ClearView Communities – Frederick

I was unfortunately a resident here. It was overall a horrible and traumatizing experience. I do not recommend this center for women, the men they accept as residents can be dangerous. I left with more severe disorders… and trust issues than I went in with. I had several extremely negative interactions with male residents while I was there. Resident A.S. was reported to police for sexual assault. Resident D.R. Was reported to the state along with my complaint against Clearview. Staff constantly gaslight me. When I tried to report the men the director Caroline Cantrell called me a liar and said I took too long to come forward. It’s abhorrent how Caroline and Clearview treated me. She should not be running a treatment center, she does not deserve that position. For how clueless she is about trauma and PTSD she should really find another job.

Just a quick review now. I will try to write more later. CVC is a very special place. Quite remarkable in many ways. It helped our son enormously to stabilize and be ready to live independently. I particularly… appreciate and respect the genuine care that they show for their patients and the way that they are able to effectively integrate multiple aspects of their program and care in away that I have not seen from other programs. We feel very very lucky that we were able to have our son be at CVC

Clearview ‘s program made recovery possible for my young adult son struggling with 2+ years of disabling mental illness. We found, like other families, that there are tragically few options in our healthcare system that… really invest in long term recovery from serious mental illness and even fewer still that are committed to developing the skills for personal independence and insisting on community integration (working and/or school) like Clearview’s program. Staff is excellent- knowledgeable, committed, kind, creative and patient. Dr. Brown, the nurses, community integration (Sami) and therapists Michelle and Melissa were all instrumental in my son’s slow but steady improvement. With their support and the Clearview environment, my son worked on his recovery and learned how to weather tough situations and achieve important successes at school and work. There will always be big challenges for my son but his time at Clearview was absolutely pivotal in turning his life toward a healthy, positive direction with opportunity for development and success. I would love to see the program expanded and duplicated elsewhere.

It wasn’t until my daughter got to ClearView that we appreciated the impact a residential program could have on her and our family. After two disastrous programs, she finally began to progress in her treatment.… ClearView is run by a professional team who understands their population, cares deeply about them and treats them respectfully. My daughter came away with an understanding of who she is and how to monitor and manage her illness day-to-day. She learned to recognize and label changes in her mood. Although she had difficulty meeting all the program goals, the staff turned themselves inside out to come up with strategies to help her. She felt safe and supported. ClearView is structured, which my daughter needed, and addressed all aspects of her life, not just her illness -- everyday life skills, health, fitness, leisure time, volunteering/jobs, relationships with peers. The program is highly individualized so there were mechanisms in place to ensure her safety, which changed as needed -- and were followed up diligently. For the first time in a long time, I felt confident that she was safe and in good hands. I trusted their judgement. ClearView also worked with our family and taught us, through many hard lessons, how to manage our family life. We all gained lifelong skills and knowledge. Thank you, ClearView!

Clearview was a lifesaver for our son! The fact that they accepted him when he was experiencing psychosis was amazing, and then Dr Knable and the team did a wonderful job getting him on the right meds and working with… him to become "normal" again over the course of his 10-month stay. We're eternally grateful.

I believe in honest reviews, and I truly believe in Clearview. That’s why I’m more than happy to take the time to share my experience. If you’re looking for help for yourself or a loved one, this residential treatment… program is one you should not overlook. Mental illness runs in my family, so I’ve seen firsthand the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help—and the negative impact that untreated or poorly treated mental illness can have on both individuals and their families. I’ve experienced the pain and frustration of watching loved ones suffer through inadequate care, and thankfully, I’ve also seen the opposite—what it looks like when people receive the right treatment. That’s what Clearview has provided. Two of my family members went through and graduated the Clearview program—at different times and during the peak of their illnesses. This program truly changed the course of their lives for the better. It is a comprehensive and compassionate environment grounded in knowledge, kindness, and genuine care. Clearview doesn’t just treat the illness; they treat the whole person. They meet individuals where they are, allowing them the time and support they need to learn how to care for themselves and grow toward independence. When my family members entered the program, they were in very difficult places—after several failed attempts to get on track. But they graduated from Clearview equipped with the tools to manage daily life, hold jobs, and live independently in the local community, where they are now thriving and feel a sense of belonging. I could say so much more, but I’ll end with this: I highly recommend this program. If you are reading this and searching for help, please know that there is hope. Good help exists, and my sincere hope for you is that you or your loved one receives the care you so deeply deserve.

This company is discriminatory, has a hostile environment, has unfair and unhealthy treatment towards patients . The state needs to come in and do and investigation. The professionalism is horrible and if this does not… change the state will eventually shut it down. I feel bad for patients who have to come to a place where there is so much unprofessionalism.

The clinical director (CD) at CVC refuses to work with family members. He makes promises and rules about communication expectations and does not follow them himself. But blames family members for getting upset when that… happens over and over again. I was promised 4 sessions with the family therapist and only got one. I was invited to one "team meeting" during an incredibly stressful time and was not even introduced to the team of 9 sitting at the table before they started making demands of me. When my family member went missing in the middle of the night a few days ago, the CD did not contact me to inform me as the emergency contact. Eventually, when he responded to my email and text inquiries 6 hours later, he promised me an update as soon as he had any information. For days I waited for an update which he continually refused to provide after promising it. All I know is as a consequence they took away my family member's electronics...which means we cannot communicate with one another...which was the only thing that kept my family member safe when he was gone in the middle of the night becasue he was texting me and I was keeping him calm and encouraging him to return to the program. I had no way to get in touch with staff after hours. I just now received an email saying the staff will not provide me an update on that incident and will not stay in contact with me anymore becasue they considered my 3 requests for the update over the weekend to be "hostile". But I am still the emergency contact. Does it make sense to withhold information and refuse to communicate with the emergency contact during an emergency? They never stayed in contact with me to begin with. The CD required that he be the "go between" for my communications with my family member, then proceeded to make even the simplest communications 10 times worse and then would abruptly cut off communication with no resolution. I even had a situation where I needed to get a State of Maryland legal financial document notarized within 24 hours...and the CD said "I'm sorry I can't authorize a visit without 72 hours notice. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." We were forced to work around the CD's rules becasue this was an issue that could have cost us our home...but he did not care. My family member is much higher functioning than many of the other residents, but they do not recognize his triggers and mood swings. They kept him basically locked up for two months...he was not even allowed to go for a walk ... then all of a sudden within 2 days gave him all his privileges (can go off-campus, have car (but not drive it!!!), self-administering meds, no need to ask for permission for guests...) all at once and told him he could be discharged in 2 weeks instead of the planned discharge which would have been in 3 more months. He has no home, no money and they gave him all the freedoms and no safety net. My family member was freaked out and thought he should just go become homeless and live under a bridge. I have worked as the Clinical Director and as senior clinical staff in programs like this on and off for 30 years....I have never encountered such disrespect for families, inability to meet the client where they are and poor implementation of staged privileges. I agree with Ben P who left a review too. When I have attempted to have grievances resolved and asked to go through the grievance process that is outlined in their bylaws... the CD simply sent me an email saying I was "being hostile and threatening" and they no longer would communicate with me. So much for patient and family rights. Update one week after my family member was missing: the staff’s solution was to tell my family member that he could only stay if he chose a new emergency contact and revoked the ROI he signed that used to permit them to communicate with me. He was then instructed to cease all communications with me as well. This staff is cruel and controlling. This was after I reported them to to the state.

Our son is currently at Clearview, making good progress towards his goals. The team of professionals work together seamlessly to provide a holistic approach to his growth and happiness. I would recommend Clearview to… young adults experiencing significant mental health issues.

Had a poor experience here. Not appropriate for high functioning/stable individuals. Patients who own their own vehicle, for instance, would not be permitted to use them outside of work or with special permission at… least until they secure 15-20 hours a week of work, college or volunteer hours. Promotion can also be delayed further at the discresion of the "treatment team" which includes staff members that aren't directly assigned to treat a given patient or necessarily cerified as mental health professionals. While individual therapy can be useful, this only takes place a few times a week, while the remaining hours at the office are spent in various group therapies and activities; some are useful and enjoyable, while others don't seem to achieve much. While generally a pleasant atmosphere, questioning authority at Clearview on anything of consequence will likely be fruitless. And escalation can lead to conversations and consequences not befitting a mental health institution, especially one charging over ten thousand dollars a month.

Clearview made a huge difference in my life. I suffered from Schizophrenia and Depression for years and it wasn’t until I found Clearview that I got any relief. My doctors tried every medication and treatment (including… ECT)- none of which worked. However, after a few months at Clearview I was able to overcome my brain illnesses and get back to a healthy, rewarding life. I have been symptom free for over 3 years, thanks to Clearview. Their body, mind, and spirit approach to treating brain illnesses is so effective- through exercise, creative arts, yoga, community service, etc. I would recommend Clearview to anyone going through a tough time.

I contacted them for my nephew suffering from severe paranoid schizophrenia needing inpatient treatment and a therapeutic environment. THEY REFUSE TO HELP ANYONE WHO CAN NOT PAY "CASH" AT 15,000 A MONTH. KIND OF… WONDERING WHO THEY HELP THAT CAN PAY THAT MONEY? ONLY THE RICH AND WEALTHY?