Following an altercation between Lindsay Lohan and a Betty Ford staffer, the California Department of Public Health has decided to conduct an investigation at the Rancho Mirage, Calif., facility, the Associated Press reports. Though details are scant at this point, a spokesman from the department confirmed that that they are looking into matters after a Betty Ford employee, Dawn Holland, was fired after giving an interview to TMZ about her involvement in the incident. Lohan, who phoned police after an altercation with Holland Dec. 12, is currently under investigation for criminal battery, a misdemeanor.
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It sounds like they deserve to be investigated. How many more of their “guests” are running around at night partying, drinking and doing drugs?
They should be routinely testing their patients for drugs and alcohol and not just when they get caught sneeking back in.
I’m sure they do routinely test patients. The Betty Ford Center is totally respectable. At least they were until somebody shot off their big mouth to TMZ.
Sneaking back in, climbing over walls – that is not good.
I was there and Dawn was definately the culprit and so are her roommates. They planned this out to get Lindsay. Money and 15 mins.
You were there??? REALLY?? Give me a break. You sound like everyone else in this girl’s life: excuses, “she’s the victim”, “it’s not her fault”, blah blah blah. She needs to experience actual CONSEQUENCES for once. I hope they send her to jail for 6 months +
Amen!
Suuuurrreee you were there. I was there too. Did you remember seeing me/ how about Elvis, did you see him too?
when is grabbing someone’s wrist criminal battery???? this is ridiculous. come on…
When you fake being in pain for a big worker’s comp payout.
It has been proven that Dawn Holland (the accuser) has a history of violence. Lohan was out – with permission. She did not sneak out. Lohan is the one who called 9-1-1. There HAS to be closed circuit TV in the clinic that will clear this whole matter up rather quickly.
They are more of a traditional kind of clinic, very much stuck in the ’70s-80s kind of clinic style. They don’t really have the glitzy technologies of closed circuit TVs that the more modern rehab clinics that opened after 2000 to 2005 have.
Ok Lindsey’s Mom, we believe you (NOT!).
Linds’ lovers should get a life.
And Lindsay has a long history of being drunk and out of control so what’s your point? At least this time Lohan wasn’t drunk behind the wheel. Then again, how did she get to the bar?
As they should be investigated. We’ve seen pics of Lindsey practically everyday since she is at Betty Ford, shopping and hanging out and now in a bar??? Betty Ford’s rules are obviously loosy-goosy.
Dawn Holland should have NEVER gone on TV with TMZ to talk about her incident with Lindsay Lohan. It was exploitative and an embarrassment to the Betty Ford Center. But that center needs to have better security so that their patients don’t be running out to some parties and drinking excessively.
Think all parties were wrong in this case. Likely there will be some sweeping under the carpet *cough, $$* to make it all go away for everyone.
I agree – whatever happened to patient confidentiality? I’m not defending LiLo (if she did something wrong she should face the consequences). But just because she’s famous doesn’t void her right to confidentiality in a health facility.
That’s true–selling confidential information under the HIPAA laws is suppsoed to be punishable by 10 years and $25,000 per offense. Yet nobody has ever been prosecuted for breaking this law. The irony here is that if this employee becomes the first, she may actually do more time in jail than Lindsey will for assualt and/or violating her probation.
Wow, even in rehab Lindsey Lohan manages to cause problems and get into trouble with the law. Hope she has lots of money in the bank because after this latest incident, sure know smart Hollywood director or producer will ever want to hire and take a chance on this drama attracting queen. And why should they, plenty of more talented actresses in her age group. She’s done.
I think the bigger question here is.. “who f’ing cares?”
The employee got fired for violating patient privacy, that’s a no brainer. What isn’t clear is why Lindsay Lohan was coming in from a day pass at 01:00 am and why she would think it is OK to refuse a breathalyzer when asked by any employee at any time of the day or night. Addicts are incredibly manipulative–I wouldn’t be surprised if she reacted in such a way to create a diversion from the real problem, i.e., she would have flunked the breathalyzer.
Everyone in Lindsey’s life needs to quit enabling her or she will be dead in 5 years or less. What a shame that her talent is going to waste.
Looks like Betty Ford is covering their own behinds. They let Dawn go cause they are scared what is going to come out. Lindsay is court mandated to be their and she is out till 1AM without supervision? Well, Lindsay is screwed if she refused the breathalyzer.
I love the story that claimed Linds is “not an addict”. What planet?
I don’t know what the hell happened. But if it was as the employee said, I’m not clear on how the information publicly disclosed by that employee would be covered as confidential by the law. If I were to go into my doctor’s office intoxicated and start a rumble there, would patient onfidentiality statutes really bar the doc and his crew from speaking about my behavior publicly. Would it really be part of my medical record along with my vital signs, medication and the rest of it?
Actually, yes. According to HIPAA, even if others KNOW through other sources someone is a patient, you’re still not allowed to even acknowledge their presence to the public without a written release of information authorizing you to disclose to that ONE entity. An exception is made to law enforcement officials, especially where a criminal complaint is in question, but you’re still only allowed to talk to law enforcement officals without a release, not anyone else.
Who gives a sh*t?