Lost in Texas

Mirabelle

Member
My stepson has left / been kicked out of (no one knows) a 90 day dual diagnosis treatment center several states away from us. As he did not sign forms to allow us to be provided with information about him, the center will not speak with us. Police in that area will not take a missing persons report. How do treatment centers deal with non compliant or disruptive behavior from the mentally ill? My stepson is not violent or threatening, but he does have trouble following rules and will get an attitude. However, this place is supposed to treat mental illness in addition to drug addiction (he suffers from schizophrenia, bipolar, and has a drug problem.) My poor husband is beside himself and getting no help from bio mom. To top it off, I am out of the country visiting family, and my husband is due to fly out within a week to join us. Any similar stories or advice appreciated as always.
 

Deni D

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
Staff member
Sorry to hear about this Mirabelle. How did you find out he's not there? I read some of your prior posts, can you call his case/social worker? Is he familiar at all with the area? I don't know that they would kick him out without notifying anyone, but then you never know about these places.

Years ago my son was in a failure to launch program in Utah, we live on the East coast. He got a Mormon Bishop to believe his tales of woe, and the Bishop bought him a bus ticket to get back East. He was over a day into that bus ride before I found out he left, didn't find out from the program. I had to notify them that he left.
 

Mirabelle

Member
Thank you Deni. My stepson had initially contacted my husband to tell him he was out of the rehab. He said he got in trouble for not doing laundry, talking at dinner, and missing one class. He didn't say if he left on his own or was made to leave. He simply doesn't appreciate having to follow rules, so either scenario is possible. Unfortunately you can't believe a word he says. He has a caseworker in theory but not in practice; most of our calls, texts, and emails to her are not responded to.

My stepson texted my husband yesterday, to our great relief. He says he is in rehab but in a different place. How he managed that I do not know, providing it is true. But at least we got proof of life. Thank you for sharing your experience with your son leaving a program. I thought these places would at the least have an interest in keeping clients in the program so that they would get their money.

If my stepson was street smart we wouldn't be as concerned. He has spent time on the street but he overestimates his ability to take care of himself. Hopefully he is safe somewhere and we will hear from him soon.

Thank you so much for responding to me Deni.
 

Deni D

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
Staff member
Mirabelle, these places are all different so I'm trying to read between the lines. It could be he is in a different rehab run by the same people. Hopefully something that's a better match for him. Usually the rules are pretty strict. I'm kind of surprised he's doing his own laundry in a 90 day rehab, but then the class requirement is very typical of a rehab. I hope the duel diagnosis really is what they are doing, most just have appointments available with psychiatrists off site if the person says they want to see one. It really seems they are keeping their eyes on him, I doubt he found another place to be, probably someone there kept in contact with him and persuaded him to go back, in a different building.

Thing about their interest, usually it runs out when the insurance money runs out. Then companies who run halfway houses come in and try to get them in there. They (you) pay at the halfway houses, have requirements for attending AA/NA meetings, chores, house meetings, and getting a job. Some places are good, some not so good.

If it's private pay, like the failure to launch program my son was in, sure they wanted to keep getting that huge payment every month but my son led two others into taking Coricidin cough and cold to get high. At that point my son was supposed to sleep outside on their property with a tent and a sleeping bag for a few days. He took off instead. I think their view at that time was is if he was going to put others in danger and not accept the repercussions they'd rather he leave than take my money. How they didn't know he was gone I'll never know.

He got in trouble for talking during dinner?
Interpretation ~ He was giving someone who works there grief during dinner.

If my stepson was street smart we wouldn't be as concerned. He has spent time on the street but he overestimates his ability to take care of himself.
My son has had very little time on the street, especially compared to how long he resisted reality. But he also overestimated himself and had a hard time. These days he says he would never want to be in a position where he had no safe place to live ever again.
 
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