Hey, let's in here, and we love in value, are listeners who tune in every week to your new stores, and we know that sometimes one episode just isn't enough. That's why we ve been so excited to bring you a man. Can we have our very first Syria throughout the last several. We We ve been sharing what we learned from a three year: investigation into drug, and now treatment programmes across the country, every episode takes time and money. Reveal is a nonprofit newsroom, supported by listeners. Like you, if you are you the show and are able please support? The work we do with a nine dollar monthly donation. You'll become reveal. Member and you'll receive our face mask with the word facts on it, because, as reveal list, We know you value getting the facts. To get yours just text ravine.

For seven four, seven forcing you can take stop at any time soon. Do data rates apply again, that's reveal two hundred and forty seven, four thousand seven hundred and forty seven to support reveal today and remember. The only way forward is together from the centre for investigative reporting in p r ex this is reveal a mallet. We say american rehab with a phone call our rapporteur Shanna Walter and a woman in penny robs I look like I gotta go the lady I gotta tell her that teeth on the right track with this is that right people need to know about it. Penny worried sick about her brother The TIM row she'd centre, to a drug. We have called cynical. All they do is just work. The dog get out of here in Europe. Hey there,

my head was in there just how to keep saying over and over I'll. Denmark have a consistent behaviour of talking and that Non Sport, Zena Verbal Chair, pronounced for the chanting strange judgments. It all goes back to one of the very first drug. We in the nation Cinema who started than cinema, innovation was started in nineteen. Fifty eight by Ex alcoholic child eat Friedrich the ass. How was doing all the work doesn't get any the way? It is all over the world? It sin and on every one word you not getting paid minimum wage area. Fifty dollars a month do know. Is that legal? That's a good question. Unpaid work can afford.

Of confrontational therapy called the game? You will lose their people We brainwash him without a brain. Is the cinema but its members picked up the pieces and spread them far and wide, and was similar the cinema one by one. Searchers count in the seventies. There were five hundred rehab in the United States that descended from not one of those with cynical founded, a dangerous man named Luke lasting he came in the kitchen grab me through me on the poor little girl, my face. You this. This was now I was expecting you to tell the truth. I still got what this is.

Cynical embrace, unannounced punishments. The first thing I did Was the shame my head. This trip down, come like take away, Everything didn't you think defines you they are true. Brainwashing you're, not individual. You just bought a cynical apart of cynical is an inherently american solution to drug addiction. I was glancing through your cynical but not like the very first sentence. I read in all the years of Senegal has been in business rehabilitating lives. We have found but nothing works as well as work, did so wonder how much money you made for them. Are you in there thou sends tens of that We are now I'm really serious. I really want you guys have another after to laws being broke here

Penny rollings questions are at the heart of our investigation. People working like that. I mean that's slave labour. I wait we outlawed bravery. I can't write my head around it in that brings us to our final chapter of american Rehab shadow workforce. Today we're gonna answer. Biggest question. We have just how large is how many rehab send people to work without pay. And were also gonna answer. Another question that listeners have asked us since we first started the series Is this legal? Does the work actually pay for the treatment? It's a fair question and, one that the highest court in the land has also wrestled with back in and he, the Supreme Court, heard a case from another call disorganisation the alarming

foundation, its leader, Tony and Susan Olano recruited members, many of them young people with drug addiction and provided counts, and a place to stay, but work was also A part of the deal show looked into the alarming case, turned stand with a work based, rehab illegal or not Tony and Susan Olano claim to be on a mission to save the lost souls of the hippy era at the end of the night in sixties. The couple brought own brand of apocalyptic gospel to the streets of allay. It was a fringe form of Pentecostal ISM they preach salvation in Hollywood and developed a following among the young and the desperate, always your lifelike Before you came to, the foundation is miserable. When I was about eleven twelve years old, I got involved with junkies drug addicts for nineteen years, just

wandered around Spain, loaded and stuff, like that. It came out. California just signal having piece moving confine their young fourteen call themselves. Jesus freaks, they'd, walk, Hollywood would strip. Looking for new recruits Building the alarm owes a large and passionate following with thousands of members and soon the alarmist began. Putting those members to work just Like sitting on and a core, they gave them a play. To stay and a job to do, but they didn't pay them. By nineteen. Seventy six, the alarm Christian foundation have thousands numbers, they moved there, it's from Hollywood to Arkansas and with it they also moved the alarm businesses from trucking companies to record labels, but none as visible as this clothing enterprise clothing enterprise churned out by dad.

Hold airbrush designer Jean jackets. They became a head. Huge bad. You probably see me rhinestones studied jackets, possibly on the back, the bees. Celebrities, Dolly par in Mister T, Brook shields they were all wearing these sparkly Denham masterpieces they ve sold for up to a thousand dollars EL, paying salaries or taxes the alarming created a financial empire with property holdings alone worth at least twenty I've million dollars in return the workers who helped build that empire got room and board worth two hundred dollars per month. As compensation. It worked out too about Zero dollars and eighty three cents an hour, you don't get anything on your own. You can't even work outside jobs that do work for the church. Some former members complained that the allow most were breaking the law, everything make? Go that church? You don't keep them. Ah, the allow were accused of breaking was

fair Labour standards ACT passed in nineteen, thirty, eight, it defined american working life the eight hour day. Forty our work week and overtime pay after called it them important part of the new deal after social Security, the act basically says. If someone works for you, you have to pay them. If you don't he'll, be hearing from the Department of Labour. Foundation is charged with feeling to pay a minimum wage in overtime compensation to several hundred employees. Global Obama claims lawnmowers more than fifteen million dollars and back pay, but here's where it gets tricky Theo More foundation argued that as a religious organisation, they were exempt from the law. It's just the kind of big church State argument only be settled in one place, the Supreme Court of course will hear arguments first. This morning, Antonio Zuzu Alumni Foundation to Secretary of Labour,

you already it's nineteen, eighty five and the alarm. A lawyer argues that a major part of the pentecostal faith is doing work for the church. If the court old against the Olano Foundation, it could the religious lives of millions of Pentecostal Hoover who dear their labor in the service of God. This work was how they, just the religion, even running the rest, solely rhythmically, yes, or no, to explaining the almost lawyer explained that the court should think of the members, even the ones King diner food pumping gas in sewing designer jackets as pastures. And evangelists the lawyer for the law. Her department argued that dedication to a cause or even a job, doesn't mean that the person should be compensated and if the purse doing the job doesn't have. Another choice like they depend

the organization there working for to give them a roof over their head and something to eat. Then that's a form of quid pro quo. In this case, in your view, does turn on whether the associates have the expectation of compensation in the form of Roman board. I believe so your honour, the district court, found as a fact, and there was ample testimony that they can completed that they would be fed clothes and shouted, as the thought of their work at the foundations, commercial businesses, The court ruled against the allow most, they said what farmers are entitled to be paid for their labor at least minimum wage plus overtime. It doesn't matter if the organization there working for puts a roof over their head or if their working out of religious devotion this and Rural Arkansas came to rubber

than a major affirmation of the fair Labour standards act there businesses were located at the intersection of basic. The two main highway interstate Michael here pop join the Labour Department about a decade after the Supreme Court decision, but when with living and working in Arkansas. He used to visit the Olano compound. They had a big, Are they here? a diner attached to the truck stop and I'm not. Dad during the best biscuits in graveyard. Ever even my life wow, I'm a connoisseur, biscuits and gravy, and it was just marvelous- We could allow ministry recipe as a subject for another podcast. I call them Michael because he used to be in charge of policy at the Department of Labour in the wage, an hour division. Was one of the more senior people in the part of government that was most force the Supreme Court decision. I do you heard of this type of peace ground before during your time, at the Department of Labour, I I knew

of programmes. That looks a lot like this that I had no clue tat. It was so extensive in so widespread tell you started doing your reporting. I dont think this He real ambiguity about what the law requires. In these instances he sang programmes are required to pay workers, they can deduct the cost of Roman board from their wages, but no markups, no other charges and, at the end of the day, if a rehab really believes work as the best therapy. That's fine! So long as it's comply. With the fair Labour standards ACT and paying people for their work did they have to eliminate their treatment centre and the way they operate, but there's nothing in that treatment model that says you can't pay the workers there's nothing therapeutic about not paint workers. There's enough therapeutic about not paying workers get ever

since the Supreme Court ruling there's been an explosion in the three have model, in all my years of reporting on this, I couldn't find evidence that the Labour Department has used its full fire power to stop it. I mean down to the head of the agency and the person in charge of their wage in our division. Every time I called or emailed they declare to answer even basic questions. Well- and I can't speak or my colleagues, but up into the point that I live there, it's an air division. No idea that their resist business model out here in the rehab humanity. I thought the few instances it we saw something that approximated this was very isolated, was sort of a one off the list, department may not have known how many rehab like this, where out there during Michael's time. But I didn't know it was a problem because it salvation armies, long standing work therapy programmes, they run. It

a hundred of them around the country eighteen, ninety labors wage and our division told the chair, It had to start paying its rehab workers minimum wage in overtime The salvation armies response was to totally deny that their participants were employees, they called them beneficiaries. The Salvation Army file, the pre emptive law suit and got some pilot. Since on their side and they depart of labour backed down they eat. An added a specific exemption for the Salvation Army in their handbook going forward. The department would not enforce the law against Salvation Army there Other examples, too, Ninety nine, before a former sent a corporate discipline, filed a complaint with the Department of Labour, the agents never even opened an investigation in two thousand. Thirteen labor was investigating the how Foundation in Oklahoma, but they stop

after a U S, senator personally intervened, that same year in North Carolina, one rehab did get in trouble with the department of Labour for not paying their workers the founder of the programme I want to follow the law in the future, but then she went right back to doing the same thing again in In these cases the Department of Labour, new, individual rehab or putting people to work without pay, but they didn't succeed in fixing the problem I ask Michael, does he think anything will change. I dont think this. Illustration would support a aggressive move by wage. An error to investigate these kind of programmes in time Seventeen president trumps first year in office, he declared the opium cry this a national health emergency that year, almost fifty thousand people died of opium overdose.

Is the worst year on record in this country. We could be responding to this emergency with proven methods that save more lives, but too often we keep doing this turning. But who are seeking treatment into unpaid workers, The federal government isn't looking into this kind of programme and nobody could tell us how

this problem is, how many we heads are out there I'm doing in a national survey of recovery programmes with vocational and work therapy aspects, so we decided to find out for ourselves and with hoping I might be able to speak with them about the great lakes region for the Gulf region, but the Palmdale Programme on facility is like that's coming up next to me. Personally, with one of the most, however modest damned everything. Somebody come up with this. American rehab from reveal Are you tired of the wave media tiptoes around the subject of race? Well courts which doesn't do then the weekly podcast from PR has been talking about how race impacts on all aspects of american life for years now, it's made by of color and makes all of us apart the conversation, because what all a part of the story

Finally, where you get your podcast enjoy the conversation on NPR codes, which, from the centre for investigative reporting, MP or Ex this, is reveal a reality. It was about three years ago, when shall Shanna Walter First report. On drug, we have participants who were being sent to work without pay. That's lead to another and another and another, and with New rehab we found the question remains: how many more are out, show has been on a quest to find out. Many work based. Rehab are surrounded by a veil of secrecy to get beyond it show talk to hundreds of former participants about what they Sperience deaf facilities.

Across the country, but she heard back started to lift the veil I woke up in the morning and cream. Much spend the night here kind of began Kyle joy is just one of hundreds of participants that I talk to you. Cavalry Ranch in California that Ab Tommy participants are forced to work and that they agree to put their wages towards the costs. The programme, though, want you a job. You have a very limited time. You brought your tea bread and water quarter, Mile Antunes, home and breathing called Adam Japan, Potter's real ministries in North Carolina, they beat you, you come back, you do a bible body for murder, christian organisations by the way, when a large number of these programmes at eight a M urine pilot shot, make a public body Sheila Breschia at the House A nation in Texas, you wake up at six a m and you go have breakfast. They do a little more

word meeting that value, what job your honor than you had out, we weren't eight hours a day, Melanie Reinhardt that hope, Centre ministries in Tennessee firms, the very hours a day on Monday to Saturday you all about it is for our God forbid it rain. You get a weaker rain. Your Morgan punch drink, there was even a programme Where a few participants told me they only got one day off every two weeks protein ouch at the House Foundation in Oklahoma, you are able to work better, Do you none of those we have responded to my questions. The type of work varied from rehab to rehab, but I noticed a lot of programmes operate. Thrift stores You have a sooner of tourists, store and I know that many we never seen any of that money. Hardly one of the big. Organizations out there like this- is the Salvation Army they require religious,

The dissipation and unpaid work from picking up needed items and trucks to sorting them in big warehouses. That's all work, that's typically done by rehab participants. I've shocked at their stores countless times, and I can't help but wonder how many of the staff people who helped me were there as part of their rehab and not getting paid In a statement, the Salvation Army said the work helps participants learn how to live, balanced, productive lives. And they also said they provide spiritual programming, counselling and recreational activities, I also heard about programmes that sent workers to Otto detailing shops and car washes. Simply does run their own landscaping companies program in the Midwest maiden sold essential oils and around the states rehab making candles and roasting coffee some

We have directors reap profits by sending participants to work at businesses they personally own. In Georgia, rehab participants worked cotton and pecan farm owned by the director many programmes operate more like Seneca. Does they provide housing for participants who get sent to work at outside for profit companies sometimes massive corporations, theirs multi billion dollar property company called Avalon Bay Communities; they built apartment, comply, since in the San Francisco Bay Area and and every have participants have done construction on those buildings, an Bay spokesperson, said that they were not aware of any laws being broken. William Sonoma has used unpaid rehab workers and its warehouse facility. They never rest I'm dead to my request for comment in Walmart hassle. Products made by unpaid, rehab workers and Its workers at a warehouse Walmart said that a third party

just six provider had met The workers and Walmart expected them to follow the law as call them emailed all these companies. So many of them responded with what we started to call the sub contractor below off Laura corporations claiming that they didn't know that subcontractors they had hired or turn using unpaid rehab workers and their warehouses at their plants and on They are construction sites, The more I learned, the more I felt like I was completely surrounded by this huge, unpaid shadow workforce knowledge. Work profit, but it really is profit. Your pay directly. The dam for ten months without any shadow of a doubt, those books, make it money on them died how, money is hard to say, but here's one example:

I got a confidential profit and loss statement from a rehab it had about. Sixty dissidents, all men being sent out, external and do other jobs. In one month we have brought in three hundred and twenty seven thousand dollars. That's four million dollars per year, going mostly to the rehab and not the workers mean in some cases the participants themselves are paying to be there all quiet room. Pay thousands of dollars for us to go there and then You work for his companies for free, if they're paying that much money, then why are you guys working for a free ride? I gotta get a salary. Hey, that's the thing. I don't. I don't understand why it set up that way. You know it's free labour, that's what I would say they would say, work ethic. We keep. You sober, were teaching you how to become gentlemen, the reef, jobs are the only ones making money. Some

companies that are using these workers are getting a steel with rehab workers, These companies typically dont pay as much as they might for regular employee they'd. Only pay for holidays overtime or workers. Compensation insurance sometimes when we have workers do get hurt, they are Once you end up paying, it doesn't matter we have a headache, pray about it. You know. If you broke your finger breakthrough it it'll, go away I thought I was there. I felt there was eighteen. Twenty group from a green. I grant must hold a lot of people have hurt, thereby some job one person walked away with brain damage. At least three people will have died, I've seen medical, the Kurds and other reports confirming all of these incidents. Some workers got hurt because didn't get the right, training or protective equipment. Whether from the right from business or from outside company where they were sent to work. In some cases

their conditions would only get worse because they felt they had no choice but to keep working day of absolutely burn down every structure in their life breathed their life and they have they know where to go. Nothing's. Aren't you get out of the eleven other object? If you have insurance or your facing a prison sentence. These rehab could be the best option you have, but sometime this kind of treatment justly people worse off than when they came in the first place. That harms tell her tat. This place took a real mental toll on me. I felt like I was a slave there. It's almost like that try to literally brain. Why shield for me personally who is one of the most clever smartest scams Somebody come up with how many rehab are out there, putting people to work with no pay. The federal government doesn't track it. In fact, no

body has counted how many there are so we Set out to do it ourselves and the old Wait to figure it out was to make phone calls lots. To like you, ve heard and to react. Themselves He might have shot a Walter, I'm a reporter with reveal Shanna Walter. I'm a reporter withdrew the allied on thirty. On Thursday afternoon we created survey about seven or eight questions, I'm doing in a national survey of recovery programmes, but vocational and work I repeat our backs. I told to ever. I spoke with that. It would take no more than ten minutes was hoping. I might be able to speak with him about the great lakes region for the Gulf region, but the Palmdale Programme on facility is like some Graham, so want to tell me way more information that I was asking for. So I'd just listen and take notes the rest

The time it took some product here to tell you, how long has it been operating about how many people go through the programmes every year? Can you walk me through what a day in the programme looks like like? What's the daily schedule like? What's it consist of what time is a bedtime? Can you tell me a little bit about some of the skills? Their learning, our jobs, are doing spent months making is calls in a window. Its booth at the office at my desk at home or on my couch excuse me, I'm losing my voice. A little bit of a lot of programmes, would talk about the value of work and what it teaches. Participants or our job training was preparing people for life on the outside, but when it came time to talk about whether or not people get to keep their pay. What does the programme cost The residential programme Ok, I'm so just sort of claim up hello hello, how are you there?

for every successful call. I made, I probably had another five calls that what absolutely nowhere The course of a full year of calling a fraction of rehab, agree the participate in the survey. Most programmes were just not transparent about how they operate. Italian up these rehab in March before the corona virus, shut down the economy. I found it three hundred rehab facilities in forty four states that required unpaid work. That's more than sixty thousand people per year. Three hundred rehab in almost every state, the country, six, thousand people a year, hoodie treatment, but get work

Some of those rehab offer a nominal stipend like twenty hours per week. Or a one time bonus of two hundred dollars a graduation, but none the workers receive anything first, a minimum wage. for years, the opium AIDS epidemic was three public health emergency. But in March back when we first plan to air this series the crisis emerged. The corona virus, spread around the world, we started how was affecting people inside rehab like Cynical, you don't care about the health of everyone in the place because they would oppose it or that made a thin. Do not in an hour an hour. Now I mean, if you cared about our well being but new that when one public health emergency runs into an up here always gave it.

Come up. Now, though many of were out here. My If that were that's coming up next, one american rehab from reveal Hey it's out our show this week is the final chapter in our series. American Ria for years, we ve been invested, eating drug! We have this impetus, to work without pay across the. U S, we identified hundreds of places like this, but there are still more out there and we need your help find if you someone, you know, has experience with a programme like this. We want to hear about the issue, your story takes the word three to four seven for seven forcing you can take stop

at any time and standard data rates apply again. That's rehab, two hundred and forty seven, four thousand seven hundred and forty seven. From the centre for investigative reporting and are ex. This is reveal a mallet. She'll found similarities among the three hundred rehab. She count long days and dangerous jobs were common, but every now and then shall we here we have the supply, is even her. Did you know much about the programme at the time Not you anything about the programme, a judge. Order, Brandon Earl to serve a year at work. We, called Synergy Foundation in Tennessee and bread and says the programme sent him out to do jobs like janitorial work at a hospital. We I do like blood spots

accountable doing because you felt ever has met. Teams were to be drawn up, but it makes kid was even greedier cleaning up the minutes to sue Sometimes this involved carrying dead animals to the incinerator, and once and this is real- Brennan had to move a drug to bear. We did it. Take people to pick it up. Is that why you were pretty schedule a back? They like They like rolled over and growled IKEA little baby was still under the state was asleep, but he was scary. Brennan says the worst: jobs would go to rehab workers because, while they didn't have a choice, it literally. What I wanted him to join. You were right. I was never able to say no. You know I never try here I tried to say no. If you like war, gets it advocates, you can just go home. I'm like one go home about you down, going back to jail. Another prison carry a bear go to jail

Brendan story, we thought that's an impossible situation, but in March things got worse. While many Americans were sheltering in place to avoid getting sick work base ribs Synergy foundation were Brendan, went well. Still sending people out to job sites. Synergy. Participants, cleaning, a factory for the major the distributor? U S, foods. We ask company for response, but they never got back to us. Neither did synergy in the middle of a global pandemic. Other regions we're doing the same thing. Shoulder the cynic. War was also turning participants into one Eight essential workers. The pandemic, spread in March and April. I started

you're about new concerns from sent a corporate disciplines at their facility in Fort Worth Texas. The healthier thing I reach Brittany Cardenio on the phone forest, So this is a thing hurriedly like they were making us gotta work. They were going to factory called Ccs packaging to make plastic bottles for cleaning products, as it does the bottles and put an end to a boxer yeah you software glove, they didn't have any girl, anyway. They haven't had any several. A core participants told me went without basic protective equipment in a statement son Accord denied that thing it was following local state and federal guidelines related to the corona virus Uk Ass, the bottling company, so they kept workers six feet apart, sanitizing surfaces and limiting visitors van around

same time to workers at that factory tested positive, virus, some sent a corporate events found that out, while they were on shift their there until the even go back to the rehab but sent a core wanted. Supposed to keep working later on and staff told them may be punished if they refuse to go to work. The sun core participants were shuttled to and from the factory in a pact work fan. They slept in thirty person, rooms and bunk bets and Brittany said somebody inside sent a corps was already sick. There's a girl was then, I just found out last night she's been in a meeting room there's been set up for somebody got think he's in there with her haven't ever passed through every day, sent a core put them men in the conference, room by herself other started. Getting sick sent a court capped, sending people out to work.

Obviously they don't care about the health of everyone in the place, because they would have closed the doors and made a stand in us. In an out in n out in out mean if you cared about our well being You wouldn't do that after I wrote about all of this. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission opened in it Instigation into the rehab by many RO. I learned that at least one participants at the forward son, a core had tested positive for covert nineteen. All about tat. Others were being quarantined. According to elite document I received staff acute participants who are sick of being lazy and trying to get out of work. As cases around taxes. Continued decline sent a course direct of nursing was down playing the out of the virus and anymore the staff he called media reports, hyperbole The data exaggerated then send

course staff started getting sick too and employees They were ordered not to talk to residence about it and that if any staffer talk to your rapporteur, they be fired on the spot after I first wrote about sent a core. I kept asking them for comment, but they repeatedly declined and eventually hired a crisis pr firm as we were getting. Those two publishing the series I gave them a final and to respond to a detailed list of questions most half or about problems at their batten Rouge facility or TIM Rowan. Chris Coon when The pr firm wrote me in an email that Seneca was too focused on their clients and the pandemic. To answer my questions the next day, I got big NEWS hey hey. How are you doing a very prosperity? and under the water. Can you know

Kara Almond woke up feeling blast she'd been living at Santa Corps in back rooms for almost fifteen months She was in the re entry face when you get a job and actually get paid while still living inside the rehab. She was working the waitress and paying sent a core of five hundred dollars a month in rats, and she, like she was doing pretty good first time in a long time, around nine a m on a Wednesday in late March, executives from set a core cutting CEO Bill Bailey called. And about sixty other participants. Into a meeting room to break the news that you guys I figured out as soon as possible A corps was shutting down the long term. We have the facility in batten, Rouge, Kara and other participants were told they had about forty eight hours to pack up and get out. I don't many family here, nobody here! So you now it was. This kind of like on my guy- where am I gonna? Go patients

yelled in cried some sudden shock farmers- Our first said, most of them were told to a meeting. Pack up and leave They were allowed to council comfort or even say goodbye to clients, and this is back covert. Nineteen with exploding in Louisiana. The state had one of them fastest growing raids of new cases in the world's new here always gave this com now so many a Louisiana and were how here they put his eyes during this term find a place to live like now, my life that way residents of Santa course scramble to find another place to go when he do ya. Son called his family in a panic, not about have done bounds, and all that did you can add that they are wrong. So they were all standing and lighting Pauline people because they just tell them there.

Then I guess, but a man on the street. I mean they're gonna, be helpful. Wendy's first thought this is true. It sent a court chile closing she called them to confirm. There was some confusion at the front desk, everyone seems to be taken by surprise. I haven't heard back on and do not know. What's going on In this moment she had no way to reach him and she was worried sick that our son, was already back on the streets where he could relapse of heroin. Studies show that when people leave rehab after a long period of abstinence threat a month, higher risk of overdue and dying because their tolerance, is much lower. Wendy was really concerned for her son. It's a harvard that you're here in a minute just at its heart breaking it is this not a life

He is one live for him or her for people that love here, though, some like this is negative. Amours cynical are kept to employ. Around to help people, and they did find some places for people to go. They also off to transfer participants to send a court facilities in Texas, but with such short notice, the stuff? overwhelmed and for participants who were court ordered the offered a transfer what's an empty gesture, since they couldn't cross state lines, herself was still on probation guy, can't leave, fate of Louisiana. Give me a week or two a notice. They were walk. I have sent a core with no money, food transportation or a place to live the last item but her right after the closure Carol. Crashing on a friend's families couch while looking for an apartment. We

Suddenly, her back from Wendy, she says her son was living on the streets for a couple days. Then they were fine. Able to get him into a sober living home in a state, A set, of course, spokesperson called the closure. Temporary. Instead, it was because of declining demand for long term treatment in Louisiana and relief. It concerns over corona virus, impacting economic operations. During my years of reporting on sent core, I have tried so many times to set up an interview with their CEO Bill Bailey. In the end, he wouldn't talk to me, but a few weeks after sent a course abrupt closure of their batten Rouge Programme Bill Bailey did ran to television interview to see W thirty nines morning dose in Houston, Texas. Thank you so much for what you're doing many things about forgiveness is opportune to those sure about our mission are cause for some core foundation bill in the report

are standing about six feet. Apart, he's wearing a crisp white shirt, no, hi and a blazer there talking in a risk. Option area with a big sent a course sign on the wall. So tell us a little bit about what you are saying and have you seen an increase in people reaching out for help. We actually In the last four weeks, the first two weeks we saw about a tender twenty percent increase in people calling for assistance. The last couple of weeks- we levelled off. So we're still now seem. Point twenty eight and thirty two admissions a day and one of our ten facilities, this the version of reality sent a core presented, how they like to frame what's happening I really wanted to ask Bill Bailey. Why They tell us. There was declining demand for long term treatment in Louisiana. When we know the pandemic unleashed arise and fatal drug overdoses across the country. Why? they pushing vulnerable residents out into homelessness during a pandemic. Why

he's still making participants go to work and, lastly, for You went out there that may be struggling. What is your message to them? Loose there is a safe place to receive treatment. Today, don't wait, don't think a genuine to the viruses pass now's the time come in we're here, for you, whole interview Bill Bailey never mentions that send had just shuddered at Span Rouge facility. I decide to call Chris Coon and let him know that the place he spent eighteen months working with no pay was closing its doors. Can you ever heard of, but how, always hope it, thank God, guy? Why do you say that in ways that, based on my worst enemy, I told him that I just sent a list of questions to Senegal summit but his own injury. I also told him sent a course said they had to close, because it was costing too much to stay open.

So many empty beds during the pandemic. Oh shit, It concerns there trying to save face. And say there is no need for long darn exotic in Louisiana. Let me tell you there is some junkies ear that needs a long arm treatment. But lady, I shall treatment, not just a word. I also called up TIM row who we are from the very beginning of this series, apparently Senate, or is shutting down their bad, stability, Marilla Who fled the batten rouge facility and called his sister penny rollings for help? He was while they were shutting down, but he was also a little concerned. Some probably I don't know have any. Like options of any other place to go. I feel Amsterdam because some of those people there,

I have a choice. I laughed calls was, with TIM Sister penny she's, the one first asked me how this Possibly be legal and weather people were having the same. Disturbing experiences are family. I told her what happened I think, that's great in the sense that I don't think anybody You have to get through at my brother. When are you there in an ideal world government agencies, would step up and ensure that we have programmes are not exploiting people for financial gain, but that has not happened. There's, no national agency responsible for making sure all rehab are safe and providing actual treatment. There's just Department of Labour, which is both make sure working people get paid. I am penny what she'd say to them. If she could, but she didn't really have a message for them. Instead

She had an indictment on the entire system of work based rehab in this country, you're killing them you're, killing people sending them to leave. Really they haven't. You know me following a why the lie we're gonna, get you better! No you're, not you're gonna use that human being like a piece of cake. Throw them away way? the next planning period, why Americans have struggled with opiate addiction. Over a century. At this point we have. Good idea of what works, but instead of offering people proven methods of treatment, an increasing access to that treatment? Among in presidents and politicians. Judges and regulators have allowed in age old american ideal to prosper, hard work.

Cures all the guy between the rich and poor is widening people, feeling, more isolated, more desperate, thousands more are likely to become caught in the gear. Of this rehab machine. Caught in a cycle of fear and pain, greed and profits. Until one day some people find their cure and for other everything just stops

for most of this year- the corona virus has dominated people's attention, but just because We have a new epidemic to contend with Does it mean the last one stopped? In fact it's the opposite: the opium the epidemic has gotten worse since the corona buyers outbreak in March, Drug overdoses were up by eighteen percent. Complete. The twenty nineteen by May had increased by forty two percent, but a vaccine for covered We don't have to wait for an effective treatment for opiate addiction. We know the medications that work is done you have to be a double epidemic. If you can during treatment for yourself, one loved one we put together, tools, including a database. The rehab we found around the country the use, unpaid labour wheels.

The list of questions that you should ask any rehab you might be considering. You can find, all that on our website revealed. Who started, work, slash American. We have again reveal news, dot, Org, slash American Ray thanks for listening to american rehab, for you, it was six weeks of listening for us, its use of reporting and producing. If you, a priest a deep investigative journalism like this. There, too, you can help us. One is making a donation to reveal we're, not profit newsroom that depends on listeners like you, the other involves no money. It's just. Leaving us a review on Apple pie, outcasts,

This has been an experiment for us and we want to know what you think: the American Rehab reporting team, Shanna Walter lost or Chaskey an eye trees, Condor Roger Bread, my is our editor Amy Julia Harris helped us report the story from the beginning and launch this project. We add additional editorial support from not as a keynote Andy Donoghue and Esther Kaplan and production help from W H. Why why in Philadelphia special we'll call is so young, Long Quinn, Louis and highly swimmer, factual. By Rosemary Home Pretoria. Bear Nevsky is our general council. Our production managers, armor windy in a wholesome and the a mean our production, includes gave him. His Cowskin Amy Mustafa in clear, see no moment american Ray

Epps theme song Lifeline in a regional score are composed and performed by. Some of the very best sound design is in the business put money on it. J Breezy, Mr Jim Briggs Extra Nando, my man, Yo Aruba, are He always crystal sharper met. Thompsons are editor in chief and our executive producer is Kevin Sullivan so four reveals provided by the River and David Logan Foundation, the joy Andy and Catherine Team Macarthur Foundation the janitor in family foundation. The Ford Foundation the Housing Simons Foundation, the democracy fund and the ethics and excellence in journalism foundation reveal is Production of the centre for investigative reporting and are ex I'm Alison lesson and remember. There is always

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