Praxis of South Bend, has been facing a troubling series of deaths this month, prompting Landmark Recovery, the company in charge, to take action. Two top administrators, the executive director, and the director of nursing have been let go from their positions, and new admissions to the facility have been suspended.

In their statement, Landmark Recovery revealed that they have separated from the executive director and the director of nursing at the all-male drug and alcohol rehab center situated south of Mishawaka. To supervise the facility 24/7, five members of Landmark’s senior management team, including Chief Operating Officer A.J. Henry and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Kirby, will step in to replace the previous officials.

The suspension of new patient admissions will remain in effect until Landmark ensures that the staff at the 160-bed Praxis facility meet the company’s health care standards, as stated in their official release.

The decision for these drastic changes comes after St. Joseph County Sheriff Bill Redman filed a formal complaint with state regulators, urging them to shut down Praxis. The facility, located at 60257 Bodnar Blvd., has been a constant source of concern for law enforcement, leading to hundreds of police calls since its opening in August the previous year. Incidents at the facility have included overdoses, sexual assaults, and even a stabbing.

Recently, the situation escalated with three patient deaths occurring within a week, along with two additional overdose incidents which were averted by police administering naloxone. 

Sheriff Redman emphasized his call for the state to revoke Landmark’s license to operate Praxis, citing the revolving door of four executive directors in just 11 months of operation. While acknowledging Landmark’s efforts to make improvements, he expressed dissatisfaction with the results, stating that the community and patients in need of treatment could no longer wait for promises of change at Praxis.

In response to the situation, Landmark stated that the Praxis facility underwent an inspection by The Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization accrediting over 22,000 U.S. health care programs. Although a full report is pending, Landmark asserted that the preliminary findings indicate the soundness of their care model.

In response, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, the overseeing body for addiction treatment facilities like Praxis, stated that they would review all reports of deaths and serious injuries from Landmark and consider appropriate actions moving forward.

UPDATE: It was recently reported that an employee at the facility, Kalesha Bell, was arrested this morning on charges of conversion and false informing, and is now in custody in the St Joseph County Jail.

This story originally appeared in the South Bend Tribune by Jordan Smith on July 17th, 2023. Portions of this article were generated using artificial intelligence.