Gateway Behavioral Health Services – Bloomingdale

I have been debating whether or not I should write a review but I think that this is important.Hi I’m Kathy and I went here in July let me say this place is not bad at least for me we had yoga every now and then we went… outside (their was large fences) and there was and basketball court and swings which both weren’t the best but at least we had something.I think we had 3 snacks a day the food I don’t think was bad but I’m a vegetarian so all I ate was pbj which I will never eat again.i share a room with two other girls and they watched us sleep and the light wouldn’t go fully off.The shower went off every 2 minutes to a few seconds depending on the room and guess what I shared a shower with 4 girls.Now I what’s good about this place?For me it was the friends I made it was so easy to just talk with them about everything and laugh I miss them so much but I’m happy they are out of that place.The workers were nice but only the older black ladies I remember I made a bracelet that said pissed off for one of my friends because she would always say she was pissed off and one of the workers said she couldn’t have I gave it to her before she left I wanted her to have something of me but I couldn’t so DORY I’m still pissed yeah don’t think I forgive you and oh yeah we had fun activities every now and then so this place wasn’t that bad but I still wouldn’t try to go here

The facility is older, but the staff are exceptionally nice, the doctors are extremely well-educated and the therapists are great. It’s not the nicest place ever, but they do their best to make you feel comfortable.… It’s extremely humane for a place like this. The other reviews are based on individual experience, but I would take them with a grain of salt. I didn’t witness a single fight in here, and the staff will do everything they can to NOT have to restrain or sedate violent kids. If you want your child to be safe, and not traumatized by a psychiatric institution, this is the one. Reviews mean nothing. It’s a great place with a good reputation and 16 beds so there isn’t opportunity for much chaos. It’s state funded, so of course it’s not amazing, but you won’t get abused or mistreated or starved, and that is what matters in places like this.

Went here when I was like ten or eleven. Staff literally smoked and used nic right in front of us, kept letting a kid bash himself against doors, we didn’t get any lotion so my skin was acting up bad, and it just sucked… in general. I had to come here twice, both experiences sucked.

The people who work there were very nice. There were like one or two who I wasn’t really fond of. However, for the most part, it was a good experience. It was helpful. The people who work there were laidback and calm… but still knew how to firmly set boundaries without having to yell or anything like that. The food was good, it wasn’t like random hospital food, you get options also. As long as you’re not really acting out, you won’t have any problems. Even if you are, the nurses don’t really judge you. They understand, but I wouldn’t suggest acting out because it’s not really pleasant on their side or yours. If you’re going, I wouldn’t be too scared about being mistreated or anything. When I read the reviews, I was afraid what my experience would be like, but it wasn’t bad. Obviously, it’s not the place you wanna be because it’s still a mental hospital, but you aren’t mistreated and the nurses are very caring and understanding. There are precautions but you aren’t treated like some liability or prisoner, they still treat you like a human and understand that you’re there for a reason. Nevertheless, to each their own, experiences can vary from each individual. Have a good day or night, everyone.

Where is my son?

never bring your kid here i just left this place it’s like a jail and it’s absolutely disgusting their was bugs in the shower the place gives gross food they do not care about hygiene because what they provide does not… work you learn absolutely nothing here so i strongly advise to never come here or bring your children here

Horrible place to send your kids to

They nice to me there but i think its cuz i been there to much so they know me

I went here back in I think June? (could've been May) It was honestly not that bad of an experience, they have a really good classroom, I liked when we could do yoga, the staff was all great with a few exceptions and… the outside time was amazing (especially the garden). Genuinely Lakeside helped me a lot mostly with them being really accepting of trans kids and with them actually having someone to help inform kids of their rights both at the facility and with CPS (which was great for me even if my CPS case didn't work out the way I hoped). The only issues I'd say Lakeside has is maybe the food (However I understand Lakeside most likely can't get a cook due to money issues) and the dismissiveness some staff has regarding patients sexually harassing each other but overall I'd say almost everyone there was treated with absolute kindness, my personal favorite staff are Mr. Alex and Ms. Nicole I hope the best for everyone there and I'm thankfully trying my best to get better even if I have had some bumps in the road since I've gotten out, if any parents are reading this then please help your child to not judge a book by it's cover because every patient I met at every facility I've been to has been wonderful, everyone there is just trying to heal and it's better to work on yourself than to take the time out of your day to judge everyone else.

this was the best mental health place i’ve ever been to. i went here in 2022 and it was the best experience i’ve had. before i went to lakeside, i went to coastal harbor. i got mentally, emotionally, and physically… abused by the staff there. i got sexually assaulted by patients. i was traumatized, i fought my mom to let me not go to lakeside, until i got there. i was treated with kindness and respect, and as soon as i walked into that building i got the greatest vibes, even after what i was put through before. definitely recommend.

i like it there it help me very much and the staff was very good and the class room was ok! and i meat this fine boy there so 5 stars lis he was fineeeeeee

I went here when I was 13. I loved the staff, I met some cool people, I'm not gonna lie the food was pretty good. but the therapy helped and changed me. They helped get me out of the situation I was in.

I really appreciate the staff pre-Covid pandemic. They cared about the children.

I went here in November 2024 it was okay the staff are nice but not the ones on weekends in my experience but overall it was good except weekend food

stayed at this facility from august 27 to september 2nd, 2024. as with any mental facility seemingly, it felt like being in prison. you had to ask to do just about anything and you get zero privacy anywhere besides the… bathrooms. the place was filthy, awful cafeteria tables and floors. you leave the place being filthy too, you're unable to brush your hair or shower correctly because the "shampoo" they give you is body wash, shaving cream and shampoo all in one. it strips your hair of dye {

Was there from January 22-26 of this year, it was pure trash, the tables aren’t clean it’s pure disgusting, there’s blood stains on the wall in the first dorm on the boys hall, every time we went to sleep the nurses… were loud we couldn’t even sleep, they didn’t respect our privacy, we had to keep our doors open while we were sleeping. The food was okay, I never gotten my class work nor met the teacher, the desks were to small my legs couldn’t fit under the desk because I was too tall, the bathroom is utterly disgusting they don’t clean them. Mr Yue (forgot his name) loved this man he was funny and there was 3 black nurses I can’t remember their name but they were actually nice they . Shout out to karmyn and Kaleb they were cool peoples. They need to fix their showers, it starts cold 30-45s in the water gets boiling hot to where some of the kids I was talking to said they got burns on their body because the water was too hot . DO NOT BRING YOUR SHOES ! BRING SLIDES .

I went here when I was 16 years old, I’m 27 now so I thought I’d leave a review reading some of these. So the year would’ve been 2013. Please remember when your child or if you have a phone an are a child That you come… here it’s a mental hospital stay, NOT a vacation. The food is hospital food And yes you share a shower with somebody bc they get so many people in crisis that no you cannot have your own room and shower. Stop focusing on the food and shower and focus on the group therapy and the individual therapy. Take in account what they say in them. You have a chance to make things better a young age instead of being old and not getting too things suck everywhere. This place when I went had decent staff decent therapist and decent doctors

Genuinely lifesaving. I was sent here a few weeks back from CHOA in Atlanta after ODing. I was extremely upset and scared to go back into one of these facilities. But it wasn’t nearly as bad as any other facility i’ve… been in. They don’t have an adult unit, so they focus on the kids. They let us go outside, they have trained staff that know how to work with children as young as 5. They keep everyone comfortable and in check. The wait times are short, and most of the staff seems like they really care about the kids. People compare this to a prison, but what they don’t understand, is that this is a CSU, it is meant to keep kids safe, it isn’t meant to provide long term help, but to set you up for when you go back home. They educate us here on everything that goes on, and they are very open with us. Yes we can’t be unattended, and they obviously can’t let us just leave, because even if you think you are personally stable enough, they are caring for the safety of you and everyone around you. They facility isn’t the cleanest or most well kept, but I do think a lot of their funds are going into their new facility, since they are soon to be closing this one and relocating to somewhere bigger. This isn’t anyone’s ideal situation to be in, especially not as a child or adolescent, but the therapists here, the doctors, and a lot of the other staff do really care about keeping us safe, and do their job very professionally. They try and make this fun for us, they give us lots of snacks, they let us trick or treat and have a cookout on halloween, and they let us watch all the movies we want. One nurse, Mr. Yu, would even make us origami figures to play with. This place can be scary, like any other CSU or residential facility, but they really do just want to keep us safe and healthy, and set us up to succeed. Going in, I was mad at everything, but going out, I realized the help that I needed, and I felt cared for by the staff on my treatment team.

My son had to go here and we live in north GA so it was a long trip. I was kinda nervous with him so far away. 6 hours! But it was totally worth it. The staff was very kind and welcoming my son really got the help he… needed. They answered any questions we had and made sure we had the resources we needed for him local to us when we took him home. I would recommend them to anyone who had a child in a crisis.

I went here 2 weeks ago it was okay some of the staff was nice the dr was like you will be gone in 5 to 7 days that just violates kids in fear being far away from home 5 minute phone calls the shower water goes on the… floor the kids in there where very nice but lakeside needs to do better! They don't even help please don't go here go somewhere else. FORGOT TO ADD 12 foot tall fences just like jail every hallway is behind lock and key

My favorite place to be at they are so nice and understanding

My son went there and he loved it

Stayed here quite a few years ago, came in with an open wound on my wrist and it never got treated, I even showed the nurse and she gave me band aid. A band aid for a giant hole in my wrist.

Absolute nightmare, they don’t even have actual doctors helping them. They cold turkey my son with all his meds, released him before he was stable and now my younger kids and I have to suffer the violent repercussions.… We are starting back at square -1 because they told him he’s only “moderately depressed” so now he really thinks we’re just out to get him. He’s bipolar with psychosis( diagnosed by 2 actual psychiatrist),… he’s already paranoid as it is. Now I will never have a good relationship with him cuz they put the last nail on the coffin… I feel completely hopeless now

I stayed here in my darkest places some of the staff are super nice, especially Ms . Alexis! The food is ok i guess you dont really get that much privacy…. I loved Mr. zachs class he helped me sooo much!!

I went to lakeside on a Wednesday and got out the next Tuesday. If you are looking into this place, i’d suggest looking into another place!! So i’m checked in, we sign paperwork, and i’m admitted. they bring me to the… area where i’ll be staying and sit me on a blue couch to wait until staff can talk to me. Obviously i’m very nervous because I have anxiety in general and i’m going to be kept with kids i’ve never met for the next week or so. So i’m sitting there staring down at the floor, occasionally looking around, and i’m sitting there for about 30 minutes. the only people that talked to me in those those minutes were some of the patients as they were being led out for a bathroom break. The staff had them leave me alone because I was nervous. ANOTHER 30 minutes goes by and I haven’t had staff talk to me yet. Eventually after a very long wait, a woman talks to me, asks me questions and writes down anything they may need to remember about me. So far i’m not very happy because of how anxious I was and how I sat waiting for so long. I had admitted myself because I had a friend who had visited months prior and he seemed to enjoy it, and I needed stabilization so I came. Basically this place just babysits you until your stay is up. No help was gives for my mental state while I was in there. The only thing they ever helped me with was finding a program for after I was discharged! Please consider a different facility

I believe that lakeside has been extremely successful and to be apart of this facility, is wonderful the staff are very warm greeting, There are many ways to explain the hardship for the children whom Are the age that… is hard for a child if trauma was involved the techs, and all other behavior health staff, including doctors, licensed counselor, physicians nurses, physiologist and great teachers! The receptionist and lot of the time it's heart consuming to see how hard the children have to get thru, but the lakeside groups of therapy is quit healthy and generous as for the kids sake. It's not easy for the staff an individuals whom work therapeutics which are difficult ofor both Great friendly caring facility!!

Doesn't even deserve one star. I went there in 2020, 4 hours from home. Staff hated us. They treated us like we didn't have problems. They yelled at us for not going to sleep, not staying seated, not eating, not waiting… to go to the bathroom. They didn't get my classwork until that Thursday. I had been there a week after my attempt. They barely fed us. Our doors weren't closed, they didn't care if we showered and I never slept because I could only cry. They wouldn't accommodate to anyone including the deaf kid they had there. Thankfully I knew some sign and could talk to him but they separated the females from the males during activities and even then boys got to go down the girls Hall to the laundry room. Several kids told us they hurt their parents or tried to hurt themselves and you got a 5 minute call to your family. It was like prison. They had visitation rooms and counselors who would call our parents and tell them what we'd tell them. Total breach of privacy and I hated it. They searched our rooms, stole our notebooks, I lost a pen there and I haven't even received it back. IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR AND A HALF. They had an electric fence for kids who tried to escape. They had isolation rooms and sometimes they'd forget the kid in the isolation room. If you want your kid to get help, don't go here. Go somewhere else please.