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?
• Why should I choose to come to Menninger? 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 referring professional, how will I be updated about my patient's treatment?
• Program schedules appear to have fewer activities planned on weekends. What is the value of unscheduled weekend time?

Does my therapist or physician have to arrange admission?
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.

Should I make an appointment for admission?
Yes. Our staff takes time with you to determine which of our programs would best fit your needs. 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. Our staff also can arrange an admission on short-term notice.

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.

Can Menninger help me find a therapist near my home?
Our Admission coordinators 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, many of whom are alumni of Menninger training programs.

Does Menninger accept insurance?
Yes. We routinely help verify insurance benefits and facilitate reimbursement from your insurance company for the treatment you receive at Menninger. Some insurance plans cover treatment at Menninger; others do not.

We will make every attempt to have insurance companies reimburse subscribers for covered services. We provide all necessary information to insurance companies to facilitate reimbursement. However, we are unable to guarantee if and how much the insurance company will reimburse. A large majority of patients and families pay for their treatment with the possibility of reimbursement.

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:  8:30 – 11:30 am Monday through Friday
• Cashing patient checks: $100 limit per week unless otherwise approved by unit staff.  Upon discharge, $200 limit.
• 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 in large sums of cash (any amount over $100), funds will be deposited into the Menninger bank account for safekeeping. Funds 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.

Why should I choose to come to Menninger? How does the cost of treatment at Menninger compare to other centers?
Menninger offers cost-effective specialty hospital treatment programs. 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. Among the national mental health providers, Menninger offers competitive fees, individualized services, and an unmatched blend of specialty treatment interventions and innovation of education and research.

Treatment at Menninger offers a wide variety of treatment interventions, specialized groups and opportunities to learn about disorders, treatments and symptom management.

Our clinical staff excels at making a positive difference in the lives of persons who have had long-standing or multiple disorders.

Are your programs designed for a specific number of days?
Menninger offers 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, implement the treatment plan and engage in the treatment goals.

The expected stays by program are:

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

What can I expect at the time of admission?

• When you arrive, an Admission coordinator will meet with you to complete the registration paperwork.
• You will meet with a nurse 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 come to the unit to meet with you.
• A program representative 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 an adult 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. See the page for the appropriate program for more information about what to expect at admission and the family's involvement.

Once the family member returns home, the treatment team's primary clinician provides ongoing communication. The primary clinician 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. Fitness and recreational facilities are available on campus, as well as in the community.

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.

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

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

Patients dine with staff in our Dining Hall. 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 referring professional, how will I be updated about my patient’s treatment?
A program representative will notify you at the time of admission. The primary clinician will take over the ongoing communication. The primary clinician will contact you within two working days after admission to determine how we can meet your needs in a timely, efficient manner. Our staff is committed to providing updates, discharge planning, notice of discharge, and the reports you desire.

Program schedules appear to have fewer activities planned on weekends. What is the value of unscheduled weekend time?
An important component of our programs is teaching individuals who are used to pressured lives how to use unstructured time. For this reason, our programs incorporate periods of unstructured time during which patients are “coached” in using leisure time effectively.

As a patient, you often may find yourselves wondering at the value of this unstructured time, questioning its importance in a treatment facility. The goal, as a member of your team, is to reflect upon your use of unstructured time when you are not in treatment. In our experience, the use of leisure time and relaxation are important aspects of one’s mental health and as such, a skill to be learned.

The Menninger Clinic
PO Box 809045
Houston, TX 77280-9045
800-351-9058, ext. 5140
Fax: 713-275-5107
Online request for information