Sheppard Pratt - Outpatient Mental Health Center - Frederick

“Struggled a lot to even get someone on the phone to try to get some help to make a very needed first appointment. All I could get was to leave a message and "someone" might call you back. As someone with many mental health issues, this is completely unacceptable. When I did finally get someone to call me, after multiple, multiple trys I was told I would have to drive from frederick over an hour away to even talk to someone, when there's a location right in frederick. Mental health care in maryland has got to be the worst, maybe in the whole United States.”

“Better than nothing for a stretch. A sensory nightmare for an autistic, full time caretaker mom. Harsh lighting and overwhelming white noise make it hard to function or talk. Condescending practitioner unable to adequately listen to a career mom with communication struggles baffles me. I hope other providers aren’t as brutal and rude to the invisibly disabled in this sensory hellscape. Child’s therapists had been lovely and have been just wonderful with communicating with a semi verbal caretaker. Edited to return a star. Our new doctor is compassionate and supportive off the bat. (Took my teenager a few months to sleep alone in their own bed after the stressful visit with the other practitioner.) Front desk staff is now amazing and helpful.”

“Poor Experience with Medication Management & Communication I’ve been receiving medication management from this outpatient mental health facility for over two years, and unfortunately, the quality of care has significantly declined. Yesterday, I called the front desk to request medication refills, clearly stating the medications and dosages as I’ve always done. Instead of the front desk handling it, Dr. Coquilla Cross called me back. She didn’t introduce herself or confirm who she was speaking with—instead, she launched into a frustrated monologue about how she had already sent in prescriptions and didn’t have time to take these kinds of calls due to her patient load. I had to stop her and ask who she was, as she sounded so upset I honestly wasn’t sure the call was even for me. She then identified herself and confirmed she was calling for me, but had already discussed medication details before that confirmation, which is a clear HIPAA violation. When I tried to redirect the conversation with a polite greeting, she cut me off and said she “didn’t have time for pleasantries.” I then asked why she would choose to call while clearly frustrated and rushed rather than waiting until she could speak with professionalism. She continued to raise her voice and talk over me, and ultimately hung up after saying she’d send in one medication—without letting me explain that there were other essential medications I needed refilled. This was the most disrespectful experience I’ve had with a healthcare provider. It left me anxious and scrambling to get my prescriptions resolved. To add to this, my previous doctor—although kind—was consistently 10 to 20 minutes late to every appointment over a two-year span. And there was a separate incident where a receptionist falsely documented that I had used inappropriate language during a call, when in fact I was simply asking them to look into an error with my pharmacy. Rather than help, they became frustrated and hung up on me. Overall, the lack of professionalism, poor communication, and dismissive attitude toward patients with mental health needs is alarming. I would not recommend this facility to anyone seeking reliable and compassionate mental health services.”

“DO NOT SEE DR. CROSS!!! I was in attendance at an appointment as a mediator for someone who was struggling with his treatment. I am appalled at what I witnessed and experienced. This review is given with permission of the patient. Dr. Cross has been treating this individual for the better part of a year. The patient has substance abuse issues that he is working on, but for the most part it has been mostly marijuana, which as far as substance abuse, is not as bad. He has gotten clean a couple of times and gone back to it and now I know why. The patient is now 2 weeks clean again and having a hard time mentally. Yes, part of this is withdrawal, but he has been long diagnosed with depression and anxiety since a teenager, and the substance abuse has always been a means to treat. It would make sense then, if you treat the condition, he will have a better chance at staying clean. It is clear that Dr. Cross has labeled this person a drug addict from the beginning and is convinced that the medication works if he just doesn't use, most of this medication are prescriptions he was already on before ending up with Dr. Cross. I intervened to try to get a timeline in which we could start addressing the cocktail of medical drugs is on, and her response was that he would always use again. Her actual words were "There is no hope for him he keeps using." What there is no hope for is convincing Dr. Cross that this person could remain sober. I kept asking for a timeline for how long he had to remain off pot before we could address the medication and she always repeated his past habits. This appointment was 10 minutes of Dr. Cross berating an individual who arrived simply emotionally fragile, but calm, who then left early from an appointment in the throws of a mental health crisis. Imagine telling someone with severe chronic depression that there is no hope for them. No wonder he has only gotten worse under Dr. Cross's care. It is my opinion that Dr. Cross's behavior equals malpractice and I will be reporting this the Department of Health.”