My experience with Evolve was mixed. While the administrative process was chaotic & poorly managed by Margaret Gutgsell, the nurse, Alexandra Munoz, & the staff members, Kristen, Sasha, Emily, Taylor, Kaitlynn, & Meagan, were exceptional. I also want to point out that the therapy practices, outings, & coping mechanisms my loved one experienced & learned while at La Mesa made such a difference. He became a leader among his peers & has shown true growth & change since this experience. Alexandra went above & beyond, providing comfort & care to my loved one, making me feel at ease during a difficult time. However, the admission process was a nightmare, with no nurse or clinical director available when we arrived. Thank God, Alexandra took the time to call me & go over my concerns. Despite her being absent because Evolve couldn't wait until she was on site to admit him, she took the time to assess him virtually with her team & went over medication & care instructions that were vital to his post-op care until another nurse could arrive. It brought me peace of mind. Anytime I felt anxious I was reassured knowing she was taking care of him. Even when he got sick and went to urgent care, she kept me updated & made sure to tell the staff & urgent care to call me for instructions. She was the nurse but I was mom. She made me feel like my voice & my loved one mattered. The food situation was also troubling, with the La Mesa house lacking proper groceries. The discharge process was equally disorganized, with a lack of communication & coordination. His therapist went home sick. No one called me to reschedule the second of two family sessions to establish a home contract. Finally, the morning I picked him up we were able to do the second session with Kristen. Margaret should have handled the schedule & called me but she flaked & didn't follow through with his assessment meeting for his aftercare so that clinic had to reach out to finish it. It was a mess. Despite these issues, the dedication of staff members like Alexandra, Kristen, Sasha, Emily, Taylor, Kaitlynn, & Meagan and the positive impact they had on my loved one, are truly commendable. Alexandra's kindness & commitment made a significant difference, & my loved one now aspires to become an addiction counselor for teens. Evolve needs to address its administrative shortcomings, but the incredible efforts of its staff should not go unnoticed. Thank you, Alexandra, for your unwavering support & care. My loved one said that Emily got him out of his comfort zone & was someone he could talk to and super kind. He said that Taylor treated the clients like people not patients & was someone he could talk to. He said Kaitlynn cared about the clients & made sure they got the best. He said Meagan was real & also treated the clients like they were people not patients; & Alexandra made sure they got the best, made him laugh, and treated him like her own child. He said Indie was rude & made mean comments to another male client in the home with him. He said Simone was awkward, often speaking in a condescending tone to them or when they would tell her how another staff member handled something thank them for telling her how to do her job. He said Justin had an attitude towards clients & would make it a big deal if they had an issue or something they wanted. This appauled me. That child who Indie made mean comments to's parents trust Evolve. Do better. Seriously? If you can't show respect to clients find another career path. Margaret, Indie, Simone, & Justin need training. I am highly impressed with Alexandra, Emily, Taylor, Kaitlynn, & Meagan. I appreciate Brandon who stayed with my loved one at urgent care & made sure he got to call me & get some food, Dejah who was an appreciated sounding board while I voiced my frustration with Margaret dropping the ball with our therapy session & the assessment appointment for his aftercare, the therapists, Sasha & Kristen, Alejandrina who helped with his initial assessment, & Emily who helped me coordinate his aftercare.
