Family Services League – Chemical Dependency

I've been getting services from this place since I was 12 years old, case management, psychiatry, therapy, and worked with my mom until I became 18 before it became individual. My overall experience was a lot. Positives: I really loved my meetings with the therapist, then-case manager, and psychiatrist. I feel like I've made improvements when it comes to having healthier coping mechanisms, challenging my irrational thinking, attending fun events, giving me short-term relief through events and exploring local areas, recognizing my own needs, and allowing me to function better in social situations and communicate more effectively. The case manager was also very understanding when I made the decision to change from family to be individualized when I became 18 due to my mom's negative reaction and how, despite what she says to them, she has shown no interest or drive in applying her advice. I also appreciate the psychiatrist being able to contact my insurance company when they initially denied my prescription despite providing me with psychiatry in the past. She was very attentive, aware of my background, and a pleasure to speak with. She and the first case manager were the most understanding of my side, feelings, and culture. They were very understanding when I communicated concerns that will be mentioned in the negatives section and are currently helping me find services to transfer to. Negatives: A few months ago, I was unexpectedly switched from my then-case manager to someone completely different. Personally, I have not been able to feel any sort of connection with her. The sessions are substantially shorter than with the first (10–15 minutes VS an hour), and when I try to tell her something, she asks me if I told someone else, what they said, and whether she agrees with them or not. I feel like I can't tell her much, and that the few times we have, nothing gets done. She was also the biggest offender of the main reason I decided to make the decision to discontinue all services: I'm now 20 going on 21, and I felt like, while I made improvements on other aspects of my life, I've never been able to fully process my deep-rooted trauma and my strained relationship with my mom. When my services revolved around both myself and my mom, my mom was highly unresponsive to the feedback given by the case manager and multiple arguments were sprouted as a result. There were several times when I felt my mom wasn't being fully honest to these people, yet I'd constantly feel like I was at fault. Even when it has been shifted to individual treatment, I felt extremely uncomfortable sharing it, as there were a few sessions when I felt that my feelings weren't fully listened to and that my mom's input and influence likely made them biased. Even after they all reassured me, they've kept asking me if they could get my mom's side, which I would refuse each time, and many of these discussions. I do recognize this is a circumstance outside the workers' control, and I'm deeply saddened about how much of an effect it had on my experience. FSL, thank you for all the positive change you managed to give me for so many years. I'm just really sad to know that I now have to look elsewhere for my own well-being, but I hope you all do well!

The “providers” that are assigned to Me refused to heed My concerns about the drug they are administering Me despite Me pleading with them about the negative effects, some of which are clearly evident in bloodwork metrics. Over the course of many months and to the tune of many emails and discussions where I carefully explained each negative effect being experienced, My “providers” essentially blew off all of My concerns and did not entertain any requests to have the drug lowered or switched. Instead of being competent healthcare professionals and showing compassion in their work, My “providers” have acted like narcissistic know-it-alls who believe that treatment regarding health of the brain outside the unnatural protocol of pharmaceutical administration is delusion. FSL even went so far as to say that emails sent from Me to them where I was defending Myself and pleading for relief from the drug I am being administered were indicative of being “symptomatic” and then went on to attempt to say that My concerns are part of My “diagnosis”. If you would like to genuinely heal, FSL is not your place. They are just drug dealers who will throw prescriptions at you, and when you experience side effects they will hit you with recommendations for more drugs to cover the side effects, trapping you in a dangerous situation of pharmaceutical escalation. FSL gives you no space to heal naturally and will expect you to follow their drug recommendations, which according to My experience with them are based on outdated and/or questionable industry standards. They make use of a reporting protocol that doesn’t take patient concerns and progress that has been made outside of what they have to offer into consideration, which from My experience is limited to drug-dealing, and will document what you are going through in their own neglectful words and tone, doing a poor job of representing you and leading you into a situation that is difficult to grow away from. During critical moments in meetings where I was pleading to have the drug’s dose lowered or switched, My “providers” have done things such as attempt to pass off accountability, belittle and condescend Me, laugh off My concerns, and talk over Me when speaking, violating the very core tenet of how to treat a patient in a healthcare setting and without making them feel uncomfortable. If you have a choice, I would avoid FSL if you can. They ultimately are entirely incompetent at factoring in client needs and keeping their best interests in mind.

To whom it may concern, I feel like not enough people go out of their way to give appreciation! Jennifer Fridenberger is definitely someone anyone is lucky to have in their corner. Over the last year having her as my case worker I’ve had more support and gotten through some of the hardest times. She’s always looking for ways to go above and beyond, you can tell she belongs in a job helping people, her passion for it is clearly visible. I just wanted to take a brief moment to say thank you, Shout out to Vikki Valente for ACM program too, because when I had an issue with my previous caseworker when Jennifer was re assigned temporarily she reassured me I would be taken care of and she was right. Thanks again guys. - Heather DeJesus