My mother has been going to Newark site for years and has been clean. Every time it comes for her to get bottles, they make up stupid reasons to keep her from getting them. She is disabled and has had liver cancer, part of her colon removed due to colon cancer and has had thyroid cancer. She has a pacemaker and can barely walk. She uses a walker to the Best of her ability. She is on the methadone for pain. She suffers every second of every day and they are making her come every day to get dosed. It's a miracle that my mother is still alive and this Newark site and the treatment that this clinic staff has been showing her is what will kill her. Just the stress and anxiety alone that they put upon her has affected her health (physically and mentally).My mom has bowel issues due to the colon cancer and last Saturday the nurses refused to allow her to use the bathroom. The bathrooms (2) of them were both fine. We took transportation and didn't have any opportunity to get to another place for her to use. She was suffering from IBS and diarrhea and that's something that is I think would be an emergency reason. Although, the nurse that denied the use of the bathroom didn't show her face just simply told the dosing nurse that she wasn't allowed to use the bathroom on the weekends. So my mother messed on herself as we were walking out the building to wait for our ride. The Newark clinic nursing staff are inhumane and disrespectful.
The counselors and program staff are, for the most part, very good. They traditionally do care about clients. But they have little to no say in medical treatment. As noted in other comments the medical staff here is the problem. Specifically in Newark location. They are very rude, cocky, and treat every client like they are all liars and lower life forms. Like above even under a new doctor many clients still are waiting over a month to get needed increases. The head nurse that left about a year or so ago was strict but fair, and actually did care. The medical care has only gone down hill since. The replacement is an egotistical, narcacist who can never admit she is wrong, and loathes having to waste her time with clients she sees as beneath her. Don't go to BCI of Newark if you want to be treated like a human being. Filing grievances is a waste of time. Grievance has been ignored that's if they even looked at it. They want their bill paid immediately though.
My experience as a BCI client has been very positive. I have been able to utilize many of the programs they offer. I’ve been on and off the methadone clinic for years and when ever I came back they welcome me with open arms. Almost two years ago I was pregnant and in active addiction. I got back on the methadone maintenance program but my use continued. My counselor at the time helped me get into the BCI Lighthouse program, a residential treatment center for women with children. Normally they don’t take pregnant women but my counselor pressed the issue and got me in at 24 weeks pregnant. On my 3rd day there my water broke and my son was born early. BCI was there for me every step of the way. Fourteen days after he was born he became ill and I was informed that he needed to be flown to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. BCI employees were there with me when I received the news. Once in PA my son underwent surgery and the waiting room again was full of BCI employees. Eventually my son could not fight anymore and he passed on August 30, 2008. BCI employees were at the funeral and when it was over they took me right back to the Lighthouse Program. I have nothing negative to say about BCI, I’m grateful that they have not given up on me yet. Still to this day I struggle with sobriety and BCI is still by my side. - Lynn Albright
Brandywine Counseling has a lot of wonderful programs and does a lot of good in the community however one area that is severely lacking is the Newark, Delaware methadone treatment physicality. I am personally involved with several clients who after several years of recovery are hanging on for dear life with no medical help from Dr.Glick. One client in particular has 2 + years clean with no dirty urines or behavioral issues since day 1. After requesting an increase in medication it has taken more then a month to get a denial due to an old belief of following SML levels completely and totally disregarding the clients input. Why does it take a month? This is not one case but many! No matter what is going on in the clients life if SML levels are at 400 or above it is automatically denied. This is 1970 & 80's medical practice and is not up to today's standards. The amazing thing is once the client is denied an increase he or she is then deemed "unstable" with no further help from medical staff. If no medicine is in order and they are unstable then how do you make them stable? No extra counseling or any other suggestions are provided. I have watched many of person know that they are not felling right they have all the signs and symptoms of to low of a does and are on the edge of relapsing beg and plead with the doctor and medical staff that they are in need of an adjustment and no help is given. mind you I am not talking about clients who are new to treatment. I am speaking of clients with several years of sobriety and who has made excellent progress in treatment. How is it acceptable to deny them the proper medical treatment and send them back to the streets with a death wish. this is pure ignorance on on doctors part who is well pass his years of practicing good wholesome caring medicine. This is one of the reasons why they have such a high relapse rate and yet the stubbornness of the medical staff continues to kill people on a daily basis. This is a matter of Life and death for many and this field has no room for cockiness or an unwillingness to change with medical advancements and scientific proof. If you are looking for methadone treatment look elsewhere there are many other clinics who practice 2009 medicine.
I Am a client there and have been in and out of BCI for close to nine years is been a bumpy ride for me but it would have been allot worst for sure. They really take it upon themselves to provide you with the up most care and affection they possibly can. And in this day and age that is saying allot for an organization that first isn't making money second they have to deal with the worst of all diseases,drug addiction it is the only disease that half of society will not even recognize as a disease even though the surgeon general made it official in the late 80's. But at least the police officers of this country appreciate what they do there because it keeps the crime down, "in there part of town anyway". You might say how? well if a drug addict needs drugs every day to keep from getting sick. When he or she run's out of money look out, because someone is getting robbed so thats how. If we don't have to worry about getting sick thanks to brandywine counseling then everyone on drugs gets the medication and mental stability to keep off of drugs then everyone is happy and there car radio's are snug and secure in there dash boards.do you know there for bringing down crime in the home such domestic violence as well as crime to others like robbery and assault? But also they save lives because one of the thing they teach you there is you don't really have a choice in the matter because drugs will inevitably bring you to poverty, institutions or death in the end. So if there is anyone out there that wants to come clean I would really recommend BCI. It's a great place to turn your life around and get your freedom back from addiction, and make amends with family and friends not to mention your higher power. The sad part is you don't notice this until you admit you have a problem like they say the first step is admitting that you have a problem and when you come clean for a decent amount of time you just begin to realize not only where those drugs put you but where they were getting ready to take you hence the poverty, institutions or death. If you haven't actually all ready made it that far to begin with the sooner the better thats all and if your lost in the sauce like most drug addicts it might be time to ether reconnect or in the worst case get a higher power for your own sake! Do you know what the word bible stands for book of instructions before you leave earth. Thats a gift from me to you!
brandywine 12/22/2009
Brandywine Counseling appreciates the concern of our clients for the quality of their care. We encourage any client with a grievance to submit their concerns as described on bcidel.org. We would like to clarify that any request for a dose adjustment is a clinical process. Requests are never automatically denied; there are several determinants in this decision, including medical factors, clinical presentation, and discussions between the patient and physician. If a patient thinks that this has not occurred, he/she has the right to request a team meeting to appeal the decision. Regarding intakes, there are certain situations in which a patient may not be accepted for methadone treatment. Patients who are using benzodiazepines are asked to discontinue use and return at a later time to avoid unsafe interactions with methadone. Patients seeking pain management rather than addiction treatment are referred to a pain management clinic.