The IRS has formally denied a whistleblower reward to a survivor. This decision was made after information was supplied by the survivor to the IRS through its whistleblower program which, in turn, ultimately led to an IRS investigation of Tri State Drug Rehabilitation and Counseling Program, Inc. (TSDRCP) alleged tax fraud. The IRS will not disclose details surrounding this judgment other than saying that it could be for a number of reasons including insufficient amount of money involved. The IRS changed its “whistleblower” rules a few years ago. This involved increasing the amount of money that would have to be owed in penalties and back-taxes in order to qualify for a reward. Therefore TSDCRP was most likely not “qualified” in this regard. TSDRCP d.b.a. Kids Helping Kids (KHK) in Milford Ohio was placed under the IRS investigation as a result of allegations that it had failed to file annual reports in Kentucky for over 4 consecutive years beginning in 2001. According to the 2006 form 990 submitted to the IRS by TSDRCP (KHK), the amount in question was $2500.

At the very least, this shows that TSDRCP (KHK) was operating outside the laws of the tax codes and other corporate responsibility rules and regulations. Pathway Family Center currently faces allegations of tax related improprieties. Only time can tell what transpires in this case. The over $4Million gross income it reported last year certainly falls inside the realm of the minimum requirements for whistleblowers.”

TSDRCP was formerly STRAIGHT, Midwest in 1981 while STRAIGHT, Inc. was headquarted in St. Petersburg FL.

Since June of 2008 there has been a client that has been enrolled in the drug rehabilitation/behavior modification center of Pathway Family Center, and literally stuck on the programs first phase/level for over six months. This has been happening at the programs Southfield, Michigan location.  It has been reported recently that Michigan authorities are considering removing the child client from Pathway.

Apparently this type of treatment has become a troublesome pattern for Pathway, to keep a new client on phase/level one for six months or more at a time.  For those of you who are not exactly familiar with the ramifications of what a six month or more stay on first phase/level means for a client at Pathway Family Center, I will attempt to paint the picture more clear for you.

The child client being subjected to first phase/level for six months or more means that they first and foremost have not been able to hold an unmonitored talk or conversation with their parent(s).  It also means that the child client has not been able to even attempt to call their parent(s), email them or even write them a letter via regular mail.  This is a very troublesome occurance considering the structure of the program: http://www.isaccorp.org/khkandstraight.asp

http://www.isaccorp.org/pathway/handbook.pdf

This particular client has not been able to speak to their biological mother, who has joint custody with the childs father, the whole time.  Pathway Family Center has denied this mother her inalienable right to visit with her child for over six months.

The press release about this incident was released by ISAC(International Survivors Action Committee) yesterday on http://fornits.com at http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=26483

Here is a copy of the press release below:

ISAC Corporation reports that a 14 year old boy has been detained against his will in an outpatient drug treatment program in Southfield MI since June 6, 2008. The name of the program is Pathway Family Center. Since that date, this boy has been residing away from his parents in unregulated, locked “host homes” run by the parents of clients in the program. Additionally, this program uses a level system, the first of which prevents clients from having privacy in the bathroom, attending school, reading, using the phone, watching TV, listening to the radio and a host of other restrictions that are consistent with the systematic thought reform methods utilized in its related program called STRAIGHT, Inc. That program was reported to have been closed in 1993, however, Pathway Family Center continued to treat clients from STRAIGHT, Inc. using the same methods and principles. There is at least one staff member from that program currently employed by the Southfield facility. Pathway also operates two other facilities located in Indiana. The facility they operated in Milford Ohio was closed earlier this month.

The mother of this boy has joint legal/physical custody of her son and his father orchestrated his placement against her wishes. They have been divorced for nearly a decade. Pathway Family Center has repeatedly refused the mother’s request to speak to her son in private. According to the policies of the program, the client must send complaints through what is known as a “COC” chain of command. If this complaint is deemed viable by the staff, it progresses through the chain to an appropriate level. At no point is the client able to call CPS or DCH to complain. Level one is the most physically and psychologically abusive portion of the program. To be kept on this level for over 6 months is nothing short of pure torture. This boy is being kept from his schooling and away from his mother who is trying to help him get out of this situation.

This boy must be immediately removed from this program. At the very least, he can stay with his grandparents until the parents come to some resolution regarding his future. The mother is willing to speak to someone, as is a psychologist who saw the boy earlier this month who has indicated a willingness to speak to the media regarding this issue.

ISAC Corporation is a 501c3 organization dedicated to exposing and reporting abuse and fraud perpetrated in privately owned drug rehabilitation programs, behavior modification and boarding schools. We retain a substantial amount of documentation that supports allegations of abuse and fraud regarding Pathway Family Center in each state in which it has operated its program. This is the first time a Pathway Family Center client parent, who retains joint physical/legal custody, has come forward to ask for our help. Her rights are being denied, her son is being tortured and Pathway Family Center is getting paid a substantial amount of money in the process.

In reply to this letter, the Sheriff of Porter County, David Lain says:

Mr. Earnshaw:

Thank you for your email regarding Pathway. I am sensitive to your concerns and have forwarded them to the local Pathway office. Please understand that addiction has affected far too many families and we as a society must explore a variety of methods to overcome this scourge. That said, I would never advocate harming someone in order to save them. I am not aware of such being the case at Pathway. Should your allegations be substantiated I of course would have to rethink my position.

Sincerely,

Sheriff David Lain

Anyone that is inclined to help this client and mother please contact Michigan authorities as soon as possible.  This is a public outrage that this is even still happening!

Michigan authorities:  Michigan Dept. of community health:Licensing Division – Licensing Boards
(517) 335-0918 (517) 373-2179  Health Investigation Division, Main Number, Lansing
(517) 373-1737 (517) 335-4886  Investigation Section, Detroit (313) 456-0300 (313) 456-0451

Health Regulatory Division (517) 373-9196 (517) 241-2389  Allegation Section (517) 373-9196 (517) 241-2389  Enforcement Section (517) 373-4972 (517) 241-1431

Email: bhpinfo@michigan.gov

Southfield, Michigan Police Dept.  Chief of Police: (248) 796-5300  Detective Bureau: (248) 796-5540  Mayor’s Office: Telephone:(248)796-5100 Fax:(248)796-5105 E-mail:blawrence@cityofsouthfield.com

Southfield, City Council: Phone: (248) 796-5150 FAX: (248) 796-5155 Southfield City Attorney’s Office: The main office number is (248) 796-5770

Michigan Office of the Attorney General: Email: miag@michigan.gov  (313)456-0240 Fax:(313)456-0061

Sunday, December 7th, 2008

A series of emails have been released by the

International Survivors Action Committee about the current status
of operations taking place at the Milford, Ohio branch of
Pathway Family Centers, known as Kids Helping Kids.
According to emails from Jim Lapczynski,
(a legal representative employed with ODADAS, Ohio Dept.
of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services) Pathway Family Centers
has decided to close their Milford, Ohio
location of Pathways.

This decision comes to light after over a month of emails and
reporting, as well as, investigating of this particular issue.
Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Beatty is stating as follows:

“The purpose of this email is to inform you of KidsHelping Kids, a Pathway Family Center’s (UPI# 12497) intention to temporarily discontinue services in Ohio. This includes both assessments and all clinical treatment. Also as indicated, our certification will be returned via mail.”

Well, I don’t know about you but I am going to make sure that I see that returned license in person!

The program and it’s chief officer are placing blame for this current event on today’s struggling economy, and denying that anything else could have contributed to it’s closure.  This I do find hard to believe considering that Pathway Family Centers has been under heavy scrutiny for four years now.  They became even more diluted with scrutiny under the public’s watchful eye as soon as they obtained control of Kids Helping Kids.

Stay Tuned! We will have more about this story as soon as it comes in.

Apparently, Pathway Family Centers thinks that they can employ false advertising as a method to tout their program.  On their website they claim that they, and I quote, “Pathway announces plans to implement the next phase of our strategic plan by expanding our 4th Midwest treatment center.”  The very last part of their statement, which I have highlighted in red is troublesome considering that they already admitted to their certifying body( ODADAS, Ohio Dept. Of alcohol and Drug Addiction Services) that they no longer treat children at the Milford, Ohio facility.  See quote from Monica Mertens, executive director of Pathway Family Center, Milford, Ohio.  “Pathway Family Center no longer has a treatment center in Ohio.  We only do assessments and marketing at our site.
Hopefully, new funding will be received and we will be able to open back up.”

Well, Pathway Family Center is still claiming on their website that they have four midwest treatment centers, in which they really do not.  This is not honest advertising, is it?  You decide!

Pathway Family Centers, what say you?

Monica Mertens, what say you?

Teri Nissley, What say you?

There are four locations still listed on their website:

(1.) MICHIGAN Village Office Center     (2.) INDIANA Castleton Park      (3.) NORTHWEST INDIANA/CHICAGO AREA

(4.) Ohio

Please also see ISAC for further proof that Pathway is not operating as an actual “treatment facility” in Milford, Ohio at this link here: http://www.isaccorp.org/pathway/pfcohionotclosed.pdf