Azalea Corner

Pros

• Dr. Ajayi is an amazing psychiatrist who takes time with patients and demonstrates sincere interest in the whole person.
• Dr. Jay is knowledgeable, kind, and consistently displays compassion.
• The entire staff at Gateway are professional and caring, always helping patients secure their services.
• Nathan and his team are efficient and personable, providing clear guidance and support.
• The inpatient program is life-changing for some participants, with caring staff.
• The staff are polite, professional, and have the tools to help.
• Gateway has skilled and professional staff, with a reliable pharmacy and improved reception.
• The center offers resources to help after discharge and supports safety planning through one-on-one therapy.

Cons

• One reviewer would rather end up in jail than stay there.
• They claim the facility overcharges, pushes medications unnecessarily, and does not use insurance properly, calling it a no-go.
• A family member says the case manager falsely claimed to have called relatives and the mother was sent home in a breakdown.
• They describe a sister being released and dropped off at a Hobby Lobby without informing family.
• Scheduling became impossible: no appointments, only walk-ins, with long waits and inability to see a regular doctor for months.
• They report being labeled as a chronic smoker, having birth control stopped, and being kept past 72 hours despite improvement.
• They say doctors rarely listen and conversations are short and dismissed.
• A staff member allegedly flirted with them, causing significant discomfort.
• They describe front desk staff as unhelpful or hostile, even calling them degenerates.
• They mention security admitting there were people without rooms who slept in chairs.

Review

Grappling with crisis and recovery, Gateway emerges in these reviews as a place that can be exactly what some people need, but also a setting that can fall short in critical ways for others. A number of residents describe it as a safe, faith-based environment where they found helpful groups, time outdoors, and surprisingly good food. One reviewer framed their stay as "exactly what I needed at the time I needed it," emphasizing a safe place with "a faith-based focus," supportive group activities, and a sense of being on a path toward recovery rather than a cure. The nontangible elements mattered as well: the chance to meet one-on-one with a therapist who helped develop a safety plan, and the belief that the facility provided resources for continuing care after discharge. In these accounts, the staff left a positive imprint, with named individuals like Tremell, Eddie, and a Ms. T (even if the exact name wasn't clear to everyone) singled out for appreciation. The overall sentiment from these voices is that Gateway can play a meaningful role in someone's healing journey.

On the clinical side, a standout for many was the care from a psychiatrist, particularly Dr. Ajayi, described as "an amazing psychiatrist" who takes time, shows genuine interest in the whole person, and demonstrates consistent compassion. Another positive note comes from patients who found Dr. Jay to be knowledgeable, kind, and caring, with a broader sense that the entire Gateway staff were professional and helpful in securing services. For these patients, the experience integrated medical oversight with practical support, and the outpatient pathway felt coherent and supportive.

Yet the reviews also carry sharp warning signs about questionable practices and systemic problems. A recurring theme is the perception that medication decisions and billing practices were misaligned with patient needs. Phrases like "they will give you meds? even if you don't need them," and "over charge after over charge you for everything" surface a concern about possible overmedication and financial exploitation. Some reviewers explicitly described insurance issues, saying "they don't use your insurance at all" and reporting lengthy "90 days refills," which contributed to a sense that the business side of care was mismanaged. A number of posts cast doubt on the accessibility and reliability of services, suggesting that Gateway should be used cautiously and that it may not be the best choice for everyone, especially those who fear unnecessary prescribing or inflated costs.

Family and safety concerns appear in several accounts as well. One review describes a family scenario around a 72-hour hold, alleging miscommunication and a lack of timely contact with relatives - "the case manager claims she called me and my sister which she did not" - and a discharge that left the patient back at home in distress. Several reviewers criticized the facility's communication with families, noting missteps that complicated care transitions and support outside the facility. There are also troubling claims about patient safety and autonomy, including a statement about being restrained and "put something in my ears that shock me," which, even if contested by others, underscores perceived threats to personal safety and dignity in a crisis setting. Another reviewer noted seeing people sleep in chairs due to lack of rooms, calling attention to crowding and security practices in ways that made the place feel coercive rather than comforting.

Appointment logistics and access are another frequent point of tension. A common thread is difficulty scheduling and inconsistent access to regular clinicians: reports that "you cannot schedule appointments anymore inside," shifting to a walk-in model, with people arriving in the early morning to be seen, only to find limited or no availability. Complaints about unanswered phone lines, being bounced between numbers, and delayed or uncertain appointment times contributed to frustration and a sense that patients were not reliably connected to care when they needed it most. In contrast, some reviewers still noted improvements in certain administrative areas - praising a polished reception, an effective pharmacy, and a generally professional staff - yet they balanced those positives against ongoing scheduling challenges and tedious red tape.

Amid the mix of praise and concern, some longer-term and inpatient perspectives present Gateway in a more favorable light. Several reviews celebrate the value of a longer, structured program or inpatient opportunities that feel life-changing. One person described a six-month inpatient program as life changing, while others highlighted the strength of a team that could navigate complex needs and provide steady guidance. A reviewer specifically thanked staff for staying engaged and for practical steps they could take to improve safety and recovery. The sense of a dedicated team - whether called out by name like Nathan or simply praised for competence and care - reemerges as a pillar of confidence for those who benefited from more sustained engagement.

Taken together, these testimonials reveal a facility capable of delivering meaningful, compassionate, faith-aligned support for some individuals and families in crisis, while also exposing serious defects in operations, communication, and patient safety for others. The positive narratives emphasize a safe environment, practical therapy and safety planning, personal connections with clinicians, and a pathway toward continued care. The negative narratives warn of overmedication and billing concerns, difficulties with scheduling and access, questionable safety experiences, and gaps in family communication during critical moments. The common thread is that Gateway's impact is highly variable and appears to hinge on the specific staff encountered, the particular program chosen (crisis stabilization versus longer inpatient care), and the individual patient's needs and expectations.

For anyone considering Gateway, these accounts collectively suggest a careful, individualized approach. If the draw is the faith-based, group-oriented, and therapist-guided support that many praised, there are also substantial caveats about administrative efficiency, transparency in billing and medication decisions, and robust safety and family communication practices. The best course is to seek current, direct information about services, speak with clinicians about medication plans and safety protocols, and discuss expectations clearly with the facility to ensure alignment with personal care goals and safety concerns.

Restaurants

• Mack's Bar-be-cue (1.5 miles)
• Waffle House (4.7 miles)
• Willie Jewell's Old School Bar-B-Q (4.8 miles)
• Krystal (5 miles)
• Burger King (5.2 miles)
• McDonald's (5.2 miles)
• Wendy's (5.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• Rhema Student Ministries (3.4 miles)
• Southeast Baptist Association (4.4 miles)
• The Crossing Of Brunswick (5 miles)
• First Free Will Baptist Church (7.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• Fred's (4.3 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (4.5 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (4.5 miles)
• Feeling Great (6.3 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (6.9 miles)
• Altama Discount Pharmacy (7 miles)
• Walgreens (7.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (5.1 miles)
• Panera Bread (5.5 miles)
• Starbucks (7.4 miles)

Physicians

• Summit Spine Center (5.1 miles)
• The Spine Center of Southeast Georgia (5.1 miles)
• Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery (5.1 miles)
• Summit & Georgia Dermatology (5.1 miles)
• Summit Building (5.1 miles)
• AppleCare Brunswick (5.2 miles)
• Southeast Sleep Disorder Center (5.2 miles)

Parks

• Country Walk Poa (5.5 miles)

Transportation

• Courtesy Cab (6.5 miles)
• Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (BQK) (6.6 miles)
• Platform (8.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Southeast GA Sleep Management (8.7 miles)
• ARC of Georgia (8.8 miles)
• Southeast Georgia Health System (9.3 miles)