Name: Albany Care
Location: 901 Maple Ave, Evanston IL
Phone: 847-475-4000
website: http://www.albanycare.com
program funded: medicaid, medicare, private pay, private insurance. Monthly SSI resident only gets $30.
When were you there: Late november 2013-present
helpful contacts: Elizabeth or Josh in admissions/ admin office, Jonathan in social services
Admissions process: Reffered by hospital. Someone from facility comes and does interview. Facility to facility transfers can also happen. You can’t just walk in off the street. But a person, or friend or family therapist ETC can call to see about how to get in if not in the hospital.
Disorders treated: Mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder), generalized anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder PTSD, some personality disorders, substance abuse, is able to treat mild self-injury, psychosis/schizophrenia
How many residents in the program: Capacity for 400. Probably roughly 200 to 300 at one time.
building layout environment: front lobby, admin offices nurses office Dr. office, little theater” (big room used for watching tv, nightly movies other activities. Dining room, comissary, all on first floor.
Floors two through five have resident rooms, nurse’s stations, PRSC offices.
Seventh floor activity floor, library exercise room, activity offices, smoke room can also smoke on fourth floor at times, and outside. ETC
General physical environment: very clean. If there are any problems such as bedbugs, problems with furniture ETC cleared up right away. Very good facilities, (maintaince) and housekeeping staff. Narrow hallways but not as bad as smaller facilities
Three elavators often break down due to improper use by residents.
Resident rooms: Almost all rooms three or four person. Very few double or single rooms. Every person has key to room. Will have new key made promptly if lost. Quality assurance coordinator, and case managers make every effort to match compatible roomates. Room changes can happen often if things can not be worked out. So pritty flexible on this.
If in a three or four person room you get a nightstand which you can lock. Part of a closet and part of a dresser.
Staff availability: Staff constantly available. Certified nursing asistants 24/7, as well as nurses one on each resident floor all day and two at night. Psychiatric rehabilitation service coordinators (PRSCS or case managers) on 12 hours a day 7 days a week.
Treatment plan: Once admitted treatment plan starts right away. You are assigned a PRSC and they do a full assesment of your life symptoms and goals. Write up a care plan which is revised every three months. With a meeting with your PRSC, nurse and activity worker. Minimum stay is three months. Wide range of resident lengths of stay. They do encourage when posible that people transition to community moving on program facilitates this.
What treatment is available: You can see Caseworker whenever you need to though you might have to wait as they’re very busy with residents constantly knocking on their door. If your caseworker isn’t available you can see another one. Most try to set up check in times once a week. Very responsive to crisis situations.
Medical doctors come once or twice a month. See once a month if in outpatient treatment program, once every two months otherwise. Psychiatrists come once or twice a month. Can see once a month or once every few months. For all doctors staff can put on list to refer and see as soon as possible. You have a right to change your dr.s. Setting up appointments with specialists is also tricky due to lack of communication at times. You can make your appointments so that’s the best. Especially with dentist.
Groups: weekly groups include: depression management, anxiety management, problem solving, family issues, art therapy (not lead by certified art therapist,), music therapy (again not lead by MT), Laughter group, understanding voices, anger management, DBT (small group by referral only, not lead by certified dbt therapist), conflict resolution, group for people who have been in jail, substance abuse group.
Individual therapy: Will set person up with outside therapist. Also connects people to outpatient IOP/ PHP programs in the area. Can (rarely) see Jonathan eastmon for therapy if desired, specific to the person.
Is there a levil system/ one to one/ line of sight?
Yes no levels. But if a person does something like smokes in their room, is very agressive, self-injury, could use money to buy things harmful to self or others suicidal, certain things can happen.
Restriction: Always happens for 24 to 48 hours after admission from hospital. Otherwise restriction depends on the individual situation. Some people have very high support needs and are not allowed outside without staff but I imagine this is as a last resort. If on restriction can still go outside for smoking, or walk to the store (nature walk)
Room searches: Are supposed to happen every so often. There are contraband items: weapons/ drugs obveously alcohol, sharp objects especially for agression/ self-harm. No meds in room even tylenol/ ointment. Food must be in plastic containers to avoid bugs/ mice.
If there are issues with things perhaps being in rooms, like a self-injury case / drug user room searches will be done more often.
One to ones: If someone is in crisis will be put on one to one or monitoring with staff. Mainly in PRSC offices talking about the situation and next steps. This could be for hours or only a little while.
Observation room: Every 26 numbered room is the observation room facing nurse’s station. Door must be all the way open or cracked. Residents in there are in situations as stated above (SI, fighting, smoking in room, drug issues) Basically a protocol measure. Staff aren’t exactly watching you the whole time.
Hospitalizations: Psych is called after any crisis. It is up to them whether hospitalized, facility can recommend but know psychiatrists who have gone against recommendations for or against it. Very easy transfers to hospital. No having to spend forever in the ER.
Food: Honestly not that great! Breakfast hot and cold cereal. Toast, eggs, mostly every week pancakes, french toast, coffie cake. Often food is cold when you get it. Certified nursing asistants act as servers. Often very chaotic in dining room. For lunch and dinner you get a substitute if you don’t like the main meal. If you don’t like either sandwiches or fruit plate (fruit often over or under ripe, cottage cheese, and jello) Honestly try to use money to buy snacks!
Money out of SSI: $30 per month. Anything like birthday money, family sent money is fine. For a check paying job I believe you would be able to keep $50 every two weeks not sure. In house work program not sure what they pay not that much. Since 2014 facility is your payie so you can’t have your check in bank account and pay rent that way.
Activities: Outings to walmart, target, burger king, other restaurants. Can take a small group of people in van. Daily activities: bingo, card and other games like pool and ping pong, movies every night, tv always on in the theater, arts and crafts, beauty group (get nails done etc), socials every night in dining room, albany choir, computer lab, might be missing some
What did/do you like the most? Some staff here have been awesome! Get individual therapy with Jonathan eastmon, good guy to try to connect with some people love him some people don’t. He genuinely tries his best. As do asistant clinical director, director of nursing, C.N.A.S and prscs. If you get a good PRSC they’re really envested in your individual treatment and working with you on what you feel is important. You have the right to change PRSCS. Quality of groups depends on who runs them. Had good experience with some groups in the beginning run by specific prscs.
I love that you don’t have to worry about meds or Dr. appointments. As that’s handled for you. Love that I have a double room with best friend, took forever to earn that. Love that they were open and able to work with self-injury.
What do/did you like the least? The food! Crowded hallways elavators breaking. Facility could be physically laid out better to help with this. Sometimes I don’t feel like staff tries hard enough to stay on top of residents with poor hygene, agression or stealing. Then again I know there’s only so much you can do. Don’t like activities. Wish there were cats LOL! Don’t like high staff turnover especially for PRSCS. Making appointments could be less chaotic.
Is there a willingness to work with people with other disabilities: Yes can work with medical issues up to a point. Residents on walkers/ walking canes are there. Deaf residents, clinical director can sign and some other staff will learn. Blindness of course!
Would you recommend this program? Yes absolutely! IL is the only state that I know of that has specialized mental health rehabilitation facilities. For people who only have medicaid, and this state of things in the mental health world where any other long term (or even short term) residential programs are totally inaccessible to those not with private insurance or rich I think it’s a great program. People are in a safe place where staff tries their best. There will be improvements coming.
Would love to hear others reviews or questions.