From the Psychcrime.org website:
If you are a former patient of a mental health facility operated by Universal Health Services (UHS) and were abused or otherwise harmed by staff or treatment while receiving services there, please report your abuse to Citizens Commission on Human Rights at swagner@cchr.org.
List of UHS facilities:
Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Alabama Clinical Schools, Birmingham, AL
Alhambra Hospital, Rosemead, CA
Alliance Health Center, Meridian, MS
Anchor Hospital, Atlanta, GA
Arbour – Fuller Hospital, South Attleboro, MA
Arbour – HRI Hospital, Brookline, MA
Arbour Counseling Services, Rockland, MA
Arbour Hospital, Boston, MA
Arbour Senior Care, Rockland, MA
Arrowhead Behavioral Health, Maumee, OH
Atlantic Shores Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Aurora Pavilion Behavioral Health Services, Aiken, SC
Austin Lakes Hospital, Austin, TX
Belmont Pines Hospital, Youngstown, OH
Benchmark Behavioral Health Services, Woods Cross, UT
Bloomington Meadows Hospital, Bloomington, IN
Blue Mountain Academy, Grand Terrace, CA
Boulder Creek Academy, Bonners Ferry, ID
Brentwood Behavioral Healthcare of Mississippi, Flowood, MS
Brentwood Hospital, Shreveport, LA
Brighton Behavioral Health Center, Portsmouth, VA
Bristol Youth Academy, Bristol, FL
Brooke Glen Behavioral Health, Fort Washington, PA
Brynn Marr Hospital, Jacksonville, NC
Calvary Center, Phoenix, AZ
Canyon Ridge Hospital, Chino, CA
Cedar Grove Treatment Center, Murfreesboro, TN
Cedar Ridge Hospital, Oklahoma City, OK
Cedar Ridge Residential Treatment Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Cedar Springs Behavioral Health Services, Colorado Springs, CO
Centennial Peaks Hospital, Louisville, CO
Center For Change, Orem, UT
Central Florida Behavioral Hospital, Orlando, FL
Chicago Children’s Center, Chicago, IL
Clarion Psychiatric Center, Clarion, PA
Coastal Behavioral Health, Savannah, GA
Coastal Harbor Treatment Center, Savannah, GA
Columbus Behavioral Center, Columbus, IN
Community Behavioral Health, Memphis, TN
Compass Intervention Center, Memphis, TN
Copper Hills Youth Center, West Jordan, UT
Cottonwood Treatment Center, So. Salt Lake, UT
Creekside Academy, Sacramento, CA
Crescent Pines Hospital, Stockbridge, GA
Cumberland Hall Hospital, Hopkinsville, KY
Cumberland Hospital, New Kent, VA
Cypress Creek Hospital, Houston, TX
Del Amo Hospital, Torrance, CA
Desert Valley Hope Academy, Hemet CA,
Diamond Grove Center, Louisville, MS
Dover Behavioral Health System, Dover, DE
Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital, Panama City, FL
Fairfax Hospital, Kirkland, WA
Fairmount Behavioral Health System, Philadelphia, PA
FHCHS of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
Fieldston Preparatory School, Titusville, FL
First Home Care – VA, Portsmouth, VA
Forest View Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI
Fort Lauderdale Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Foundations Behavioral Health, Doylestown, PA
Foundations for Living, Mansfield, OH
Fox Run Center for Children and Adolescents, St. Clairsville, OH
Fremont Hospital, Fremont, CA
Friends Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Glen Oaks Hospital, Greenville, TX
Good Samaritan Counseling Center, Anchorage, AK
Gulf Coast Treatment Center, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Gulf Coast Youth Academy, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Hampton Behavioral Health Center, Westampton, NJ
Harbor Point Behavioral Health Center, Portsmouth, VA
Hartgrove Hospital, Chicago, IL
Havenwyck Hospital, Auburn Hills, MI
Heartland Behavioral Health Services, Nevada, MO
Heritage Oaks Hospital, Sacramento, CA
Hermitage Hall, Nashville, TN
Hickory Trail Hospital, DeSoto, TX
High Point Treatment Center, Cooper City, FL
Highlands Behavioral Health, Littleton, CO
Hill Crest Behavioral Health Services, Birmingham, AL
Holly Hill Hospital, Raleigh, NC
Horace Mann Academy, Rockledge, FL
Horizon Health Management, Lewisville, TX
Intermountain Hospital, Boise, ID
Jefferson Trail Treatment Center, Charlottesville, VA
Kempsville Center for Behavioral Health, Norfolk, VA
Keys of Carolina, Charlotte, NC
Keystone Center, Wallingford, PA
Kingwood Pines Hospital, Kingwood, TX
La Amistad Behavioral Health – Adult Program, Winter Park, FL
La Amistad Behavioral Health Services, Maitland, FL
Lakeside Behavioral Health System, Memphis, TN
Laurel Heights Hospital, Atlanta, GA
Laurel Oaks Behavioral Health Center, Dothan, AL
Laurel Ridge Treatment Center, San Antonio, TX
Liberty Point Behavioral Healthcare, Staunton, VA
Lighthouse Care Center of Augusta, Augusta, GA
Lighthouse Care Center of Conway, Conway, SC
Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Health Center, Springfield, IL
Lincoln Trail Behavioral Health System, Radcliff, KY
Macon Behavioral Health System, Macon, GA
Manatee Palms Group Homes, Bradenton, FL
Manatee Palms Youth Services, Bradenton, FL
Marion Youth Center, Marion, VA
McDowell Center for Children, Dyersburg, TN
Meridell Achievement Center, Liberty Hill, TX
Mesilla Valley Hospital, LasCruces, NM
Michiana Behavioral Health Center, Plymouth, IN
Midwest Center for Youth and Families, Kouts, IN
Millwood Hospital, Arlington, TX
Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility, Milton, FL
Mission Bell Academy, Riverside, CA
Mojave Ridge Academy, Victorville, CA
Morongo Basin Learning Academy, Morongo, CA
Mountain Youth Academy, Mountain City, TN
Natchez Trace Youth Academy, Waverly, TN
National Deaf Academy, Mt. Dora, FL
Newport News Behavioral Health Center, Newport News, VA
North Spring Behavioral Healthcare, Leesburg, VA
North Star Behavioral Health System – Debarr, Anchorage, AK
North Star Behavioral Health System – Palmer, Palmer, AK
North Star Hospital, Anchorage, AK
Northwest Academy, Naples, ID
NorthWest Academy, Streamwood, IL
Oak Plains Academy, Ashland City, TN
Okaloosa Youth Academy, Crestview, FL
Okaloosa Youth Development Center, Crestview, FL
Old Vineyard Behavioral Health Services, Winston-Salem, NC
Palmetto Behavioral Health – Pee Dee, Florence, SC
Palmetto Behavioral Health – Summerville, Summerville, SC
Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health, North Charleston, SC
Panamericano (Cidra), Cidra, PR
Parkwood Behavioral Health System, Olive Branch, MS
Peachford Hospital, Atlanta, GA
Peak Behavioral, Santa Teresa, NM
Pembroke Hospital, Pembroke, MA
Pinnacle Point, Little Rock, AR
Poplar Springs Hospital, Petersburg, VA
Prairie St. Johns, Fargo, ND
Pride Institute, Eden Prairie, MN
Professional Probation Services, Norcross, GA
Provo Canyon School, Provo, UT,
Provo Canyon School – Springville Campus, Springville, UT
Rancho Academy of Learning, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Rancho San Diego Academy, San Diego, CA
Rivendell Behavioral Health Services, Bowling Green, KY
Rivendell Behavioral Health Services of Arkansas, Benton, AR
River Crest Hospital, San Angelo, TX
River Oaks Hospital, New Orleans, LA
River Park Hospital, Huntington, WV
River Point Behavioral Health, Jacksonville, FL
Riverdale Country School, Palm Bay, FL
Riveredge, Forest Park, IL
Rock River Academy, Rockford, IL
Rockford Center, Newark, DE
Rolling Hills Hospital, Franklin, TN
Roxbury Treatment Center, Shippensburg, PA
San Marcos Treatment Center, San Marcos, TX
Sandy Pines, Tequesta, FL
Shadow Mountain Behavioral Health Services, Tulsa, OK
Shadow Mt-Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, OK
Sierra Vista Hospital, Sacramento, CA
Somerset School in Riverside, Riverside, CA
South Texas Behavioral Health System, Edinburg, TX
Spring Mountain Sahara, Las Vegas, NV
Spring Mountain Treatment Center Las Vegas, NV
Springwoods Behavioral Health, Fayetteville, AR
St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, St. Louis, MO
St. Simons By-The-Sea, St. Simons Island, GA
Stonington Institute, North Stonington, CT
Streamwood Hospital, Streamwood, IL
Streamwood Residential Treatment Center (Elgin), Streamwood, IL
Summit Oaks Hospital, Summit, NJ
SummitRidge Hospital, Lawrenceville, GA
Talbott Recovery Campus, Atlanta, GA
Texas NeuroRehab Center, Austin, TX
The BridgeWay, North Little Rock, AR
The Brook – Dupont, Louisville, KY
The Brook – KMI, Louisville, KY
The Carolina Center for Behavorial Health, Greer, SC
The Horsham Clinic, Ambler, PA
The Hughes Center, Danville, VA
The Meadows Hospital / Universal Community Behavorial Health, Centre Hall, PA
The Pavilion at Northwest Texas, Amarillo, TX
The Pavilion Foundation, Champaign, IL
The Ridge Behavioral Health System, Lexington, KY
The Vines Hospital, Ocala, FL
Three Rivers Behavioral Health West, Columbia, SC
Three Rivers Residential Treatment – Midlands, Columbia, SC
Timberlawn Mental Health System, Dallas, TX
TMC Behavioral Health Center, Sherman, TX
Turning Point Hospital, Moultrie, GA
Turning Point Youth Center, St. John’s, MI
Two Rivers Psychiatric Hospital, Kansas City, MO
University Behavioral Center, Orlando, FL
Upper East Tennessee Regional Juvenile Detention Center, Johnson City, TN
Valle Vista Health System, Greenwood, IN
Virgin Islands Behavioral Services, St. Croix, VI
Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Walton Youth Development Center FL
Wekiva Springs Hospital, Jacksonville, FL
Wellstone Regional Hospital, Jefferson, IN
West Hills Hospital, Reno, NV
West Oaks Hospital, Houston, TX
Westwood Lodge, Westwood, MA
Willow Springs Center, Reno, NV
Windmoor Healthcare, Clearwater, FL
Windsor-Laurelwood Center, Willoughby, OH
Wyoming Behavioral Institute, Casper, WY
Psych Crime Reporter 
Does anyone know what happened to psychiatrist Hardin Ritchey who practiced at Hillcrest Hospital from about 1962 to 1973? His actions toward me were abusive and inappropriate and I heard years later that he had been fired from Hillcrest in about 1973 and later privately sanctioned by the state board of medical advisors. Apparently there was an article in the newspaper about it that mentioned him by name and stated that he had been disciplined by the board. Specifically he was a shock doctor who shocked everone who walked in the door. He shocked me against my will for almost 4 years. Three of the more than 50 treatments were forced on me before I turned 18, and three were forced on me after I had turned 21. If anyone knows anything about the date he was fired from Hillcrest or the date the article in the paper appeared about his reprimand by the board, please reply to this list. He died in 2000.
Comment by Melinda James — January 12, 2012 @ 12:46 am |
It’s possible that he was disciplined before the Alabama Medical Board was required to make such actions known publicly. This is likely the case. You have contacted them and requested a copy of the disciplinary order and statement of charges and they have replied that there is nothing on file?
Comment by Psych Crime Reporter — January 15, 2012 @ 2:19 pm |
Thank you for your reply.
Yes. I wrote to them recently (November 2011) and they replied that there was “nothing whatsoever” in their files. They enclosed copies of his license renewals
for all the years he practiced in Alabama.
Their reply is curious to me because back in 1977 when I had sent them a letter asking them to examine his practice (he was still alive and practicing then) and stated that I believed
he had harmed me through malpractice, they replied,
asking me for more details (I was too traumatized then and too afraid to send more details),
and they stated that ” Hardin Ritchey does not practice medicine in the state of Alabama.”
I found out later through the internet and from his obituary that he practiced locum tenens in
Texas and Wyoming. Those boards granted licenses to him in 1976 (Texas) and 1989 (Wyoming).
I am looking for someone who knows something and can tell me the year the article appeared in the
Birmingham News.
Melinda James
Comment by Melinda James — January 29, 2012 @ 11:47 pm
I was a patient at Hillcrest in 1971. Ritchey was a cruel sadistic bastard. He was not board certified. He was Self Designated. My hospital records clearly indicate he shocked me for punishment “ because I was belligerent “ and even though it was so called Modified ECT I can tell you I was shocked many tines while I was awake.
Comment by Randy Martin — August 27, 2018 @ 5:39 pm |
Hi Randy,
I appreciate you leaving this comment. More people need to know that shock is not always used for “therapeutic” purposes and that even when it is,..it isn’t. There’s nothing therapeutic about it.
Sue
Comment by Psych Crime Reporter — August 30, 2018 @ 12:45 pm
Is anyone aware of accusations of sexual abuse at the Southwest Secure Treatment Center in Torrance Pa?
Comment by Margaret Hughes — February 2, 2012 @ 10:29 am |
I was inappropriately restrained (on several occasions) at Willow Springs in Reno, NV. They often used long-term seclusion and/or physical and/or chemical restraint(s) as punishment.
Comment by Adolescent from Reno Willow Springs — June 29, 2012 @ 5:32 am |
I was also restrained as punishment multiple times at Willow Springs. Usually forced to stay in the QR with nothing but a mattress until my therapist’s weekend was over. They would keep you in there wearing nothing but a paper gown and the paper gown would just dissolve because the room was so hot, and then you’d be sitting there naked, hoping they didn’t open the door very much when they brought you your rice crispies.
Comment by Kate Morgan — August 7, 2012 @ 9:29 pm |
My daughter was placed in restraints at Forest View Hospital in Grand Rapids Michigan and overly sedated and left to lay naked for 2 hours.
Comment by pam — November 27, 2012 @ 8:20 am |
Does anyone know of anyone that has been to anyone of the UHS hospitals in Indiana there are five across Indiana please share your stories !
Comment by Dominique Smith — March 25, 2013 @ 8:22 am |
I would be very curious to know about the Indiana hospitals too, especially Midwest Center for youth and Families. I had a child at BHC in plymouth, no red flags that I could see, she was only there for 7an days.
Comment by angel — May 13, 2013 @ 11:23 am |
I went to Midwest center for youth and families– south shore academy for 9months. I loved the staff and it helped sooo much. Feel free to email me with questions carlysmith011@yahoo.com
Comment by carlysmith011 — June 4, 2015 @ 5:54 pm
I saw with my own eyes the terrible things that happen at Foundations Behavioral Health in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It was like something out of a horror movie, I can’t wait for the day when that place can shut down. They don’t care about their patients or their staffing. I was brutally beat in the head and my hand was broken and they told me to deal with it. I don’t get how such a place can still be standing.
Comment by Suzie — May 7, 2013 @ 6:52 pm |
I was a patient at brook Glenn in fort Washington. I was given ambien on my last night there. Obviously too high a dose because I ended up being taken out in a stretcher to abington hospital because my blood pressure dropped so low I blacked out
Comment by Rachael — December 18, 2013 @ 5:14 am |
I worked at Roxbury treatment ctr Shippensburg and there were 3 cases of sexual incidents between patients there, overmedication on both adult and adolescent unit (40 adults all asleep at 10pm as well as 10-15 adolescents at 9:30pm — impossible unless heavily medicated), and also understaffed. State requires 1 mental health tech to 4 patients — a lot of times I was on adult unit with only 1 other mental health tech (both female) when 30-40 patients on unit. When I mentioned errors there I was given written warnings with made up things like I gave shoestrings to a patient, etc. that were false and they had no names or dates of made up items. Patients were in locked in unit that never had a cleaning staff and 2 techs at night on duty had to sweep rooms but extremely dirty vinyl floors never mopped and when I tried to find a mop there wasn’t one found in building. this place needs to be secretly checked because they are violating many rules of safety and treatment for patients and employees working there.
Comment by mary farkle — January 10, 2015 @ 9:51 pm |
I was a patient at poplar springs hospital in Virginia in both the residential and acute facilities. In both sides I was misdosed with medication, forced to stay naked for more than 4 days in the quiet room and beaten many times by another resident whom the staff failed to restrain. But when talking with other patients after my release the staff member was found to have told that girl along with many other patients to “jump” me or beat me up all at once–this all being while I am on enough psychotropic medications to comatose a very overweight mentally ill adult. I was a seventeen-year-old, almost anorexic, weighing only 108 pounds at five-foot-five.
Comment by ema — January 4, 2014 @ 5:07 am |
My 13-year-old child has visited three of these listed: The Pavillion (or 6 days) and Lincoln Prairie (for 18 days) in IL and Lakeside (for 11 days) in Memphis, TN. The Pavillion was very dirty, staff sat around doing way less than being paid for, other children wore my child’s clothes (which were never seen again), and I will go to jail before he would ever go to that place again!
Comment by Karen Fry — January 23, 2014 @ 5:22 pm |
I’m so sorry to hear about everyone’s experiences. UHS needs to be stopped, plain and simple. Does anyone have any info about Centennial Peaks hospital in CO? I have a relative who may be admitted there.
Comment by Kaitlyn — February 22, 2014 @ 2:42 am |
I was at The Meadows in Centre Hall from Columbus Day of 1998 til late October of 99. While there the then doctor had me on enough Seroquel that I was basically a walking zombie. When I was admitted I weighed 120 lbs roughly and when I was discharged I weighed well over 250 due to the high dose ( if I remember right it was around 750 mg per day)Due to the high dose of meds all I wanted to do was sleep. Also while their I was moved to a unit that had multiple sexual offenders on it who were not really monitored and in fact I was roommates with 2 of them even though I was there on a plea deal that said I was supposed to be kept away from such people due to my history of aggression. The social worker that I was assigned to lied to my father about monetary matters and several times did not even call him to see if I could come home on a home pass.
Comment by Charles Neal — April 29, 2014 @ 6:17 pm |
Anyone wish to share their horror stories about time spent at Streamwood Hospital in Streamwood Illinois and any interaction with the terrible staff and unethical medical director Dr. McNally? I think that anyone who goes into the area of Psychiatry is most often a predator and without feelings and compassion. In fact, it almost seemed like they enjoy watching people suffer and taking part in the suffering of others. Isn’t that a sociopath? These doctors want to use you and abuse you for their own sick plans, then when you don’t go along with them any longer they just force more medicine on you so that your goofy in the head. You can’t fight back because no one believes you they believe the doctor who is really the abuser.
Comment by true s. — October 3, 2014 @ 9:26 am |
Did anyone have problems with male mental heath workers at the Westwood Lodge Hospital in Mass.?
Comment by susan watts — October 13, 2014 @ 12:40 am |
In 1991 I was placed in Brentwood Hospital , Shreveport La. I was 6 at the time. While there I was repeatedly placed in a room with padded floors, and the heat was turned on and would gradually make me pass out. I was mixed with older teens and was the youngest there. I was sexually abused also. I was regularly transferred to another location every time by ambulance and was given a sedative that relaxed me and put me out if it. I was attacked on a regular basis by a slightly older male in which a doctor there had to hold me and kicked the other kid away. He wasn’t removed and the attacks continued.
Comment by Benjamin — November 16, 2014 @ 12:04 am |
Would being raped by another patient and having staff refuse to call my doctor because it was a weekend count?
Comment by Susan Watts — July 5, 2015 @ 11:35 pm |
Of course it would. And this kind of neglect is something that UHS is infamous for.
Comment by Psych Crime Reporter — April 4, 2018 @ 6:05 pm |
What about laurel oaks in dothan Al
Comment by Courtney — January 6, 2016 @ 9:22 am |
I’d like to know. (Sorry to be so long in responding. Life, y’know?)
Comment by Psych Crime Reporter — April 4, 2018 @ 1:06 pm |
Has anyone had their child in coastal harbor in Savannah,Ga? Our son is there now, and the place is a nightmare. We are moving him immediately. The staff is verbally abusive. We have not received one phone call or update from his nurse or therapist. I have called and called, and nobody ever answers. When u did reach the nurse finally she yelled at me and the. Laughed at me when I expressed my concerns. Our son is severely anorexic and for his group therapy they have him exercising. Seriously!!!!!! They also told me they they do t have the staff to make sure he eats and if he eats he doesn’t throw up, so he is on his own with it. He goes to recreational therapy twice a day and they work out. This place is scary. Don’t ever send your child here. The only reason he went here was because it was the only facility without a waiting list. The doctor didn’t really want him there, by he wa sin crisis. Please don’t ever send your children to this facility.
Comment by Teresa — April 4, 2016 @ 6:58 pm |
I was a patient at Westwood Lodge Hospital in Mass. I have been restrained inappropriately on a few occasions. I was also raped by another patient (when the hospital gave “grounds” privileges. ) The hospital put me through hell because of that; accusing me of having responsibility for it. I was dx’d as having DID and I was in no shape to be blamed or allowed outside alone. The anniversary of that occurrence is coming up. It will never leave my mind.
Comment by Susan T Watts — May 25, 2016 @ 6:43 pm |
That must have been awful. Glad you’re out of there. They finally closed the place…what a hell-hole it was. Have you ever done anything regarding your incident, such as filing a police report or a complaint with a state agency? (P.S., very sorry to have taken this long to respond. I am way behind with this blog.)
Comment by Psych Crime Reporter — April 3, 2018 @ 6:11 pm |
A police report was filed, (I believe) when a nurse heard my story and an officer questioned me.. When I was finally taken to the ER for a rape kit, staff who accompanied me ignored my pleas for her to hold my hand. I was retraumatized there.After that, I was basically disbelieved and told not to bother filing any complaints because no one would believe me, being a “mental patient”. No one attempted to contact my husband or my doctor. It was a nightmare.
Comment by Susan T Watts — August 30, 2018 @ 1:28 pm
Dr Hardin Ritchey was a sadistic cruel bastard that shocked me many times
Comment by Randy Martin — August 27, 2018 @ 5:36 pm |
Are there any lawsuits filed against UHS Westwood Lodge. How many years is too late to file suit?
Comment by Susan — August 30, 2018 @ 1:48 pm |
Hi Susan. I don’t know offhand if there are any pending lawsuits against Westwood Lodge. You could consult a lawyer to find out. Also, you probably already know that the best source of information on UHS facilities is the “UHS Behind Closed Doors” Here is their page on Westwood Lodge: website: http://uhsbehindcloseddoors.org/item/westwood-lodge-hospital/
Comment by Psych Crime Reporter — September 20, 2018 @ 1:45 pm |