UTHealth Houston Harris County Psychiatric Center — Local services in Houston

It was actually alright I guess.

I think their goal is to stabilize you and get you discharged to outpatient care as quickly as possible., I was expected to take care of myself (I changed my own linens frequently, made my own bed, was expected to remember the clothes washing process, was not reminded for hygiene practices, had to speak up anytime when speaking to or making a request with a nurse or tech) which sucked considering I was not admitted with my medications in hand, which if I had those that wouldn't have been an issue. If you have the precious opportunity to prepare, bring all of your current medications with you.

I didn't have my identification on me, they still took me in though, thank God. My family struggled to keep up with where they were taking me during processing and stuff since they couldn’t access very much information without my consent due to HIPAA protections, and I didn’t fully understand that at the time. I did consent though, it was just my first time being processed like that so I really didn't know what was going on or what was expected of me. The nurses and doctors I recall did explain as much as possible to me, but I did not ask probing questions about my treatment and mostly experienced it, my mom and dad knew how to ask probing questions regarding treatment whereas I did not. There's a significant difference in approach.

Everyone was really nice though, I only ever experienced friction from the other patients (uncommon, but people are people), even then it was all okay, I trusted the staff to step in if it got too bad, plus there was the isolation room if I really didn't feel safe which I thankfully never had to use. Be kind to the staff handling you and you should be comfortable in knowing to expect that treatment back.

Enrichment outside features: Basketball, a football (if it can be found), a very nice path to walk that totally isn't bait for runners (anyone who sees the corner will know what I mean, just don't do that though), and a gazebo that genuinely at the time of writing this needs wasp spray inside the top. It was a bit scary laying down in there and seeing all of the wasps. On days where outside enrichment is doubled, there is a secondary building where you can color pictures with marker, listen to music, play board and tabletop games, and a separate wing with a basketball court. The building was unfortunately extremely cold in the connecting hallway, but the enrichment chambers were warm enough. If you end up in HCPC and are lucky enough to have visiting family, ask for something warm to wear (within regulation of course).

Enrichment inside is far more limited, again, if you have family, do request something for yourself. A book if you have the attention span to read. There is a TV that for half the day plays music, and from the afternoon-on plays movies and television shows. Don't be afraid to ask to change the channel, but consort with your fellow patients first was the rule of thumb. There's also UNO which was fun to play, dominoes, coloring sheets and crayons, three meals a day, and your bed. Seriously, don't underestimate the power of the bed. The food is pretty good, too. Except the cucumbers which I found icky but they can't seriously account for personal taste unless you have a food allergy or dietary restrictions. These aren't exactly therapeutic activities, but help you to bond with your ward-mates and pass the time.

It is quite loud inside, but you can ask for earplugs at the front desk. Staff have to shut doors firmly (which may be percieved as "slamming" doors) to secure them which is disruptive. They don't tend to do this after curfew as far as I can remember, but it is worth noting in this review.

I was extremely lucky to have family involved and the help of the social workers assigned to our wing that helped me make sense of everything. Shoutouts go for II-C, if you see this then you probably remember me still but you did amazing for working with pretty much nothing at...

I ALMOST DIDN'T SEEK HELP BECAUSE OF THESE REVIEWS!! READ PLEASE! I have a really complicated case but basically I don't respond to medications so my mental symptoms are uncontrolled. No psychiatrist in 10 years has been able to help me and my condition keeps worsening. I NEVER wanted to go to a mental hospital because of all the things you imagine it will be like, but I was at my lowest and couldn't take it anymore. After an interview I was admitted, all of my things were inspected, pictured and then put into a safe possessions room. You CAN bring books but only paperbacks no hardcover, hygiene products with no alcohol, clothing without pull strings, and I brought my blanket but simply had to get the doctor to make an order to release it to me. I would highly recommend bringing some slides or sandals that you can wear in the shower. A lot of the reviews talk about the technicians (techs) being mean, in reality they're having to calm down patients that are throwing tantrums so they have to have a backbone and be assertive or else no patient would listen to them. They are cool people and will talk and joke with you all day but they're there to keep everyone safe and happy, not let everyone walk all over them. The same with the nurses, they're very helpful with whatever you need and are there all night and day. I was assigned Dr. Nagpal and she was seriously wonderful. She didn't rush me even a little bit when I was explaining all of my issues and asked her a thousand questions. It's so hard to find that in the mental health industry. Besides that everything wasn't even as close to as bad as I thought it was going to be. They divide the unit so that the males rooms are on a different side than the females (even the bathrooms are gender assigned and on opposite sides) and male employees NEVER enter a female patients room unattended by someone else, super respectful. It's not a hotel, it's not the best bed and blankets, or ideal to not have locks but these people are here to help you 24/7 while you're there. You have access to the phones from 6am to 10pm, you can use it as long as you want and make 20 calls if you wanted to, no restrictions. I was super nervous about the other patients but it was such a diverse group of different people going through different things and I made a lot of friends unexpectedly. To be surrounded by people (patients and staff) that understand your mental health issues and have your back is nothing I've had before, everyone is there for you. Yes patient tantrums are common but the techs are really good at calming people down and doing everything in the safest way. I'm not afraid to come back and felt better for the first time ever, I actually ended up wanting to stay longer because I could relax and get help whenever I needed. Don't let these reviews scare you, you'll be taken care of and even meet some cool people. IF YOU NEED HELP DON'T BE AFRAID TO...

I am writing this review not about the UTHealth Houston Harris County Psychiatric Center as a whole, but specifically about the staff member who handled my case on 7/22/25, an African American man who calls out case numbers and works in the cubicle area at the back corner of the room, in an office decorated with multiple Coca-Cola items. Unfortunately, I do not know his name. My family came here to request a mental health warrant — a decision that is already extremely difficult, stressful, and emotionally painful. We came hoping to find support and compassion in a place that specializes in mental health. Instead, we were met with rudeness, indifference, and a complete lack of professionalism. This staff member handed me the paperwork and told me to read aloud what I had written because he “didn’t feel like” reading it himself. While I was reading, I looked up and saw that he had his eyes closed, clearly sleeping. I paused, hoping he would realize, and he suddenly shook himself awake, pretending to write something. I wasn’t even sure he had heard what I had said, so I asked if I should repeat it. He simply told me to continue. This happened repeatedly during our interaction — not once or twice, but the entire time I was in his office. At one point, I silently cried as I continued reading. When I asked if I could speak to someone else because he seemed to be falling asleep, he dismissed my concern, saying, “I’m doing my job,” and told me he would just put my request on the list. He then gave me a phone number and instructed me to call every day to check for bed availability. That was it. I left feeling that my case — and my family’s urgent need for help — was not valued at all. While I understand this facility handles many cases, for us, this is our loved one, and the situation is unique and deeply personal. His behavior showed no empathy, no respect, and no sense of the importance of the moment for the people seeking help here. It is my hope that UTHealth takes corrective action, such as providing immediate retraining for this employee. His conduct made it painfully clear that he assumes his position is untouchable, and that is unacceptable in an institution that deals with mental health crises. I am certain I am not the first person to experience this from him — his attitude and behavior seemed far too habitual and unbothered. No one seeking urgent mental health help should be treated with such carelessness and disregard. I truly hope he is never in a position where he is treated the way he treated me. I came here seeking help at a desperate moment, and instead, he made me feel like my plea for help was thrown...