Mathile Center for Mental Health and Wellness

“This is the fourth time my Son, 10, has been brought to the Dayton Childrens Crisis Center. He got brought two times by ambulance, two times I brought him for his aggressive behaviors. All four times were absolutely pointless. You bring your child, they listen to your story, say nothing but "has he had any suicidal thoughts today?" And then say, "has he had any homicidal thoughts today?" If you answer NO to these two questions, even if your child has stabbed your other child in the abdomen with an object and threatened to break their neck by jumping out of a two story window less than 24 hours prior, you get sent home. If you say you dont feel comfortable taking him home, they assure you they have no beds available so he can go to an outside facility somewhere else in Ohio via transport but 'they are positive that wont happen' or offer your child to stay in the main campus hospital to be reassessed the next day but is assuring you they will just discharge him. So why did Dayton Childrens Hospital build an entire inpatient unit who refuses to help children unless they meet the exact criteria of suicidal or homicidal within the last 12 hours? Behavioral crisis is ONLY Suicide and Homicide? I asked, 'well if he does this again, am I supposed to call the police? His behavior is not okay' and this woman smiled at me, said they'd just bring him here, and then he would be discharged. So why is there any kind MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES if nobody is going to actually allow you to use them? Its like jumping through hoops, that are on fire! Four times we have gone, four times I have been disappointed. I will not be bringing my child back here unless it is against my own will.”

“0 stars. Go anywhere else. My experience with Dayton Children’s Psychiatry Department has been extremely disappointing, and I would not recommend this clinic to any parent seeking meaningful mental health support for their child. Communication is poor and, in my experience, heavily shifted onto parents with unrealistic expectations. I was told that it is the parent’s responsibility to constantly check MyChart for letters or updates, and that no notification is required when something is added. That means important information can be placed in the chart without any alert, and if you miss it, it is entirely on you. Even more concerning, when attempting to change providers due to fit and concerns for my child’s needs, I was made to understand that the only acceptable change is for scheduling purposes. On top of that you are only allowed to switch providers one time, which also is not told to you. If you try to request a provider better suited for your child, it can result in dismissal from the clinic rather than collaboration or flexibility in care. I have also filed a formal grievance regarding my experience and I suggest other parents with same frustration to do the exact same. Overall, I felt dismissed, unheard, and like the focus was not on my child’s well-being or finding the best possible fit for care. Based on my experience, I strongly recommend families look elsewhere for psychiatric support rather than Dayton Children’s Psychiatry.”

“My child spent 11 days in patient here over Thanksgiving, and it was one of the scariest and hardest things we’ve experienced. Staff were very helpful and as accommodating as possible. My child has autism which makes communication and treatment a challenge. Dr. Schindler was amazing and I was shocked how well my child openly communicated with her. She took her time keeping me updated with explanations for treatment and asked my opinions as well as those of my child. Nurse Paige was very helpful and supportive when I had questions or concerns. Lily was like a friend to my child and made a huge difference in her stay. I do wish staff didn’t rotate quite so much. There was a large staff and sometimes communication was lost a little between members, but I was always heard when I spoke up which was appreciated. Sandy was my favorite person to see at the front desk every day because she was also friendly and supportive. I greatly appreciate everyone who helped my child’s stay be as comfortable as possible. At first, I thought I’d made a mistake when I left my child here. There are very strict rules to keep the kids safe. Rooms are bare. Only one hour of visiting time a day. It seemed very harsh and my child has separation anxiety. I was allowed to bring pictures from home and paperback books, which helped. We played board or card games each evening. Staff takes very good care of the kids. My daughter is like a different person after coming home. She’s getting back into old interests like drawing, which she hasn’t done for a few years. She’s more like her old self. She said her stay helped, and it seems like they figured out the right medication to treat her. What started out as a scary time, ended up being what my child needed. Oh, and take advantage of the parenting support group! It provides a lot of resources.”

“Had my almost 17 yo son transported here last night via ambulance for being out of control, violent tendencies, multiple other things and his behavioral specialist suggested the next time he acted out like this to have him taken here and they would get us help. We waited six hours! Just to walk out the same way we walked in. Him yelling at me and me having to call the cops the very next day on him for the same thing. Angie, who I'm assuming was a therapist, was of ABSOLUTELY no help. She called me in the waiting room to ask me what had happened, instead of coming to get me and take me to a private room. And then sat and watched as my son and I yelled at each other, with no intervention. Then proceeded to offer my 17 yo a bag with play doh in it and a paper with " coping techniques". The whole thing was a waste of time.”