Columbia County Mental Health Center

“Someone at mental health needs to apploud Allison Vantasel. She was quick to respond to my partner that has been having a really difficult time lately. She was very calm and soft spoken and gave advice and options. We will be at mental health Monday for open access. A lot of workers work for there paycheck Allison genuinely cares. Someone give her credit please. Thank you”

“I was very optimistic at first when I sent my son there as I was told her would be transferred from ER to Four Winds, which was the hospital of choice. This did not happen, my son was admitted to the psychiatric unit. He spent 4 weeks there, was taking PRN psychiatric meds, which was a joke to say the least. Finally I placed a call to the social worker and that was when he was given IM long acting Abilify, discharged within 3 days. My son hygiene was so poor when I picked him up. Within 3 days of discharge from Columbia, he called 911 asking for mental health support. He is now at another hospital :where he is now been treated. It’s funny how it was said that he refused oral meds while at Columbia as he has been accepting oral meds at the new psychiatric location. . Very poor insight at this institution I am so dissatisfied with the medical care he received and guess what my insurance was billed for one month psychiatric treatment.”

“My experience with Columbia County Mental Health has been nothing short of a nightmare, and I feel compelled to share the disturbing realities of dealing with this facility. To begin with, the facility’s communication is beyond disorganized. On multiple occasions, I’ve been told conflicting information about who to speak with, leading to confusion and a complete lack of accountability. At one point, I was told to speak with a man named Sean, only to later be told that the person in charge was actually a woman named Kate. If they can’t even keep their staff straight, how can they manage the complexities of mental health care? After raising concerns about their lack of transparency and inconsistent service, I was told that I should “take a break” from visiting the facility. Essentially, I was denied access to mental health care because I dared to hold them accountable for their actions. The fact that a mental health facility would penalize someone for seeking clarity and fairness is not only unethical, it’s dangerous. What’s worse, this facility seems to think retaliation is the answer to getting me to behave according to their unrealistic expectations. Rather than addressing my legitimate concerns, they’ve chosen to retaliate by denying me access to my prescribed medication. This medication is critical for managing the stress and trauma I deal with daily, and withholding it is not only reckless but harmful to my mental health. Their justification? That I’m “mentally sound” and therefore not in need of reasonable accommodations. This not only trivializes my struggles but demonstrates a shocking disregard for the importance of mental health medication. Their punitive and retaliatory actions show a profound lack of compassion for the people they claim to support. To make matters worse, when I expressed my concerns about their policies and the way I was being treated, I was essentially told that my case wasn't important enough to merit real attention. They made it clear that they are too overwhelmed with other patients to provide me with the care I need. It’s one thing to be busy, it’s another to blatantly tell a patient that they are not a priority. In my opinion, Columbia County Mental Health is failing at the most basic tenets of care: compassion, transparency, and accountability. They have made my mental health journey even harder than it already is, and for that, they should be held accountable. I would not recommend this facility to anyone who values their well-being, and I urge those in need of care to seek help elsewhere.”

“I'd give 0 if I could: I called the crisis line regarding a medication issue. After I was told they couldn't help me for at least 3 months, when I asked the responder about other options, she said "I don't know" as I tried to seek alternatives, and then she hung up on me while I was still - calmly - speaking to her.”