Modesto recovery program settles with state. Addiction services to reopen soon
A Modesto residential recovery program will be open again Dec. 1 after reaching a settlement agreement with the California Department of Health Care Services over a state order to suspend the center’s license.
In July, the state shut down most services at the 40-bed New Hope Recovery House on East Orangeburg Avenue. New Hope was accused of not following standard protocols for detoxification services for drug-addicted clients. New Hope contested many of the allegations and said there were multiple errors in the state investigation.
According to the order, staff members failed to check on adults every 30 minutes during the detox process and did not follow policies and procedures for documentation and medication taken by clients.
Clients, staff and other supporters held a rally outside the privately operated recovery house in September, protesting what they thought was a heavy-handed decision by the state agency.
A hearing was set for late October on New Hope’s appeal of the state order, but the parties opted for a settlement agreement. The state has withdrawn the accusation to revoke the center’s license. The recovery house is placed on 2 1/2 years probation and can’t operate detox services during that time.
Its residential services for adults addicted to drugs or alcohol will reopen Dec. 1.
Michelle Lucas, program director for New Hope, said the agreement restores a privately operated recovery program for people who struggle with addiction to heroin, meth or opioid narcotics, but the temporary loss of detox service is significant because of a lack of those services in Stanislaus County.
Lucas said it will decrease revenue for New Hope and force people to travel outside the county for detox.
Gene Radino, owner of the recovery house, said the legal fees would have approached six figures if the matter had gone to the hearing.
“The state has no due process for findings of fact,” Radino said. “We have never had a fatality or injury to a client in 30 years of doing this. ... The regulations need to change to give programs the opportunity to address the issues they are bringing up.”
According to state requirements, addicts going through withdrawal symptoms and the process of eliminating drugs from their bodies are supposed to be checked every 30 minutes for the first 72 hours. And recovery centers are expected to document that protocols are being followed.
The state initially charged that 23 client files were out of compliance. According to Lucas, the number of out-of-compliance files was reduced to five during the appeal process.
State regulators noted other miscellaneous violations during visits to the residential center.
In a previous statement, the Department of Health Care Services said New Hope’s failure to meet alcohol and drug treatment standards had potentially jeopardized the health and safety of clients. Any future violations threatening the safety of clients could result in revocation of the center’s license.
“We are working hard on quality improvement measures and there is room for growth for us,” Lucas said.
This story was originally published November 11, 2019 at 4:46 PM.
