FBI Raids South Florida Sober Living Operation

Addiction Treatment Industry Newswire

09/13/2014 -ATIN – The following story should come as no surprise to Treatment Magazine readers who were warned well over a year ago that things in the fast growing “wild west” South Florida sober living industry were going to start changing, and changing big-time as certain highly unscrupulous players were gaming insurance companies through excessive urine testing billing and the insurance companies knew about it were going start punishing the abusers. The insurance companies are not dummies and know that testing guys 4 times a week at $1,500 a pop isn’t even remotely necessary and late this week the FBI and local law enforcement pulled up in front Palm Beach-based Good Decisions Sober Living and did the usual take everything out the door – documents, employees cell phones, computers, etc – to begin an investigation that published reports said could involve tens of millions!! in fraudulent overbilling.

New Self-Regulatory System Working

The new Florida Association of Recovery Residences, FARR, a recently formed watchdog group backed by the sober living operators who want to see clear and high standards adhered to throughout the regional sober living industry, according to published reports played a key role in guiding law enforcement and tipping them to the allegedly illegal and unethical practices going on at Good Decisions. Playing a key and highly constructive role in the Good Decisions affair, according to several South Florida treatment CEOs that Treatment Magazine talked to, was FARR chief John Lehman.

Same Old Story, But Reform on the Way

Treatment Magazine is not going to go on at length about the Good Decisions raid even though it has sensationalistic angles and plots because, unfortunately, it’s the same old story… some no account quick change artist “in recovery” comes to South Florida and rents a bunch of condos not caring about anyone or anything except himself and making a fast buck. The good news is that reform is on the way in terms of FARR and the South Florida sober living industry – which we believe to be an absolutely key factor in delivering the “step down” care needed in treating addiction on the chronic disease model – getting its act together on a self regulatory basis and ridding itself of the few bad apples that give the rest of the regional industry a bad name.

Read our Report Warning of Change Coming to South Florida

Read our Dec 2013 Special Report on Sober Living

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