PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — It's been days since Retreat Behavioral Health in Palm Springs closed down, leaving some patients without care.
"Each hour is a potential overdose for these people," said one healthcare worker, who didn’t want to reveal his place of work for job security.
He said the facility he works for has already taken in at least 10 former Retreat patients.
"How are they doing since they've had to leave the facility?" asked WPTV reporter Joel Lopez.
"They all seem pretty calm, pretty grateful that they had somewhere to go, because not all of them had somewhere to go," said the healthcare worker. "There's different variables as to how someone can get in what facility. Certain places will take insurances, certain places won't."
He said as of Wednesday, nearly all the beds at the center he works for were full.
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"It can have an impact on a patient care, safety, stress on the staff members," said the healthcare worker.
We're told that as of Friday there were over 100 patients at Retreat Behavioral Health.
"The step to go inside of a treatment center is one of the hardest steps somebody can make," said the healthcare worker. "So, then to be stripped from a treatment center, that can encourage more depression and just contribute further into their drug abuse."
WPTV looked into what other centers nearby offer similar services.
Within a 3-mile radius of Retreat's Palm Springs location, there are about 10 facilities with a variety of recovery services.
One location is Olympic Behavioral Health on Lantana Road. They said they have not taken in any patients from Retreat.
"How similar are your resources compared to Retreat's?" asked Lopez.
"So, they're more of an in-patient facility, we are more of a PHP (partial hospitalization program) program," Olympic Behavioral Health Housing Director Charles Singleton said. "So, we do provide housing that is off-site, but the clients come here daily for clinical services and then they return to housing."
Singleton said they offer behavioral health services, mental health services, substance abuse services and more and that they're available for any patient from Retreat that may be without treatment.
"How much of an impact could it have on patients if they suddenly don't have treatment?" asked Lopez.
"A lot of it is they lose hope. All the progress that they've made, it's a shock, you know?" said Singleton. "They're constantly getting therapy, they develop relationships with people in treatment and to have that taken away from them immediately, words can't describe it."
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We did receive a statement from a Retreat spokesperson on Monday that said patients were being discharged and transferred to other facilities. However, a nurse we spoke to said there's close to 30 that were left with no place to go.
"The concerns are the trust of the centers in the area, not just with the patients but also with staff members," said the healthcare worker. "Retreat did not have a bad reputation and it's frightening that the patients may not have somewhere to go."
If you're in need of drug or alcohol treatment, please contact the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline 1-800-662-HELP(4357).
