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A former addictions counselor at a community corrections company in Billings has declined to respond to allegations that she used one of her company’s clients to obtain drugs.

In a lawsuit, licensed addictions counselor April Barnes is accused of obtaining drugs through a client of Alternatives Inc., where she was employed. Allegedly, Barnes then used the unspecified drugs with the client, someone Alternatives was monitoring for illegal drug use, according to the suit.

That client, Lyndsey Temple, was required to pay for the costs of her supervision at Alternatives and eventually tested positive for methamphetamine use, according to her lawsuit. She was re-arrested for the violation, she said in the complaint.

In response to the drug allegations, Barnes asserted her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

Barnes no longer works at Alternatives but is still licensed as an addictions counselor, according to her response.

Alternatives CEO, Dave Armstrong, declined to specify whether Barnes quit or was fired. Her employment ended “around the time” that Temple met with Alternatives representatives regarding Barnes, the complaint said; and Alternatives agreed.