Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic

About Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic

The Payne Whitney Clinic of Weill Cornell Medicine is an addiction and mental health treatment center in New York, New York. This location can help kids and adults through inpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, and outpatient services. Weill Cornell Medicine works with NewYork Presbyterian to deliver clinical care.

Weill Cornell Medicine is made up of clinical treatment services, academic programs, and research institutions. These programs work together to make advancements in psychiatric care while keeping those services accessible to those seeking help. You can expect to receive incredibly effective new and proven treatment methods from their team.

But for me, their treatment program deserves attention because it provides a full continuum of care for adults. That means that, following an assessment, you’ll be placed in the appropriate level of care and can work through less intensive levels in progressive order to develop a strong support base before exiting treatment. A complete program like this is often recommended for those experiencing intense symptoms or who are new to treatment in general.

Facility Overview

Number of Available Beds

Latest Reviews

Sarah Barnett

8 months ago on Google

All you hear about is how wonderful this hospital is and how many famous people have been here. The hospital emphasizes it s history as somehow forward thinking. I was there in 1984 at the age of 16 in an adult coed ward. The experience traumatized me. I hope it s better now.

Maria Lambert

8 months ago on Google

I was admitted in 1979 by my sister and a good friend who has passed I was a very wild teenager and I had a bad arm that was cut and I couldn't move it up or down and when the doctors what should I say psychiatrist had me in the room they try to hold me down and I couldn't put my arm down and then they sent a neurologist to come see me and next door was New York Hospital and they did surgery and they restored the use of my arm 80% though so if I didn't go there with my craziness as a 17 year old I never would have had an arm even though it's not 100%. Thank you Maria

R. Greenwald

2 years ago on Google

I entered an intensive outpatient program back in 2007. I am writing about it now in 2022 because the deleterious effects of it were not fully clear until last year. Payne Whitney needs to take responsibility for its bad practices.In 2007, I looked into a program that I suspected might have been right for me. I was given a fifteen minute evaluation over the phone. This is unacceptable. All psychological evaluations are at least an hour long, sometimes two. No diagnosis can be made with a few questions remotely. The fact that the program diagnosed in this way demonstrates an inability to grasp the complexity of mental illness. In the end, the program was wrong about my issues, and the clinicians probably weren t qualified to do their jobs.My therapist never explored my family background, which was very important to understand my psychology. I was emotionally abused. She actually wanted me to attend a family Thanksgiving, ignoring the family dynamics that created my issues in the first place.The program was sloppy in how it handled the psychiatric treatment of its patients. Payne Whitney is attached to Cornell residency. We patients had to give up our very experienced psychiatrists in order to participate in the program. Suddenly, I was working with people who were finishing up a four-year apprenticeship. The fourth year residents were clearly very green. The quality was uneven, and I knew when there were problems. My concerns were regularly dismissed despite my long-term experience with psychiatrists.Some of the techniques in the first year did put me in touch with and help me move past maladaptive behavior, but after a year, progress stalled. My therapist moved onto a technique with no known therapeutic basis that was extremely harmful. Whatever she was doing induced rage. I asked if she could find an alternate method. She said no. The rage scared my neighbors and had me extremely worried. Eventually I left a voicemail for the attending physician and my therapist that had them frightened. That should have been a wake-up call, but they continued to induce rage. I left the program shortly thereafter.Rage serves no clinical purpose. In fact, it is probably treated as a symptom. The motivations of the therapist and the attending physician were unclear, but their behavior was unprofessional. The attending s (Malley Occhiogrosso)coup de grace was telling me that the most I could expect from my work life was working a cash register and summarizing newspaper articles. Nothing this vicious ever belongs in a therapeutic setting.I left the program severely hampered in my ability to work. Tasks I could handle before the program became impossible after. Twenty years of successful work experience continued to slip away to the point of not being able to work at all.All physicians take the Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm. The psychotherapeutic professions have created something similar. The staff at Payne Whitney violated these oaths.

Rehab Score

Our Methodology

Scoring is assigned by a proprietary system which helps surface key metrics that determine quality. The 10-point scale factors in categories such as operations, customer satisfaction, and trust metrics. Read Full Methodology

6.6 / 10

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Other Forms of Payment

Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.

Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Financial aid can take many forms. Centers may have grants or scholarships available to clients who meet eligibility requirements. Programs that receive SAMHSA grants may have financial aid available for those who need treatment as well. Grants and scholarships can help you pai for treatment without having to repay.

Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for those 65 and older. It also serves people under 65 with chronic and disabling health challenges. To use Medicare for addiction treatment you need to find a program that accepts Medicare and is in network with your plan. Out of pocket costs and preauthorization requirements vary, so always check with your provider.

Military members, veterans, and eligible dependents have access to specific insurance programs that help them get the care they need. TRICARE and VA insurance can help you access low cost or no cost addiction and mental health treatment. Programs that accept military insurance often have targeted treatment focused on the unique challenges military members, veterans, and their families face.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

Inpatient

Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.

Intensive Outpatient

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) are for those who want or need a very structured treatment program but who also wish to live at home and continue with certain responsibilities (such as work or school). IOP substance abuse treatment programs vary in duration and intensity, and certain outpatient rehab centers will offer individualized treatment programs.

Outpatient

Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.

Aftercare Support

Completing a drug or alcohol rehab program shouldn't spell the end of substance abuse treatment. Aftercare involves making a sustainable plan for recovery, including ongoing support. This can include sober living arrangements like halfway houses, career counseling, and setting a patient up with community programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Treatments

Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.

Programs

Adult Program

Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.

Young Adult Program

Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.

Clinical Services

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.

Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.

Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Life skills trainings involve all the skills a person must have in order to function successfully in the world. These include time management, career guidance, money management, and effective communication. Truly successful addiction recovery is based on the ability to not only live substance-free, but to thrive. Life skills teaches the practical necessities of functioning in society, which sets clients up for success in life, and therefore sobriety.

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.

Amenities

Private Setting

Staff

Francis Lee, M.D., Ph.D.

Chairman

Philip J. Wilner, M.D., MBA

Vice Chairman

Jonathan Avery, M.D.

Vice Chair, Addiction Psychiatry, Training Director

Leonardo V. Lopez, M.D.

Vice Chair, Inpatient Services

Jennifer Walsh

Chief Administrative Officer

Contact Information

(212) 746-4293

Website

525 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10065

Get Help Now - 646-439-0877

Who Answers?

Fact checked and written by:

Terri Beth Miller, PhD

Edited by:

Kerry Nenn, BSW

Reviews of Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic

2.6/5 (12 reviews)

Google Reviews

2.6 (12 reviews)

Maria mistrulli

3 months ago

8 months ago

L. (Levin)

David Siegel

2 years ago

Izzy C.

I absolutely love the child and adolescent department, they are very attentive to the needs of my family and all patients alike. My only wish is that they would open just an hour earlier for the convenience of the working class. Thank you for all �our help and advice.

Joe David

3 years ago

DO NOT GO HEREThey ignore you, don't respond to your calls or voicemails, refuse to utilize forms of communication that are legally required, they don't prescribe meds on time, they have no will or ability to help with anything.In the sessions, that are approximately 25 minutes less than once a month, there's almost nothing accomplished. Your concerns, inquiries, attempts to get better are fully ignored.I've been trying to reach them for weeks and nothing. THEY DON'T EVEN PICK UP OR RESPOND TO THEIR EMERGENCY LINE HALF THE TIME!!!I'm quickly dying and it's severe medical negligence. If you care about your loved ones life health and well being, DO NOT SEND THEM HERE.Hope I make it. Love you all.

Miller Benjamin

I know someone who went there. STAY AWAY. They have no science behind their so called treatment. They don't take patients seriously. They are controllers. They survey the terrain ala Jayne Goodall and the apes. Jayne Goodall treats her apes better than they treat humans. Insurance pays and they milk them. They take advantage of vulnerable people. Labeling people with misdiagnoses is their game to make money. DONT TRUST THEM

Min Joo Park

5 years ago

I was recommended to reach out to the Payne Whitney program by NYP's emergency psychiatric unit in early June. I tried calling them for an entire month as no one would ever answer the phone or return my countless number of voicemails. I contacted the Hospital directly and explained my situation, so the operator found me the program director's direct line. After leaving a voicemail for the "director", Elise Richards called me on July 3 to go over my symptoms (PMDD). She emailed me a 30 day chart to fill out and instructed me to give her a call once completed. I emailed the completed chart back to her on August 15, asking for her to give me a call. I then called the facility and her direct line every single day since the 15th. I've left numerous voicemails. I was finally told by an operator that Elise is unavailable, so the intake coordinator is handling Elise's schedules. I have called the intake coordinator just to be directed to her voicemail. YOU ARE RUINING PEOPLE'S LIVES!! I wasted almost 3 months just waiting around. My PMDD symptoms have worsened. I refuse to go to the emergency room just to sit there for 2 hours and be told, "we can't do anything for you here; just don't kill yourself while you wait around for our great women's clinic to never give you a call back and you can feel even more depressed, anxious and lose all hope!!!!"

Alan Wolk

Unfriendly unprofessional stay away

Dennis Sullivan

6 years ago

Great doctors and therapists

Overall Experience

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Date Submitted

Last 6 months
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