Complaint Review: Scottsdale Recovery Center

Scottsdale Recovery Center's Web site looks like the place any addict would want to go for help with their addictions. As stated on Scottsdale's Recovery Center Web site: "Alex Salcedo possesses the desire to go above and beyond all expectations to ensure client satisfaction and well-being. Being highly involved in the therapeutic process, Alex's goal is to ensure that Scottsdale Recovery Center is a "Sanctuary For Sobriety." Alex is committed to helping clients stay sober and is a huge asset to our organization. Alex brings to the table experience, passion, commitment, honesty and integrity." 

In reality, Alex is not involved with helping the patients. I never met him and for this center to put this information on their Web site in my opinion is false advertisement. It is a family run business and Liza who is related to Chris and Alex is the intake representative. She seems at first compassionate to your needs, but when I questioned issues about the program to Liza her whole demeanor changed. She is very unprofessional and in my opinion will say anything to collect the admission fee into the program. I knew within the first day this center was not where I needed to be.

I know firsthand about this center. I entered the center over the weekend and at that time there was only one house for men and women. There was a woman house manager who bragged about her alcoholism and wrecking three cars in less than five months. The woman house manager at that time was in alcohol recovery for nine months. She was not certified or did not hold any credentials for this position. The other house manager was a man, who told me he served time in prison in Florida. He too was not certified or did not hold any credentials for this position. The woman house manager had two days off back to back and I was left alone in this house with all men. This was very unethical to be put in this position! Quoting information from the Web site: "Our homes are structured recovery homes run by live-in and experienced house managers." In my opinion, these house managers are a far cry from being experienced.

As far as their program, it was very structured. There is a schedule listed on their Web site, but it is not always followed and it has been restructured since I was at the center. The IOP session/group session with a therapist, which isn't the one seen talking on the video was a waste of my time. The reason I say this, because there was a chart in the room listing feelings and each patient had to express what their feelings were for the day. Then the therapist would expound on their feelings to seek underlying issues. I was there to get help for myself and really needed help with my issues and sitting in a circle for the whole morning listening to other people's feelings did nothing to address my issues.

Then you had a chaotic lunch break which left very little time to relax. We were always in a hurry to eat and get back to the center for the afternoon sessions. In the afternoon, you had a yoga or meditation session. After this session, the patients were taken to the local YMCA to workout. Then you were suppose to prepare your dinner and then go to another AA, NA, CA meeting. We never knew which meeting we were going to attend. It seemed everything was last minute and rushing from one place to another. In my opinion, this is not the type of environment an addict is seeking to recovery from their addiction.

At the time I was at this center, it did not have a physician at their locations. If you needed to see a doctor, they would take you to an Urgent Care facility. There is not a counselor/therapist available to talk to 24/7. If you are fortunate, you may meet with a therapist once a week. One on one sessions with a therapist is very rare at this center.  As stated on their Web site they "employ the most knowledgeable and accredited addiction therapists the state has to offer". This is completely false. The therapist I saw diagnosed me incorrectly. In addition, you will be evaluated by a psychiatrist/psychologist within the first week, which I did not receive any type of evaluation. Again, misrepresentation on their Web site.

The pictures and information Scottsdale Recovery Center looks amazing, but from my personal experience the center is not committed to what they have provided on their Web site. In my opinion, if the Web site has written testimonials from individuals why not provide a video of their testimonials. Anyone can write a testimonial and list their name, but do you really believe everything you read in writing? Take heed and search throughly before investing money, recovery, and time in this center.