My Nonprofit Reviews

My son has been an inpatient at Clarity twice within three years, the most recent being the beginning of this month. The first time I didn't know what to expect and didn't ask many questions because the services presented by the website and the intake employee, daily individual and group counseling, sounded perfect so I was very hopeful. I met with him and his therapist once during his four-day stay and upon his discharge was excited about us working together on the things he said he learned. Unfortunately, after less than a week it was as if he had never been to Clarity and turns out I hadn't gotten the full story regarding what kind of therapy he had received while an inpatient from either the therapist nor my son because after four days away from home he would have agreed to anything and promise everything just to get back.

After a few years however, I was at the end of my rope and desperately needed help again so I decided to take him back and give them another try. This time though I made sure they had the full scope of how bad the behavior was and how it was escalating to a point where I was worried for the safety of myself and other family members in the home. At the end of the second day I asked how he liked his therapist and how it had gone that day. His response was that he hadn't met yet with the doctor or therapist and so far he had one "group" therapy session which consisted of the boys introducing themselves and playing basketball and/or volleyball for a couple of hours and watching a couple of movies. He also said they asked him if he thought he was ready to go home yet to which he replied, "No. Things are really bad and I want to get some help." I was so angry at them but very proud of him so kept my cool for the duration of the conversation. First thing the next morning (day three) I called to get some answers but they said they would have someone call me back, which they did but I missed the call because I was in a meeting. For the remainder of the work day I called and left several messages for the therapist who didn't get back to me until the afternoon of the next day, which was day four. During this conversation she said she had spoken with my son extensively (they met once the day before for a period of about 20 minutes) and they decided on different strategies to help him cope with his anger and he learned different exercises to keep his anger from escalating. She also said he was very open during the group sessions and they were impressed by his progress so he would be discharged the following afternoon, day five. I shared with her the fact that my son called me earlier that day, which he did, was crying, and was worried they were going to make him leave before he was ready. I told her that both she AND the doctor needed to have a more thorough session with my son before deciding to discharge him because if the child himself knows he can't yet cope with his emotions and actions well enough to return home without problems, then maybe he needed to see another doctor for a second opinion. This just angered her - which she tried to hide - and said that my son was answering all the questions that discharge is based upon appropriately and they don't have any further medical reason to keep him as an inpatient. I was angry. I was almost livid myself and I do not have anger issues.

Despite being angry, I was more disappointed that Clarity Child Guidance Center, a place many parents turn to for help with their troubled children when they are feeling alone, doesn't work very hard to even pretend to help those children who are literally begging them for it as my son was. In my opinion they function as an overpriced baby-sitting service where kids and parents can take a time out from each other for a few days while their batteries recharge and they find the strength to start the chaos all over again. Shame on you, Clarity, and shame on me for giving them another chance instead of working harder to find a better solution.