shoeshine1837

Hey Patrick, great questions.

The programs we’ve been writing about follow the same basic model: they’re long term and typically free, but participants have to work. They don’t receive any wages; their pay supports the rehab.

Many of the rehabs that follow this model use similar language to describe themselves. The program may say it’s “self-supporting,” or does not accept any state or federal funds. If they’re a nonprofit, they’re free, and they’re long-term, there’s a good chance they might be employing this business model. And this model, we have found, is easily abused and exploited, especially if the program is also unlicensed and therefore not subject to any regulatory oversight.

In terms of success stories, there have been many! Check out Amy Julia’s answer above. In Oklahoma, there were four class action lawsuits filed by former participants at two work-based rehabs, and a number of government investigations.

In response to our recent investigation in North Carolina, the state has opened numerous criminal and regulatory investigations into the program. Many people who went through the program feel validated, empowered and suddenly heard.

Here’s what one participant wrote to use following our story: “I want to say thank you. Thank you for giving a voice to people no one will believe and who need help. When I tried to tell my family what was going on, no one believed me because I had been a manipulative drug addict prior to coming to this program…Please don’t stop fighting for the truth and exposing this reality because these people don’t have a voice and they need one.”

Not sure that we have. Can you recall the name of the place? There are many places operating under this business model across the country. We're currently trying to quantify this, so any information you can provide is a big help. Here's our tip form: https://www.revealnews.org/blog/tell-us-about-your-experience-at-a-work-based-rehab/

Great question. Federal data shows that most people who need addiction treatment never get it. We’ve talked with a number of people involved in these conversations who point out problems in the addiction health care field.

For one, many people still lack health insurance, or have insurance plans that do not cover long-term programs that last several months, one year or longer. This is why so many low income people are ultimately referred to or ordered into these types of work-based rehabs. In North Carolina, for example, we learned that the budget for state-run rehab and detox centers had been slashed, and as a result, many social workers there were sending people into free, work-based programs. So one solution people have pointed to is finding a way to fund and expand more affordable treatment solutions.

Many of these work-based programs are unlicensed, often due to exemptions in state law. That means that the government agencies responsible for regulating and overseeing rehab programs have no way to enforce regulations or respond to complaints of abuse. In North Carolina, that had enormous consequences. The Department of Health and Human Services received complaint after complaint about the rehab featured in our latest investigation but each time they turned the other cheek because the rehab was deemed exempt from licensure.

Read our original investigation for more information on that case: https://www.revealnews.org/article/drug-users-got-exploited-disabled-patients-got-hurt-one-woman-benefited-from-it-all/

Definitely worth a watch!