Recovery Brands, LLC
📍 4641 Roosevelt Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19124
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Reviewers frequently praised the facility's organized admission process, the caring and dedicated staff, and the variety of group therapy options, including art and music. However, many criticized the aging infrastructure, the quality of the food, and the lack of outdoor access beyond short breaks in a small courtyard. Some also expressed concerns about insufficient staffing levels and a perceived shift towards a more clinical approach that felt less personal.
AI-generated summary of 14 reviews collected on rehabs.com and recovery.org through 2023. Not a review or medical advice. Review policy
<p><strong>ABOUT FRIENDS HOSPITAL</strong></p> <p>Established in 1813, Friends Hospital is the oldest <strong>private psychiatric hospital</strong> in the nation, located on 100 acres in Philadelphia, Pa. The hospital <strong>provides short-term, acute residential treatment</strong> to individuals struggling with primary psychiatric and co-occurring substance use disorders. Friends is <a href="https://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/webt/state_data/PA17.pdf" target="_blank">one of Pennsylvania’s 17</a> hospital-based facilities to treat addiction and chemical dependency, and one of the 18.5 percent to provide specialized care for senior adults and <a href="(https://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/webt/state_data/PA17.pdf" target="_blank">22.3 percent</a> for adolescents.</p> <p><strong>TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT</strong></p> <p>Assessments are available both by appointment and on a walk-in basis at Friends Hospital. For those admitted to the facility’s acute inpatient programs, <strong>an average stay is 10 days</strong>. This facility has its own clinical model, called “FIRST at Friends,” which stands for <strong>Family, Individual, Recovery, Strengths, and Trauma-informed</strong> care. The evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach informs care throughout the hospital's age-, gender-, and condition-oriented units.</p> <p>Part of the FIRST model is a collaborative <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/recovery" target="_blank">recovery-oriented approach</a>. The process is understood to be ongoing and to <strong>involve communities in the individual’s recovery</strong>. Some clients can expect to participate in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a <a href="https://www.rehabs.com/pro-talk-articles/a-look-at-the-research-supporting-mindfulness-in-addiction-treatment/" target="_blank">mindfulness</a> and cognitive behavioral practice.</p> <p>The hospital’s unique <strong>long-term treatment</strong> unit, the Greystone Program, serves patients who <strong>have severe and persistent mental health illnesses</strong>. Friends Hospital also operates a Family Resource Center.</p> <p><strong>STAFF CREDENTIALS</strong></p> <p>The treatment team at Friends Hospital includes psychiatrists, psychologists, registered nurses, social workers, mental health specialists, certified addiction counselors, and expressive arts therapists. </p> <p><strong>ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES</strong></p> <p>All Friends Hospital patients, across adolescent and adult units, <strong>stay in private bedrooms and have access to outdoor courtyards</strong>. There is also a computer lab and at least one greenhouse on the campus. The facility is tobacco-free and nicotine replacement therapy is available.</p> <p><strong>WHAT ALUMNI SAY</strong></p> <p>Three of four former clients polled to date by Rehabs.com provided <strong>overall positive feedback</strong> for Friends Hospital; the fourth gave a mixed review. Alumni tended to agree on a few areas especially, in addition to treatment effectiveness. Two characterized the program as organized or “well run”, and two cited staff as a facility strength.</p> <blockquote> <p>Staff Experience and Training: 4.3/5<br /> Facility Cleanliness and Upkeep: 4/5</p> </blockquote> <p>Feedback was a bit more mixed regarding areas of emphasis at Friends, with mixed reviewers concerning the amount of family participation. </p> <blockquote> <p>Dual Diagnosis Treatment: 3.8/5<br /> Family Participation: 2.8/5</p> </blockquote> <p>Regarding the facility itself, two reviewers expressed a preference for more outdoor opportunities, though reviewers reported likely to recommend the facility to others. </p> <blockquote> <p>Likelihood to Recommend: 3.5/5<br /> Exercise and Leisure Activities: 2.5/5</p> </blockquote> <p>On other secondary review sites, feedback for the facility revealed several additional trends, including <strong>concerns with understaffing</strong>, medication management, cleanliness issues, and staff professionalism. A mix of 56 alumni and family members rated Friends Hospital 2.1 out of five stars on average, on Google.<small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-1"><sup>[1]</sup></a></small> Positive comments repeatedly <strong>highlighted the quality of group therapy sessions</strong>, while a greater number concluded that the program was not helpful in addressing mental health needs.</p> <p>On Friends Hospital's unofficial Facebook page, 133 reviewers gave an average rating of 3.5 out of five stars. In a representative review, C.W. wrote: “Staff were kind and respectful. However, they lacked the resources to make positive change.”</p> <p><strong>WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY</strong></p> <p>Most of the 10 loved ones polled by Rehabs.com to date granted three or four stars for most of 15 metrics measured. A few shared criticisms of food or other accommodations, but feedback remained overall positive, offering high ratings for family participation and facility cleanliness. "The facility had the right protocols and handled everything correctly," one loved one wrote, but echoed some alumni opinions concerning understaffing.</p> <blockquote> <p>Facility Cleanliness and Upkeep: 4/5<br /> Family Participation: 3.9/5<br /> Staff Experience and Training: 3.8/5</p> </blockquote> <p>Elsewhere on the Internet, several reviewers reported problems with <strong>limited communication or access to loved ones during treatment</strong>. Reviewers on Rehabs.com tended to assess related policies moderately favorably.</p> <blockquote> <p>Connectivity and Visitor Policy: 3.7/5</p> </blockquote> <p>Most of seven available Yelp reviews at the time of this writing were from family members; six were highly critical of Friends Hospital. Repeated comments cited an unclean setting, unprofessional staff behavior, and disagreements over medication and other treatment practices.<small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-3"><sup>[3]</sup></a></small></p> <p><strong>WHAT STAFF SAY</strong></p> <p>Rehabs.com has yet to receive any feedback for Friends Hospital from its former or current employees. However, more than 90 reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed revealed clear trends and moderate average ratings of around three out of five stars on each site.<small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-4"><sup>[4]</sup></a></small> <small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-5"><sup>[5]</sup></a></small></p> <p><strong>The most frequently cited concern was for understaffing.</strong> Other complaints were mainly administration-related. Staffers also typically identified their own and co-workers <strong>commitment to serving clients effectively</strong>. In a representative review, one employee wrote: “Most importantly, the majority of people who work there are in it for the right reasons - to care for those who are suffering and to help them on their road to recovery.”</p> <p><strong>FINANCING</strong></p> <p>According to its website,the hospital accepts most major insurance providers, including Aetna, Cigna, Magellan, TRICARE, and Medicare. Based on a patient’s ability to pay, customized payment plans are available. The 14 individuals polled by Rehabs.com to date concerning the matter generally approved of the facility's cost.</p> <blockquote> <p>Affordability: 3.9/5</p> </blockquote> <p><small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=friends+hospital+reviews&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS725US725&oq=friends+hospital+reviews&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j0l4.4970j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x89c6b656a9dccfb7:0x4047329d58dbced6,1,,," target="_blank">GoogleReviews</a></small><br /> <small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-2"><sup>[2]</sup></a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-Hospital/105501226149723" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-Hospital/105501226149723</a></small><br /> <small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-3"><sup>[3]</sup></a> <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/friends-hospital-healing-the-mind-philadelphia" target="_blank">https://www.yelp.com/biz/friends-hospital-healing-the-mind-philadelphia</a></small><br /> <small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-4"><sup>[4]</sup></a> <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Friends-Hospital-Reviews-E226830.htm" target="_blank">https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Friends-Hospital-Reviews-E226830.htm</a></small><br /> <small class="footnote"><a target="_blank" href="#footnote-5"><sup>[5]</sup></a> <a href="https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Friends-Hospital/reviews?fcountry=US&floc=Philadelphia%2C+PA" target="_blank">https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Friends-Hospital/reviews?fcountry=US&floc=Philadelphia%2C+PA</a></small></p>
— Rini Cobbey · 2019-01-15 13:32:11 PST
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