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  • Report:  #640331

Complaint Review: A Forever Recovery Verified TRUSTED Business | Ripoff Report Verified™ …businesses you can trust. A Forever Recovery has professional certified staff the facility has created a quality standard well above the industry standard for addiction treatment and substance abuse recovery. A Forever Recovery has sought to bring together many different trained licensed professionals or certified recovering members of many different modalities that have a background in the addictions field. - BATTLE CREEK Michigan

Reported By:
SCAMMPER - SOLOMONS, Maryland, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:

A Forever Recovery Verified TRUSTED Business | Ripoff Report Verified™ …businesses you can trust. A Forever Recovery has professional certified staff the facility has created a quality standard well above the industry standard for addiction treatment and substance abuse recovery. A Forever Recovery has sought to bring together many different trained licensed professionals or certified recovering members of many different modalities that have a background in the addictions field.
BATTLE CREEK, Michigan, United States of America
Phone:
Web:
FOREVERRECOVERY.COM
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REVIEW UPDATE: October 11, 2018 : A Forever Recovery remains committed to increased customer satisfaction and has improved their business practices over the years to better serve their customers. A Forever Recovery is truly dedicated to making sure their customers are satisfied and that any complaints which do arise are addressed promptly and fairly.

To date, A Forever Recovery has made good faith efforts to resolve all complaints reported on Ripoff Report. Based on our experience, the member business has proven to be among the top members of the Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program as a Verified Safe Business™.

Over time and since becoming a member, A Forever Recovery has remained actively engaged and improving the way they address customer service complaints. As an active and current member of the Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program we are happy to report that now more than ever A Forever Recovery remains committed to improving customer satisfaction.

Remember, no company or individual can ever satisfy 100% of the people 100% of the time. There are no products or services that will always be perfect for everyone and even the best companies will receive complaints from time to time. However, by participating in the Corporate Advocacy Program, the member business has made a commitment to working with its customers to resolve complaints quickly and fairly whenever possible.

Please keep in mind that as a consumer you have some responsibilities as well. Success has many definitions that based on your past experiences, current situation and your perceived expectations. Success with any product or service is always based on the proper application and understanding. The fastest car will not run if you never turn the engine on. Look at how you used the product or service that was provided in relation with the instructions that you received. The Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program will help you get your voice heard but please be prepared with documentation and fair representation of your concern, also have an idea of how the company can fix your concern. Can they offer additional services, extend warranties, offer a fair refund or just get you talking with someone that can help. ..let them know and let us know!

*Any consumer not receiving satisfaction from a member of the Corporate Advocacy Program should email us at [email protected].

Ripoff Report Verified™ REVIEW

EDitor's UPDATE: Positive rating and recognition has been given to A Forever Recovery for its full commitment to quality customer service.

Ripoff Report's discussions with A Forever Recovery have uncovered an ongoing dedication by the company to total client satisfaction. This means that clients can expect that the company will work towards finding a mutually satisfactory resolution to any concerns. A Forever Recovery listens carefully to client concerns and sees them as an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and become more efficient as a company in the services offered and the support for those services.

One pitfall of drug and alcohol treatment is that recovery can be incomplete, or not last long enough to achieve a result for the client. A Forever Recovery offers several different services as a part of its drug and alcohol rehab. Some of these include:

Statistically speaking, there is something to be said for the degree and the level of rehabilitative services that a recovering addict receives. For example, clients who receive further treatment (four to twelve weeks of treatment) after completing detox were up to 10 times less likely to relapse while those who were just completing a detox (five to seven days of care only) relapsed at rates between 65 and 80 percent. What this means is that detox combined with actual rehab is exponentially more effective than just a detox. A Forever Recovery offers a longer treatment program to help reduce relapse risk for patients.

What is truly exceptional about AFR is that this treatment center applies an excellent detox, a thrilling rehabilitation program, and an extensive and involved aftercare program, effectively covering all bases to ensure that clients have the best chance that they can get of winning the battle against drug and alcohol addiction once and for all.

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Ripoff Report Verified™ .. part of Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program.A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business..



The information provided in this report below is based on comments made by Stephanie Woodhams during an onsite inspection held by a third party verification company with no biases towards A Forever Recovery.

A Forever Recovery is a substance abuse program that uses a Holistic approach of mind, body, spirit, and empowerment through choice. Stephanie Woodhams stated the following about her company, "we have a medical model and our program is evidence based. Our clients all have certified counselors and licensed counselors that develop treatment goals with them and those are changed and revised throughout the program. The client gets a treatment team that consists of a counselor, MRT moral recognition therapy, facilitator, case manager, and an aftercare specialist. We do believe their discharge planning should begin at the beginning of the program. Our aftercare program lasts for 1 year. It enables us to have at least 1 year of statistics on success, relapse, slips, things like that." The methods utilized by A Forever Recovery have a high success rate for recovery and most clients return immediately to the workforce.

Leads for A Forever Recovery for primarily obtained through online marketing and referrals from past clients. They also utilize third party referral sources. The typical sales process for A Forever Recovery consists of the client or the client's family reaching out to see if there is a bed available at their facility. From there the appropriate method of treatment and insurance coverage is assessed.





CUSTOMER CARE & COMPLAINT RESOLUTION – A FOREVER RECOVERY

During the on-site interview, Ms. Woodhams was asked to describe a situation where a client was not satisfied with the level of service they received. Ms. Woodhams expressed that their most common complaint arises because the client's family is forcing them into treatment. She further explained, "coming to a treatment facility does not guarantee someone's sobriety. Family and loved ones expect us to say yes, they've gone through a 30 or 60-day treatment and they will be fine. They’ll come home and be sober. Of course, that doesn't always happen. Addiction is a very difficult disease to conquer. It requires a lifelong commitment. It is not just an inpatient rehab." In order to remedy complaints like this, "we do provide the tools and if a person makes the choice to use them they will be successful. Our clients do have an excellent success rate."

When asked to comment on complaints posted on Ripoff Report's website Ms. Woodhames stated the following, "there are several comments on the website of Ripoff Report. Most of them are from many years ago, I have been the executive director since we opened and I am familiar with them all. A Forever Recovery took over the building and there was a rental agreement for a building that use to house a Narcanon program which is based on Scientology. A Forever Recovery is not and never has been nor any elements of Scientology in our program whatsoever. We are also not a program named Best Drug Rehabilitation or Best Drug Rehabilitation. There are several reports that claim we are the same thing. Of course, without AFR'S pictures but with BDR'S picture. We do not scam to hurt people and the nurses never put drugs into stock medication. Most of the Ripoff Report reports are completely erroneous and I would love to have them removed." She also offered the following rebuttal, "my name is Stephanie Woodhams I have worked on staff since 2009 and in an attempt to see what some of the complaints where I did come across a report that had erroneous information. I was familiar with some of the circumstances but it been distorted and exaggerated. There was a line at the bottom that said if you don't believe me you can call me and when I called it was another treatment center. So, I thought that was pretty scandalous and malicious trying to use false information against us and trying to market to the website as a marketing tool." A Forever Recovery is licensed by the State of Michigan and is CARP accredited.

When asked what type of changes they have made to honor their commitment to making things right with the consumer per the request of Ripoff Report, Ms. Woodhams stated, "we have a lot of checks and balances in place with regard to staff and clients. I personally hold a focus group once weekly to stay in touch with client population. when we became CARP accredited in 2011 we created surveys. We have aftercare surveys, participation surveys, visitor surveys...we have surveys for everything. We greatly increased the staff training and we also have external training on sensitive issues. EEOC patient rights and HIPA compliance confidentiality and we began to have a once a week treatment team meeting with all of our counselors and case managers. In addition to our trying to have our clients be happy, we have checks and balances on our staff and client population. We have made extensive changes to our building. Every year we do changes to the environment here and it looks wonderful."

A Forever Recovery is proud to be a part of Ripoff Reports Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program, "It means a great deal to be a part of the Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program. Because I've always felt that Rip Off Report needs a way to be accountable for itself and to remove write ups that are completely erroneous with invalid data. A Forever Recovery would love to clear its name. Because we are proud of what we do and we have a deep commitment to both our program and to the addiction epidemic in the world. I feel this program will help us achieve these goals."





A FOREVER RECOVERY – STATEMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – PAMELA ANDERSON

" We are one of the oldest and most reputable drug and alcohol treatment centers in the state of Michigan. Our caring and professional staff are dedicated to making each client's experience memorable. This means that clients can learn tools to help them achieve lasting recovery well after they have completed treatment. We hope that they carry these tools with them for a lifetime of recovery.

A Forever Recovery's team have stated that they are adequately trained and certified to help clients through the recovery process during all phases. A Forever Recovery takes employee satisfaction seriously as well. Employee feedback and surveys reveal comments such as this, "A Forever Recovery provides a very positive work environment for employees. Employee suggestions are well-taken and implemented if they improve the treatment process for the client. Mrs. Anderson is dedicated to making sure that each employee strives to do his or her best to treat clients every day. "

Ripoff Report was pleased to learn that A Forever Recovery's past and current approach to business is focused on its pledge to total commitment towards client and employee satisfaction.



STATED IMPROVEMENTS FROM A FOREVER RECOVERY

A Forever Recovery recognizes that complaints posted on Ripoff Report (whether true or not) are issues that need to be addressed, not ignored. If handled correctly, complaints can be valuable learning opportunities. With the feedback generated by Ripoff Report's review, A Forever Recovery has made organizational changes allowing its clients and employees a more streamlined approach to problem resolution and a commitment to a great client experience.

In summary, after our review, which included discussions with Pamela Anderson, Ripoff Report is convinced that A Forever Recovery is committed to quality delivery of services resulting in total client satisfaction.

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How does a business get Ripoff Report Verified™

The member business allows Ripoff report to email everyone from the past. Those who respond to Ripoff report with a valid complaint must be take care of. They have made a commitment that if anyone contacts Ripoff Report in the future, they will make things right within 14 days. The member business must err on the side of their customers. Otherwise the member business is off the program.

Ripoff Report has determined that A Forever Recovery meets Ripoff Report Verified™ standards which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. Members of the Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction program do pay a fee for our on-site review, 24-hour monitoring and for support with customers to resolve any disagreements.

Ripoff Report sends a 3rd party service to do an onsite inspection of the new member business. The on-site inspection / review does not mean that the products or services offered by the business have been evaluated or endorsed by Ripoff Report, and has not made a determination as to the business' product quality or competency in performing services. We can verify, that Ripoff Report went to the business, verified their business or “work from home business”, there for, if a customer in the future does not get treated correctly, Ripoff Report can get the problem resolved. If not, and the customers is right, the member business will be taken off the Corporate Advocacy Program. Remember, Ripoff Report emailed every customer from the past that filed a complaint to make sure the member business made things right with customers from the past. Again, to err on the side of their customer, those from the past and those in the future.

Read more about why consumers should feel confident when doing business with a member of Ripoff Report's Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program. Yes, it’s a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and businesses alike.

Read about Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program, a program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business. This program works.

As a matter of policy, when a business becomes a member of the Corporate Advocacy Program they agree to allow Ripoff Report to contact every client who filed a complaint so they can make things right with them. To confirm that the complaints were resolved, Ripoff Report is copied on all responses so we can insure that the member business did right by their customer.

NOW TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED

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A FOREVER RECOVERY  BATTLE CREEK, Michigan

Hi

My son 19 had been taking many different  pills smoking pot  for about 5 years. My husband and I could see him  turning into a person we did not know anymore, We knew we had to do something so I started to search for a place for our son. After talking to 20 or 30 places we decided to go with A forever Recovery.

We first talked to Murry he call me about 30 times in just a few days. He said that his place had a 70 % success rate and that most of their people that did leave came back.

He said we needed $5000 to get him in and the balance after.My son entered the program on Aug 16 2010 , ON Aug 17 I did sign the contract and sent them another $10,000 via a wire transfer. Still with a  balance I had to find who I could borrow the money from to pay this balance. Murry said my son would be in detox for about 7 days. (he spent 4)

I called A forever Recovery everyday about 3 to 5 times a day, Holly said he was doing great she said  he was a very  nice kid.

On Aug,20 2010 I got a call from my son begging me to come get him. They all tried to get him to stay they tried for about 4 to 5  hours. They told him he was being taken to a mens shelter with $10 (they told him I said that was fine) I never even talked to them, they told him your mom said your could keep your a*s in a shelter she was not paying for a hotel. When my son called from his cell phone I was never so happy I did get him a room I called the hotel THANK GOD for the girl at front desk.  She knew what was going on and said she would keep a eye out until I could get there next day

While I was sitting on the bed at hotel where my son was I got a call from A Forever Recovery saying that my son was fitting in so well with the others he was doing do good after detox ( I asked the lady on phone did she read the file she said yes) well when I told her my son was no longer there she just said oh I am so sorry and hung up

I started to call A forever Recovery to get someone to help me get him back into there I called over 30 times in two days (BIG SURPRISE) no one called me back from MR MURRY.  Holly gone not working there anymore

. I got address to A forever Recovery drove out there without a appt, spoke with a Boy Corey asked him why I was called to say son was doing great when he was not even there he said that Jermery had plans that night and had to run and did  not do proper follow up with a person who leaves there.  Kim did call my cell phone left voice mail saying they are sorry that happened. (Pam Anderson told me Jermery was fired over this)

 Coarey was not much help just told me not much he could do I needed to talk to Finance people about money, after getting no where with him Pam Anderson comes into meeting (after few min she siad she had to give speech at party they had going on that day) really I could give a s**t what party was going on I needed help wanted to know why I was not called back after 30 phone calls she did not know any of this.

She and Corey asked what numbers I called i had a cell phone so I began to tell her times and numbers ( it was like talking to the dead) they did not give a s**t what numbers I called.

She gave me tour of place it smelled like it had not been cleaned EVER, showers rusted, wood beds, no AC hot as hell in there, no one seems to know what was going on staff on edge,after tour she asked if he wanted to come back told her that I would not let me dog stay there

She asked what I could do for her told her what I wanted she said she did not have the power to give me money back. Asked about money he had on him while there she said a check would be sent out in few days over two weeks I got check (only after calling Steve Anderson 20 times)

I am still trying to get my money back I will get it back I have filed with the state Mich States Atty Office about this place.

Another note funny how Mr Anderson told me about all the cost for Doctors staff drugs and other lab work FUNNY i got a claim that was filed by A Forever my INS co did pay part of this so they are also comitting Ins fraud. BIG SURPRISE

long story short my son still drug free been 28 days feeling like old self getting help he needs from good people who do care and not A SCAM PLACE

thanks for reading 



4 Updates & Rebuttals

dutchsiu

webberville,
Michigan,
USA
research stonehawk too

#2UPDATE EX-employee responds

Sun, September 04, 2011

places that say "70%" recovery rate are full of crap.  ask them what they base that on.  if they include all discharges as recovered, then that would be true.  if the actually give treatment and base discharges on actual completion, and personal growth, then the actual number would be 13% or less.  they hold people for 30 days so they can discharge them, regardless any medical needs.  treatment is not a cookie, so why use the one size fits all, cookie cutter approach?  please search for stonehwawk too.  same people run this shithole too. sex is rampant there between staff and clients


BattleCreekCrusader

United States of America
Worse than described

#3Consumer Comment

Sat, September 03, 2011

You're being absolutely too kind. This place is bad. I'm amazed that they are still in business.


AFR FORMER EMPLOYEE

Battle Creek,
Michigan,
United States of America
So sorry

#4UPDATE EX-employee responds

Thu, July 07, 2011

I wanted to say something after reading your report.  I am a former employee of A Forever Recovery.  I am NOT a recovering addict, but I am a Certified Nursing Assistant, and I am currently in college to obtain my masters degree in Psychology with a speciality in Addiction.

The administration of this place is by far the worst I have ever seen.  They have an extremely high turnover rate, as they treat their employees as poorly as they do the clients and their families.  All employees are required to work a minimum of 60 hours a week for a base salary that barely pays us minimum wage when you consider the amount of hours you are working.   I worked in the withdraw house. This is a medical detox, and MOST of the staff in that house has NO MEDICAL TRAINING. There is one nurse on site, but she is in the main building, so this is a HUGE issue in my opinion. 

But given all of this, I stayed there....not for the admin, but for the clients.  Now, the program itself is actually an outstanding program.  The problem is that the administration does not run it accurately, and does not have the clients recovery in mind.  They are all about money, plain and simple. Even when it comes to their employees, they have NO HEART.  I experienced the death of my significant other, and when I returned to work after the time that their Deputy Executive Director told me to take off, I had a termination letter in my mailbox. ( if that tells you the kind of people that run this place.)  I had worked for them for over a year.

And the way they get your money is by their very cleverly written contracts, and preying upon people in their most desperate times. As far as the shelter is concerned, I have been to that shelter.  It is in a run down neighborhood in Kalamazoo, and is not a safe place, in my opinion.  But I will say this for the company.  When people first fill out the admissions packet, they have options about what to do with their loved one if they should have to be suspended or removed from the program.  So if the shelter and $10 is what you choose, then that is what they do.

All in all, I would not send my loved one there, not because it is not a great program, but because of the way the administration is. The building is HUGE, and they only have one housekeeper, so there is no way that she is able to keep up. They are aware of this, and instead of hiring help, choose to try to work her to death instead. In the end, the clients are the ones that suffer. There are those employees like me, that care about the clients.  That is why I stayed there as long as I did. But in the end, the best thing for the clients is to see this place shut down before any more damage is done.


SCAMMPER

SOLOMONS,
Maryland,
USA
A Forever Recovery Update

#5Author of original report

Fri, November 12, 2010

I have to say that after careful consideration I feel that my prior report was written in a fit of anger.  A Forever Recovery tried very desparately to help my son.  My 19 year old son had to be intervened upon in order to get him into treatment.  Although the intervention was successful, I was unable to hold my bottom line of not allowing him to continue on his path of self destruction.  So, when my son called and wanted to leave I caved and allowed this to occur.  I did make several calls to the facility and can honestly state that my concerns were addressed and my questions were answered.  I realize now that I may have not been happy with the answers I received or was able to admit my contribution to my sons leave.  I also now after contacting my insurance company have been informed that A Forever Recovery did NOT file an insurance claim, rather a medical laboratory that was performing testing filed a legitimate claim against my insurance provider.  I should have never written a report that may affect someone else's life.  Sending a loved one to a rehabilitation center is a hard enough thing to do and A Forever Recovery (www.foreverrecovery.com) can and does save lives.  The bottom line is that we as parents can get mad and upset, especially when our child doesn't have the strength or courage to stick it out through the rough times and does not make it.  As far as any fraud that I alleged, I truly spoke out of line.  Thank you for re-reading my statement.

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