“Jarrod’s Law” is an advocacy group for Substance Use Disorder patients and their families.

Jarrod’s Law isn’t any one law, but the organization has backed numerous legislative proposals, leading to several much-needed changes. The passage of several bills promoted stronger investigations into negligent facilities, exposed fraud in the rehab industry, and provided additional assistance to patients and family members.

Thanks to the efforts of organizations like this, families are empowered to seek support if a negligent rehab allows a loved one to get injured or die while in their care. Families who have lost someone should find out more about their options in a free, no-obligation case consultation with a lawyer.

Jarrod’s Law Beginnings

Jarrod’s Law began out of a tragedy that is all too common in the drug rehabilitation industry.

Founder Wendy McEntyre lost her son, Jarrod Autterson, to a preventable accident in 2004. It occurred in a Sober Living Home that she helped select for her son.  In 2005, she started Jarrod’s Law Foundation.

Jarrod’s Law is a nonprofit that has championed legislation to fix the sometimes deadly problems found in California licensed drug rehabs and recovery residences.

Since its inception, the organization has raised support for bills and helped get new protections passed.

• Instrumental in getting at least six major bills passed that provide more protection for rehab and sober living patients.
• John’s Law – Jarrod’s Law Foundation provided backing for AB 1356 that passed into law in 2025. John’s Law forces facilities to release more information about a patient’s death after an initial report. It also compels the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to take a deeper look into each incident and issue its own findings.
• Exposed fraud and neglect in drug rehabs.
• Exposed insurance fraud in facilities.
• Worked with law enforcement to shut down illegal rehab operations.
• Provided expert testimony for negligent rehab facility cases.
• Guiding families when they seek justice after losing a loved one in a drug rehab.

Licensed Homes Vs. Sober Living Homes

Jarrod’s Law administrators have focused on cleaning up the rehab industry, which can include licensed detox centers and residential recovery homes.

Licensed Facilities: The DHCS licenses eligible rehab facilities in the state. A treatment center would require licensing when it provides certain elevated services such as detox therapy, medical services, and professional counseling. See: How to check if a drug rehab is licensed.

Unlicensed Facilities: Sober living homes, also known as recovery residences, usually don’t have to be licensed. They avoid DHCS oversight if they only provide room and board and peer support. As long as residents get their medical therapy and professional therapy somewhere else, sober living homes don’t usually have to submit to DHCS inspections.

Thanks to work by legislators and advocacy groups like Jarrod’s Law, both licensed and unlicensed facilities are now under more scrutiny. These businesses now have a much harder time getting away with shady and illegal practices such as “body-brokering,” “patient dumping,” and establishing “treatment mills.”

Support for Families After a Rehab Overdose

Many families don’t realize that their loved ones aren’t considered at fault if they take drugs in a rehab and overdose and die. If they check the contracts they sign and the promises that were made, families will see that drug rehabs actually have a duty to protect vulnerable patients.

The companies, corporations, and organizations behind rehabs and sober homes can be held liable when patients are allowed to overdose on fentanyl. They can be held liable when residents commit suicide while lacking supervision. When owners and operators break laws, don’t meet health standards, and fail in their own promise to families, they can be held liable for an injury or a death. That’s true, even when patients sign waivers.

Families can launch investigations. They can ask questions, and they can sue facilities.

A skilled lawyer would help them file a claim and collect the evidence needed.

A lawyer would then demand these wrongful death benefits and more for the family:

• Money to cover burial expenses
• Coverage of the medical bills left behind through a survival action
• A refund on the fees families may have paid to a rehab business
• Replacement of the paychecks the victim may have provided to support family members
• Support for the emotional trauma the family will continue to experience
• Loss of companionship and support for parents who lose a precious child at an understaffed adolescent rehab facility

Contact Us If Rehab Center Negligence Claimed Your Loved One’s Life.

We offer a free consultation to victims and their families after an injury or death at a California drug rehab facility.

Call us today or fill out a free case review form. We can also help families who live out of state hold a California drug program fully responsible for a wrongful death.

You and your family never have to worry about affording a lawyer. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check a facility must write for you.