Recovery Institute of South Florida, Inc.

I had called my union and asked for a place to go to for my gambling addictionI was told to call ***He sent me down to Florida and told me this was a day programI went days later and was sent to DetoxI was stripped search, had to give a urine test and blow into some device to see if I had alcohol in my systemI understand why I had to do these things when I arrived but to continually give urine samples and blood work for a gambling addiction seemed ridiculousI was in Detox for weeksI felt like I was on a restricted vacationThe pool was opened for about 1hrwhen the techs wanted to sit outsideThey had no intentions of getting me to GA meetings until I complained every dayI went to either NA or AA meetings every nightDon't get me wrong these meetings work the same steps but GA meetings are what I neededThey finally brought me to GA meeting a week in DetoxWhen I went to residence after one week I bothered them again for GA meetingsThey gave me a weekMost sessions at the White House were good but some were a waste of timeMy roommate and I experienced fleas (which I still say were bedbugs in our room and were expected to sleep in the room before bombing itWe argued and they finally let us sleep on the dirty couches at Detox for the nightThe next day our room was full of white stuff and we spent 2hrs cleaning it that nightWhat do they have a cleaning service for? They need to make many improvements regarding the living conditionsSeparating the men from the women at residence where you cannot even speak with each other is ridiculousWith the money they are charging the insurance companies, better conditions should existWhen I was down there I found out that the man *** who sent me there own the placeThis is definitely a conflict of interestAlso the clinical director, ***, treats and speaks to the clients like criminalsWho would say "I *** love you" and " I want to punch you in the ***?" The program for drug and alcohol is goodNobody for gambling should go thereAlso, I was told by *** that the insurance would not just cover gambling so I had to say that I self medicate myself to go to sleepI was there for days and left against medical advice so I also had problems at work when I went backThank God I went to a therapist and they signed the medical release form and they could not believe that I was given pills for depression when I was not depressedI never even met the doctor who is supposed to sign the paperAnother item of concern was that the residence was so crowded that the one apartment had to be shared with the techsThese people had no privacy whatsoever and no table to eat atThe table was filled with papers from RISFI hear they are looking at new property for residenceI hope they find it and accommodate the clients much better than when I was there which was from March to May

The first place one goes in a rehabilitation setting is to detoxTheir detox facility for someone that has never been to a rehab is shockingly poor and adds to the depression of trying to get readjusted to being normalMy personal experience is a nightmare I will never forget, and I understand why so many people relapse after leaving their program

For anyone who is considering going here, run away. This rehabs caters to those in the unions. The owner [redacted] will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you down there. The pictures on the website look nothing like the real experience of arriving down in florida. The detox building, you are locked in, although there is a large grass area it is fencecd in. The pool they have is open about once a week. I could write a 600 page tell alll about this scam. If you are in the union, you have a choice of where you need to go to rehab. [redacted] will not tell you he owns the place, just that he has the perfect fit for you in south florida, which happens to be risf. One client was told all his work issues were resolved only to find out that risf did rfesolve nothing for him, so he walked out [redacted]

Please please send you loved one elsewhere. I have expereinced this place and it is plain awful. You are better off sending your loved one to a cabin in upstate new york and locking them in there. Another warning sign about this place is that they get about 98 percent of their victims from jersey, because [redacted] has an "in" with the unions which to me should constitute a conflict of interest.

I am going to stay neutral in my review, as I harbor no I'll will toward RISF and most of the staff.
I was sent there mostly for emotional issues, I have severe anxiety... it was not the place for me... great place if you have an actual drug or alcohol addiction. To me the staff at detox, save for my therapist and a nurse practicioner wer great. They were nice and respectful, and they did want to help where they could.
Since I didn't have an addiction I felt like the odd man out when it came to meetings and unaccepted by some of the other clients. I feel like I spent more time writing in my journal, talking to staff or reading about my issues, then I did joining in or trying to join in, and I do admit to not being a social person.
I felt like I had to be on the defensive all he time because of a male client threatening me, which was reported. When I tried to speak to my therapist about this issue I was blown off, possibly because he was also one of her cases ... it still isn't a good reason.
About 2 weeks after starting there I had gone about a week with very little sleep because of other clients making noise, snoring, choking, etc. I demanded to sign myself out, so I could come home and get treatment here. They would not give me back my cell, ID, cash and credit card, even though they wer told to by one of heads of the place. The therapist I had insisted on calling my parents, who were only my emergency contacts, I was there voluntarily. I ended up cornered in the therapist 5x4 office, by the therapist and a nurse practicioner. Remember I said I have emotional issues, so being cornered and a therapist lying to my parents, doesn't help with anxiety or closterphobia.
I had to call the police, who explained to them what was explained to me in the hospital ( I voluntarily went to crisis to get away from hat place), they are a sub-accute care program, they were not allowed to hold me.
In crisis I also found out the RISF psychiatrist worked at the hospital and had me automatically admitted, no neutral party screening. It was explained that I would be held for 3 days, then if I wasn't released by the doctor I could request to be released, but the doctor could Baker's Act me. He could hold me involuntarily, so I didn't dare fill out a release request. I was held there for like a week. My cousin, who is a lawyer, put my dad in touch with some Colleagues in Fla. IF YOU ARE BAKER'S ACTED IN FLORIDA AND YOU ARE FROM OUT OF STATE, THEY WILL NOT HOLD YOU. CALL THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND HAVE YOURSELF RELEASED INTO THE CUSTODY OF A FAMILY MEMBER... THE STATE OF FLORIDA WILL SEND YOU HOME THAT WAY, BEFORE THEY MAKE YOU STAND BEFORE A JUDGE.
After spending time in the hospital, I was released back to RISF to the residence/white house part of the program. My therapist at the white house, was no better than my detox therapist and I had to request that all my medical issues be dealt with by the male Nurse practicioner, rather than the female who cornered me in detox. At this point I had to argue with the med staff to get my migraine meds put back on the list of meds I am allowed to have, but it was too little to late. On one of our grocery shopping trips I'm played dumb and use the self check out to get a bottle of my migraine meds. I had had a migraine the day before and the med staff would not give me any. I had to draw the line somewhere, so the next one I had I could treat it, before it became 10 on the pain scale.
I had been given a med twice, that lead to a severe anxiety attack, which was part of my first demand to leave... and lead to me wanting to hurt myself one night.
At the white house I was kicked out of group run by my therapist, for doodling on a piece of paper, I refused to have anything to do with her after that. Although, one of the heads therapists did try to resolve the issue, by that time I think I was done and I was just hoping to get something out 2of the individual sessions and the Christian classes they offer... besides a broken heart.
What ended it for me was another client telling me that I think I am better than everyone, that I am special and nobody likes me or wanted me there. I as done with that little tantrum, I decided I could be at my job and be getting paid for being treated like this and playing stupid games.

I learned in school, when you have a problem, before you present it, come up with a possible solution...
Meds... I understand caution, but if a client has an inhaler, epi pen or other meds they need for a reaction, let them have it with them, WHERE THEY ARE. I have had migraines from age 8, know how to handle them, not a stranger. When I have one, I want what works to drill the pain and treat the headach, I DON'T WANT AN EXPERIMENTAL PILL that I have never taken before for it.
Food Safety... a great class for the res. Teach client how to store food to protect from reactions in the allergic and cross contamination... Pork blood on my protein drinks IS NOT SAFE.

This place is disgusting. Don't get on the plane (that's right I know you're all from Jersey). They lie to get you down there, and once you are you will most likely leave more messed up then you were when you arrived

this place is a [redacted]-hole. they address NOTHING the only thing they care about is how much $$$$$$$$they can get from your insurance company. People are sent her from their unions, to save their jobs. RISF will hold you in sub-standard housing for 2-3 months to pump what they can get out of your insurance. 8 woman in a 3 bedroom apartment, with 2 bathrooms, and a mini kitchen? Drug dealers living all over the street? Under the kitchen sink, rotting wood, scuzzy pots, 3 coffee mugs with no handles? OH YEAH...you get one sad, worn-out towel, and a face towel that looks like you would not wash your car with it. The "techs" are burnt out druggies/prostitutes. One stole my hand cream. Topper? She said that I MUST HAVE my handsome boyfriend because I have a "mighty-thight-gripper" Have fun recovering.