Frequently Asked Questions

• Does my therapist or physician have to arrange an admission?
• Should I make an appointment for admission?
• Can Menninger help me find a therapist near my home?
• Does Menninger accept insurance?
• Does Menninger accept credit cards?
• Does Menninger have cashier services?
• How does the cost of treatment at Menninger compare to other centers?
• Are your programs designed for a specific number of days?
• What should I plan to bring when entering a treatment program at Menninger?
• What can I expect at the time of admission?
• Should my family accompany me at admission?
• Do patients have time for recreation while in treatment?
• Describe a patient room.
• Is cigarette smoking permitted?
• As a voluntary patient, should I choose to check myself out of the hospital, what is the process?

Does my therapist or physician have to arrange admission?
No referral is necessary. We work with persons seeking treatment for themselves or a loved one, as well as with health and mental health professions referring a patient. When you call seeking treatment for yourself or a family member, we will contact your primary treater before admission. The information is valuable to the treatment team.

Should I make an appointment for admission to Menninger?
Yes. Our staff takes time with you to determine which of our programs would best fit your needs. Our staff will arrange an admission on short-term notice. Scheduling an admission streamlines the process for you and for your treatment team. It helps ensure that we can help meet your expectations and that the admission process goes smoothly.

Before scheduling an admission, we will disclose the program costs and set up a financial plan, give you information about the treatment program and explain the admission process and your rights as a patient.

Can Menninger help me find a therapist near my home?
Our Access Center/Admissions Office specialists are prepared to help determine the type of treatment you may need. If Menninger does not meet your needs, we will do our best to suggest resources in your area. We work with treaters across the country and maintain a national database of treatment providers.

Does Menninger accept insurance?
Yes. Menninger works with insurance companies, whether Menninger is in or out of the company's network. We routinely help verify insurance benefits and provide clinical information to insurers.

Does Menninger accept credit cards?
Yes. We accept payment with Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards, as well as with a personal check.

Does Menninger have cashier services?
Yes. Guidelines are as follows:

• Hours:  10 am-Noon and 12:30-2:30 pm Monday through Friday
• Cashing patient checks: $100 limit per week unless otherwise approved by program staff.  Upon discharge, the limit is $200.
• Any amounts deposited to the cashier over $100 will be given to the patient as an IOU and can be withdrawn weekly.
• Upon admission – for patients who bring any amount of cash more than $100, the funds will be deposited into the Menninger bank account for safekeeping and will require 48 hours to retrieve from the bank.
• Upon discharge, any amount over $200 will be given back to the patient in the form of a check, not cash.

How does the cost of treatment at Menninger compare to other centers?
For most of our programs, the costs are lower than similar treatment providers. Our daily rates include many of the expenses related to treatment.

We are glad to discuss our rates because we appreciate the opportunity to help you or a loved one get on track for healthy living.

Are your programs designed for a specific number of days?
The Menninger Clinic inpatient programs offer flexibility in lengths of stay depending on severity of symptoms, desired treatment goals and progress toward those goals. Our treatment teams provide a thorough assessment and review of previous treatment in the process of implementing a tailored plan for treatment. As a result, we request that patients make a commitment for a minimum stay to complete the assessment, take an active role in treatment, implement the treatment plan, integrate new skills for managing situations once at home and formulate a relapse prevention plan.

Stays for inpatient assessment services cover approximately two weeks.

The expected stays by program are:

What should I plan to bring when entering a treatment program at Menninger?
Prior to admission, we will send an informational brochure with a packing list to each patient/family. This information discusses items that are permitted/not permitted on each program and provides suggestions for clothing, among other things.

What can I expect at the time of admission?

• When you arrive, an Access Center specialist will meet with you to complete the registration paperwork.
• You will meet with a nurse and a physician/psychiatrist who will assess your current symptoms.
• At the program residence, nursing staff will provide you with an orientation to the facility (including your room) and introduce you to peers on the unit.
• A psychiatrist will meet with you on the next business day, Monday-Friday.
• A clinician from your treatment team will notify your referring professional. 

Should my family accompany me at admission?
If you are an adult, it is not required, but we encourage a family member or significant person in your life to accompany you on your first day at Menninger. If you are an adolescent, you are required to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to complete the admission paperwork.

The family member accompanying the adolescent patient should plan to stay for one day to assist throughout the admissions process and help provide information to the clinical team.

Once the family member returns home, the treatment team provides ongoing communication. The social worker also arranges calls and visits with the patient and family, according to the treatment plan.

Do patients have time for recreation while in treatment?
After daily groups and meetings, nursing staff continue to provide structure and support. Evenings and weekends offer patients the time to work on their personal goals, reflect on therapeutic work and participate in 12-step meetings when appropriate. Recreation and free time is determined on an individual clinical basis. Organized evening and weekend activities are planned for the program's patient community. Fitness and recreational facilities are available on campus, as well as in Houston.

Describe a patient room.
Our residences for patients are much like a comfortable university residence hall in a campus setting. Most rooms are designed for two patients. A limited number of private and handicapped-accessible rooms are available. All rooms include a bathroom, including a tub and shower.

Double rooms respect patients’ desire for privacy, as well as encourage patients to make helpful connections with peers.

The hospital buildings also feature common areas for groups, conversation, light cooking and leisure activities.

Patients dine with staff in our Cafeteria. When needed, meals are delivered to the unit.

Is cigarette smoking permitted?
Menninger provides designated outdoor smoking areas for adults only. Smoking is prohibited for patients under age 18.

As a voluntary patient, should I choose to check myself out of the hospital, what is the process?
Patients, or in the case of minors, their parent or guardian, may request discharge before the treatment team recommends discharge. Such a request is required in writing, which is reviewed by the physician/psychiatrist responsible for the patient. The physician/psychiatrist will determine if the patient can be discharged safely or whether the patient meets criteria to legally continue hospitalization for the purpose of keeping the individual safe.

The Menninger Clinic
Houston, TX 77080
800-351-9058, ext. 5140
Fax: 713-275-5107
Online request for information

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Menninger is a leading psychiatric hospital dedicated to
treating individuals with mood, personality, anxiety and
addictive disorders, teaching mental health professionals
and advancing mental healthcare through research.

The Menninger Clinic | 800-351-9058 | 713-275-5000 | Houston, Texas
Affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and
The Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center
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