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Drugs, death and overdoses in detox

Drugs, death and overdoses in detox
WEBVTT FORECAST, AS WELL AS TRAFFIC ANDTRAVEL UPDATES ALL EVENING LONG.NOW TO THIS -- 5 INVESTIGATESTONIGHT DRUGS, OVERDOSES ANDDEATH IN DETOX.THIS AS SO MANY CONTINUE TOSTRUGGLE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE INTHE GRIP OF A DEADLY EPIDEMIC.ED: KATHY CURRAN HAS BEENDIGGING INTO THE ISSUE OF DRUGSSOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULTADDICTION CASES IN THE STATE.[SIREN]>> THE NURSE IS ATTEMPTING TONARC CAN THE PATIENT.KATHY: IN DETOX, ON THE FLOOR,UNRESPONSIVE, NOT BREATHING.>> SHE BROUGHT DRUGS IN AND IDIED.KATHY: ABLE TO GET DRUGS INTOTHE TREATMENT CENTER WITHIN AFEW HOURS OF WALKING IN THEDOOR.>> MY ROOMMATE HAD HEROIN WITHHER, SO I WENT IN THE BATHROOMAND I USED IT AND I OVERDOSED.KATHY: ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTSOBTAINED BY 5 INVESTIGATES, SHEIS ONE OF DOZENS WHO OVERDOSED.POLICE REPORTS SHOW ONE CLIENTWAS UNRESPONSIVE ON THE SHOWERFLOOR WITH A NEEDLE AND APPARENTHEROIN.ANOTHER STUFF WITH FIVE GRAMS OFSUSPECTED HEROIN.>> UNRESPONSIVE.KATHY: DURING A TWO AND A HALFYEAR SPAN, EMERGENCY CREWS INPLYMOUTH AND BROCKTON THAT HAVERESPONDED TO 2000 CALLS.AT LEAST 92 WERE OVERDOSES.THIS FORMER CLIENT CREDITSHIGHPOINT'S OUTPATIENT PROGRAMFOR KEEPING HER ALIVE, BUT SAYSIT IS TOUGH TO GET CLEAN WHENDRUGS ARE COMING THROUGHWINDOWS, OVER FENCES, OR ARESMUGGLED IN.>> THERE ARE PEOPLE DIE HIM THESTREETS YOU WHAT THESE BEDS, ANDTHERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTINGHIGH AND YOU ARE LETTING THEMSTAY THERE AND GET HIGH.KATHY: SECURITY CAMERAS CAPTUREEVERY MOVE.THEY HAVE HANDLED 30,000ADMISSION SO FAR THIS YEAR AND82 PERCENT OF THEIR DETOXCLIENTS HAVE GONE ON TO REHAB,COMPARED TO ONLY 19% STATEWIDE.YOU WILL NOT FIND SECURITYGUARDS PATROLLING THE PROPERTYIS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT THISTO BE A JAIL LIKE SETTING.THEY DO LIMITED SEARCHES DURINGINTAKE, BUT TELL US IF SOMEONEIS FOUND WITH DRUGS INSIDE, THEYWILL NOT BE THROWN OUT OF ANYPROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY WANT THEMTO GET THE HELP THEY NEED >>.MY BROTHER IN LAW WENT THERE FORHELP AND THEY FAILED HIM.KATHY: 62-YEAR-OLD RICHARD CEBRASEVERINI DIED WITHIN DAYS.DOCTORS SAY THAT HIS ORGANSFAILED AFTER INGESTING DRUGS ORCHEMICALS.>> YOU COULD NOT BELIEVE THECONDITION HE WASIN.>> COULD NOT BELIEVE IT.WE WERE SPEECHLESS, SHOCKED, INDISBELIEF RICHARD WAS IN THISCONDITION.KATHY: WELL RICHARD WAS FIGHTINGFOR HIS LIFE, HIGHPOINT'SPROGRESS FOR THE SAME DAYS SAYSHE WAS PARTICIPATING IN GROUPPROGRAMS, STABLE, AND MEETINGGOALS, WHEN HE WAS ACTUALLY ATTHE HOSPITAL IN THE ICU.>> HE WAS ADMITTED INTO THEHOSPITAL ON LIFE SUPPORT, AND BYFRIDAY, HE PASSED AWAY.WHAT HAPPENED?
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Drugs, death and overdoses in detox
High Point Treatment Centers treat some of the hardest addiction cases: people involuntarily sent to detox by a court because their drug or alcohol use makes them a risk to themselves or others.But 5 Investigates has found a troubling record of drug use, overdoses and even death in some of the High Point Treatment Center locations. Several families and clients are concerned that the drugs getting in are preventing some vulnerable people from getting clean. "The last time I overdosed it was at High Point,” one former patient told 5 Investigates’ Kathy Curran. Then just 28 years old, she said she took heroin after spending just a few hours in High Point's Plymouth facility. She said another client brought it in. She was found unresponsive, not breathing, on the bathroom floor."My roommate had heroin with her so I went into the bathroom and I used it,” she said. “I overdosed."First responder radio traffic from that day shows that her overdose was reversed.“Narcan was administered. She's breathing,” a first responder said.According to documents obtained by 5 Investigates, the former client is one of dozens of people who overdosed at High Point properties. Many were incoming patients who used drugs before admission. A Plymouth police report show one client was "unresponsive," on the shower floor with a needle and apparent heroin.In New Bedford, police responding to an overdose found a baggie containing 5.3 grams of heroin on the client.During a two-and-a-half year span, police and emergency crews in Plymouth, New Bedford and Brockton have responded to 1,713 calls at High Point locations, and at least 92 were overdoses. “There shouldn't be that many drugs in detox,” the former patient said.She credits High Point's outpatient program for keeping her alive but said it's tough to get clean when drugs come through windows, over fences or are smuggled in.“There are people dying on the streets that want these beds and really want to get clean, and here's people just getting high and you're letting them stay there and get high,” she said.High Point President Daniel Mumbauer declined an on-camera interview but shared some of High Point's successes. The treatment centers handled 30,140 admissions so far this year, and 82% of its detox clients have gone on to rehab, which is a measure of success because it shows clients continuing their treatment. The figure is far better than the 19 percent rate statewide. As for drugs getting in, Mumbauer says clients can stay after getting caught with drugs so they can continue to get the help they need. He likened the situation to a hospital that wouldn’t kick a patient on a low-sugar diet out if he or she ate a sugary dessert.High Point increased security and wired their buildings with cameras, but also doesn't want heavy security so the facilities don’t feel like prisons, Mumbauer said.Richard Severini, 62, died within days of being civilly committed to drug treatment at High Point's Men's Addiction Treatment Program last February. He was rushed from High Point to Brockton Hospital where doctors said his organs failed after ingesting drugs or chemicals."My brother-in-law went there for help and they failed him,” said Misti Severini.When she and her husband, Richard’s brother John, saw Richard in Brockton Hospital they couldn’t believe the condition he was in.“We were just speechless, shocked and in disbelief that Richard was in this condition,” she said.And while Richard was at the hospital fighting for his life, back at High Point some staff wrote that he was participating in group programs, checking off that he was “stable” and that he “met goals” when he wasn't even there. "He was admitted into the hospital on life support and by Friday he passed away. What happened?” Misti Severini said.The Severini's still don't know exactly what happened to Richard. State Department of Public Health records show she's not the only one with concerns. State investigators found that clinicians were told “to sign everything in progress charts” even for clients “they had never met.”Records show also show complaints that clients’ "mail and money was missing" and that staff "harasses, yells (and) screams at clients."The state launched a new investigation after 5 investigates discovered a few overdoses went unreported. High Point said they were working with the state to improve that.

High Point Treatment Centers treat some of the hardest addiction cases: people involuntarily sent to detox by a court because their drug or alcohol use makes them a risk to themselves or others.

But 5 Investigates has found a troubling record of drug use, overdoses and even death in some of the High Point Treatment Center locations. Several families and clients are concerned that the drugs getting in are preventing some vulnerable people from getting clean.

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"The last time I overdosed it was at High Point,” one former patient told 5 Investigates’ Kathy Curran.

Then just 28 years old, she said she took heroin after spending just a few hours in High Point's Plymouth facility. She said another client brought it in. She was found unresponsive, not breathing, on the bathroom floor.

"My roommate had heroin with her so I went into the bathroom and I used it,” she said. “I overdosed."

First responder radio traffic from that day shows that her overdose was reversed.

“Narcan was administered. She's breathing,” a first responder said.

WCVB-TV
This former High Point client overdosed while inside the Plymouth facility.

According to documents obtained by 5 Investigates, the former client is one of dozens of people who overdosed at High Point properties. Many were incoming patients who used drugs before admission.

A Plymouth police report show one client was "unresponsive," on the shower floor with a needle and apparent heroin.

In New Bedford, police responding to an overdose found a baggie containing 5.3 grams of heroin on the client.

During a two-and-a-half year span, police and emergency crews in Plymouth, New Bedford and Brockton have responded to 1,713 calls at High Point locations, and at least 92 were overdoses.

“There shouldn't be that many drugs in detox,” the former patient said.

She credits High Point's outpatient program for keeping her alive but said it's tough to get clean when drugs come through windows, over fences or are smuggled in.

“There are people dying on the streets that want these beds and really want to get clean, and here's people just getting high and you're letting them stay there and get high,” she said.

High Point President Daniel Mumbauer declined an on-camera interview but shared some of High Point's successes. The treatment centers handled 30,140 admissions so far this year, and 82% of its detox clients have gone on to rehab, which is a measure of success because it shows clients continuing their treatment. The figure is far better than the 19 percent rate statewide.

As for drugs getting in, Mumbauer says clients can stay after getting caught with drugs so they can continue to get the help they need. He likened the situation to a hospital that wouldn’t kick a patient on a low-sugar diet out if he or she ate a sugary dessert.

WCVB-TV
One of the buildings that is part of High Point’s Brockton campus.

High Point increased security and wired their buildings with cameras, but also doesn't want heavy security so the facilities don’t feel like prisons, Mumbauer said.

Richard Severini, 62, died within days of being civilly committed to drug treatment at High Point's Men's Addiction Treatment Program last February. He was rushed from High Point to Brockton Hospital where doctors said his organs failed after ingesting drugs or chemicals.

"My brother-in-law went there for help and they failed him,” said Misti Severini.

When she and her husband, Richard’s brother John, saw Richard in Brockton Hospital they couldn’t believe the condition he was in.

“We were just speechless, shocked and in disbelief that Richard was in this condition,” she said.

And while Richard was at the hospital fighting for his life, back at High Point some staff wrote that he was participating in group programs, checking off that he was “stable” and that he “met goals” when he wasn't even there.

"He was admitted into the hospital on life support and by Friday he passed away. What happened?” Misti Severini said.

WCVB-TV
Misti Severini’s brother-in-law was a patient at High Point.

The Severini's still don't know exactly what happened to Richard.

WCVB-TV
Richard Severini

State Department of Public Health records show she's not the only one with concerns. State investigators found that clinicians were told “to sign everything in progress charts” even for clients “they had never met.”

Records show also show complaints that clients’ "mail and money was missing" and that staff "harasses, yells (and) screams at clients."

The state launched a new investigation after 5 investigates discovered a few overdoses went unreported. High Point said they were working with the state to improve that.