if I don't take care of my mental health, it sabotagues my very good life and the well being of my family.

[Unrigged64072835]

Thanks to my lovely insurance, community clinics are really all I have access to. The one I go to is okay. They used to have good pdocs but they were all pulled for substance abuse treatment. Now it’s one bad pdoc, one good pdoc, and a few pnurses. I have a pnurse and I basically tell her what I want (except for benzodiazepines because no one in the clinic prescribes them, due to substance abuse treatment guidelines). I do most of my own research and she knows I’m pretty smart, so that’s good.

[still_crazy]

i get snarky comments from the receptionist ladies. i dont get it. i think...maybe im regarded as "uppity" and/or a "trouble maker" ? i just wanted humane treatment. which...btw...I do get, now. I'm thankful.

having said that...the other day was depressing. a dude about my age with -pronounced- facial dyskinesia was in the waiting room, near me. I looked around, saw a lady not too much older than me with some kind of full body tardive syndrome. i felt...so badly for her. and odds are, she was there to see a nurse, for a long acting injection/depot shot. who is going to help her? there are those new drugs for TD and such, but...at several grand $$$, I'm thinking she might not be getting it. Who knows. Maybe they'll hook her up. Here's hoping...

I go to one for my pdoc. Hes a pretty good doc but the whole system is screwed up. I've had more than one emergency appointment where I drive all the way down there and find out my appointment was canceled or never made.Haven't been going for long.

I wonder if it may really depend on the state or even area you live in. Do you think?

I've never been to a community mental health clinic, but many years ago in my mid 20s I went to a community health clinic. It was fine. It was in Berkeley, California. I got the feeling that the care there was likely better than it might be elsewhere. I don't know if that has changed, though. I've since been back to the east coast for many years. Since then, I've only gone to private doctors.