Employees at a multi-state rehabilitation company were left in the dark after several facilities closed across the country following the suicides of two top executives.
Retreat Behavioral Health, which has facilities in Florida, Philadelphia and Connecticut, abruptly closed its Palm Beach, Florida, facility last week.
The employees said WPTV that about 100 mental health and substance use patients were told to pack their bags and leave, including 30 who had nowhere to go.
Facilities in Lancaster County, PA, and New Haven, CT, have also since closed following the deaths of CEO Peter Schorr and CAO Scott Korogodsky.
Korogodsky had taken over leadership of the company after Schorr committed suicide at his Delray Beach home, according to Lancaster online.
Days after Schorr’s death, Korogodsky also committed suicide, according to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Retreat Behavioral Health, which has facilities in Florida, Philadelphia and Connecticut, abruptly closed its facility in Palm Beach, Florida, seen here, last week.
Since then, facilities in Lancaster County, PA, and New Haven, CT, have also closed following the deaths of Executive Director Peter Schorr, left, and CAO Scott Korogodsky, right.
Lissa Franklin, vice president of Southeast Florida Recovery Advocates, said: CBS12:I’m sure there’s more to the story, but according to the employees I spoke to, almost everyone who was there found safe and supportive discharge options.
‘What happened to the Retiro is very sad. In my experience, it was a great program.
‘They always helped everyone in the community. “They treated everyone with compassion and kindness.”
According to Franklin, the center was one of the only ones in the area that accepted Medicaid or VA health insurance policies.
Internal emails sent to staff and seen by the outlet show that Korogodsky assured staff members they would receive their pay after a delay in receiving paychecks.
On Thursday, Alexander Hoinsky, the facility’s chief financial officer, said the company had been in serious financial difficulties for at least a year.
Hoinsky told WPTV he became concerned after company executives stopped taking his calls.
He said: ‘I left messages and emails (and) laid out what I was going to do moving forward. Basically, they didn’t want to hear it.’
Internal emails sent to staff and seen by the outlet show Korogodsky assured staff members they would be paid after a delay in receiving paychecks.
Workers at the Palm Beach facility, pictured, are still waiting to be paid for their work after being informed of their layoffs last week.
He continued: “Here are the facts: The company ran out of cash. Revenue fell dramatically and they didn’t adjust costs.”
Meanwhile, workers at the Palm Beach facility are still waiting to be paid for their work after being informed of their layoffs last week.
One nurse said, “I don’t know what days I was supposed to work. I just decided to show up.”
‘I just wanted to be there. Because when they said everyone was going to be discharged, it seemed like a huge task.’
The nurse, who wished to remain anonymous, told WPTV that the fire alarm had gone off and everyone was out of the building.
After she was let in, she claimed that patients began fighting among themselves and that staff members were unable to calm the situation.
According to the worker, patients broke into nurses’ stations to access narcotics, while workers emptied refrigerators full of food.
Hoinsky believes the employees will be paid for their final three weeks of work and hopes he will be paid as well.
The company’s Connecticut facility has also closed in the past week, leaving patients without care.
In addition to the financial troubles, Schorr was also named in a lawsuit filed in January that accused him of keeping a $50,000 deposit for the sale of a property that fell through.
Another lawsuit in New York claims more than $5 million from the company that owns Retreat for defaulting on a loan dating back to 2018.
Court records in Florida also show that the Palm Beach County tax collector sued the site for failing to pay a $1,700 tax bill.
The company posted on social media following Schorr’s death: ‘It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Schorr, the founder of Retreat Behavioral Health.
‘Peter’s unwavering dedication and compassion have transformed countless lives.
‘We are committed to carrying on his legacy, ensuring his spirit continues to guide our mission at Retreat.
‘Our deepest condolences to his family and all who had the privilege of knowing him.’
While tributes to Korogodsky have since been shared on social media describing him as an “amazing person”.