Filing Complaints of Neglect, Abuse or Fraud
Victims of rogue rehabs deserve justice for the abuse of their trust perpetrated by rogue rehabs that are more interested in money than in the quality of services they promise or the actual care of the customers. If you have been a victim of this type of behavior in Southern California, here is how to file a complaint with the proper authorities:
1) If you are located in Orange County, contact the Orange County District Attorney's Office with any complaint: 714-834-5300. In Los Angeles county, you can request victim services by calling 800-380-3811, send an email to [email protected] or fill out a form. This is one of two places where you file complaints about patient brokering.
2) Contact local police to file a complaint of obvious crime such as mental or physical abuse or credit card fraud.
3) Contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation for any crime that appears to involve interstate commerce, whether involving luring a person who traveled between states for treatment or billings of labs or insurance that are outside the state of California or a business that operates in multiple states.
4) For complaints about addiction services, in particular, file a complaint with the California Department of Health Care Services. Note that it is critical you cite the name of the program certified or licensed by the state; just listing an address of an unlicensed property will receive no response. You can write a summary explaining how the operation failed to address the victims' needs by demonstrating inadequate or inappropriate care or providing semi-medical services or "treatment" in a residential setting without a license..
Form - this form limits you to 250 characters and does not allow you to add evidence.
Email (letter and attachments, such as screenshots) to: [email protected]
Alternately, you can send it certified with return receipt to:
California Department of Health Care Services
Licensing and Certification Division
P.O. Box 997413, MS 2601
Sacramento, CA 95899-7413
There is also a phone line, but we do not recommend it because there is no tracking that you have filed the complaint: 877-685-8333.
For complaints about mental health services, in particular, file a complaint with California Department of Social Services.
Form - Facility type would fall under "Adult and Senior Care," unless for adolescents,, which would be "Children's Residential."
Email (include attachments if possible): [email protected]
California Department of Social Services - 1-844-538-8766
5) If the complaint involved patient safety, you may be able to file a complaint with the accreditor or certifier of the facility. You can identify the accreditor or certifier typically by looking at the Home Page of the business:
File A Complaint with the Joint Commission
File A Complaint with CARF
6) If your complaint involves health insurance fraud (for example, you were signed up for insurance without your knowledge; reimbursement checks were cashed without your knowledge; your insurance was billed for treatment you did not receive; unnecessary tests were ordered), fill out:
The Consumer Insurance Fraud Reporting Form
Send it via postal mail, certified with return receipt to
California Department of Insurance
Fraud Division Intake Unit
2400 Del Paso Rd., Suite 250
Sacramento, CA 95834
7) If you believe that a government oversight agency, either the Department of Health Care Services for addiction treatment or the Department of Social Services for mental health care or an employee of either was negligent or derelict in its oversight of or regulation of the rehab with which you were involved, and should have known it was operating in a substandard or abusive manner, file a complaint with the California Attorney General.
Whistleblower Hotline: 800-952-5665
Or fill out this form and send it certified with return receipt to:
Investigations
California State Auditor
P.O. Box 1019
Sacramento, CA 95812
Begin your letter with: "Dear Auditor, I am/My family is writing to you to notify you of failures on the part of the California Department of _________________________ to provide proper oversight and ensure ethical and legal practices in the operation of ________________________ located at _________________________.
1) If you are located in Orange County, contact the Orange County District Attorney's Office with any complaint: 714-834-5300. In Los Angeles county, you can request victim services by calling 800-380-3811, send an email to [email protected] or fill out a form. This is one of two places where you file complaints about patient brokering.
2) Contact local police to file a complaint of obvious crime such as mental or physical abuse or credit card fraud.
3) Contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation for any crime that appears to involve interstate commerce, whether involving luring a person who traveled between states for treatment or billings of labs or insurance that are outside the state of California or a business that operates in multiple states.
4) For complaints about addiction services, in particular, file a complaint with the California Department of Health Care Services. Note that it is critical you cite the name of the program certified or licensed by the state; just listing an address of an unlicensed property will receive no response. You can write a summary explaining how the operation failed to address the victims' needs by demonstrating inadequate or inappropriate care or providing semi-medical services or "treatment" in a residential setting without a license..
Form - this form limits you to 250 characters and does not allow you to add evidence.
Email (letter and attachments, such as screenshots) to: [email protected]
Alternately, you can send it certified with return receipt to:
California Department of Health Care Services
Licensing and Certification Division
P.O. Box 997413, MS 2601
Sacramento, CA 95899-7413
There is also a phone line, but we do not recommend it because there is no tracking that you have filed the complaint: 877-685-8333.
For complaints about mental health services, in particular, file a complaint with California Department of Social Services.
Form - Facility type would fall under "Adult and Senior Care," unless for adolescents,, which would be "Children's Residential."
Email (include attachments if possible): [email protected]
California Department of Social Services - 1-844-538-8766
5) If the complaint involved patient safety, you may be able to file a complaint with the accreditor or certifier of the facility. You can identify the accreditor or certifier typically by looking at the Home Page of the business:
File A Complaint with the Joint Commission
File A Complaint with CARF
6) If your complaint involves health insurance fraud (for example, you were signed up for insurance without your knowledge; reimbursement checks were cashed without your knowledge; your insurance was billed for treatment you did not receive; unnecessary tests were ordered), fill out:
The Consumer Insurance Fraud Reporting Form
Send it via postal mail, certified with return receipt to
California Department of Insurance
Fraud Division Intake Unit
2400 Del Paso Rd., Suite 250
Sacramento, CA 95834
7) If you believe that a government oversight agency, either the Department of Health Care Services for addiction treatment or the Department of Social Services for mental health care or an employee of either was negligent or derelict in its oversight of or regulation of the rehab with which you were involved, and should have known it was operating in a substandard or abusive manner, file a complaint with the California Attorney General.
Whistleblower Hotline: 800-952-5665
Or fill out this form and send it certified with return receipt to:
Investigations
California State Auditor
P.O. Box 1019
Sacramento, CA 95812
Begin your letter with: "Dear Auditor, I am/My family is writing to you to notify you of failures on the part of the California Department of _________________________ to provide proper oversight and ensure ethical and legal practices in the operation of ________________________ located at _________________________.