University Behavioral Center – Orlando

Tania Santos is a great outreach specialist! She is very informative and knowledgeable. She knows her company and a pleasure to coordinate with for clients to receive the best care possible. Whoever hired her ….… Fantastic discernment.

I had a great experience,very compassionate to the wants and needs of all the patients.

I was brought to UBC under a Baker Act, and this was one of the most dehumanizing psychiatric experiences I’ve had. I’m giving two stars only because a few staff members and groups were genuinely helpful. The… Tranquility unit is old, overstimulating, and lacks privacy — I was even evaluated in front of two peers from my university. The Baker Act workflow was confusing and poorly communicated. The RN (Kevin) tried his best, but the unit was full and the system is clearly broken. My initial evaluation was done by a weekend doctor who openly called this his “side hustle,” showed little understanding of autistic sensory overload, and documented minimally. Compliance was emphasized constantly — take every med, attend every group, eat food that smelled awful. As someone with sensory issues, I could only tolerate fruit. After being signed competent, I switched to voluntary status, but was told that if I didn’t revoke my RTR, I’d be taken to court and put back under the Baker Act. This contradicts the law and felt coercive. The attending psychiatrist never appeared in person; I was briefly spoken to over Zoom while she was driving. Discharge was delayed because the insurance authorization covered 4 nights for my stay, and UBC and Dr. Malik wanted that extra day of compensation. Many techs were rude, and the environment felt chaotic and understaffed. Even basic therapy assessments to ASK WHAT YOU WERE ADMITTED FOR took days. There were small moments of humanity — a kind RN, Kevin, and a few down to earth MHTs, Ciera and Mary, and being allowed my stuffed animal — but overall, the experience felt institutional, disorganized, and fear and compliance based. If you need inpatient care, I strongly recommend looking west toward Lakeland Regional, which has a newer unit, neurodivergent‑aware staff, and respects patient autonomy.

Recently had a hospitalization in this hospital and I was in the Ricovery Unit I just got out yesterday and I wanna say thank you for all the staff of the Recovery unit Includingall the nurses. And the majority of the… staff. They accommodate me with my situation the way I was needed to be treated. I want to recognize the program coordinator, Ms Joanne R . She really went and accommodate me on my needs For example, making sure the program of the unit was being done and she also stopped what she was doing and help me thank you ma’am. Yes, the rooms are all day closed but I understand that it’s for the patient to socialize and be part Off the Recovery Of our health. I really wanna say Thank you to Therapist Miss Jasmine for her group that made me Think in my Recovery areas that I need to work on To the point it brought me to tears, thank you. Yes, that the first day you don’t know what to expect and that happened to me. I had a panic attack the first day And the nurse was in shift Help me to go to my panic attack and help me to stay and do my Recovery. I believe her name was Tatiana. Like in every place There’s gonna be people that don’t do the job but it’s like two of themhowever but there Will be a staff that do their job and do care for you For all the staff that had interaction with me from the moment Enter to the facility to the moment that Mr. Adrien Walk me out on my discharge. I want to say from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

Literally the worst hospital I've ever been to. The female employees are such bullies, I lost 7 lbs because they refused to feed me. Please do not go here. I was 120 lbs coming in and left 112 lbs.i think there are… people who need to be baker acted more than me

If i could give it 0 stars i would, please do not send your children or family there.If you want them to get actual care go anywhere else please. They do not have any respect for the patients nor treat us like we are… even human. They treat you like you are just mental, you have zero say in what you do or anything. I don't know how they are still in business but please dont keep sending your kids there and condoning this. I left feeling the worse i ever have been mentally. I hope nobody has to go through that. If you have, Im so sorry, God Bless You and i hope you know you are not alone.

Pointless. Fill a drug addict up with drugs while they’re there. Then they come home and they’re asking for someone to take them to get drugs.

I would like to start by listing the positives, which are some of the staff members. Nurse Tiana, MHT Mary, and Andrew from Activities were amazing! They were the only ones to actually listen to me, and advocate for me.… This facility is not capable of accommodating people with physical disabilities and they acknowledge it. Psychiatry, medical, and even the floor nurses, said there was nothing they could do to help my CRPS, and that even though I was not an active danger to myself or others, they would still hold me for 72-hours. We sit and do nothing for a majority of the day, and I was told by one of coordinators not to listen to the reviews because it’s untrue. Oh, it’s true alright! We have maybe 3 hours of therapies over the day, and the rest of the day is sitting around and chatting or watching movies on Netflix. Some of the people on the unit are fun, but it’s not like this was productive by any means. Overall, it was not a great experience and I was told to leave a good review. I’m leaving an objective one instead because honesty is better than falsely flattering the people running this place.

All is tight work except for one of the Drs

Only person who deserves any kind of respect is Nurse Kevin he has gone out of his way to make sure all my paperwork was signed and in order as soon as I was able to sign it and even said his goodbyes before his break… he really did check in on each individual person in the tranquility unit before he headed out for a few days. Joan or jo ann idk how to spell her name but she's RUDE I first hand witnessed her talking bad about another patient behind their back in front of me and another person both people are my friends. This place is hell all you do is sit in a day room ALL DAY waiting for group stuff. There's not even a clock inside the rooms which sucks because they tried drawing blood from me at 6 am when I had no water beforehand I said it may not work the lady said "well we'll have to try again tomorrow morning" how am I supposed to guess what time it is to prepare for something like that if I gotta waltz out of my room to the nurse desk to see what time it is. And no I'm not filling out any online forms I request not to be contacted about this because I have been before by leaving a review like this to another medical facility that's not related to this

So I had a pretty bad mental breakdown in May '26. I voluntarily admitted myself because I decided I needed the help. This review won't be about the hospitalization part. All I have to say about that is that it was… alright, you just need to have an open mind and actually want to improve. And be patient. The staff wasn't exactly the greatest. They weren't horrible or mean or anything, but they definitely made you feel like you were just part of their job. This review will be about the PHP/IOP program, their outpatient program. I have to say, that in all my life I've always been a huge supporter of people getting help for their mental health. But I never did it for myself. After hospitalization, I decided to enroll in their program. And I'm glad I did. What Krystal and Sherri did for me was incredible. I went in broken and came out educated and equipped to build myself back to the man I was. I will FOREVER be grateful for them. Those two are incredible. They truly care about you, about what you're going through. They adapt the program to the best of their ability for you and all the individuals in there. The biggest thing I can say is that you get what you put in. Participate. Engage. They will help you SO much if you do, and they'll try their damndest either way if you don't. But again, Krystal and Sherri were INCREDIBLE in my healing journey, and because of them I highly recommend the outpatient program for those that need and want help.

They are SLOW to process everything it seems. I wasn’t informed I was able to sign papers to change my status from involuntary to voluntary, and that extended my stay. The facility is dated, but they really need to make… it more welcoming/comfortable for those with mental illness. The environment definitely added stress and discontent bc it felt more prison-like at times. That said, the staff was amazing. The whole time there I found 1 person I didn’t like. If they could improve the atmosphere, it wouldn’t be so bad.

I would love to say the first day in there was a little rough. Once i indulged with the staff my experience elevated. I would like to give my flowers to these staff members that made my stay comfortable.… Sherie(Therapist) Sasha(Nurse) Marquila(Program Coordinator) Daniella(MHT) Adrienne(MHT) Katie(MHT) Micheal-Junior(MHT) and Mr.Jackson(MHT) thank you all so much for making the stay worth the while. God Bless.

I don’t know what these people got going on can’t get in communication with my partner but when he did call they rushed him off the phone these people show that they don’t care for the patients or family’s being… admitted in this facility the heath bored needs to review this facility for violating patients right when being able to communicate to loved one they have no regard for ethics professionalism and have no manners whenever my partner gets released we filing lawsuit violation of his rights

Nice care

I like it a lot, it's very helpful

My experience at University Behavioral Center was horrifying, degrading, and completely unacceptable. A facility entrusted with caring for people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives should provide… safety, dignity, compassion, and competent treatment. What I personally witnessed was the complete opposite. The behavior of several staff members was shockingly unprofessional. Staff used obscenities openly, played music from their personal phones while supposedly conducting “group therapy,” and spoke negatively about patients during sessions. Patients seeking genuine help were treated as though they were an inconvenience or the subject of staff gossip. Calling these interactions “therapy” felt insulting when there appeared to be so little structure, professionalism, or therapeutic value. Communication between staff members and patients was dangerously inadequate. Information was inconsistent, questions went unanswered, and confusion repeatedly interfered with opportunities for patients to receive proper care. In a behavioral health environment, miscommunication is not a minor inconvenience—it can directly affect a patient’s treatment, medication, safety, and recovery. I was also deeply disturbed that I could not locate several of the individuals presented as therapists or physicians on external professional websites to independently verify their credentials. Patients and their families should never have to question whether the people responsible for their mental health treatment are appropriately licensed and qualified. The physical condition of the facility was disgusting. I observed used bandages left on bathroom floors, food scattered across floors, and bed coverings that appeared visibly unhygienic. The food was frequently severely undercooked and questionable. The air conditioning was practically nonexistent, leaving patients trapped in an uncomfortable environment with little relief. These are not small cosmetic complaints. They are fundamental issues involving sanitation, health, safety, and basic human dignity. The psychiatric care felt less like meaningful treatment and more like an assembly line for prescribing medication. In my experience, the psychiatrists appeared primarily interested in medication management rather than listening, understanding what patients were experiencing, or offering meaningful assistance. Most alarming was my interaction with RN Adrian, who appeared to pressure me to take medication without providing confirmation that it had been approved or ordered by a physician. No patient should ever feel pressured into taking medication without clear information, informed consent, and proper medical authorization. People do not enter behavioral health facilities because they are having an easy time. They enter because they need protection, stability, compassion, and qualified professional help. Exploiting that vulnerability through indifference, humiliation, neglect, or inadequate care is inexcusable. Based on my personal experience, I would not recommend University Behavioral Center. I strongly urge prospective patients and their families to investigate this facility carefully, verify the credentials of anyone involved in treatment, demand complete information about medications, document every concern, and advocate relentlessly for themselves or their loved ones. Vulnerable patients deserve genuine care—not chaos, filth, disrespect, and unanswered questions.

This is considered a “ Hospital” , as one of the staff members told me. There is nothing about this place that is a hospital. The only professional there was Kevin. I do not know if he is a nurse, but I believe he is… and he was wonderful. I have nothing good to say about any other staff member at UBC. They were rude and not helpful at all. We supposedly had a “ group therapy session” , each day, and not even one single staff member had any clue what to do during this time. I overheard two of them talking and asking “what’s the plan for today” ? One employee said I’m not sure, the other said well what do we normally do? The other employee replied I have no idea. There decision was to give us coloring books and markers. I am over 50 years old and no longer in kindergarten. I am still wondering how this was supposed to help any patient that was there. I was taken to this horrific place due to depression. I was given medication that I have not been prescribed by my own doctor. It took me two weeks to recover from the side effects of these medications. I was not told the names of them or any explanation about them or why they were given to me. Absolutely no one seemed to have any clue about anything they were doing. I rarely saw a single staff member smile. We were also told to have no Emotional or physical contact with any other patient there. I believe people that are baker acted should have comfort from other patients and be allowed to help each other, considering not a single staff member other than Kevin helped us. I was able to talk to a patient with the same type of problems I have and we became quite close in the 72 hours that we were there. He left the day before I did and as he was leaving, we exchanged phone numbers and decided to. keep in touch to support each other. As he was leaving I gave him a hug. The staff immediately and sternly said there is no hugging allowed . There is no touching allowed. We could not even give each other a handshake to say goodbye. What kind of facility would tell someone not to touch or hug another person to show that they support andcare for one another and wish the best for each other?? I was appalled. I was in shock. This was a horrible, pathetic experience, and no one helped me in any way shape or form. I do not like leaving any type of negative reviews of any kind on any website. But I thought this was necessary and very important for me to speak about.

Yeah. I got out a few days ago. And just know they keep you trapped in ONE ROOM called the day room you can’t lay down even if you’re feeling bad. They LOCK your room door behind you and you can only shower ONCE a day… at 8pm. And there’s people who don’t shower so imagine being stuck in a Dayroom with no open air flow with people who don’t shower it drives you manic. And all they do is wake you up go to breakfast shove pills down your throat and make you watch tv. Worst place ever for recovery.

If I could give zero stars, I would. This facility does not care about the well-being of their patients; they only care about their bottom line. The absolute only time they bothered to communicate with our family was… when they wanted to collect a payment. Please look elsewhere if you want actual care, compassion, and support for your loved one.

If you can go anywhere else, please do. I just spent 4 days in this facility and it was the WORST experience of my life. It's more like prison than aental health facility. The staff is all rude as hell. There's nothing… to do, not enough groups or things I'm the day room to keep patients busy so you literally just sit around all day with nothing but your thoughts. The whole 4 days I kept hearing, maybe we'll go sit outside, maybe we'll go to the gym, none of that ever hapoened. The only good thing I have to say about this place is they got me back on the correct medications that I needed to be on. For that, I'm thankful but it was not a pleasant experience.

I’m in the outpatient program and it’s help me out and I like to find this place everyone are friendly all the staff is courteous I feel welcome from the day one I recommend this place

I did the PHP for 4 weeks and I loved it. Kim, Yvonne, Krystal, and Sherri are a great team. I had a great time, they were super accommodating. Groups were small and they prioritized what the group wanted from the day… and structured the topics around that. When my insurance company wouldn’t cover my last week of PHP, UBC’s team took it upon themselves to call insurance and get me a couple more days.

The mental health technicians Literally told me to drink water from the toilet bowl because they didn’t want to unlock the door To where they keep the water. This place Is worse than a prison And the staff allow all… sorts of abuse to take place. My medication, belt ,and jeans were not returned to me. They let me walk out the door with no wallet or phone in hand And I had to wait outside in the heat While someone went and got my phone and wallet, yet they didn’t return any of my other belongings. I have filled out multiple grievances and none of them have been addressed.

I’m the parent and no one has called me to notify me that my son is there. I get this message thanking me for a visit. I have not been there. I called to check on my son and the nurse wouldn’t allow me to talk to him… but said that my son would call me and he hasn’t.

Helped my daughter see and face the bad habits

The staff is just Amazing , they take care of my son and they shows me that really care about him

Stayed for three nights. Felt safe in every way. Staff was over the top being gentle with all the patients. I’m hoping not to visit again but I would go there if I needed to again. Food is pretty good.