Verification Methodology
What we check, what we cannot confirm, and how to report an error.
How RecoveryCompass Reviews Treatment Providers
This page explains, in concrete terms, how we research and publish information about treatment centers in our directory. We believe you have a right to know not just what we say about a center, but how we arrived at it.
We are not a government licensing authority. We are not a clinical accreditation body. We are an independent information resource. That means our verification process is based on publicly available information, and our conclusions are limited to what that information can support. Where it cannot support a conclusion, we say so.
Verification Does Not Equal Endorsement
A center’s inclusion in RecoveryCompass means that certain factual information could be reviewed or verified through available public sources — typically public licensing information where we could find it, the center’s own website, and, where we have done it, direct contact with the center.
Inclusion should not be interpreted as a recommendation, quality rating, endorsement, or guarantee of treatment outcomes.
We cannot assess the clinical quality of care, the competence of individual staff members, the day-to-day experience of patients, or whether a specific center is the right fit for any individual situation. A listing in our directory means a center met our basic inclusion criteria. Nothing more, nothing less.
When choosing a treatment provider, please use this directory as one starting point among several — not as a definitive guide.
Step 1 — Licensing and Supervision Information
Where a center states that it is licensed or supervised, we look for that statement in a named public source and record the source and date on its profile. In Israel, the relevant authorities are the Ministry of Health and, for some programs, the Ministry of Welfare. We cannot always find or access registry entries, so this step is not completed in the same way for every center.
We look for:
- Whether the facility appears under its listed or operating name in a public source we can access
- The license category (inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient treatment, detoxification unit, etc.)
- The license status at the time of our review (active, suspended, expired)
- The geographic region associated with the license
When we cannot find a licence or supervision statement for a center, we say so on its profile, using wording such as “Recovery Compass could not confirm this in [source] as of [date].” That is not a finding that the center is unlicensed. Centers labelled “Listed Provider” appear in public sources, but we could not confirm a licence or supervision status. If a licence is reported as suspended or expired, we note it on the listing.
Step 2 — Website and Public Materials Review
We review each center’s official website and any publicly accessible materials it has published. This includes program descriptions, population served, languages of service, contact information, and any publicly disclosed staffing information.
Statements that come only from a center’s own website are presented as the center’s statements (for example, “The center states…”). We do not reproduce outcome or success-rate claims.
Step 3 — Contact Verification
Where possible, we check that the contact details published in our directory are working. We do not yet record a verification date for every phone number or website, and we cannot guarantee that information remains current. Always confirm directly with the center.
Step 4 — Treatment Information Review
We review the care types associated with each center and assess whether they are consistent with the center’s licensing category. We use standard care-type categories — Residential, Detox, Outpatient, Intensive Outpatient (IOP), Dual Diagnosis, Aftercare — and map each center’s descriptions to these categories as accurately as the available information allows.
Step 5 — Periodic Review
Our listings are not published once and left indefinitely. We aim to conduct a full review of each active listing at regular intervals and to update listings when we become aware of changes.
Events that trigger an immediate review include: a user or provider submitting a correction; a center closing, changing ownership, or having its license suspended; failed contact verification; or a center claiming its profile and submitting updated information.
The Limits of Public Information
This is important. We want you to understand what our verification process cannot tell you.
We cannot assess the quality of care. A licensed facility is a legally operating facility. It is not necessarily a good one. A listing in our directory is not a recommendation or a quality rating.
We cannot verify staffing in real time. Staff change. When staffing information is important to your decision, verify it directly with the center.
We cannot verify prices. Treatment costs vary and change over time. Never rely on pricing information from our directory without confirming it directly with the center.
We cannot assess safety or compliance history. We do not have access to inspection records, compliance violations, or incident reports. If you have concerns about a facility’s safety record, contact the Ministry of Health directly.
We cannot prevent facilities from misrepresenting themselves. We verify against public records. If public records are outdated or incomplete, our verification is limited by those same gaps.
Questions About Our Methodology
If you have questions about how we researched a specific center, or if you believe our methodology has a flaw, we want to hear from you.
Write to providers@recoverycompass.net.