The Business of Recovery

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · May 21, 2018

^^^^this^^^^ x100

It is almost as if the peer programs have taken lessons from the 'rehab machine' and applied them to thier own uses. We now have the peer assistance programs that claim to advocate for nurses but truthfully do little to no advocacy and really exist to punish and bankrupt. Like the slimy underbelly of the 'rehab industrial complex' all in the name of the almighty dollar,

nurse_girlie · May 21, 2018

^^^^this^^^^ x100
It is almost as if the peer programs have taken lessons from the 'rehab machine' and applied them to thier own uses. We now have the peer assistance programs that claim to advocate for nurses but truthfully do little to no advocacy and really exist to punish and bankrupt. Like the slimy underbelly of the 'rehab industrial complex' all in the name of the almighty dollar,

From the nursing grad with 3 yrs sobriety under her belt that washonest with the board:

No advocacy. Punish. Bankrupt.

I went for my eval last week. On the third day, the woman who is over the healthcare professionals/my case while at that facility for eval/iop/rehab, "you are in sustained recovery. I see no need for recommendation of treatment. I am emailing Ms. Monitoring" (

The very next day, "it is going to be necessary that you complete some sort of tx. I don't know if it will be 6 or 8 weeks yet. I am going to advocate for you and try to get something closer to home for you"

Persephone Paige, ADN · May 22, 2018

From the nursing grad with 3 yrs sobriety under her belt that washonest with the board:
No advocacy. Punish. Bankrupt.
I went for my eval last week. On the third day, the woman who is over the healthcare professionals/my case while at that facility for eval/iop/rehab, "you are in sustained recovery. I see no need for recommendation of treatment. I am emailing Ms. Monitoring" (
The very next day, "it is going to be necessary that you complete some sort of tx. I don't know if it will be 6 or 8 weeks yet. I am going to advocate for you and try to get something closer to home for you"

Yes, the monitoring programs can and do disregard evaluations. It's a total scam. I'm sorry.

Persephone Paige, ADN · May 22, 2018

The John Oliver Show last night addressed the Rehab industry nationwide. This included the fact that there is almost no federal oversight, many states require no license or certification to provide rehab services, the sketchy "success" numbers rehabs quote, the lack of evidence based practice in Rehab treatment, and the fact that urine is considered "liquid gold" among Rehabs and that this is a multi billion dollar industry. He frequently referenced the documentary "The Business of Recovery". I knew that this system was broken and poorly regulated, but I hope that the public can begin demanding action from legislators and the government to regulate this industry better. While we in Nursing Recovery have had poor experiences with the "Rehab Machine", this is affecting thousands of people each day, and the poor regulation and money grab is costing people their lives. With the exploding opioid crisis many states are facing, Rehab is no longer a place where rich people go to get clean, or a place the most hardened of addicts go to avoid jail. Its moms, dads, sons, daughters, families and professionals looking for real help to keep from dying and get their lives back on track. And the fact that professional peer assistance programs utilize these facilities and often mandate participants to attend these programs, there should be better regulation and a true disservice.

I agree. And with the rate of relapse being what it is, how can they regulate or monitor efficacy? A person who is ready to get sober could go to the state detox, with a rat for a roommate. Someone who isn't ready to get sober could go to the Betty Ford clinic and relapse immediately. Such inexact science with variable outcomes and everything in the world hinging on completion.

nurse_girlie · May 22, 2018

Yes, the monitoring programs can and do disregard evaluations. It's a total scam. I'm sorry.

I hear you. It's devastating for me, my kid, and well my family is pretty devastated for me. My mind just keeps screaming sentence me to some counseling, AS meetings and you'll know **** sure I'm not drinking with your high dollar drug testing. How can that not be enough? Why does it have to be several (+) thousand dollars for tx that I do NOT need?! Sorry. I'll see myself out now.

Persephone Paige, ADN · May 22, 2018

I hear you. It's devastating for me, my kid, and well my family is pretty devastated for me. My mind just keeps screaming sentence me to some counseling, AS meetings and you'll know **** sure I'm not drinking with your high dollar drug testing. How can that not be enough? Why does it have to be several (+) thousand dollars for tx that I do NOT need?! Sorry. I'll see myself out now.

I had a recent "positive" for alcohol. After I completed the evaluation I let about 10 days go by ( I think the evaluator has two weeks to submit his report ) and started harassing his office for a copy. I knew that I hadn't been drinking and felt that along with all the labs, the report would support that. I fully expected IPN to disregard his evaluation findings. And his secretary said that to me when I told her I wanted to see the report because I was worried that IPN would 'pull a fast one.' She also said, 'they have that right.'

I feel for you. If I remember correctly Ms. Monitoring was trying to say you were no longer eligible for the voluntary participation? Have you signed your contract yet? The time to have an attorney is now. It's gonna cost some money and time, but will be a lot cheaper than treatment. I wish I could fight with you. But, I can't. You have my support and prayers too.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · May 22, 2018

Yes, the monitoring programs can and do disregard evaluations. It's a total scam. I'm sorry.

I have heard this (from a person that sees a particular therapist.) said therapist had recommended outpatient treatment on a person they evaluated and the recommendation was totally disregarded in favor of a requirement of inpatient at an IPN chosen facility. Said therapist no longer will do IPN evaluations. I can see why. Why bother if the report is going to be ignored and they are going to do what they want anyway, unless the evaluator is simply a toady who is doing it for the money, but we know that never happens. Cough, cough, choke, gag....

mimifromtx · May 23, 2018

I would like to clarify that despite what my own experiences have been with the "Recovery Machine", I am not meaning to totally bash what SHOULD be a great way to get sober. I know that there are some who would never get clean without being sort of forced into a mandatory recovery program. I just think that there should be some regulation and over site of these types of programs, especially since there is such a propensity for a huge financial windfall on the part of the "rehab facility"... I just feel like, if these programs are allowed to be the "BE ALL AND END ALL" of recovery and sobriety programs, there should be a rigorous process to ensure that they provide adequate science based services, and that state and federal regulations should ensure participants safety and well being. Especially considering that professional monitoring programs and those required to participate due to legal issues are mandated to participate in these unregulated programs. I feel like those who must participate should actually receive expected services, have access to proven recovery methods backed by science instead of whatever witchcraft the facility deems is an acceptable method to make someone get clean; and the touted outcomes should be readily available for review rather than just be pseudoscience and some employee stating "Yeah Dude our success rate is 100%" . And the pseudoscience is extremely rampant. Horse petting, shopping, massage therapy, gardening, are all "therapy methods" that some of these facilities say work to get addicts clean. Heck, I'd LOVE to go to some "Rehab" and get horse petting therapy for 5 weeks, and be declared "cured" of my affliction. How many of us would go to, or send our family to a "hospital" for surgery when the hospital put their successful surgical outcomes on the 80-90 percentile, without any type of actual outcome based numbers to back that up? "We have 100 surgeries a day and only 5-10 die, but not because we did anything wrong, and those who died didn't pet the horse enough before surgery !" With that kind of self reporting, I could say I'm a 80-90% a great author, because no one ever complained about my posts on the recovery forum!"

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · May 23, 2018

I agree with you 100%. (And not just because no one ever disagreed with my posts on the recovery forum, or I don't think so anyway:sarcastic: )

I feel that just as with rehab, there is a place for the peer assistance programs. There is a sector of people that need such a thing to assist in getting and/or keeping them on track to safely practicing. However like the rehab industry, pseudoscience and the lure of easy money has taken over.

Professional monitoring programs have glommed onto the shadier aspects of the 'rehab machine' thus we now have organizations run by healthcare professionals (who you would think would be immune from the pseudoscience and 'cuz we say so' type of outcome statistics) that are responsible for the monitoring of thousands of licensed nurses, etc. making decisions whilst ignoring the evidence based practice that is so touted about in our field. Evidence based practice is the most appropriate choice of methodology except for when it dents the bank account, I guess.

Michellercruz · May 23, 2018

8 years ago I was evaluated and the assessor stated that outpatient treatment was recommended as I had been sober for a month and proven that I did not require inpatient treatment to be safe. However my job and the HPSP felt that I should complete an inpatient program. I admitted to the inpatient program . 2?weeks into the program I was told that my insurance was refusing to pay as i did not require inpatient treatment. I stayed in treatment to appease my workplace. The bill when I got out after 28 days was 34,000.87. The clinic stated they had one of the highest recovery rates in the country. I remained sober for 7 years. One night

I met a friend for coffee and he had my drug of choice and I relapsed. I never thought I would relapse but I did. There is no guarantee that a person will maintain recovery and it doesn't matter how much money is spent. Drug addicts relapse. Some stay clean and never relapse but most do. I don't look at relapse as a failure any more. I see that it is sometimes part of the journey. I feel that rehab needs to focus on impulse control and coping mechanisms. I am absolutely sick of all the shaming and judgment that the addicted face and I think that rehab also needs to address how to face the stigma. I have found that nurses are often the most judge mental.

rn1965, ADN · May 23, 2018

From the nursing grad with 3 yrs sobriety under her belt that washonest with the board:
No advocacy. Punish. Bankrupt.
I went for my eval last week. On the third day, the woman who is over the healthcare professionals/my case while at that facility for eval/iop/rehab, "you are in sustained recovery. I see no need for recommendation of treatment. I am emailing Ms. Monitoring" (
The very next day, "it is going to be necessary that you complete some sort of tx. I don't know if it will be 6 or 8 weeks yet. I am going to advocate for you and try to get something closer to home for you"

WTH?!?!?!

Three years of sobriety and they are going to now decide you need treatment? Oh man, this is my fear. I am attempting reinstatement with 13 plus years. Honestly, if they demand treatment, this many years sober, I will likely decline and never get my license back.

Stay strong girlie!