A former employee has lifted the lid on the corrupt practices of an expensive rehab centre, where staff were pressured to behave like 'Disneyland employees'.
The informer, who has hidden their identity, claims bosses were interested in nothing else, even their patients' safety, but profit.
Speaking to Vice, the ex staff member opened up about some of the things they saw while working at the facility, where people paid upwards of $1,000 a day for treatment.
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"I worked in a corrupt drug and alcohol rehab for five years," they said.
"Corruption is everywhere, from patients using with staff members to staff members having affairs."
They said the warning signs about the quality of care at the facility were there from the beginning, with the person who interviewed them for the position appearing to be 'under the influence of stimulants'.
Staff, they say, even knew some of the patients, having 'used' with them in the past.
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The corruption, however, had deadly consequences.
The whistleblower told the site: "We were always pressured to behave like Disneyland employees…in reality, it was complete chaos."
With a drive for profit over safety and care, patients were discharged before they were ready, in order to make way for those who had money to hand.
They added: "I don't know how many people I've talked through suicidal ideation.
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"They're on their last breath of hope, and to come to a place that prioritised money and business over their life, it was sickening.
"We actually had one instance where a 19-year-old boy was rushed through the programme for the sake of giving up their bed to somebody else who could pay cash or had better insurance.
"He was sent home and overdosed two days later and died."
The informer said the facility was approved by a number of California's major insurers.
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But they said that the people running it just weren't up to the job, and had no idea how to run a company.
Recalling one instance where a staff member actually relapsed themselves, the ex-employee said: "They got back into the addiction lifestyle, they were dealing drugs, they were a connect for somebody who was in the rehab.
"That person knew where to drop it off where it wouldn't be found, and a patient overdosed because of that."
The job impacted them horrifically, and eventually they decided to quit.
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"It takes an emotional toll on you to be in such a toxic work environment. I knew I had to leave," they said.
They advised anyone thinking about getting help for themselves or someone else to 'pay attention to what's between the lines'.
Adding: "If you don't ask any questions, you'll be blindly led down this yellow brick road that doesn't exist."
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