Banyan Community Health Center – Little Havana Campus — Local services in Miami

This place is an absolute and utter crap hole, as far as psych wards go. I’ve been here twice (once in 2023 and again earlier this week), and I will do everything in my power to avoid ever returning.

They treat you like a CRIMINAL here. Probably (I’m inferring) because this is also a drug detox facility, and they look down on drug addicts, which is morally abhorrent.

Most of the staff isn’t necessarily evil, but they’re clearly part of a faulty system because this place isn’t run well. Miguel, the tech, is absolutely vile and gets mad and very terse if you ask him to do his job (such as simply asking him for toothpaste). The male nurse (I believe his name is Carlos) is also a nasty piece of work, and becomes noticeably irritated if you ask him questions or for any sort of help. Getting help in general while you’re an inpatient is extremely frustrating— they often overlook you or simply pass the buck. On the other hand, you have the nurse Flor, who is an angel and will advocate for you to the biased, dismissive psychiatrist. She was my saving grace. But in general a chunk of the staff visibly hates doing their job and will actively look annoyed if you ask them to attend to you, or will not actually offer much assistance. I imagine these people are not paid well, which I’m sympathetic to, but, they also just lack common courtesy and there’s no excuse for that. And beyond that, their apathy makes you feel feel utterly voiceless and disenfranchised.

The food is just one notch above public school cafeteria food. They provide lackluster snacks, and sparingly. The medicine distribution, the serving of meals, and the distribution of snacks are often behind schedule. They have a laminated schedule on the wall that says they provide daily art therapy and group therapy, but this is an utter farce akin to North Korea's Potemkin village. They do nothing of the sort. There is nothing to do. Their dominoes game consists of only twelve pieces, as most have gone missing and the staff never bothered to buy a new game. Their card game is missing cards. The televisions don’t work. There is only one phone and its wires are coming apart. The bathrooms are utterly disgusting and half of the facility in general has a distinct sewage smell. The couch cushions are broken. There is not even a social worker on staff to advocate for patients. This clinic has very limited resources to the point where I’m not sure they should be allowed to operate.

There was a fellow patient in an active state of psychosis who sexually harassed me this last time that I stayed there. He came into my room while I was sleeping, kissed my hand, and asked me for a kiss, while he kept putting his hand in his trousers. I kept asking him to leave the women’s bedroom but he would not acquiesce (that’s another problem— the women and men are kept in the same areas, and are only separated to sleep). As I was trying to leave, he sat down on the bed next to mine and suggestively rubbed the bed next to himself (to invite me to join him), and whispered lewd things to me. It was very frightening and disturbing (this same patient also groped another woman in our group). The staff was completely unhelpful and utterly dismissive of my situation. They simply gave him a sedative so that he could nap. I tried to communicate that I felt unsafe and uncomfortable, and the psychiatrist accused me of trying to use the situation to manipulate him so that I could be released, which I perceived as highly unprofessional.

I believe it was mainly thanks to the aforementioned Flor, and my sister calling them to make a fuss, that I was finally allowed to leave. I legitimately felt like I was released from prison once I was finally let out.

The cherry on top was them not returning my inhaler to me after my stay (second time my items aren't all returned to me)— so that I had to walk back the next day (I have no car) in order to get it back. And of course, they took forever to help me.

Please spare yourself the miserable hell that is staying here, if you can. Any other psych ward...

Today I had an appointment at banyan health with Dr Sandra Fujita. I usually would not post reviews however, the experience I had was truly discouraging. I am currently looking for a new psychiatrist to help me with my adhd. Today felt like an interrogation/intervention more than a psychiatric evaluation. When I told Dr fujita about my situation and how I was looking to change my doctor because my previous doctor was in NY (where I’m from) and I’m currently living in Miami, I was instantly accused of having a substance abuse problem. I have been prescribed 30 mg vyvanse for more than two years. It has helped me tremendously in all aspects (relationships, career, mental health, overall well being, focus and happiness). Today, Dr Fujita told me that all this progression has been basically a distorted reality and I’m just on “speed”.. she continued to push the fact that i might just be in denial and didn’t want to admit I was Bi Polar. The whole situation was extremely uncomfortable for me as a patient. She had a little puppet helper with her as well chiming in which made me feel like I was being attacked 2 on 1.. when I asked if the medication is so negative from her perspective why would Doctors prescribe it. She continued to tell me that some doctors are just in it for the “Buck”. Little does she know the doctor who currently prescribes my medication is an extremely reliable friend of someone I have a very good relationship with. He has bent over backwards to help me get better and toward living a fulfilling life. I also pay out of pocket and he cuts the price of each appointment in half, so I don’t think he’s just in it for the “buck”.. Overall, my experience with Dr Fujita was upsetting. All day I couldn’t help to get past this negative experience. She made me feel like I’m a bad person for being prescribed to Vyvanse. She was very rude and unprofessional with her approach. I felt judged, confused and sad after my visit and would advise others to look else where for help rather than at Banyan health. Especially, Dr Fujita and her apathetic and unprofessional old fashion practices. I left banyan today with more mental health problems when I was simply looking for help. Very unfortunate uncomfortable...

This center doesn't even deserve a star. It it absolutely the most un-professional and worse clinic ever. My son has Dr. Gorelick, not too bad as a doctor, her assistant, Judy, super disrespectful she went as far as to tell me that she has no time to help me because her priority was not he any patient on the phone. I had been calling for 3 months to schedule an appointment and never received a call back or answer i just kept getting the run around from her. I called the director Ivanette Colon, to file a complain. As she was not in the office, and apparently majority of the time never is, I had to leave a message with her assistant. It has been 2 weeks and I have yet to hear back or an apology from the DIRECTOR. So as any concerned mother called the Supervisor, Adriana Hoff. Mrs. Hoff, one of the only people to take the time to actually listen said she will call me back and try to assist. Nonetheless, as this center consist of horrible staff, a week goes by and still no call from The SUPERVISOR. I call back furious as it seems they have not even looked at my file since they keep referring to my son as a girl!!. Mom, make notes of all the times you called and everyone you spoke to because it was the only reason I was even take seriously. After much deliberation with Adriana she was able to get an "Intake "Appointment for me as they had CLOSED THE CASE DUE TO NOT FOLLOWING UP!!! this is what the doctors fantasist put on the file. So 3 moths later (i have been calling the Judy since August!!) I was able to get an appointment to re-submit and re-evaluate my son in order to make an appointment with a psychiatrist. For Sure it wont be with...