Sequoia Mental Health Services Inc

HIPPA VIOLATIONS, MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE, AND LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION
Sequoia Behavioral Health

Although this is was all voluntary for me to check in, once I arrived all my freedom and free will was taken. My personal belongings including my electronics and wallet were immediately taken and I was unable to leave the property.
Staff members personal cell phones are used to discuss personal, psychiatric, and medical information. Information that is protected under law is no longer safe as that information could be seen and sent to anyone.
Appointments with medical and psychiatric doctors are held online and are overheard by other clients and staff.
Conversation between staff regarding protected medical information is also often over heard by clients. There is absolutely no privacy.
Videos and photos of myself and other clients were shared on staff personal cell phones without my knowledge or consent.
There is absolutely no privacy when you are able to contact loved ones, medical providers, or legal representatives, as a member of staff listens to your conversations.

Rules, policies, and procedures that were posted were changed when I pointed out several of the laws and policies that staff was not adhering to.
The schedule that was posted was not followed, then changed when I asked about not being able to attend scheduled meetings, groups, and activities.

There is no access to phone "privileges". There is a black out period when you initially check in, phone times then scheduled from 4pm to 730pm 3 times a week unless in groups or other "activities", and if there is a member of staff available to listen to the conversation. Often times "phone time" was denied.
I had requested to call doctors office to cancel upcoming appointments and was denied for 3 days.
Was denied access to check email and make calls in regards to FMLA and legal matters.
I have also had extreme stomach issues since arriving at Sequoia and taking all prescribed medications. I had requested to contact a doctor several times a day for 4 days before access was given.
Medication management is neglected. I was not given antibiotics and other medications as prescribed on multiple occasions.
There is no holistic approach to treat clients as advertised. Was prescribed at 7 new medications during my stay there. Refusing medications was considered to be a "punishable offense".
There is very limited "treatment" is actually offered. This included group therapy for several hours a day and one individual therapy session per week. I was able to attend one AA meeting in a 3 week period and one hike during that time considered to be recreational therapy. The treatment services are completely misrepresented on their website.
My insurance was fraudulently billed for treatment I never received.
A copy of medical records, all signed documents during my stay, and itemized billing information was requested. That request was denied and was never sent to me.
I was was also called a "dick" by a behavioral health technician and disrespected on multiple occasions by several staff members. I over heard staff talking badly about myself and other clients on several occasions.
Other clients can also attest to witnessing me being treated differently, singled out, and targeted due to lgbtq discrimination.
There is also a "24 hour hold on all personal belongings". So although this was a place I went to on my own free will and checked in voluntarily, I was not given permission to call anyone for a ride home and was told if I wanted to leave, I could walk home without my wallet, cell phone, or any other personal property. I was told this at 1030pm, in 40 degree, rainy weather by the "director of operations".

At the beginning of my assessment process there were numerous individual's involved to aid in directing me to the right Psychiatric Professional's to consider just the right type of aid addressed to age and standard of living that I should have. This was a great care for me in much needed aid and attention I hoped for and required to assist with my hearing voices I couldn't account for in a normal sense of things, in or outside private or public life interactions. I was desperate to accomplish respite and peace by some type of understanding that could remand and sooth my chaotic mental state-this was achieved by several psychiatric professionals and medical aids appointed to my specific needs.

Over many months of counselling and regular appointments my mental estate improved dramatically as the professional staff really 'listened' patiently to me letting me air my emotional erratic feelings that caused me problems and then fitting appropriate methods by partnerships addressing my concerns; housing and transportation by hand shaking with State Hud organizations, including medical diagnosis which psychotropic medicine helped with dramatically if taken on a routine daily basis.

At first I bulked at the treatments, I was in denial, but as time went on I found relief and the voices diminished to my amazement, (for I thought politic and authority were out to get me, as well as family members-including erroneous demonic psychic forces that constantly hounded me ( I thought this true because I dabbled in the occult world-which I yet do....but I find the demons slowly being chased away into the light...by recognizing my mental illness).

I guess in summation for my special disability concerns, as I try to explain them here-the diagnosis was accurate and the treatment successful, which is ongoing. Where at first I disagreed with my mental assessment I now accept by much clarity and understanding supplied by Sequoia. Sequoia helped me to adjust my confused mindset by implementing disciplined appointment scheduling for attendance for proper psychiatric attention, giving me a more calmer experience for daily living. I have since realized that by adopting their plan for taking meds regularly and reaching out for help when needed it is the action that solves much of my problems.

I may not be perfect at times in adjustment of acceptable behaviour guidelines set for my mental illness but I am striving for that goal each new day. Sequoia is helping me understand my mental disability giving guidelines to strive for serenity. They enlist close ties and family members in the process of healing, the involvement of close comradery essential...aiding to break down barriers standing in the way of trust.

I am forever thankful for their consideration, patience and personal care to accommodate me to improve and progress to a much more healthier state of mind and life style. Sequoia has helped me with their constant understanding (I have a temper unfortunately and when calling asking for help it is often demonstrated, (am known to be a difficult concern at times). : (

The treatment is ongoing so thankfully I find myself majorly relieved from the severity of imbalanced states of mind can cause. I am also very grateful for the grace for which their care and attention given, not to mention the medical bills associated with treatment by partnering with charitable state and private sector organizations in consideration of monetary allowances lent.

Sincerely

Robin Parsons

Sequoia MH's culture has turned sour I'm afraid.

They have allowed a supervisor to infect the culture negatively.

The other supervisors are aware of her behaviors and her incompetence. They listen to various clinicians provide examples of this supervisors reign of chaos, bullying behaviors, and incompetence. This particular supervisor is impacting the care we provide to our clients. The disrespectful and bullying behavior can now be seen by other clinicians to other clinicians. It has been integrated into the culture here.


Saddens me to see such a wonderful small close nit agency become so toxic. This toxic culture is directly affecting the mental health of it's workers and affecting the client care we provide.

And....the supervisors allow this supervisor to continue her reign of infectious negativity, bullying, chaos, and incompetence.

This nonprofit organization is a perfect example of what happens when little to no regulation exists. Protecting it's own interests far supersedes the needs of the community it claims to support. There is zero transparency in its operations and no accountability. In the few years my wife has been a client of Sequoia Mental Health Services, I can honestly say, they have done more harm then good for her mental disability.
The organizations initial crisis casework was outstanding and truly impressive. Kristen Wieden was everything one would expect or hope for in a social worker, she truly was a blessing and helped my wife immensely. My wife was eventually lowered in Sequoia's triage and assigned a new case manager, Lisa Parks. Ms. Parks made it clear from the start that it was her way or the highway, put up or shut up was this woman's mission statement. I initially thought this was some sort of radical tough love therapy. It wasn't until I learned of her planting seeds of distrust and isolation that I knew something was wrong. Ms. Parks even went so far as to illegally bar me from psychiatric appointments my wife explicitly wanted me to attend and Ms. Parks excluded from. I wanted to report this woman to DHS but my wife, fearing retaliation, begged me not to. This was just a sample of the intimidating mental abuse soon to follow.
To make a long story short, we recently ended this appalling, unprofessional roller-coaster ride of abuse. Outside of my wife's psychiatric appointments with a doctor Sequoia contracts, we want nothing more to do with this nonprofit, and my wife's never been happier. I could go on about the nightmare housing experience we're currently engaged in, but, its a similar story of intimidation, human rights violations, and you'll likely read about in the media soon enough.