Best Drug Rehab (aka. BDR, AFR)  manistee, Michigan

    I'm writing this a mere 7hrs after we've arrived home safely with our nephew. Obviously I am his aunt. My newphew has an addiction to spice and shortly after the holidays and some very scary withdrawal episodes and finally feeling as though he'd reached rock bottom consented to rehab. My sister-in-law (SIL) began frantically searching for rehab faciilties but purposely looking for those with some distance from home so my newphew wouldn't be so tempted to flee. She told me she'd found an amazing a rehab facility in Battlecreek, MI. 

    They arrived with my newphew in Battlecreek, MI late on Wed evening around 11pm at the facility. They simply sent our family back home a text stating that everything went so well and my newphew and all the staff were so positive.  I wasn't able to talk to my SIL and get an update until the following evening (late Jan 24th). This is when I started raising some red flags but nonetheless kept that info to myself to avoid arguement as I had encouraged them to enter my nephew into a Teen Challenge facility. My mom and SIL were so optimistic about the process they'd gone thru and raved about staff members Brandon and Owen that I didn't delve deeper until the following morning. 

    I'm a family nurse practitioner and in my 15yrs of practice have helped many patients and loved ones find appropriate rehab facilities.  The red flags I raised regarding the protocols of BDR as my SIL was telling me about their trip would likely never be thought of twice for those without some knowledge of medical regulation and oversight. Couple this with the desperate plea of a parent so grateful to seemingly have a facility like BDR who's going "above and beyond" to help your child when many other options aren't feasible makes this an even sadder and more deplorable scam.

    Reg flags 1)They had driven my nephew to meet with Brandon and Owen to begin the admission process at their "admin" building where they signed the obvious false legal documents, said goodbye to my nephew, at which time he was to be transported by van to their "local" detox facility. They were told the location couldn't be disclosed as they may have celebreties there. My 1st thought as an NP was "how do you legally move a patient from one facility to the next", "were their medical providers that assessed my newphew on site, checking vitals, placing ID bracelet, drawing labs, etc." Detox is a critical period from a medical standpoint requiring supervision and my mom and SIL simply left him at an ad building they kept describing as a lovely victorian home - 121 Capital Avenue, Battecreek MI. 

    RF 2)My SIL was asked to transfer her mailing address from home to the above address so they could collect "in=network" benefits for my newphew then kindly told her she wouldn't have to pay any additional monies out of pocket, the facility would cover that with grants and scholarships and they would keep my newphew as long as he wanted to stay? She was dumbfound and in awe which made her so much more vulnerable. First of all, the mailing address change is highy illegal and fraudulent from an insurance perspective (mind you all along I'm under the assumption her Anthem plan is aware of this facility but that it was simply "out-of-network"; I later found out Anthem had nothing to do with helping her find this facility, she did so thru internet search). And sadly from a medical perspective, we providers and many of you know all to well that legimate insurance and hopsital based facilites will never state the person can stay as long as they want..we're always fearful they're rushed thru detox and released for aggressive outpatient therapy which is very difficult to comply with for addicts and thus the high relapse rate. It's all about $.

    RF 3)They allowed my newphew to keep all of his piercings and body jewelry on while he was in detox and was even told he could smoke. From a medical perspective, and in a legit medical facility, the piercings are forbidden as they are a means of a weapon for a suicidal attempt during a difficult detox period.

    RF 4)Visitation - I wasn't surprised to hear her say we wouldn't be able to visit until his detox was complete but was then told he would be transferred to a separate facility where rehab occurs. Another move? Visitation also never occurred on site - once a visit was scheduled we would meet my nephew with a staff member at a nearby location ie Mc Donalds then he would return to the facility. What? Psychiatric and rehab facilities are strictly regulated and typically the patient has to consent to see a family member or friend and those people then have to sign waivers and present ID before being allowed visitation. 

    RF 5)My SIL gave me the address to the facility where he would be doing rehab where we could begin sending cards/letters/supplies etc. She said...write his name, then 300 Care Center Drive, Manistee MI. I asked "it's not addressed to University Hospital, c/o my newphew"? No, "just the above and he'll get it". I then did further research and realized that BDR was 3 hrs farther north from his detox location in Battlecreek, MI. What the h---??? 

    Fri 1/26 a.m. before work - as I woke with an uneasing feeling and pushed to looked deeper I found the info below. Mind you at this point I hadn't mentioned any of my fears or concerns to my family after just speaking with my SIL the night before about how things had went, at this point my nephew had only been there
    I beg you all..trust your gut! Do not take your child or loved one to BDR/AFR or any other associated facility!  I thank God my family actually listened to me and didn't think I was nuts! We had a frantic 5hr drive from southeastern IN to reach Battlecreek and I'll outline below what my family discovered during that trip and resources for you and your loved ones. None of these facilities have names...I could never find the organization she was referring to when she was placing calls to find facilities..She said it was titled Life Solutions.  After the fact I realized she'd found the website www.soberrecovery.com, dropped him at a admin/Victorian Bldg titled "Grant Family Counseling", with 2 different web sites on the sign below, was going to an undisclosed name and location for detox, then an unnamed rehab further north. No medical facility should be this difficult to locate via internet search these days..but the above is an ellaborate scheme - they don't want you, the government or others to know where they are nor what they're about.    

    I'd made a call to the Battlecreek Police Dept, was patched thru to a Seargant G. For his safety I will say no more but if you are reading this, reach out to him as he became a blessing in disguise and has vowed to pursure the above further. I explained the situation and from a medical perspective what I was finding in my search and asked how we go about locating and finding our newphew. Be aware, this is a civic matter and not legal per S.G. but he'd suggested we have a police escort to the facility to attempt to speak with our newphew but made fully aware he was 18 and that if he chose not to leave or even speak to us he couldn't be forced. If I didn't at least see him how could I be certain he was even there, had they already brainwashed him into believing his own family didn't have his best interests at heart? Also at this point the only way we even found his location was thru S.G. I'd given him Brandon's cell and he divuldged to him which detox address he was at then asked that Josh please call my SIL. S.G. instructed that we not tip either Brandon or Owen what we were planning as they may move him. My nephew did call and said he was fine and he didn't want to go home but my brother didn't want to scare him with all the details of what we'd been reading. What now if we drove 5 hrs and couldn't speak to him in person when we got there? We would have to file a revocation of his medical rights for guardianship hoping it would go thru emergent probate court but if in the meantime he was transferred to the Manistee/BDR location the legal process would have to start over in that jurisdiction! We prayed the police escort would work. We arrived at Battlecreek Police Dept at 5pm fri, I knew S.G. was off duty but he'd given us the name of a fellow officer to accompany us. I will tell you both the Battlecreek and Manistee Police Dept stated they receive numerous calls a year from family seeking advice on how to get their child or loved one out of these facilities...big red flag!   

    In the meantime I'd also read a prior email about contacting the Atty General of MI. 517-373-1140, or 877-765-8388. Please do so, you will be patched thru to Sue who is investigating the entire scheme of Scientology above..not a good sign when a meager citizen leaves a message for the Atty Gen and I'm receiving a phone call 30min later on our drive north, stating "get your newphew out of there, there is nothing but evil at the northern MI facility!" Using my medical credentials I'd also been able to search with help that BDRs CARF medical accredidation is fraudulent. Their lame photocopy license has 6 digits, a legit license will have 10 with a posted exp date and an embossed/notary. The 2 licensed therapists listed for their faciilty also state they have counseling and therapy educations/certificates/degrees but even the Atty Gen office confirmed no such certificates exist under their names! Again, how would a vulnerable parent even think to consider these things! You wouldn't. I'd also contacted 2 lawyers on our trip north to Battlecreek who are very aware of the "on-goings" and help families litigate the fraudulent insurance as many have lost thousands! I urge you to contact your insurance carrier immediately and inform them of the situation and ask that all payments be stopped/revoked and if you were one that changed your address, change it back immediately! 

    When we parked with the officer outside the detox facility, 163 North Avenue, Battlecreek, MI under the name "Tranquility" online, my heart sunk..The place looked depolorable but the officer only allowed my SIL and brother to enter with him. They walked right in the back door, no locks or security? but were soon stopped by 3 large men. Prior to this I begged the officer that if at least my brother and SIL would be refused to see my newphew would he at least ask to see him, otherwise how would we even truly know he was there. I will say our accompanying officer wasn't S.G. and there was little compassion/kindess and I was disturbed by the fact that he kept minimizing my complaints which were substantiated and documented accounts of fraud. He only stated he'd heard their practices were along the lines of scientology but nothing as extreme as what I was divulging. On the way home I wondered if he was a member of Scientology himself as you learn of their web of connections? There are accounts of 4 deaths but 1 documented that this office S.H. responded to and said the person had snuck in drugs and overdosed? Anyway, the officer was briefly allowed in to see my nephew but the officer never told him we were waiting outisde but asked if he felt safe staying? When my nephew told him yes my brother and SIL returned to the vehicle stating "we couldn't see him and he told the cop he didn't want to leave so what do we do?"

    We were heartbroken and almost resigned to making the 5hr return trip home when I'd suggested we go to the "admin" blg, 121 Capital Ave, as I wanted documentation of all the legal forms my SIL had signed and which they hadn't given her a single copy of! I also wanted to see their license as up to this point we and the Atty Gen office had only viewed a poorly scanned photo copy of it on one of their listed sites. 

    Both Brandon and Owen were there, my 1st time meeting them. Owen had the same gray/sallow coloring of most addicts we know, including my nephew, and I thought "how long has this guy even been or is sober?" After confronting them about the fraudulent medical license, the fraudulent therapists credentials and the fraudulent insurance scheme we were immediately told "we'll call to transport him here as we don't want any trouble." Tell me how a police officer has no power to get my newphew out but after confronting their illegalities and threatening them and originally being told we had no rights to see him or to make him leave as he signed in voluntarily they were now quickly bringing him back to us?! I'll never complain because we were saving his life but see the oddities?

    My nephew confirmed he'd been given "vitamins" in that brief 36hr stay. He'd never spoke with a therapist. His time had been spent playing foozball, watching tv, and sitting in a hot tub until 2:30 am and sleeping! No wonder they don't want to leave, to an addict this is a great life and the brainwashing has to start subtly! He did say a female patient admitted to having to pray to an ash tray stating it was a tool to him them learn to "obey commands", that if you learn to "follow their commands" your rehab will be more enjoyable. 

    Its now Sat morning at 6am. My newphew is home safe and I urge all not to be roped into this scheme. Find a licensed/legit medical facility. I again hope I can convince him to enter Teen Challenge. I'd left S.G. a message of thanks for his help during our day trip and had given him an update of the nights events and that I wasn't pleased with the assistance of S.H. He returned my call at 9:30 last night, on his evening off vowing to contact the atty gen himself and follow up and asked that I be used as a resource for the atty gen and their law enforcement to help other unsuspecting parents. He also vowed to address the demeanor of S.H. Again, if you are reading this, I urge you to contact S.G. and describe my story above, he'll know what you are talking about. Call the atty gen. They can't prosecute without ample evidence, they are trying! We've also been back in contact with the gracious Manistee Police Dept and given them an account of our story! Good luck to all..Please know I have disguised my name and address for safety reasons but the other initials and abbreviations are true. If I need to make contact with anyone it will be done thru S.G. or the atty gen as they have my true information.