Relapsed and forced out, sober home residents die in motels
Addicts who relapse while living in sober homes in Delray Beach, often are dumped into seedy motels, often still high. Without supervision, some continue the binge, overdose and die.
That’s because Delray Beach, nationally known as a treatment destination, forbids sober home operators from immediately evicting addicts who have relapsed, a policy that sober homes insist on to assure the homes remain drug- and alcohol-free.
Under the city’s law, sober home operators who want a relapsed resident to leave must keep a roof over their heads for at least 48 hours or give them written notice that they must leave in 48 hours. The city, besieged by angry neighbors, put the rule in place to prevent homelessness and crime.
But not all operators let it come to that. They make residents provide contact information in the case of a breakdown or they provide supervision if they have to move someone out.
