Albert Senella, CEO of Tarzana Treatment Centers, a nonprofit organization providing addiction and mental healthcare services, earns an annual salary of $2.36 million. This compensation has drawn scrutiny as former employees claim they were pressured to push vulnerable patients into taxpayer-funded programs to increase billing hours.
The organization receives significant funding from California and Los Angeles taxpayers, with annual revenue nearly tripling from $76.6 million in 2019 to $224.1 million last year, according to public tax records. Senella's salary has also climbed, increasing from $1.09 million in 2020 to $1.84 million in 2024, before a 28% raise last year.
Senella resides in a $3.7 million mansion in Simi Valley, which features a putting green, swimming pool with a waterslide, and a basketball court. His driveway has also been observed with luxury vehicles, including a BMW i7, a Range Rover, and a Cadillac Escalade SUV.
This lifestyle contrasts with the conditions described by former employees inside some of the nonprofit's facilities, where patients have been observed waiting outside with their belongings in garbage bags. These employees allege they were instructed to maximize billable minutes to state and private insurance companies daily, with some being told to lie about billing or risk termination. One former employee stated, "I’m not thinking of how to help people. I’m thinking, ‘How am I going to bill you?’"
Another former employee, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed workers were sent into detox units before patients had completed their required 30-day detoxes, enabling the nonprofit to bill for more patients more quickly. This former employee reported a caseload of over 160 people, which they described as "physically and humanly impossible."
Public records indicate that the City of Los Angeles has provided $10.8 million to Tarzana Treatment Centers since 2021. Los Angeles County has also contributed millions, though a 2022 County Controller audit identified "significant fiscal and administrative non-compliance issues" in a Department of Mental Health contract. The audit noted that nine out of 13 employees lacked required criminal-background clearances and recommended the nonprofit repay the county for improperly allocated payroll expenses. Tarzana Treatment Centers disputed these findings.
Despite the audit findings and the center being placed on a warning database, government funding has continued to flow. In 2024, the organization received a $5.65 million increase connected to a Department of Mental Health contract.
Senella, when asked about his compensation and the allegations, stated, "Executive compensation at Tarzana Treatment Centers is determined annually utilizing the detailed process set forth in Treasury Regulations to establish a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness."
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva criticized the CEO's income, saying, "Hearing news like this is sad knowing that nonprofits are starved of funds as they go about serving the people."
While former employees expressed concerns about the focus on billing, they also acknowledged that Tarzana Treatment Centers does provide meaningful services to those seeking treatment. However, they believe the pressure for billable services has begun to overshadow the organization's core mission.