Screwed up system

The mental health system really sucks, at least around here it does. After only five visits, we were told yesterday by my daughter's therapist that she has taken a new job somewhere else and that her last day of work at the center is on Friday. It took every ounce of strength I had to contain the borderline rage building inside, especially after she informed us that the center was well aware she had been looking for full time employment elsewhere because they were only offering her a part time position.

The rage became even more intense when I asked if the kiddie would be assigned a new therapist right away or if we'd be put on a waiting list. Her response? "Most of our therapists have openings for new patients. I'm one of the few with a waiting list because I'm bilingual and I only work part time." What the fuck? Why in the hell did the center assign us to a bilingual therapist when that spot could have been used for one of the Mexican kids on the waiting list? And how, if there was a waiting list, did we get in to see her right away? Why did they even assign us to a therapist they knew was looking to leave? Why didn't they assign us one of the other therapists if so many have openings?

I can't fucking believe the way these centers are run. It brought back the horror of the center I'd gone to a few years back where I saw three different therapists in about six months because of their screwed up system. They all seem to have their heads up their asses and have no idea how important building a relationship with ONE therapist is.

Rather than get fucked again by the place I was taking my daughter, because I strongly suspect that is exactly what will happen if I keep her there, I called the center I go to today and asked if they accept teenage patients. Luckily they do and they accept her insurance as well. When I explained what just happened at this other place, the intake coordinator said she'd make sure my daughter wasn't assigned to an intern because they typically don't stay long. She said she'd see to it that the kiddie was given a full time therapist that's been there awhile.

The kiddie is pissed as hell about all this too. She's upset that now she'll have to start over from scratch and we'll have to explain everything that's going on to someone new. I'm going to request copies of any records the old place has for those five visits and try to get them to her new therapist, hopefully before we see them so that they will have an idea of what's going on without us having to re-explain the entire problem.

The intake coordinator said she'd mail off some paperwork today for us to fill out. Hopefully I'll get it before I see my therapist on Monday so I can bring it with me and drop it off while I'm there to help expedite things. I was told that we should hear from whatever therapist they assign her by the end of next week and hopefully get an appointment the first week of April. Since we're leaving for Cleveland on Tuesday, the first week in April would be the soonest we could see anyone anyway.

It's bad enough when I get fucked over, but I really can't handle it when it's my child that's getting fucked. It was so hard not to spew a torrent of obscenities at the now ex-therapist. The only reason I even held it in is because I was worried that had I let my anger shine through, they'd have tried to fuck us even more by using it as a way to get DCFS involved, making a claim that I'm such a raging lunatic that I'm an unfit mother. While I and everyone around me know there is no truth to that, it's still best to keep quiet and not risk someone making that accusation.

I'll just take my business elsewhere. Probably should have just originally taken her to the same clinic I go to. Only reason I didn't is because this other place was 5 minutes away and specializes in treating children under the age of 18. Live and learn. Just wish I didn't always have to learn the hard way.