JARROD'S LAW & C.O.A.R California Overdose Awareness Resources
We expose the truth, close deadly loopholes, & fight for laws that keep people safe. TREATMENT SHOULDN'T BE DEADLY!

We expose the truth, close deadly loopholes, & fight for laws that keep people safe. TREATMENT SHOULDN'T BE DEADLY!

Jarrod’s Law Foundation exists to save lives, protect families, and bring accountability to an addiction treatment system that too often causes harm instead of healing. Born from personal tragedy and driven by a relentless commitment to justice, our mission is to ensure that every person seeking help is met with safety, dignity, and honest care—not exploitation.
We work every day to:
Expose abuse, fraud, and neglect in treatment centers and sober living homes
Investigate dangerous and illegal facilities, gathering evidence and survivor testimony
Partner with law enforcement and oversight agencies to ensure bad actors are held accountable
Advocate for strong, enforceable laws—including John’s Law and C.O.A.R.—to close deadly loopholes and raise safety standards
Support families in crisis, offering resources, guidance, and a 24/7 reporting and assistance hotline
Elevate survivor voices to break the silence surrounding a deeply broken system
Build coalitions with lawmakers, journalists, and community leaders to drive lasting reform
We believe no family should ever lose a loved one because a facility failed to protect them. Every life matters. Every story matters. And every donor helps fuel the work that saves lives and changes laws.
With your support, Jarrod’s Law Foundation is creating a future where safety, transparency, and accountability are the norm—not the exception.

Wendy McEntyre is a nationally recognized advocate, reform strategist, and the Founder and President of Jarrod’s Law Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting the public from unsafe, unregulated, and fraudulent addiction treatment centers and sober living homes. Wendy entered advocacy after the preventable death of her son, Jarrod Autterson, in 2004—a loss that transformed her grief into a sustained, twenty-year pursuit of justice, oversight, and systemic reform.
Since establishing Jarrod’s Law in 2005, Wendy has:
Helped pass six major California laws, including John’s Law (AB 1356)—the nation’s first law requiring automatic investigations after in-facility deaths.
Exposed over $100 million in insurance fraud and documented 250+ preventable deaths across treatment and sober living settings.
Supported 350+ families with crisis intervention, advocacy, and investigative guidance.
Worked alongside law enforcement, oversight agencies, insurance SIUs, legislators, and investigative journalists to bring accountability to rogue operators.
Provided expert testimony, survivor advocacy, and case analysis for legal teams, policymakers, and media outlets.
Wendy’s work has appeared in national reporting, legislative hearings, and investigative documentaries, including The Business of Recovery, John Oliver’s 2018 “Rehab” segment, and Shoshana Walter’s acclaimed book Rehab: An American Scandal. She is a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid responder, certified Human Rights consultant, a member of the California Sober Living Task Force, and a respected collaborator with the National Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.
Wendy remains deeply committed to ensuring that no family endures what hers did, and she continues to be a leading force in advancing integrity, transparency, and accountability in the addiction treatment industry.
JarrodsLaw believes "knowledge is power" and caution those seeking treatment for an addiction to be beware of slick promises by drug rehab facilities and sober-living homes. Find out the facts to make informed decisions on where to receive treatment with your addiction.
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) does NOT provide the ability for consumers to look up information about a drug rehab facility's track record online and there is little oversight of sober-living homes in California and across the country.
JarrodsLaw has taken the step of requesting these records through the California Public Records Act and are making them available to you online on our website so you can be better informed about your choices.
This is NOT the entire list of the licensed facilities in the State of California. JarrodsLaw will post the records as they are provided by DHCS.
JarrodsLaw intends to grow the database of information to include the States of Florida and Arizona in the future.
If you or your loved one is harmed, neglected, or dies in a treatment center or sober living home, take these steps immediately.
1. Contact an Attorney Immediately (Statute of Limitations Is Critical)
Karen Gold, Esq. — Rogue Rehab Specialist
🔗 https://www.karengoldlaw.com/
📌 Essential first call — evidence disappears quickly and you must act within legal time limits.
2. Report to State Agencies
California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
Licensing & Certification Complaints
🔗 https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/lpages/Pages/Behavioral-Health-Licensing-and-Certification.aspx
📞 (916) 322-2911
📩 Email complaint form available on website
DHCS Substance Use Disorder Compliance Division
🔗 https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/sud/Pages/default.aspx
3. Report Insurance Fraud or Illegal Billing
California Department of Insurance (CDI)
Fraud Division
🔗 https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0300-fraud/
📞 (800) 927-4357
4. Report Crimes, Trafficking, Bribery, Kickbacks, or Organized Fraud
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Online Tip Form
🔗 https://tips.fbi.gov/
📞 Local FBI Field Office (search on website)
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
🔗 https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice
5. Report Consumer Fraud, Deception, or False Advertising
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
🔗 https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
6. Report to Local Authorities
County District Attorney
Search: “[Your County] District Attorney Office – Consumer Fraud / Elder Abuse / Criminal Complaints”
📌 Report neglect, abuse, financial fraud, or wrongful death in real time.
Local Police Department
Call the non-emergency line or 911 if immediate danger is present.
7. Report to Additional Oversight & Advocacy Resources
National Substance Use Treatment Locator & Complaints (SAMHSA)
🔗 https://www.samhsa.gov
📞 1-800-662-HELP
Grief & Loss Support
GRASP (Grief Recovery After Substance Passing)
🔗 https://grasphelp.org/
8. Preserve All Evidence Immediately
✔ Names of staff
✔ Photos/videos of conditions
✔ Texts, emails, voicemails
✔ Medical records & discharge papers
✔ Insurance documents
✔ Timeline of events
✔ Witness names & contact information
Do not give originals to Website-Ready Version (Copy & Paste)
Emergency Reporting Checklist
If your loved one is harmed or dies in a treatment center or sober living home, act fast — evidence disappears quickly and legal timelines are short.
1. Contact an Attorney (Critical for Statute of Limitations)
• Karen Gold, Esq. — Rogue Rehab Legal Specialist
https://www.karengoldlaw.com/
2. Report to State Agencies
• California DHCS — Licensing Complaints
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/lpages/Pages/Behavioral-Health-Licensing-and-Certification.aspx
• DHCS SUD Compliance
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/sud/Pages/default.aspx
3. Report Insurance Fraud
• California Department of Insurance Fraud Division
https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0300-fraud/
4. Report Crimes & Fraud
• FBI Tip Form: https://tips.fbi.gov/
• U.S. DOJ: https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice
5. Report Consumer/Advertising Fraud
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
6. Local Reporting
• County District Attorney — Consumer Fraud / Criminal Complaints
• Local Police (911 if immediate danger)
7. Additional Resources
• SAMHSA: https://www.samhsa.gov
• GRASP Grief Support: https://grasphelp.org/
8. Preserve Evidence Immediately
Photos, texts, logs, records, insurance documents, witness names, and a timeline.
Persistent Advocacy for Transparency
For over a decade, Wendy McEntyre—founder of Jarrod’s Law—has persistently requested comprehensive death records from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Her goal: to create an easily searchable, transparent database documenting deaths in licensed addiction treatment facilities and sober living homes.
Ongoing Requests and Barriers
Continuous Requests: Since 2010, Wendy has submitted repeated public records requests to DHCS, seeking full disclosure of facility-related deaths.
Purpose: The intent is to empower families, advocates, and policymakers with clear, accessible data to drive oversight and reform.
Barriers: Despite public commitments and legislative pressure, DHCS has consistently failed to deliver a comprehensive, user-friendly database. Responses are often delayed, heavily redacted, or incomplete.
Unfulfilled Promises
Years of Promises: DHCS has repeatedly assured Wendy and the public that a searchable death records database would be developed. As of now, these promises remain unfulfilled.
Impact: The lack of transparency impedes accountability, hinders advocacy, and prolongs the suffering of families seeking answers.
The Need for Change
Wendy’s advocacy underscores the urgent need for real-time, transparent reporting of deaths in treatment settings. Until DHCS delivers on its promises, Jarrod’s Law continues to document and share these tragedies independently, fighting for the accountability families deserve.📷
Report an Incident at a Facility
Report here
Report the incident on this form. You will receive a reply within 24 hours.
For immediate assistance please contact 805.300.4727
December 3, 2025
Rehab Riviera: Addiction treatment empire faces criminal probe
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/03/rehab-riviera-addiction-treatment-empire-faces-criminal-probe/?share=ssttraas0pc2tceti20i&fbclid=IwY2xjawOdi9dleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80MDk5NjI2MjMwODU2MDkAAR4_lmGzF5RMphtgklh7TFo4F2NiMmwnDeADh37XXJwVhxtX7EygCpJDliPqkg_aem_7_DfLABLpkvaKt9h2vPnug
Nov 29, 2025
Ocean Avenue Site Unsafe and Unpermitted, Santa Monica Mayor Says
[News Article]
https://smmirror.com/2025/11/ocean-avenue-site-unsafe-and-unpermitted-santa-monica-mayor-says/
Nov 23, 2025
Can a doctor get state's blessing to work with 37 addiction centers? (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/11/23/can-a-doctor-get-states-blessing-to-work-with-37-addiction-centers/
Nov 12, 2025
S.F. Mayor Daniel Lurie unveils plan to arrest and treat drug users, open new sobering center
[News Report]
https://abc7news.com/post/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-unveils-plan-arrest-treat-drug-users-open-new-sobering-center/18148310/
Nov 6, 2025
Court battle could expose ugliest strategies of drug rehab business (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/11/06/court-battle-could-expose-ugliest-strategies-of-drug-rehab-business/
Oct 27, 2025
Ocean Avenue Mental Health Projects Pulled (Santa Monica Lookout)
[News Article]
https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2025/October-2025/10_07_2025_What_We_Know_About_Ocean_Avenue_Homeless_Housing_Facilities.html
Oct 10, 2025
Addiction treatment: Could the cure be worse than the disease? (OC Register)
[News Column]
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/10/10/addiction-treatment-could-the-cure-be-worse-than-the-disease/
Sep 11, 2025
Feds’ campaign to squash body brokering in rehabs nabs two more men (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/09/11/feds-campaign-to-squash-body-brokering-in-rehabs-nabs-two-more-men/
Sep 10, 2025
From tough love to interventions, what works when a loved one is struggling with addiction?
[Advice/Analysis Essay]
https://theconversation.com/from-tough-love-to-interventions-what-works-when-a-loved-one-is-struggling-with-addiction-184138
Sep 4, 2025
Why recovering from addiction is so hard in America (Shoshana Walter)
[Podcast Episode (31 min)]
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-recovering-from-addiction-is-so-hard-in-america/id1577591053?i=1000725047851
Aug 29, 2025
OC bans sale of synthetic kratom products in unincorporated areas (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/08/29/oc-bans-sale-of-synthetic-kratom-products-in-unincorporated-areas/
Aug 27, 2025
Rogue housing facility causes holiday chaos for city staff on Ocean Ave
[News Article]
https://smdp.com/business/rogue-housing-facility-causes-holiday-chaos-for-city-staff-on-ocean-ave/
Aug 25, 2025
Oklahoma patient pipeline: How an insurance scheme brought hundreds to California for drug treatment
[Investigative Article]
https://oklahomawatch.org/2025/08/25/oklahoma-patient-pipeline-how-an-insurance-scheme-brought-hundreds-to-california-for-drug-treatment/
Aug 21, 2025
Are we sure we're using fentanyl test strips the right way?
[Health Guide/FAQ]
https://addictionrecoveryebulletin.org/are-we-sure-were-using-fentanyl-test-strips-the-right-way/
Aug 20, 2025
Caron’s Florida Addiction Treatment Facility Must Face Jury for Wrongful Death of Philly Teen
[Legal News (4 min read)]
https://www.wjbf.com/business/press-releases/accesswire/1046988/carons-florida-addiction-treatment-facility-must-face-jury-for-wrongful-death-of-philly-teen/
Aug 12, 2025
Rehab: An American Scandal by Shoshana Walter
[Book (320 pages)]
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Rehab/Shoshana-Walter/9781982149826
Jul 30, 2025
Judge rejects Arizona's request to dismiss class action lawsuit over Medicaid fraud
[News Article]
https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2025-07-30/judge-rejects-arizonas-request-to-dismiss-class-action-lawsuit-over-medicaid-fraud
Jul 28, 2025
AG's Office Secures Guilty Plea, Restitution From New Bedford Clinical Lab For MassHealth Fraud
[Press Release]
https://www.mass.gov/news/clinical-laboratory-and-owner-charged-in-medicaid-kickback-and-false-billing-scheme
Jun 13, 2025
FTC: Evoke Wellness to Pay $1.9 Million to Settle Claims They Misled Consumers Seeking Substance Use Disorder Treatment
[Government Settlement/Press Release]
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/06/evoke-wellness-pay-19-million-settle-ftc-claims-they-misled-consumers-seeking-substance-use-disorder
May 14, 2025
Powerful film on addiction treatment horrors asks us to stop 'the shuffle' (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/05/14/powerful-film-on-addiction-treatment-horrors-asks-us-to-stop-the-shuffle/
May 14, 2025
A state legislator reverses course, seeks to allow abstinence-based homeless housing (LA Times)
[News Article]
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-13/a-state-legislator-reverses-course-seeks-to-allow-abstinence-based-homeless-housing
May 6, 2025
Arizona officials can’t find $2.4B in stolen Native health funds (Boing Boing)
[News Article]
https://boingboing.net/2025/05/06/arizona-officials-cant-find-2-4b-in-stolen-native-health-funds.html
May 6, 2025
Across the US, states are struggling with regulating sober living homes (Herald-Times)
[News Article]
https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/drugs/2025/05/06/across-the-us-states-are-struggling-with-regulating-sober-living-homes/83374716007/
May 1, 2025
Tribes receive first grants from $6 million Arizona fund for victims of sober living home fraud (KJZZ)
[News Article]
https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2025-05-01/tribes-receive-first-grants-from-6-million-arizona-fund-for-victims-of-sober-living-home-fraud
Apr 30, 2025
Cumberland County Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Agrees to Pay $19.75 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations
[Press Release]
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/cumberland-county-drug-and-alcohol-rehabilitation-center-agrees-pay-1975-million-resolve
Apr 10, 2025
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma v. Asana Recovery, Inc. et al (Lawsuit Filed)
[Lawsuit Docket]
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/cacdce/8:2025cv00735/965451
Mar 21, 2025
Hollywood Hills Man Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Federal Prison for Paying Nearly $2.9 Million in Kickbacks (Justice.gov)
[Press Release]
https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/hollywood-hills-man-sentenced-nearly-3-12-years-federal-prison-paying-nearly-29
Mar 14, 2025
Parents, Police, and Advocates Condemn Senate Passage of HALT Fentanyl Act
[Policy News]
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/advocates-push-senate-to-reject-fentanyl-criminalization-bill-that-passed-house-despite-provisions-streamlining-schedule-i-drug-research/
Dec 27, 2024
New bill seeks to limit clustered drug rehab centers in residential areas (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2024/12/27/new-bill-seeks-to-limit-clustered-drug-rehab-centers-in-residential-areas/
Dec 20, 2024
Baltimore’s Drug Problem Is So Bad, People Are Dying in the Hospital (NY Times)
[News Article]
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/us/baltimore-overdoses-drug-treatment.html
Dec 10, 2024
An Innovation Agenda for Addiction: Breakthrough Medicines That Scale (FAS)
[Policy Memo]
https://fas.org/publication/innovation-agenda-for-addiction/
Oct 24, 2024
2023-120 Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facilities: State Oversight Is Not Always Timely or Thorough (CA Auditor)
[Government Audit Report]
https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2023-120/
Sep 21, 2024
Column: They keep finding — and losing — a granddaughter in the grip of addiction (LA Times)
[News Column]
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-21/column-they-keep-finding-and-losing-a-granddaughter-in-the-grip-of-addiction
Sep 16, 2024
Matthew Perry Promo with Kelly Osbourne: Rehab Brokers (TMZ)
[Entertainment News]
https://www.tmz.com/2024/09/16/matthew-perry-promo-kelly-osbourne-rehab-brokers/
Apr 24, 2024
Addiction treatment program in Florida 'shuffle' investigation closed (Palm Beach Post)
[News Article]
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2024/04/24/addiction-treatment-program-in-florida-shuffle-investigation-closed/73436226007/
Dec 17, 2023
Sober living homes were little more than drug dens, lawsuit says (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2023/12/17/sober-living-homes-were-little-more-than-drug-dens-lawsuit-says/
Sep 19, 2023
Former Victorville doctor sentenced for illegally prescribing opioids (VV Daily Press)
[News Article]
https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/crime/2023/09/19/former-victorville-doctor-sentenced-for-illegally-prescribing-opioids/70898280007/
Sep 1, 2023
Hollister drug rehab center caught in wrongful death lawsuit (KSBW/BenitoLink)
[News Article]
https://www.ksbw.com/article/hollister-drug-rehab-center-caught-in-wrongful-death-lawsuit/44882834
Aug 31, 2022
Date-rape fentanyl test strips finally are legal in California (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/08/31/date-rape-fentanyl-test-strips-finally-are-legal-in-california/
Aug 26, 2022
Border Patrol Agents Seize $4.3 Million in Fentanyl Along I-8 (CBP)
[Press Release]
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/border-patrol-agents-seize-43-million-fentanyl-along-i-8
Aug 19, 2022
Out-of-Pocket Cost of Naloxone May Keep Many Uninsured from Using Lifesaving Treatment (RAND)
[Press Release]
https://www.rand.org/news/press/2022/08/19.html
Aug 16, 2022
Beverly Hills Body Broker Charged with Stealing Nearly $38 Million While Preying on Sober Living Patients Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison (OC DA)
[Press Release]
https://orangecountyda.org/press/beverly-hills-body-broker-charged-with-stealing-nearly-38-million-while-preying-on-sober-living-patients-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison/
Aug 15, 2022
Addiction Harm Reduction (NY Times Opinion)
[Opinion Piece]
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/opinion/addiction-harm-reduction.html
Aug 2, 2022
Rehab Riviera: Insurer wins big racketeering, fraud verdict against defunct Sovereign Health (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/08/02/rehab-riviera-insurer-wins-big-racketeering-fraud-verdict-against-defunct-sovereign-health/
Jul 23, 2022
Sober home owners guilty in Palm Beach County overdose deaths (Palm Beach Post)
[News Article]
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/courts/2022/07/23/sober-home-owners-guilty-palm-beach-county-overdose-deaths/10097250002/
Jul 20, 2022
State Attorney Dave Aronberg announces Jennifer Swanson conviction on manslaughter, racketeering (CBS 12)
[News Report]
https://cbs12.com/news/local/state-attorney-dave-aronberg-jennifer-swanson-conviction-drug-treatment-provider-loxahatchee-manslaughter-racketeering-florida
Jul 17, 2022
Quincy woman charged with Medicaid fraud 4 times pleads guilty (Patriot Ledger)
[News Article]
https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2022/07/17/quincy-woman-kasimatis-charged-medicaid-fraud-4-times-pleads-guilty/10072423002/
Jun 29, 2022
Sober Home Owner Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for $4.5 Million Kickback Scheme
[Press Release]
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/sober-home-owner-sentenced-30-months-prison-45-million-kickback-scheme
May 31, 2022
County health department issues rare fentanyl warning to parents of teens (CBS LA)
[News Report]
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/county-health-department-issues-rare-fentanyl-warning-to-parents-of-teens/
May 27, 2022
Body Brokers: The business of making billions out of drug addiction (WSWS)
[Film Review/Analysis]
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/05/27/vxuy-m27.html
May 11, 2022
National addiction treatment locator is a good start, but will it be effective? (CNN/KHN)
[News Analysis]
https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/11/health/national-addiction-treatment-locator-khn/index.html
Mar 24, 2022
Addiction Treatment Facilities' Medical Director Convicted in $112 Million Addiction Treatment Fraud Scheme
[Press Release]
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/addiction-treatment-facilities-medical-director-sentenced-112-million-addiction-treatment
Mar 21, 2022
Addiction Treatment Facility Operators Sentenced in $112 Million Addiction Treatment Fraud Scheme
[Press Release]
https://www.ncja.org/crimeandjusticenews/fl-brothers-get-prison-terms-in-112-addiction-treatment-fraud
Jan 20, 2022
Protesters To Push For Sheriff's Deputies To Carry Narcan On Calls
[News Report]
https://www.byjoecapozzi.com/post/pbso-deputies-will-carry-narcan-sheriff-ric-bradshaw-said-today
Jan 14, 2022
The groundbreaking sober living registry that never was (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/01/14/the-groundbreaking-sober-living-registry-that-never-was/
Dec 30, 2021
Addiction treatment chain settles billing fraud allegations (US News)
[News Article]
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/massachusetts/articles/2021-12-30/addiction-treatment-chain-settles-billing-fraud-allegations
Feb 23, 2021
Father and son must pay millions for national drug rehab fraud, judge says (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2021/02/23/father-and-son-from-southern-california-must-pay-millions-for-national-drug-rehab-fraud-judge-says/
Feb 15, 2021
As Addiction Deaths Surge, Profit-Driven Rehab Industry Faces 'Severe Ethical Crisis' (NPR)
[Investigative Report]
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/15/963700736/as-addiction-deaths-surge-profit-driven-rehab-industry-faces-severe-ethical-cris
Jan 7, 2021
SAMHSA Awards Over $282M in Grants to Combat Substance Abuse (PageFreezer Archive)
[Government Press Release]
https://us.pagefreezer.com/en-US/wa/browse/661325a7-6075-423b-ac24-3ae5328f8435?find-by-timestamp=2025-01-28T17:33:59Z&url=https:%2F%2Fwww.samhsa.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Fpress-announcements%2F202101070555%3Ffbclid%3DIwY2xjawOcgr8BHVnDyQhlsNLaQb4VLSMvfycWQJOJSp3rcWDsSyRcea2auakwlKPAquolEA×tamp=2025-01-28T17:31:07Z
Nov 5, 2020
Johnson & Johnson, three other companies close in on $26 billion deal on opioid litigation
[News Article]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/opioid-settlement-drug-distributors/2020/11/05/6a8da214-1fc7-11eb-b532-05c751cd5dc2_story.html
Jul 29, 2020
The Purdue Pharma bankruptcy has a familiar smell: The Sackler family gets away with it (The Intercept)
[News Analysis]
https://theintercept.com/2020/07/29/purdue-pharma-bankruptcy-sacklers/
Jul 2, 2020
Google's search results for addicts are still plagued by ads for scam rehabs (The Register)
[Tech/Investigative Article]
https://www.theregister.com/2020/07/02/google_addict_spam/
Mar 2, 2020
Florida's billion-dollar drug treatment industry is plagued by overdoses, fraud (The Florida Shuffle) (Vox)
[Investigative Article]
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/3/2/21156327/florida-shuffle-drug-rehab-addiction-treatment-bri-jaynes
Oct 23, 2019
My two beautiful sons died from ecstasy overdoses - we need to regulate drugs (Sky News)
[News/Opinion]
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12054188/ecstasy-overdoses-two-sons-died-drugs/
Oct 14, 2019
California governor signs some addiction treatment reform measures, rejects others
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2019/10/14/california-governor-signs-some-addiction-treatment-reform-measures-rejects-others/
Oct 11, 2019
Rogue rehab facilities need state oversight, Cottie Petrie-Norris (OC Register)
[Opinion Column]
https://www.ocregister.com/2019/10/11/rogue-rehab-facilities-need-state-oversight-cottie-petrie-norris/
Oct 9, 2019
Drug rehabs are a booming, $35 billion industry. They're also an unregulated mess. (Vox)
[Investigative Analysis]
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/10/9/20887787/drug-rehab-addiction-treatment-facilities-inpatient-outpatient
Oct 2, 2019
Doctor gets 40 years for illegally prescribing more than half a million opioid doses (NPR)
[News Article]
https://www.npr.org/2019/10/02/766403612/doctor-gets-40-years-for-illegally-prescribing-more-than-half-a-million-opioid-d
Sep 24, 2019
Tougher rules for sober homes, addiction treatment centers coming to Orange County
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2019/09/24/tougher-rules-for-sober-homes-addiction-treatment-centers-coming-to-orange-county/
Sep 11, 2019
ACLU: Kansas Inmate Was Denied Opioid Addiction Treatment (NY Times)
[News Article]
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/us/kansas-aclu-inmate-opioids.html
Sep 3, 2019
'Treatment Facilities' Aren't What You Think They Are (NY Times Opinion)
[Opinion Piece]
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/03/opinion/opioid-jails-treatment-facilities.html
Nov 8, 2018
Unethical Drug Rehab 'Body Brokering' Leads To Tragic Death (CBS San Francisco)
[News Report/Video]
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drug-rehab-body-brokering-reportedly-leads-to-mans-death/
Feb 6, 2018
Treatment Facility Worker Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of a Healthcare Fraud Investigation
[Press Release]
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-dcf-employee-and-substance-abuse-treatment-facility-consultant-plead-guilty
Nov 19, 2017
Surviving the Holidays: A Grieving Mother's Point of View
[Personal Essay]
https://bluntmoms.com/surviving-the-holidays-a-grieving-moms-point-of-view/
Sep 7, 2017
Rehabs Near Me: The Google search scam luring people into Florida’s addiction treatment centers (The Verge)
[Investigative Article]
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/7/16257412/rehabs-near-me-google-search-scam-florida-treatment-centers
Jul 7, 2017
Opioid Insurance Fraud (STAT News)
[Investigative Article]
https://www.statnews.com/2017/07/07/opioid-insurance-fraud/
2013
Examining Concernnd Addiction Treatment Fraud
[Congressional Hearing Transcript]
Nov 29, 2025
Ocean Avenue Site Unsafe and Unpermitted, Santa Monica Mayor Says
[News Article]
https://smmirror.com/2025/11/ocean-avenue-site-unsafe-and-unpermitted-santa-monica-mayor-says/
Nov 23, 2025
Can a doctor get state's blessing to work with 37 addiction centers? (OC Register)
[News Article]
Nov 12, 2025
S.F. Mayor Daniel Lurie unveils plan to arrest and treat drug users, open new sobering center
[News Report]
Nov 6, 2025
Court battle could expose ugliest strategies of drug rehab business (OC Register)
[News Article]
Oct 27, 2025
Ocean Avenue Mental Health Projects Pulled (Santa Monica Lookout)
[News Article]
Oct 10, 2025
Addiction treatment: Could the cure be worse than the disease? (OC Register)
[News Column]
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/10/10/addiction-treatment-could-the-cure-be-worse-than-the-disease/
Sep 11, 2025
Feds’ campaign to squash body brokering in rehabs nabs two more men (OC Register)
[News Article]
Sep 10, 2025
From tough love to interventions, what works when a loved one is struggling with addiction?
[Advice/Analysis Essay]
Sep 4, 2025
Why recovering from addiction is so hard in America (Shoshana Walter)
[Podcast Episode (31 min)]
Aug 29, 2025
OC bans sale of synthetic kratom products in unincorporated areas (OC Register)
[News Article]
Aug 27, 2025
Rogue housing facility causes holiday chaos for city staff on Ocean Ave
[News Article]
https://smdp.com/business/rogue-housing-facility-causes-holiday-chaos-for-city-staff-on-ocean-ave/
Aug 25, 2025
Oklahoma patient pipeline: How an insurance scheme brought hundreds to California for drug treatment
[Investigative Article]
Aug 21, 2025
Are we sure we're using fentanyl test strips the right way?
[Health Guide/FAQ]
https://addictionrecoveryebulletin.org/are-we-sure-were-using-fentanyl-test-strips-the-right-way/
Aug 20, 2025
Caron’s Florida Addiction Treatment Facility Must Face Jury for Wrongful Death of Philly Teen
[Legal News (4 min read)]
Aug 12, 2025
Rehab: An American Scandal by Shoshana Walter
[Book (320 pages)]
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Rehab/Shoshana-Walter/9781982149826
Jul 30, 2025
Judge rejects Arizona's request to dismiss class action lawsuit over Medicaid fraud
[News Article]
Jul 28, 2025
AG's Office Secures Guilty Plea, Restitution From New Bedford Clinical Lab For MassHealth Fraud
[Press Release]
Jun 13, 2025
FTC: Evoke Wellness to Pay $1.9 Million to Settle Claims They Misled Consumers Seeking Substance Use Disorder Treatment
[Government Settlement/Press Release]
May 14, 2025
Powerful film on addiction treatment horrors asks us to stop 'the shuffle' (OC Register)
[News Article]
May 14, 2025
A state legislator reverses course, seeks to allow abstinence-based homeless housing (LA Times)
[News Article]
May 6, 2025
Arizona officials can’t find $2.4B in stolen Native health funds (Boing Boing)
[News Article]
May 6, 2025
Across the US, states are struggling with regulating sober living homes (Herald-Times)
[News Article]
May 1, 2025
Tribes receive first grants from $6 million Arizona fund for victims of sober living home fraud (KJZZ)
[News Article]
Apr 30, 2025
Cumberland County Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Agrees to Pay $19.75 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations
[Press Release]
Apr 10, 2025
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma v. Asana Recovery, Inc. et al (Lawsuit Filed)
[Lawsuit Docket]
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/cacdce/8:2025cv00735/965451
Mar 21, 2025
Hollywood Hills Man Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Federal Prison for Paying Nearly $2.9 Million in Kickbacks (Justice.gov)
[Press Release]
Mar 14, 2025
Parents, Police, and Advocates Condemn Senate Passage of HALT Fentanyl Act
[Policy News]
Dec 27, 2024
New bill seeks to limit clustered drug rehab centers in residential areas (OC Register)
[News Article]
Dec 20, 2024
Baltimore’s Drug Problem Is So Bad, People Are Dying in the Hospital (NY Times)
[News Article]
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/us/baltimore-overdoses-drug-treatment.html
Dec 10, 2024
An Innovation Agenda for Addiction: Breakthrough Medicines That Scale (FAS)
[Policy Memo]
https://fas.org/publication/innovation-agenda-for-addiction/
Oct 24, 2024
2023-120 Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facilities: State Oversight Is Not Always Timely or Thorough (CA Auditor)
[Government Audit Report]
https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2023-120/
Sep 21, 2024
Column: They keep finding — and losing — a granddaughter in the grip of addiction (LA Times)
[News Column]
Sep 16, 2024
Matthew Perry Promo with Kelly Osbourne: Rehab Brokers (TMZ)
[Entertainment News]
https://www.tmz.com/2024/09/16/matthew-perry-promo-kelly-osbourne-rehab-brokers/
Apr 24, 2024
Addiction treatment program in Florida 'shuffle' investigation closed (Palm Beach Post)
[News Article]
Dec 17, 2023
Sober living homes were little more than drug dens, lawsuit says (OC Register)
[News Article]
Sep 19, 2023
Former Victorville doctor sentenced for illegally prescribing opioids (VV Daily Press)
[News Article]
Sep 1, 2023
Hollister drug rehab center caught in wrongful death lawsuit (KSBW/BenitoLink)
[News Article]
https://www.ksbw.com/article/hollister-drug-rehab-center-caught-in-wrongful-death-lawsuit/44882834
Aug 31, 2022
Date-rape fentanyl test strips finally are legal in California (OC Register)
[News Article]
Aug 26, 2022
Border Patrol Agents Seize $4.3 Million in Fentanyl Along I-8 (CBP)
[Press Release]
Aug 19, 2022
Out-of-Pocket Cost of Naloxone May Keep Many Uninsured from Using Lifesaving Treatment (RAND)
[Press Release]
https://www.rand.org/news/press/2022/08/19.html
Aug 16, 2022
Beverly Hills Body Broker Charged with Stealing Nearly $38 Million While Preying on Sober Living Patients Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison (OC DA)
[Press Release]
Aug 15, 2022
Addiction Harm Reduction (NY Times Opinion)
[Opinion Piece]
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/opinion/addiction-harm-reduction.html
Aug 2, 2022
Rehab Riviera: Insurer wins big racketeering, fraud verdict against defunct Sovereign Health (OC Register)
[News Article]
Jul 23, 2022
Sober home owners guilty in Palm Beach County overdose deaths (Palm Beach Post)
[News Article]
Jul 20, 2022
State Attorney Dave Aronberg announces Jennifer Swanson conviction on manslaughter, racketeering (CBS 12)
[News Report]
Jul 17, 2022
Quincy woman charged with Medicaid fraud 4 times pleads guilty (Patriot Ledger)
[News Article]
Jun 29, 2022
Sober Home Owner Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for $4.5 Million Kickback Scheme
[Press Release]
May 31, 2022
County health department issues rare fentanyl warning to parents of teens (CBS LA)
[News Report]
May 27, 2022
Body Brokers: The business of making billions out of drug addiction (WSWS)
[Film Review/Analysis]
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/05/27/vxuy-m27.html
May 11, 2022
National addiction treatment locator is a good start, but will it be effective? (CNN/KHN)
[News Analysis]
https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/11/health/national-addiction-treatment-locator-khn/index.html
Mar 24, 2022
Addiction Treatment Facilities' Medical Director Convicted in $112 Million Addiction Treatment Fraud Scheme
[Press Release]
Mar 21, 2022
Addiction Treatment Facility Operators Sentenced in $112 Million Addiction Treatment Fraud Scheme
[Press Release]
Jan 20, 2022
Protesters To Push For Sheriff's Deputies To Carry Narcan On Calls
[News Report]
https://www.byjoecapozzi.com/post/pbso-deputies-will-carry-narcan-sheriff-ric-bradshaw-said-today
Jan 14, 2022
The groundbreaking sober living registry that never was (OC Register)
[News Article]
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/01/14/the-groundbreaking-sober-living-registry-that-never-was/
Dec 30, 2021
Addiction treatment chain settles billing fraud allegations (US News)
[News Article]
Feb 23, 2021
Father and son must pay millions for national drug rehab fraud, judge says (OC Register)
[News Article]
Feb 15, 2021
As Addiction Deaths Surge, Profit-Driven Rehab Industry Faces 'Severe Ethical Crisis' (NPR)
[Investigative Report]
Jan 7, 2021
SAMHSA Awards Over $282M in Grants to Combat Substance Abuse (PageFreezer Archive)
[Government Press Release]
Nov 5, 2020
Johnson & Johnson, three other companies close in on $26 billion deal on opioid litigation
[News Article]
Jul 29, 2020
The Purdue Pharma bankruptcy has a familiar smell: The Sackler family gets away with it (The Intercept)
[News Analysis]
https://theintercept.com/2020/07/29/purdue-pharma-bankruptcy-sacklers/
Jul 2, 2020
Google's search results for addicts are still plagued by ads for scam rehabs (The Register)
[Tech/Investigative Article]
https://www.theregister.com/2020/07/02/google_addict_spam/
Mar 2, 2020
Florida's billion-dollar drug treatment industry is plagued by overdoses, fraud (The Florida Shuffle) (Vox)
[Investigative Article]
Oct 23, 2019
My two beautiful sons died from ecstasy overdoses - we need to regulate drugs (Sky News)
[News/Opinion]
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12054188/ecstasy-overdoses-two-sons-died-drugs/
Oct 14, 2019
California governor signs some addiction treatment reform measures, rejects others
[News Article]
Oct 11, 2019
Rogue rehab facilities need state oversight, Cottie Petrie-Norris (OC Register)
[Opinion Column]
Oct 9, 2019
Drug rehabs are a booming, $35 billion industry. They're also an unregulated mess. (Vox)
[Investigative Analysis]
Oct 2, 2019
Doctor gets 40 years for illegally prescribing more than half a million opioid doses (NPR)
[News Article]
Sep 24, 2019
Tougher rules for sober homes, addiction treatment centers coming to Orange County
[News Article]
Sep 11, 2019
ACLU: Kansas Inmate Was Denied Opioid Addiction Treatment (NY Times)
[News Article]
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/us/kansas-aclu-inmate-opioids.html
Sep 3, 2019
'Treatment Facilities' Aren't What You Think They Are (NY Times Opinion)
[Opinion Piece]
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/03/opinion/opioid-jails-treatment-facilities.html
Nov 8, 2018
Unethical Drug Rehab 'Body Brokering' Leads To Tragic Death (CBS San Francisco)
[News Report/Video]
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drug-rehab-body-brokering-reportedly-leads-to-mans-death/
Feb 6, 2018
Treatment Facility Worker Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of a Healthcare Fraud Investigation
[Press Release]
Nov 19, 2017
Surviving the Holidays: A Grieving Mother's Point of View
[Personal Essay]
https://bluntmoms.com/surviving-the-holidays-a-grieving-moms-point-of-view/
Sep 7, 2017
Rehabs Near Me: The Google search scam luring people into Florida’s addiction treatment centers (The Verge)
[Investigative Article]
Jul 7, 2017
Opioid Insurance Fraud (STAT News)
[Investigative Article]
https://www.statnews.com/2017/07/07/opioid-insurance-fraud/
2013
Examining Concerns of Patient Brokering and Addiction Treatment Fraud
[Congressional Hearing Transcript]
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-115hhrg28931/html/CHRG-115hhrg28931.htm
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CALL TO ACTION:
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