TORONTO – Mayor Rob Ford argued with, and pushed around other patients during a two-month stint at GreeneStone treatment facility, according to the Toronto Star.
The newspaper cites anonymous sources at the treatment centre, including staff which has point that has drawn criticism from counsellors at multiple facilities.
“The rules are really clear,” says Dennis Long, executive director of Breakaway Addiction Services in Etobicoke, noting that counsellors at Breakaway would be fired for disclosing patient information.
“Many of our counsellors belong to the College of Social Workers or other places. That would be grounds for a complaint to the college on professional practice grounds.”
It’s more stress and embarrassment for Ford to deal with; and that’s only magnified by who his position at city hall.
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“It’s creating more emotional problems for him. It’s more media, more interviews, more questions, more people harping on Rob Ford,” Drew Walton, director of the Canadian Centre for Addictions tells Global News. “Which can create stress and anxiety that he doesn’t need.”
Watson also expressed concern that having a rehab staffer divulging confidential information could deter already emotionally-fragile people from seeking treatment in the future.
“People are notoriously nervous about this kind of stuff. When I get a call here at the Canadian Centre people always ask me ‘are you going to give this to my doctor? Are you going to give this to the government?'”
Ford’s treatment at GreeneStone has been the subject of several questions from the public in recent months. While he was checked in, he was seen several times around Bracebridge, meeting locals and taking pictures, even doing a phone interview with the Toronto Sun.
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Some might expect a stricter “lockdown” in rehab but that’s not always the case.
Jay Pasternack of New Life Counselling says sometimes counsellors treat in phases.
“Maybe phase one and two while you’re in detox, you’re in the facility on kind of a lockdown or companion type program,” Pasternack said. “Phase two or phase three might be something like, you’re allowed to go out with other people.”
Global News called Greenestone for comment on its program, but hasn’t yet received a reply.
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