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It’s been a rough month for the staff at Singing Trees Recovery Center. 

Less than a month after reopening Singing Trees, a drug detox and rehab facility located in Southern Humboldt, the new owner, Amber Rose Bedell, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and child endangerment – her third DUI arrest since 2016 and her second for child endangerment, according to state and county records.

Although Bedell has very little to do with the day-to-day operations at the facility, staff say her “unhealthy choice” has “affected not only the facility but also residents and employees.”

“Unfortunately it has affected people calling us and coming in,” Singing Trees counselor Marilynne Walpole told this Outpost in a phone interview this afternoon. “You know, even though we’ve had this chaos, the counselors have been able to focus on the clients and give them the best possible service and they’ve all been making great progress. We’ve been trying to stay focused on them and not on the outside stuff that keeps happening.”

Walpole offered her apologies to the community and emphasized her commitment to Singing Trees’ residents.

“We want to thank the community for being understanding, for being forgiving and, you know, and recognizing that we have no control over what other people do, just how we cope with them,” she said. 

When asked whether Bedell still owns the center under her nonprofit Pure Solution Family Services, Walpole said Bedell is “technically leasing it” from the previous owners Pattie and Chuck Watson. She emphasized that Bedell has “not been involved with any part” of the programming at the center. 

“[Pure Solutions] is still technically the owner, but I think I’ve seen [Bedell] maybe four times since January,” she said. “There’s a perception that she’s guiding us but – not anything towards her – we have been the ones that have done everything there. Our Program Manager Courtney [Bell] and her family did all the renovations. I’ve done the program content and the policies and procedures. Aside from doing the lease with the [previous] owners she hasn’t been involved. She’s basically the money person.”

In addition to the recent controversy surrounding Bedell’s arrest, the center’s phone has been on the fritz due to ongoing issues with Frontier and Suddenlink. 

“We’ve had issues before but it’s never gotten to the extent that it is now where people are unable to reach us,” Walpole said. “And if people can get through, you know, sometimes I’ll be in the middle of a conversation and the call will just drop.”

They shifted their main line to US Cellular but are still working with Frontier and Suddenlink to straighten out the issues with their landlines. In the meantime, Walpole encouraged people seeking services to get in touch via email. Singing Trees’ Program Manager Courtney Bell can be reached at courtney.bell@pure-solutions.org.

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Singing Trees released the following statement via PRWeb:

Singing Trees Recovery Center has been the center of controversy for the past few weeks as the new owner of Singing Trees made an unhealthy choice that has affected not only the facility but also residents and employees. Singing Trees Recovery Center remains open and is independently operated by a professional on-site staff team who will continue building a unique and beneficial program for all Singing Trees residents.

Singing Trees Recovery Center employees sincerely apologize for the situation and any negativity and/or distress it has caused residents, their loved ones, and the community. The employees remain steadfast and committed to all past, present, and future residents. Singing Trees aims to continue to have strong, positive communication within the team, making this a learning experience while having compassion and empathy.

“I would like to convey that the employees of Singing Trees have kept the resident’s safety first and foremost while maintaining ethical boundaries at all times,” states program manager Courtney Bell.

About Singing Trees Recovery Center:

This situation allows Singing Trees Recovery Center to display its core tools and belief systems, which include honesty, integrity, faith, empathy, and how to move forward in difficult and public controversy. Singing Trees Recovery Center is grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the community in a much-needed capacity, while helping educate individuals so they may implement the tools they learn to have a healthy and successful recovery.

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Previously: 

• ‘It Was the Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Had to Do’: Singing Trees Owner Closes the Beloved Recovery Center After 31 Years Of Serving the Community
• After Closing Its Doors Late Last Year, Singing Trees Recovery Center Will Reopen Next Week Under New Ownership
• New Owner of Singing Trees Recovery Center Arrested for DUI and Child Endangerment, and in Odd Interview She Denies That the State Revoked Her Therapy License. (It Did.)