ORANGE COUNTY (October 25, 2024) – Today, Assemblymember Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach) held a press conference on the results of the audit she requested from the California State Auditor of the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and its oversight of residential drug and alcohol recovery and treatment facilities.
“We have anxiously awaited this audit report for more than a year. This is a significant issue in my district – with many constituents submitting testimony to the Auditor’s office. As this report points out, there are more beds for Small Treatment Facilities per 10,000 residents in Orange County than any other county in California.
“Additionally, this audit confirmed some key concerns. Inspections of these facilities by DHCS take too long; investigations don’t always happen, and there are infrequent follow-ups after wrongdoing is found.
“Importantly, and perhaps the most concerning discovery, is that several small facilities near each other in the same neighborhood have the same owner and share amenities. Such a situation may be creating an institutional-type environment for their patients, exactly what the State was trying to move away from in efforts to integrate patients into the neighborhoods and communities.
“The one, big question still left unanswered is: are people actually getting well?
“This audit is a first step. Alcohol and Drug Treatment facilities have long lacked transparency and data. Now it’s time to come together and put solutions in place to ensure these facilities are working truly to rehabilitate individuals and provide them with a safe place for care.”
The Report which was released yesterday, was initiated by a request Assemblymember Dixon submitted to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee in May of 2023. Several of the key findings listed in the report offer recommended legislative solutions to address deficiencies that the Assemblymember plans to pursue in the 2025 Legislative Session. To watch today’s press conference, please check out this livestream link.