We, the residents of Lynnwood, are united in opposition to the proposed methadone clinic next to Alderwood Boys and Girls Club. This clinic does NOT provide the help people need - it is a money making vehicle for Acadia and its executives to profit off the most vulnerable people in the community, while risking the safety of our community and our kids. 

We urge you to sign this petition to show your support and help us fight against this proposed plan. 

Contact state representative Lauren Davis (lauren.davis@leg.wa.gov / 360- 786-7910) to share your concern and comments on this proposed plan.

Contact WA Department of Health officials: Michelle Weatherly (michelle.weatherly@doh.wa.gov / 360 236-2992) and Ian Corbridge (Ian.corbridge@doh.wa.gov). Urge them to deny Acadia's OTP certification application because of its deliberate acts to deceive the public, lack of due diligence, misleading application documents and fraudulent track records. 

 

Key FACTs:

1. Acadia Healthcare provided misleading information in their permit and certification application. They failed to complete the required community outreach and lied on their permit application. Local community members testified that they were never consulted by Acadia.
2. Acadia has a history of fraud and violations, including a $17M settlement for Medicaid billing fraud in West Virginia in 2019, the biggest medical fraud in West Virginia history.
3. Proposed site is next to a Boys and Girls Club (400 feet), on the city border, with NO easy access to public transportation or other essential services needed by these patients
4. Proposed site has poor infrastructure: parking lot has only 20 spaces but it's expected to have hundreds of patients, which will put a strain on local roads and making the area unsafe for children and families.
5. No public safety plan. Acadia and WA State Department of Health did not provide an adequate public safety plan to protect the hundreds of kids that will be playing sports next door. 
6. No transparency in this process for both Lynnwood residents and the Lynnwood City Council. The public hearing was held on 12/29/22, 8 months AFTER Acadia signed the lease, 5 months after they obtained the permit through deceptive means, and spent $300,000 on renovations. Acadia and WA State Department of Health attempted to rush the project through during the holidays without drawing public attention, but were ultimately caught.

 

 

In 2019, Acadia agreed to a settlement of $17 million to resolve allegations of a “billing scheme that defrauded Medicaid of $8.5 million,” according to the Department of Justice. There were allegations that they even lured drug addicts from the streets claiming they will provide 'free' treatment. The special agent working on the West Virginia case commented, “Fraudulent billing by these Acadia/CRC drug treatment clinics, as contended by the government, limits the State’s ability to provide desperately needed addiction treatment services.” 

In Lynnwood City Council meeting, Acadia claimed, “If safety is a concern, we can hire security guards.” What is their track record? In 2021, Acadia acquired a clinic in Tukwila WA, and claimed the same thing, that they would increase security for better public safety. What did they actually do? An Acadia employee shared that it actually eliminated security in the clinic instead. As a result, one violent patient escaped and hurt 11 employees onsite.

 

 

Acadia's track record, combined with the fact that they lied on their permit application and community relations plan, all just shows that we cannot take its words at face value. They have not shown good faith, and their track record certainly shows that they are not trustworthy.

This is just another opportunity for Acadia and its executives to make profit off the most vulnerable people in the community, while risking safety of kids 

We demand that the WA Department of Health and Rep. Lauren Davis to listen to the voices of the people and deny Acadia's pending OTP certification application. 

 

 

We urge you to sign this petition to show your support and help us fight against this proposed plan.