by GIL McCLANAHAN
LOUISA, Ky. (WCHS) — To combat a growing number of fake addiction recovery houses in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear recently signed a new law that requires recovery houses to follow quality standards.
Supporters said the goal is to make sure those recovering from addiction actually receive the care they need.
These days it may be difficult to tell the difference between a legitimate recovery house and a fake one.
“What we found in the recovery housing community is that there’s a lot of bad actors,” said John Wilson, market president of Addiction Recovery Care, based in Louisa, Ky.
Wilson said these bad actors are setting up recovery housing facilities, but recovery is not taking place. People then get the wrong idea that addiction recovery is not possible when experts say it is.
“We’ve seen people in Kentucky sadly, their family member thought they were in a safe place because they were in a recovery house, but there is active drug use happening and someone overdoses and dies in that house,” Wilson said.
House Bill 248 signed into law by Beshear develops standards for recovery houses, making sure they are doing what they say they will do.
“They are charging other people who have left treatment under not good circumstances, and they are loading a bunch of these guys into a house, charging $125 a week. No one is getting sober. It’s dangerous and people are dying from that,” Wilson said.
Dr. Allen Brenzel with the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health said an average of six Kentuckians each day are dying.
“Those are your brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, our teachers, lawyers, doctors, plumbers,” Brenzel said. “We know that is a loss of incredible human potential.”
Some of the standards in the legislation include regular drug testing, making sure medical staff are available and have basic safety items available such as fire extinguishers and fire escapes. Wilson said the Cabinet for Health and Human Services has the task of implementing the legislation while developing additional standards for recovery houses over the next year.