Victim and survivor education
Plain words about what happened to you, what your rights are, and how to get help.
What is Patient Brokering?
Patient Brokering, also called Body Brokering, is when recruiters solicit or accept any form of reward to funnel a person into a specific recovery home, treatment facility, or laboratory, usually because someone is getting paid to put that person in that program.
Signs it may be happening to you
Pressure to move to a specific program. Insurance asked about before care. Free flights, housing, cash, or gifts that depend on you going. Little real treatment once you arrive. Someone getting paid when you show up.
Your rights
You can choose where you get care. You can leave a program. You can report what happened. You don't have to prove a perfect case first.
Go to Get HelpHow to get out safely
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For crisis support, call or text 988. Start with Get Help to find reporting options by what happened and where you are.
Go to Get HelpIf trafficking may be involved
Some brokering situations overlap with human trafficking — especially when someone is controlled through housing, substances, debt, or threats. Not every brokering case is trafficking. If you are unsure, you can still ask for help.
National Human Trafficking Hotline: call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 (24/7). If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Who oversees what
Which agencies handle what, why sober homes are treated as homes, and your rights as a sober living resident.
Who oversees whatLevels of care
The levels of treatment, how sober homes are different from treatment, what good care looks like, and red flags.
Levels of care