The Orange County Register reports that Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas recently created a task force to handle abuses in the anti-addiction industry in the “Rehab Riviera.“

Rackauckas is hoping to repeat the success of Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, who created a similar task force two years ago. Since then, Palm Beach officials have made 44 rehab-industry related arrests.

It also has driven many of the rogue rehabs out of that state – and straight to Southern California.

Aronberg recently spoke to reporters at the Orange County Register about sober living homes and treatment centers in Florida.

According to Aronberg “We’ve seen an influx of thousands of young people descend upon South Florida to enter rehab, and then leave only in an ambulance or body bag. Seventy-five percent of all individuals in private pay rehab in Florida come from out of state …. In the past two years, we have led a crackdown on fraud (and) abuse in the drug treatment industry.

“We’re seeing an exodus of bad players out of the county to other warm weather climates, including Orange County.”

He says that it starts with “deceptive marketing; the operator sends a free plane ticket (to the addict), which (in Florida) is a third-degree felony.”

“They lure you down here into a detox or patient recovery center. The individual always has insurance, either on their own or under Affordable Care Act exchanges. If they don’t, the marketer will pay for their insurance and often lie about the address” That’s how the fraud starts.

They go through detox, in-patient care (followed by) outpatient care in a sober home, which is an unregulated group home under the protection of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Fair Housing Act. Then, once insurance runs out, they either go home, live with their parents and find a job, or they relapse. And the illegal benefits – such as free rent, transportation and other things – begin anew.

He suggests impaneling a grand jury to look at the issue. “It gives it a local flavor. And I think that’s important. It also gives political strength behind your legislation.”

“In the meantime, enact a tough anti-patient brokering law at the state level.”

Number three, “lobby Congress to allow local governments to enact reasonable measures. In the meantime, consider following the leads of Prescott, AZ., Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, who are out sticking their necks out (with local ordinances).”