louise - not sure if you got an answer - sliding scale means they base the fee on what the patient (or whoever is signing up to pay the bill) is earning/able to pay. don't know what it means if there is no money available.
we've learned not to sign a thing. when we sign, the bills come to us everytime
about 3/4 houses - the first place my daughter went was a 3/4 - not enough structure or outpatient treatment to make a dif for her. this time - she's going to a traditional half way with more rules.