Ripoff Report Complaint

Best Drug Rehabilitation

Submitted 1/21/2015

My husband had mental and addiction issues that were getting out of control. I searched the internet for a rehab center with facilities for both.  I found a website that would help you find an Native American based rehab center that could help me with my issues.  I was referred to the Best Drug Rehabilition in Manistee MI.  When I spoke to the assistant director I was assured they were qualified to deal with gambling and drug addiction as well as mental issues and anger control.  The airport lost his luggage and he arrived at the center with nothing but a cellphone, a little cash and identification.  They immediately took the cell phone as well as his identification and money.  When they tried to access the cellphone they figured out that it was locked by passcode.  They insisted upon on the passcode which he refused.  he wore the same clothes including underwear for 3 days before they finally found him a t-shirt and shorts, this was in January.  he was on anti-depressants as well as other medication from his doctor for stomach issues.  All medication was denied to him without consideration the side effects from stopping the medication with out tapering it off.  Since he was denied any access to a phone I did not have a clue what was going on.  He was then transfered to the actual rehab center and was allowed to call me with a councelor listening.  He still had no clothes, tolietress etc... Finalyy on the 8th day he was able to call me and let me know what was going on.  He had to purchase his basic needs items from their store at a very high mark up.  If he did not have money, he would have had to mop floors, clean showers, etc... just to get basic items.  It was lucky he actually had a little cash on him but still ended up owing the store for items.  He was put in a room with 7 other men on cots that were covered by plastic mats.  There was one sink and one commode for the 8 men.  At this time his luggage was still missing and even though i called the liasion trying to get the information about his luggage so that i could try in locate it, I was refused.  They did go to K-mart and get him socks, underwear, a pair of pajamas and some sweats.  The funds for these items were from the local Salvation Army. 

When he was fianlly allowed to call me without supervision I was appalled to learn of the deplorable conditions as well as the abuse of the staff on the patients there.  It was also then that I learned he had no medication and was going through issues being taken off the anti-depressants cold turkey.  I immediately called the facility with my concerns but no one was available to talk to me so i voiced ALL of my concerns to the receptionist.  I also sent an email to his case manager.  I did receive a call from his case manager the next day and I was informed by her that she knew more about it than I did and even called my husband into her office and had him read the email I had sent to her.  I did manage to get a little information concerning my husband's luggage but did not get the correct information, the actual luggage tag information, from her.  I spent 3 hours on the phone with American Airlines trying to find his luggage, which was very trying without the correct information.  I finally found it and just had it federal expressed to me.  I think received a call from my husband and while he was talking to me a person there came up to him and was very threatening verbally to get off the phone because he was telling me everything that was going on.  He was wanting to leave but they refused to give him his property so he could leave.  They told him he would have to wait till after midnight to leave.  This is strictly so insurance will pay for that day.  The next morning I received a call from someone there telling me that for my husband to leave I had to wire transfer her $250.00 for travel expenses.  I informed her I would not be paying her one dime for transportation.  I then called cab service, car services, even limo service to find some one willing to pick him up and get him to a airport.  I also called the local police dept. and made them aware what was going on (from what I was told this is a common practice for this facility to try to keep patients there by with holding their property.)  I finally found a cab company who would go from Muskegon MI to Manistee MI to pick him up and would allow me to pay by phone on a credit card.  It costs me $240.00 but I would have given them $500.00 to get him out of there.  When I call the facility back and told them I had contacted the police and a cab would be arriving to pick him up they then started telling my husband he was not safe with me, that I was a drug addict, and anything they could think of to get him to stay including giving him back his medication. 

Between a flight home, the items he had to purchase there, and the cab ride it costs me approximently $800.00.  This facility had absolutely NO mental health staff and the councelors there are not trained or certified in drug and alcohol.  They are just people who have gone through their program.  My husband was in worse shape when he got home than he was when he left.  The medication that was denied to him confused his thinking, gave him insomnia, and for no better term boucing off the walls.  I stayed on the phone with my husband from the time he left the facility to going to get cash for food etc... and getting his tickets for his flights and even with what he needed to do once he arrived at the airport for his connecting flight.  Once home he informed me of all that went on espcially the way the patients are treated and the lack of mental health for those who needed it.  I have yet to get his medications back on track and get him calmed down.  He really needs rehab but I'm not sure that I will ever get him into another facility for the fear he now has of being "locked" up again.  Instead of helping my husband they crippled him even more.