Blackberry Center – Saint Cloud

Editing this review. Adding two videos showing my handa. This is my second week after arriving from Blackberry. I am in active withdrawal. This is the result of having taken off Klonopin without proper taper. I wasn't… like that before checking into that center. I am much worse and I don't know when I will have my life back. ‐‐------------------ On 9/16/2026, I was admitted to The Blackberry Center specifically to be treated for anxiety—I did not go there for substance detox. Despite this, and already upon admission, my treatment plan involved an abrupt and inappropriate medication change that severely impacted my health. Overnight, I was switched from my long half-life benzodiazepine, Klonopin (1 mg), to a short half-life benzodiazepine, Ativan (3 x 0.5 mg, totaling 1.5 mg). This failed to account for proper clinical equivalency, as the established equivalence ratio of Klonopin to Ativan is 1:2, not 1:1. Replacing 1 mg of Klonopin with only 1.5 mg of short-acting Ativan represented a significant dose reduction and a drastic shift in half-life, triggering immediate physical distress. For the entire three weeks I was an inpatient at the center, I suffered continuous withdrawal symptoms. I saw the doctor every single day and explicitly told him about my steadily increasing anxiety. Multiple witnesses observed my physical instability, including my hands shaking visibly while I was trying to eat breakfast in the cafeteria. When I showed the doctor my tremors, my concerns were dismissed, and he gave me only propranolol rather than correcting the medication regimen. The mismanagement continued right through discharge. Because my pharmacy could not fill the script on the same day, I asked Bello, the staff member who prepared the discharging papers, if they could provide a few days' worth of medication to tide me over. Bello refused, stating that facility policy was to provide written scripts only. Bello then instructed me to take the remaining Klonopin I had brought with me—the exact same Klonopin they had spent three weeks detoxing me from. and throwing me into withdrawal. At the time, I did not know the dosage equivalence between Ativan and Klonopin. Upon arriving home, the withdrawals continued unabated. Ativan's effects last only about 3 hours in my system, leaving me with severe ongoing withdrawal symptoms, including body tremors, neck constriction, and overwhelming anxiety. On 9/10/26 I called Blackberry in distress to report that I was experiencing severe withdrawal due to the treatment I received under their care. I spoke with Kim Santiago, the Director of Nursing. She informed me that they could not do anything for me, stating that if I wanted treatment, I would have to speak with Admissions to check myself back in or otherwise go to an ER or speak to my psychiatrist. When I asked if they were washing their hands of responsibility for the withdrawal caused by their treatment, she simply repeated that I was no longer a patient. At a certain point, she said that she would end that call and hung up on me. The care I received at The Blackberry Center was unsafe, negligent, and improperly managed from admission through post-discharge.

If you enjoy sleeping on plastic-covered mattress and pillows, this place is for you. They are not a psychiatric hospital; they are a detox clinic, as many others. If you are considering it for mental health treatment,… then look ELSEWHERE. I deeply regret checking into Blackberry. I am still suffering the consequences. The psychiatrists don't know what they are doing. They only follow detox protocols. If you are there for metal health, make a U-turn and RUN. With a few exceptions, the nurses have no autonomy, so don't try to find any support there. No sympathy from the Director of Nursing either. What the doctors write is law. If there was competent medical supervision, that place would provide better and reliable services. Almost all techs go above and beyond. S Special shoutouts to Beth, Javier, Tyler, Melissa, Erik, Christina, Summer, Jason, Juliette, Josh, Chanel, Maria, Nordia, Karmin, and Marvin. They go above and beyond. Thank you, Marvin, for the Recreation Therapy; your groups were the highlight of my days. To the psychiatrists, I have two words: Ashton Manual. Future mental health patients will thank you.

October 8th was my date of arrival to the 15th it was awful I was treated like I was garbage I was degraded by The staff I was Baker acted on the 10th from there because they felt intimidated by my height (6'3) I spent… 4 days in a mental hospital in Kissimmee. I was transported there with one pair of clothes that I was wearing for 4 days I did not have any clothes to change out of. I was only allowed to wear the clothes that I had on for those 4 days they didn't bring me clothing to change into because they said I was a danger to myself and others which is a lie. They call theirself a rehab for alcohol and substance abuse I didn't get any rehab For for my situation I signed myself out on the 16th and will never go back. The pictures on the website are not what they look like inside. UPDATE It's been 7 months since I've been to this place and I just want to say I can do my own sobriety by myself I've been 287 days without alcohol. It's September 3rd 2025 I've been sober for 338 days I have 27 more days until I hit my 1-year the Blackberry Center couldn't do this for me I did it by myself and I'm proud of myself. UPDATE today is August 6 2026 It's been 11 months 3 days since my last update I am 675 days sober take that Blackberry Center you couldn't help me but I can help myself

This hospital, is midiocre, didn’t want to give help, in crisis, to my son , because, he was in another hospital, a week a go, I won’t suggest nobody waist there time😡 in take there family there.

Terrible place if I could give it no stars I would. They should be out of business. I don’t know what they’re doing especially when it comes to blood work. You never get the results. Hopefully the new CEO was supposedly… clean his house

I went to this facility for various reasons in May 2026. I don’t recommend this facility to anybody! They break HIPPA laws in so many different aspects! Be weary on taking medication, asking to speak to patient advocate… or supervisors for support, asking for medical attention outside the facility and if you question there practices they threaten to Baker Act you by Technician, Nurses and the Director of Nursing. They refused to give me my medication list for 6 days. The list didn’t explain my symptoms after taking the medications. I was refused to be taken to the emergency room after throwing up blood and my outside physician explained that I needed to be treated. I had to call my family to be taken to the local emergency room! The medical doctor on staff did not examine me as per the stated to my physicians recommendation. I was admitted to the hospital that evening. The next morning I had a procedure and then released back to the facility. Upon arrival a member asked me to sign forms and returned to the unit. No staff member checked on me until that night for medication around 9:30 pm. I tried to go a meeting but I was unable stay awake because of the procedure that morning. I called the police two days later for medical assistance and returned to the emergency room. I told the officer to watch the videos in the nurses station from the night before to prove my case. I called the State of Florida on the facility and explained what happened, patients had to eat in a dining room full of flies, and more! I was finally released because of my health condition. I was admitted to the facility voluntarily on May 9 th 2026 and discharged on May 19 th 2026. Someone needs to watch the videos at the nurses station, therapist office, West unit, cafeteria from May 9-19, 2026. It will explain what I’m saying and all the HIPPA violations. I have documented everything that happened with times, dates, witnesses and etc. They have you sign papers before discharge that only has your signature and the date you signed it is left blank. So, you don’t know what forms you have signed. When you ask for copies they stated you received them with your discharge paperwork which I didn’t. The medicine from the second hospital visit I did not get prescriptions upon release. I went through several days without medication. During those days I was in pain. Most importantly this organization practices on staffing is not per code of ethics. The staff members are related from the Pastor to his wife and children! This is not a faith based facility! This facility needs to be closed! Before ever going to a facility please read the reviews!

I just want to give a shout out to all the employees at Blackberry Center, Bibi and Will are the best. I'm going name a few other employees that went above and beyond, Melissa, Josefina, Javier, Ali, Monda, Kalisha and… Carmen. There so many more but not enough room. The location needs a little bit of work but that's not what I went for I went there to get help and that's what they do everyone goes above and beyond to try to help you with your anxiety, alcoholis, drugs and they get you mentally ready to leave so you can be set for the transition back in society.. So thanks everyone! I'm 10 times stronger than before💪🙏♥️🙌

I read many of the positive reviews about this place and honestly I don’t understand what people are talking about. I brought my husband here because the program accepts our insurance. Years ago, this facility had a… very good reputation for helping people with alcoholism and other behavioral addictions. Unfortunately, since the change in ownership or administration, the quality of care has become very poor. The services are disappointing. There is no proper air conditioning, and the patio area is shared with people who smoke, which contaminates the air and makes it uncomfortable for patients. It feels like the facility is more focused on collecting money from insurance than actually caring about the patients and their recovery. I truly hope they improve their services because people who come here need real support and proper care.

I was there for a week to detox and after that week and being discharged I can say that the techs an nurses are great as for the administration and therapist I was not happy as at one point I was having an issue with my… ptsd and when I brought it to her attention I was told I was over thinking it. Also they do not do a sufficient intake assessment as they have people with psychiatric problems intermixed with people with substance abuse. This causes conflict with the people there for treatment

So far so good very nice and compassionate !!!!! Looking forward to my Son's experience there.

Disgusting. Filthy. They provided zero recovery material , brochures , reading or journaling supplies. Not even a Big book. Nothing therapeutic going on period. I was there 10 days and met 4 caring staff members the… entire time. I woke up one night with a male patient sleeping on the floor in my room. There was blood on the door to the nurses room from a patient doing a finger stick for blood sugar. I mentioned it 4 times to the nurses and it was never cleaned . When I left 6 days later, the blood was still there. NEVER send a loved one to this disgusting place. Hard to believe they remain open and licensed to treat patients.

Is very good

The Best choice I ever made!! Excellent staffing!! I felt Welcome!! Go to all groups when your ready!!🙏🙌👍

Shout Out to Ms Mary, who guided me and kept me honest. Bebe, wow what an amazing Medical Technician! She kept the day interesting, creating group activities that were creative, fun and Challenging - Will who showed the… way to turn over our addition to God. The man shines with Gods glory. Great learning experience. And not to forget the Nursing Staff treating all our medical needs 24/7. Knowledgable of each patient, and as you can imagine the patients We’re a handful. lol. You all kept it real. Thank you All for providing the tools for Recovery.with Compassion and Encouragement - Roberta T

I had an excellent stay at BlackBerry. The professional and compassionate staff, the programs and group therapies were helpful and relevant to those seeking mental health treatment and addiction recovery. I highly… recommend BlackBerry to anyone ready for personal growth and to go a new way. Thank you, BlackBerry.

Don't ever send your loved ones to this facility. I came there for help with my medications and left with a busted arm. No one there will take accountability for it and I am royally pissed off.

Terrible, not professional, ran out of certain food, no tissues in rooms or paper towel in bathroom. No real group therapy. A lot of diw time

I was a patient at the center last year between March and July I had all my possessions including something most dear to me my dog's ashes and they managed to lose them. Three attempts were made through the reception… and absolutely no one had the courtesy to contact me back to follow up and now I have to pursue legal recourse. One staff member Matthew, Head of the Counseling Department contacted my sister and had the audacity to lie and tell her that I was being scammed by my partner it's been over a year and that relationship has been severely damaged beyond repair. I do not recommend this facility at all for mental health or recovery.

It's been going on two years since I left BlackBerry I really could cry for how far I came I never thought I would have been able to see that light at the end of the tunnel I went to BlackBerry with the intention that I… had to do this for me and no one else this was my first time in a rehab facility and by the grace of God my last I really want to thank everyone from the admission team to the nurses/doctors all the way to the fine ladies and gentlemen in the cafeteria this was just a stepping stone to my recovery THANK YOU BLACKBERRY

I came to The Blackberry Center at a critical time in my life. I talked with them over the phone first and they were caring, knowledgeable, and kind from the start. When I got there I was treated with respect and… compassion while trying to navigate such an important step to getting better. The staff at The Blackberry Center kept me safe and informed during my time detoxing. They communicated every step of the process and I always felt the staff were approachable and had my best interest in mind. The place is spotless and the food is great, too. If you need some help with mental health or substance use I highly recommend The Blackberry Center.

Gross negligence of even it's own employees Maybe if you would listen to those needing help you wouldn't place them where they don't belong

If you want help, you can find it here. The therapists,Mary and kalisha are amazing. They really work with you and get to the bottom of the issue. Some of the techs shouldn't be there. However, Vinny emily, bibi are… amazing. Will is also amazing. He is a group leader and definitely cares about the patients. The rec therapists are great, Gail and Marvin. The food I good. I wish even though they had recovery meetings every night, it was the same people. They should try to get different people in. I'm grateful for the team there.

Can't say enough about Mark. He was patient with my wife stopping many times, even in the downpours. Thank you so much, now both of us can concentrate on ourselves and heal.

I just got discharged yesterday and I really have no complaints. I gave it 5 stars cause I came out learning more than I have from any other detox facility and feeling this will be my final time being at one. If your in… need of detox etc give The Blackberry Center a chance. You won't be sorry if you really want it.

This place is pretty much bottom of the barrell. I dont know if Id send my dig there. I was there for 4 days. They have 2 docs 1 medical doc and1 phyc doc. I saw them a total 4 times for a combined time of 1.5 min. I… was give another persons medication. The night med tech laughed at me at every turn. I got as sick as a dog. Horrible experience. One of the "supposed" therapist also a correctional officer. Treated us like inmates.yelling at us preaching. All negative. Yhe only part was good was the other paitents. Do not reccomend.

A horrible place horrible employees

This facility accepts and even drives mentally ill people to their facility, understand the patient has a passed in psychiatric episodes and past drug addictions to prescription drugs ( adderal, ridlin ) allow the… patient to diagnose themselves and they send them home with the same pills that caused themselves to have to be put there in the first place. Are the doctors licensed? Seeking legal help to look into this with proof they tripled this patients medication all because she asked without doing a full background on her past medical history. How does one say they can’t focus , and just get handed a bottle of pills with no background or current history check by a doctor who supposedly went to school to look at these things? Then went from 10mg 2x a day to 30 2x a day? It’s not even normal to give a person who actually does have adhd 30mg a day, let alone 60mg? The same day they sent this patient home, she called to go back because her medicine caused her to have a schizophrenic episode where police needed to intervene. Disgusting facility, almost as if they want to get rid of those people there for good after taking all the insurance money .