Washington, DC – U.S. Representatives Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) and Anna Eshoo (D-San Mateo) introduced legislation today to establish model criteria for states to certify addiction recovery organizations and combat fraud and abuse within the industry that forms a critical part of the healthcare system.

According to several recent government and media investigations, many organizations that claim to serve people suffering from addiction are ridden with fraud, abuse and unacceptable conditions for clients.

Because there are currently insufficient safeguards in place, many bad actors enter this industry to exploit the system for personal profit, rather than to properly care for clients.

“Many sober living homes lack proper oversight and expertise on how to operate these facilities,” said Pat Montoya, president of Not One More. “This negates the rehabilitation process.”

H.R. 5100, the Recovery Home Certification Act, would establish model quality standards in order for organizations to receive certifications as a recovery home. States and local governments would then be able to use this standard as a model on which to base their own regulatory regimes.

The bill would also establish criminal penalties for individuals who engage in “patient brokering,” the act of referring or recruiting patients to recovery homes or clinical treatment facilities in exchange for payments. This practice often traps recovering patients in an endless cycle of recovery and relapse for the financial benefit of bad actors.

“Over 2 million Americans seek help with addiction and substance abuse treatment every year,” Knight said. “The opioid epidemic is a severe challenge we all must face as a community. It is unacceptable that certain actors would take advantage of this by exploiting those in need of help. This bill will help hold service providers accountable and ensure that those who seek help will be greeted with adequate care.”