Associated Behavioral Healthcare

Do not go here. They front desk gossips about the doctors and talk about personal patient matters loud enough so the people in the waiting room can hear. Their billing practices are totally dishonest. That’s the worst part. They have made a practice of stealing from their patients.

This place is no joke, there professional but friendly. If you need to have an evaluation this is the place to go ask for Alex G.R. Bard. They were understanding and fair, it was an extremely comfortable experience.
Thank you Alex, Richard Moran.

Very fast and easy. Seemed super fair and wasn’t trying to over diagnose anyone. Glad I came here for my evaluation.

My experince was absolutely amazing. I met with Alex Bard and he was extremely nice, friendly and easy to talk to. Thank you ABHC!

The practitioners and front desk folks at all locations of ABHC are great. Unfortunately the administration here is a nightmare, and I’m thrilled my therapist left to start a new practice so I don’t have to deal with this company in the future. I’m still trying to get them to correct billing problems from over 18 months ago: checks applied to the wrong account, bills pending insurance accidentally turned over to collections, cancellations that weren’t recorded then later billed, and after I had to call to find out what my balance was after six months without a word from them, they’re asking for a payment after apparently cashing a check they have no record of (it was mailed to the address on the statement; the person I talked to today DID NOT KNOW which address is on their statements). There’s been astonishingly high staff turnover and a major shift from billing service to in-​house billing and back to a billing service again in the past year, and there’s always an excuse or shifting of blame to the phone system, the billing service, the postal service, an ex-​employee. When I get calls from them they don’t leave a name or a direct line, so I have to wade through an assortment of people and departments to figure out who called.
I came to ABHC seeking treatment voluntarily; I can’t imagine people who need court-​mandated treatment dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare. All ABHC locations are apparently served by the same administrative staff when it comes to billing and scheduling, and their communication between offices is nonexistent. This is a terribly disorganized, unprofessional company and I don’t want anyone else who is already dealing with mental health issues to have to suffer this treatment. Their great mental health staff deserves so much better.

The staff and counselor were all very pleasant and professional. My appointment was on time and efficiently handled. I would recommend this center to anyone! I was even inspired to look into volunteering through this center to help other people. Thank you, Alex and Carissa, for being so kind.

DO NOT USE! DO NOT USE!
I filed release forms for DOL 2 weeks ago.
I was assured they were going out because I went to the Northgate office and hand delivered.
I waited 10 business days (14 real days) and the DOL never recieved.
I called ABHC and got Jack, He says, «Oh yeah, It is here, I will file in about 10 minutes»
Thanks JACK ass!
Looks like another 10 business days (14 real days) before DOL processes. = 28 days waiting for this simple FAX to be processed.
This is affecting my job, childcare, trips to store, etc.
Got a call back from supervisor, She says Jack tried to reach my by email, check my SPAM folder… really? NOT THERE! Bad cover up.
How does he have my email and not my phone number?
HOW CAN PAPERWORK BE THERE NOW WITH A SIMPLE PHONE CALL, IF IT WASNT ALREADY THERE 2 WEEKS AGO WHEN THE BALL WAS DROPPED? …magic
If it is important to you, DON NOT TRUST THIS SHIT SHOW OF A COMPANY!
You have been warned

Worst! This place is unprofessional and the counseling is horrible. My experience here was awful, and I get pissed just driving past the building… waste of my time and money!

I wish I would have read the reviews for this company/​practice before we accepted an appointment here. My daughter had an appointment with a doctor here, as she was just released from Fairfax Hospital. When we arrived we were told that the appointment had been canceled because paper work was not sent over from the hospital. We were not called or emailed about this. Absolutely unacceptable! My daughter is coming off a crisis and this is what happens? The office manager never called me back to try to reschedule. The hospital has record of sending over her records, and was shocked that they cancelled the appointment without any kind of notification. This situation is never acceptable in a professional medical setting. Their office should be shut down.

This place is awful. The front staff is unprofessional and always seems understaffed. The scheduling department is a mess. The doctor I was seeing spends only15−20 minutes with me repeating the same questions he reads from his computer screen. He barely made eye contact with me. If you are looking for professional quality care, it is not here.

I have never written a Unilocal review before, but this time I find it very necessary to share my experience. I recently moved back to Seattle from out of state. Although I immediately found employment, I am undergoing the probation phase at my new job before I can receive medical coverage. After signing up with state medicaid, I was referred to Mary Forrester (ANRP) through my primary care physician in order to be prescribed the same ADHD medication that I have been taking since I was 17 years old (I am now 29). When I met with her initially, I brought documents from my initial diagnosis, signed by the physician, and spoke with her at length about my condition. The first bad sign was when she said «it doesn’t seem like you have ADHD, just that things in life have become more difficult for you and you are having trouble handling it.» This is a very judgmental statement from a person who is neither a doctor, nor well-​informed about ADHD. She does seem to think of herself as an expert on the condition, so I was calm and was willing to work with her in order to make her feel comfortable prescribing me my medication.
The last time I went to visit her at the Northgate clinic, I volunteered to be reevaluated for ADHD. The girl at the front desk said that, the person she normally refers patients to was reluctant to accept any new referrals from Mary Forrester. So instead, I wrote my former doctor’s names who had evaluated and prescribed me my medication down, so she could obtain my medical history from them. This is in addition to the letter I had initially brought to her from my first physician at Swedish.
In the last month, my new job has had me working doubles every week day, and I have been unable to make any doctor appointments, as my only days off had been on weekends. I was 2 weeks late on calling in to make an appointment, to once again fight for her to write me my prescriptions. Those weeks without medication had been very difficult and taxing, so I was extremely upset when she called me in response to my request for an appointment. She was very condescending. She reminded me that yes, I was late for making an appointment. When I explained why, she dismissed my explanation. I asked her if she was able to contact my former physicians, and she said she was only able to reach one. And that my records indicated nothing about ADHD, but that she had learned about «my sore throat, and other issues.» (It was esophagitis, a little different than a «sore throat»), and that she had been unable to reach Dr Uman, works at Swedish hospital, only a few miles away. She insinuated that I was being untruthful, and said that «you need to come in so we can have a talk,» and then she offered to write me a 1-​day prescription for my mediation as though I was a ritalin-​seeking drug addict. Now, I am a nursing student, and I also understand that she works with many addicts in her line of work, especially at this facility. However, her inability to discern between people struggling with addiction, and people who genuinely have ADHD is alarming.
I would also like to point out, that that following morning, I called the office of Dr. Uman and explained to them the situation. They have since referred me to a more qualified physician, and I will happily be re-​evaluated by them to see if my medication needs have changed. Although this office does not accept my insurance, I am willing to pay out of pocket in order to be treated with respect. I am also unclear why Mary Forrester was unable to reach them when I was able to with a single phone call.
The worst part of the experience, was her condescending manner, and her inability to listen to what I was saying. It seemed as though she had her mind made up before she ever met me. I will also be filing more formal complaints, because I think that it is very important that if indeed she is unqualified to assess these conditions, perhaps she should not be writing these prescriptions to anyone at all.
I would like to mention, that aside from my experience with Mary, the representatives I spoke with on the phone and the younger lady at the front desk very very respectful and prompt to return phone calls.

First of all, there was a huge privacy violation right off the bat, I walked up to the counter and they had someone else’s information sitting out in plain sight, name, address, diagnosis, everything. They ignored me when I walked up to the counter, finally gave me paperwork to do which took over 45 minutes, and my appointment started an hour late. The woman who was conducting my appointment was wearing completely unprofessional attire, had the radio on, and was checking her phone while I was in the office. The office was dirty and disorganized. On top of that, I was asked all of the same questions I had spent nearly an hour answering on the paperwork by that woman.
I was TOLD what program I needed to do, and was not given any options or asked my opinion on what I would like to do with my own mental health treatment.
I came here voluntarily and felt like I was treated like a criminal. Mental health care is something everyone should be able to access without feeling stigmatized and feel comfortable with, seeing professional providers that actually care about your privacy. This place doesn’t care whatsoever.

Everyone needs a little help every now and then, I am no different. After experiencing an episode of depression and anxiety that has lasted way too long I decided it was time to bring in the big guns and see a Psychiatrist. Apparently 90% of Seattle is under some sort of mental health care because most doctors are months out from being able to see anyone. I got excited when I was given the name of Associated Behavioral Healthcare by the social worker at my primary care doctor. I wasted no time and called the number and told the kind lady that answered the phone that I wanted to make an appointment as a new patient and I asked how long out they were scheduling. Expecting to here months I was shocked to hear that the next available appointment they could offer was with Dr. Eric Schendel the following week. I jumped at the chance to potentially start working toward the end of the funk I was in. I live pretty far away from the office and the only appointment was at 8am. After getting home and doing online research I quickly discovered why the appointment was so soon. The man has HORRIBLE reviews. After meeting with him today I agree with each one of the horrible reviews that are out there on this man. I tried desperately to cancel my appointment but was told they had a 48 hour cancellation policy and I would be responsible for half of the new patient consultation fee which would be $ 150 out of my own pocket and it would NOT be billed to insurance. While his receptionist was very kind and professional and I actually felt sorry for her having to work with him, I don’t recommend this doctor nor will I ever be back for a follow up appointment.

Dont bother with them.
I needed to take a urine test for THC (marijuana) to see how I would do prior to an upcoming job application drug test 7 days later.
I googled drug tests Seattle and got Behavioral Health in Northgate which was local to me. I called them and asked if they could give me a urine test for THC as a walk-​in and get the results quickly. They said no problem, I would get the results on the same day, I assumed I was going to the Lab where the testing is done. This was a Friday and I went over to see them around 1:30, paid my $ 75.00 and gave a urine sample which they tested right there and gave a negative for THC. Then I asked when they were going to lab test it, they said «oh we dont test it here, it has to be sent to the Lab and you have missed the last pickup for the day», by then it was only 2:10 pm, pretty early for the last pickup of the day I thought. You would have thought they could have told me when I first called them about getting to their place in time for the last pickup where it would go the REAL Lab. Then they said you should have the results in a couple of days, probably next Monday or Tuesday but definitely by Wednesday. So it got to Wednesday and still no call or email from them. I chased them up and finally got an email of the Lab result on Thursday showing the sample had been tested the day before and showed I had a positive for THC. I called Behavioral Health and they said I could discuss the result with the Lab, Sterling Reference Laboratories in Tacoma. I called Sterling and they said they could not discuss it with me as I was not the Agency who had sent the sample, I would have to ask my questions to Behavioral Health who would in turn ask the question to Sterling, pretty unbelievable seeing as it was my urine sample and I had paid for the test. So I called back Behavioral Health to ask them how we could handle this but by then they had realised I was not too happy with them and decided they were not going to talk to me as I was put on hold or sent straight to voicemail. Pretty crappy treatment. If I had realised what was going to happen I could have insisted on giving a newer sample on Monday or Tuesday. All in all I found Behavioral Health to be incompetent, greedy and thoughtless, stay away from them