Behavioral Health Center at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital - Gainesville, Florida

Mark C.

A horrible 3-day experience! The psychiatrists are cold, uncaring people. Very unprofessional attitudes and services rendered. I left there discharged and untreated for my mental health status and conditions. NEVER AGAIN would I become an in-patient at this facilities psychiatric unit...

Allie Y.

Hi all. Just home from a four day stay after suicidal ideations and deep depression/anxiety.

Units like this are here to save and improve people’s precious lives, and NFBHU offers just that.

MY PEOPLE: Begin to gently understand that though it’s difficult to let go of our control and usual routines, Admitting yourself and Baker Acts are not a death sentence or punishment.. they are a mandatory space for knowledge, healing and help when your brain + heart feel broken.

I am INCREDIBLY grateful for the safety, care, and attention of techs, social workers, nurses, doctors, and recreational therapists. I created deep friendships, improved my perspective, and feel deeply inspired to return one day and offer some modality of therapy— for good folks so desperately in need of joyful connection and understanding.

Be realistic with expectations. Spaces like this are no Candyland.. it’s a hospital setting for sick people, often in real danger to themselves. The negative reviews here break my heart for those who might avoid a needed stay based on aggressive comments.

If you want to heal, this is a space to safely “retreat,” to and take the time to work with medications, mindfulness, coping skills, etc.. It’s also there to help you resume balance in a safe, clean environment. BHUs are not luxury resorts.. so please stop acting like they owe you something, yah brats. 😉 What IS important is that the therapists and doctors are sincere and well educated + the simplified environment allows for introspection, quiet, and reconnecting to good humans on an important journey.

You’re guaranteed to interact with brains that I lovingly describe as bananas (myself proudly included).. but it adds to the color and perspective of being human. I met some of the most tender, funny, and vulnerable story-filled folks that began to feel like family. I miss them already.

I do suggest requesting a vegetarian diet to have fresh fruit and additional veggies, but nothing to blame BHU staff for. The hospital food systems in this country are broken, but the doctors and staff here are not.

Keep clothes simple and warm.. T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweat pants, leggings. No drawstings, nothing too revealing, and nothing strappy. It’s not a personal attack against YOU, my people… it’s to keep everyone on the floor safe while our minds heal.

Music therapy was lovely, as were so many of the patients and techs I worked with and around. I was bummed I missed meeting the service dogs by a day, but grateful to be safely home to mine.

Let go of stigmas and judgements. Enter with curiosity and openness. Healing ain’t easy and psych meds can be a gamble.. but try them out here in a controlled environment. IT IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT, dear ones. And I pray you have the courage to start the healing journey. I made friends I hope to keep for a lifetime and applaud all those sincere, big hearted professionals working at this unit.

“We are all just walking each other home.”

Thank you North Florida BHU for offering the space to rediscover my purpose and value.

Lots of love,

Allie Y

#endthestigma

Erin M.

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES! It's been 6 years since I have been going here for my psychiatric care, and in all that time I've had a smooth medication refill experience probably 3 or 4 times. They rarely call in my prescriptions on time. I am always going sometimes DAYS without it. This time is no different. They gave me a bridge of meds to make to my appt. I went to my appt yesterday and fully discussed my issues with this. The psychiatrist seemed to understand, and YET today I find out that two important prescriptions that are supposed to be filled today won't be filled until the 17th of the month. That's FIVE days with no meds and somehow that's ok? It's a Friday today, and typically when this happens on a Friday nothing gets done about it so at the very least I will have to wait the weekend to get my refills if not the full five days. This is unacceptable psychiatric care at best. I rated one star because there's nothing lower. It's seriously deplorable and frankly they should be ashamed of themselves. It's absolutely ridiculous to have to go through this much trouble just to stay medicated.

wasula 3.

Better than UF Shands only because they don’t threaten you with being forcefully injected with medication. But still bad. Doctor Goward is the most heartless man I’ve personally ever met. The techs and nurses care though. Really there are a couple things to do there like talk to nurses and techs, go to the therapy classes (which if I remember correctly there’s like 2 or 3 of them a day) ,and sleep, and eat. Though it’s still terrible being there. Even if youre doing all the right things like taking medication, eating at meals, getting along with people, going to therapy, talking to your doctor. I was there for 11 days. I was baker acted but that’s only for 72 hours. So even if you’re doing the right things the doctors will hold you for an extra week. A week extra in there is hell. Goward told me I was getting out the next day and then he waited an extra day to actually discharge me. I think he did it just to test me. So this place is not the worst I’ve been to but if doctor Goward is still working there I pray for his patients. The worst man I’ve ever met seriously.

Robin P.

Absolutely do not send someone you love here. It is horrendous. After my loved one was admitted, they put him on a medication that he had already tried before and was ineffective. I told the residents and his nurse repeatedly that it was ineffective and gave them the DNA medication test results with a list of better choices. They never switched his medication and when he continued to act erratically, tried to "talk" with him. He was instable enough that I was asked to sign a proxy for him. What makes them think that talking is the solution? What about a different medication? I asked repeatedly to speak with the attending physician and he never called me once even though my son was there for 4 days and still having issues. I tried calling the patient advocate for the hospital and never received a call back. My advice? You have a loved one who needs psychiatric care? Do not go to HCA North Florida. In fact, leave Gainesville. The other reviewers are spot on. You'd be better off driving to a bigger city where you have a chance of encountering more competent professionals.

Elvis S.

My father was sent here for a 72 hour evaluation, and now they won't release him. My father is 72 yrs old with dementia and depression and they are putting on his file that he's hallucinating which he never had and had him sign paperwork against his will without understanding what he signed. My father is not capable of signing anything and that's why he has a loving family caring over him. Now they are mistreating him due to the family trying to get him out at all cost. They are doing fraudulent against the patients and insurance just to keep them there against their will. Don't send anyone you care about to this facility, we will do all our effort to close this place down and out of business until they release my father. All the reviews written below are all true. They messed with the wrong family and will be hearing from our attorney.

Matt W.

This organization helped my friend and now she feels very glad again. They will help you make your melon head and heart whole again. Highly recommend for those in need. 🍉

yanifel S.

Horrible place!! Do not bring your loved ones here! The staff is nice but the doctors only care about taking money from the insurance. They are keeping my friend past her baker act 72 hours eventhough she has a great inpatient place lined up ready to pick her up to get her REAL help! Only because they want to keep taking money from the insurance. That’s what the nurses told my friend.