Resident Luis Melendez appeals 30‑day discharge from Highchase after facility cites unsupervised methadone use

The hearing officer opened an administrative appeal on May 15, 2026, in the case of Luis Melendez v. Highchase LLC (docket 260507) after the facility served Melendez a 30‑day notice of discharge citing unsupervised methadone use and safety concerns. The officer admitted exhibits 1–8 into the record and swore both parties before testimony.

Dr. Kuldip Singh Bogle, who identified himself for the record as the facility's clinician, testified that Melendez was admitted on March 3 and that staff later learned of methadone use from hospital discharge paperwork. "We did not know how much medication or how much methadone he was taking, where he was getting it from," Dr. Bogle said, and added that medications must be kept in the medication room under facility policy. He told the hearing officer that one Thursday a group of residents returned from clinic visits extremely drowsy; "We were so scared we had to call the EMTs," he said, noting three ambulances responded. He also said staff do not carry naloxone and cannot supervise injectable dosing at the residential care home.

Dr. Bogle described additional concerns that included alleged demands by Melendez for money from other, more vulnerable residents and a report that a roommate's applied income of about $535 was missing after a clinic trip. He recommended that Melendez receive care in a residential clinic that can monitor methadone treatment and warned that the Department of Public Health would be unhappy if medication storage and administration policies were not followed.

Melendez, who identified himself as Luis Melendez earlier in the record, denied the facility's allegations. "I don't sell methadone," he told the hearing officer, saying he has a prescription and receives a two‑week supply. Melendez said he is tapering his dose with the goal of entering a rehabilitation program and offered to provide clinic records and a signed letter from other residents to support his account. He stated he was "going down 10 milligrams every two weeks" and indicated he was at "100" (as stated) and aiming to reach 30 milligrams to qualify for a program.

The hearing officer asked both parties to provide documentation. Dr. Bogle agreed to email copies of the facility agreement, discharge summary, and other exhibits to the PHHO mailbox; Melendez agreed to obtain and submit clinic documentation and the signed letter. The officer set May 22, 2026, as the deadline for both parties to submit the ordered materials and said he would issue a written decision after reviewing them.

The hearing record reflects a factual dispute: the facility cited policy violations, safety incidents, and concerns about unknown medication sources and financial coercion; Melendez denied selling medication, described ongoing tapering under clinic care, and offered to provide corroborating documents. The officer adjourned the hearing and will rule in writing after the May 22 submissions are received.

Next step: the hearing officer will review submitted documents and issue a written decision; no final discharge decision was made at the session.