Hobbs, a Democrat who took office in January 2023, told The Arizona Republic this week that in addition to being about financial fraud, Arizona’s sober living scandal is a humanitarian crisis and «must be» prosecuted as one. Nor have they received an acknowledgment of their loss — not from AHCCCS or the owners of the sober living homes where he stayed. In a brief phone interview, Darielle Magee, the owner of Beyond4Wallz and a hairstylist, said she opened the business after losing loved ones to drugs. She built her clientele by asking people on the street and at her salon if they needed help recovering from addiction.
Tips for navigating social situations when you’re sober:
The team responsible for setting rates had determined that amount was in line with industry standards. The family knew they would miss him when he enrolled in the Phoenix treatment program. Among the victims was Jeffrey Hustito, a 43-year-old uncle, brother and son from Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico. He had been a caretaker for his father when he was on dialysis and awaiting a kidney transplant. In the fall of 2021, Hustito sought treatment for alcoholism in Arizona, his family said.
However, if residents are willing to remain sober, follow all house rules, and guarantee medical stability, they should feel free to apply. It often acts as a bridge between rehabilitation and preparing members to live independently – drug- and alcohol-free. First and foremost, remember to pack all necessary personal identification and documentation. This includes a valid driver’s license or state ID, health insurance information, and other relevant identification cards.
Magee, the Beyond4Wallz owner, said she tried to address the state’s allegations and stay open, but eventually closed. Despite the timing, there’s no indication the letter was spurred by Hustito’s death. Magee said she had no ties to sober living homes Hustito entered after he was no longer her client, including the one where he died. Meanwhile, word spread on social media that white vans were appearing on reservations and people with addiction were disappearing, said state Sen. Theresa Hatathlie, a Democrat from Coalmine Mesa on the Navajo Nation. Hatathlie said the behavioral health facilities’ tactics of sending vans to tribal communities grew increasingly aggressive as they recruited clients with promises of free food, housing and clothing. Police intervened but didn’t yet fully understand what was happening, the state senator said.
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Hobbs said in an interview with the Arizona Mirror that she could not comment on the lawsuit, but the state is still responding to the sober living crisis. Living a sober-curious lifestyle may have started among a small segment of the population, but it has grown into a mainstream movement with more and more people exploring a life without — or with less — alcohol. For me and many others, it can represent an escape from emotional overwhelm — a way to bypass stress or hard feelings. For this case, I’ve built a stress checklist — a visible list (Notes app for the win!) — of things and people I can turn to when I feel stressed instead of alcohol. Things like calling a friend, going on a walk, or even just taking a shower can get me past the urge to drink about my problems instead of facing them.
That scheme in some cases prevented people with substance use disorder from getting the help they needed. “The state of Arizona owes our tribal nations an apology,” Mayes, the attorney general, said during the May 2023 press conference. In November 2024, her office announced a $6 million grant program for tribal nations affected by the sober living home fraud. A spokesperson said only tribes and nonprofits in Arizona can apply for the money. In a letter sent the day after Hustito died, officials accused Beyond4Wallz of billing excessively for services that could not have been provided to patients.
- To achieve the utmost level of success in your recovery and in your sober living home, it is so important to follow the rules of the house.
- As for personal items, make sure you take your personal toiletries (most Houses allow disposable razors) as well as hair tools.
- And the way we went about doing this reporting was to look closely at records from the Office of the Medical Examiner in Maricopa County, which investigates deaths in a lot of cases that are believed to be accidental or homicide.
- Pinnacle Treatment Centers are accredited by CARF or Joint Commission, delivering positive outcomes for patients, families, and communities.
- “I don’t trust anybody,” she said, and she wanted to ensure that any litigation was in the best interests of the people impacted.
- Our editors have even put together a list of 99 sober activities if these ideas aren’t your cup of tea.
Substance Abuse Treatment
Packing for your stay shouldn’t be difficult, but it’s important to keep in mind that certain items are prohibited. Sober Living East implements a structured, 12 step based program and serves to rebuild the lives of men who are desperate to break free from the chains of their addiction. Make sure to bring with you a list of phone numbers of your emergency contacts and other individuals who know your situation. Knowing what to pack (and what to leave out) will make the process easier. It’s also a good idea to pack work clothes – you may find yourself re-entering the workforce during your stay, so having a couple of outfits suitable for office wear is smart.
Attorney’s Office for Arizona have indicted https://yourhealthmagazine.net/article/addiction/sober-houses-rules-that-you-should-follow/ people accused of the financial side of the sober living scam, but The Arizona Republic has found no publicly available indictments for the human trafficking side of the problem. When Anders arrived to collect Jeffrey’s belongings with his oldest son and daughter-in-law, Anders asked a man who came to the door how residents could have access to alcohol while seeking treatment. According to police, Jeffrey Hustito checked into another sober living home on Dec. 26, this one in the suburb of Glendale. He later smoked fentanyl with another resident and laid down to sleep around 1 a.m.
Optional Items
While some sober living homes may have rules regarding electronic devices, bringing a smartphone or a laptop is usually acceptable. These devices can be invaluable for staying connected with loved ones, accessing virtual support meetings, or seeking employment opportunities online. Just be mindful of time spent on social media and prioritize using technology for productive and recovery-focused activities. Hustito listed three addresses that fall, a medical examiner reviewing his health records said. Anders Hustito said his son gave the impression that the different sober living homes he stayed in were run by the same family, though he did not say who they were. AHCCCS did not appear to grasp the scope and complexity of the fraud scheme for another year, despite red flags and the spike in payments to treatment programs, Adams said.
A Beginners Guide to Starting a Sober Curious Lifestyle
It offers a safe sober place to be while you learn to live the sober a sober lifestyle. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, sober living residences provide a safe place that allows you to learn how to live without drugs or alcohol. First, most sober houses allow residents to bring their cell phones for communication.
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Bringing in one of the items can be enough to have you booted from the house. Be sure to pack an amount that is appropriate to the length of your stay. She explained during the news conference that Brnovich’s office would prosecute one of the «bad actors,» but then that bad actor would open a new limited liability company and start billing AHCCCS as that new entity. «Arizona should have a zero tolerance policy for human trafficking, and the perpetrators of these crimes need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,» Hobbs said. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said she wants to see perpetrators connected with the scam held accountable for human exploitation, too, and not just financial fraud.
A Simple Packing List for Your Sober Living Experience
People were the commodities necessary to complete the fraud, and the primary targets were Indigenous people who were enrolled in the AHCCCS American Indian Health Program, which is a fee-for-service program, investigators have said. State records show the business, which received a state health department license in April 2021, was reimbursed $3.5 million from Medicaid that year. The next year, Beyond4Wallz’s Medicaid claims more than tripled, to $11.1 million. He said he took his son home, only for him to go back to Phoenix a month later and enter a new treatment program. An initiative Hobbs introduced as part of her executive budget to help sober living victims is the Sober Living Home Tribal Response Fund, which will direct $7 million to assist tribes in continuing to respond to this crisis. Stewart said she couldn’t comment on how she is helping with the lawsuit, but she has shared the information she has gathered over the years, including the stories of people directly impacted by the sober house fraud.