http://amazingforums.com/forum/BS4/252.htmlTopic: is there any way to rescue my friend?
? posted 1/10/05 6:11 AM
________________________________________
I am sick and disgusted that my friend has been sent to this school. It's too bad her parents sucked at being parents and had to send her to some place that would brainwash her. FYI, I am a "productive member of society" and currently attend Northeastern University. That's for all of you parents who will assume I'm some drop out (although.. hmm.. many of the most genius members of society drank, smoked pot and so on and so forth). But of course we can't have our kids reading "On the Road" or anything of the like. Recently my friend sent out something which slipped through the folds of the horrible school, which apparently can't even do it's own job begging for us to come rescue her. Before even reading all of the negative accounts, I went to the schools own web page and looked there and was immediatley disgusted. I've always been taught if something is bothering us, we should be able to SAY it, and not have our e-mails and such monitered. This is AMERICA. Freedom of speech. Accept it or get out.
Anyway, is there any way to get into this school and rescue my friend? She is important to me and things like this can really mess up a person for life.
Thanks in advance!!
RobertBruce posted 1/10/05 11:43 PM
________________________________________
your friend is at HLA?
? posted 1/11/05 4:14 AM
________________________________________
yep.
Deborah posted 1/11/05 4:17 AM
________________________________________
Not much you can do. There have been cases where relatives (even cousins) have fought for and won custody of the child in order to have them released. But, that is a very expensive and involved matter.
If you want to learn more about the particular program your friend is in, go to Fornits
http://www.fornits.com and do a search for the name of the facility.
Best to suck up to the parents so eventually you might be able to get on the accepted mail list. Of course, all her mail will be censored. Otherwise, you won't hear anything until they let her go.
Be prepared to be very supportive if/when she returns. They can do a number on a kid's head. With any luck she'll be able to keep one foot in reality.
marla posted 2/7/05 5:18 PM
________________________________________
rOBERT, pLEASE TELL YOUR FRIEND'S PARENTS TO READ MY MESSAGE. (i'M mARLA" AND i POSTED IT ON 2/7/05.)
Erik posted 2/13/05 0:57 AM
______________________________________
You guys are fucking morons, has anyone stoped to think that these people actually need to get sent away anyone!!!!! "Rescue My Friend" haha go try it.
RobertBruce posted 2/14/05 3:55 AM
________________________________________
Erik who are you to determine whether or not someone needs an abusive enviornment.
SHH posted 2/20/05 11:36 PM
________________________________________
Well as much as I am a proponent of freedom of speech..unfortunately...it doesnt apply to those under the age of 18..so yes..its legal to restrict what Teenagers say and what they do on the internet or on the phone or in letters.
RobertBruce posted 2/21/05 3:51 PM
________________________________________
Shhh (or should I just refer to you as HLA employee?) are you going to seriously claim that minors have no constitutional rights? That they simply have no rights whatsoever?
SHH posted 2/21/05 4:53 PM
________________________________________
I am (once again) NOT an employee of HLA. And children do have some rights of course...however..freedom of access to a public phone and freedom of speech in writing letters from a boarding school is not one of them. The parents know from the beginning that the correspondence can be monitored..its no secret. And what do teens do when given access to a public phone??? they call their boyfriends/girlfriends to come pick them up and they meet them out at the main road and run away....so to let them have access freely to a phone is not logical in a place full of rebellious teens...its one of those NO BRAINER decisions.
RobertBruce posted 2/22/05 4:22 AM
________________________________________
Or they try and contact their attorneys. I had one and was denied my right to lawyer client privlidge. Or is that just another one of my rights that is allowed to be signed away? Either way monitored phone calls with my family never concerned me all that much. Being punished for offering my opinion or stating facts did. Would that fall under freedom of speech?
Erik posted 2/22/05 11:37 PM
________________________________________
Robert constitutional rights dont fully apply to minors,if you have a problem with our laws go to Washington to make your plea not on some forum that about 10 people read, what an injustic you not getting to talk to your attoney that you probally paid with your own money from your hard working job ha... thats the first thing I thought to get when i was 16 with my first paycheck a fucking lawyer ha STOP Robert just stop your ridiculus.
lynn m posted 2/23/05 2:20 AM
________________________________________
RobertBruce, maybe if you took all of that energy and concentrated it on therapy and focused it towards the people who felt you belonged in this school instead of others who feel like this school and others like it are life and family savers.you would probably do children so much good if you focused your energys. Stop being so combative.
Deborah posted 2/23/05 4:27 AM
________________________________________
Apparently the State of Georgia believes kids in residential care have some rights. Chances are good that we wouldn't be having this discussion if HLA followed those (very lenient) regulations.
290-2-5-. 14 Discipline and Behavior Management.
The institution shall develop and implement policies and procedures on discipline and behavior management. Such policies shall set forth the types of children served in accordance with its program purpose, the anticipated behavioral problems of the children,
and acceptable methods of controlling such problems. Such policies and procedures shall incorporate the following minimum requirements:*
(a) Discipline shall be administered primarily by direct care staff and shall be limited to the least restrictive appropriate method, as described in the child's service plan pursuant to Rule .10(b)6.*(below)
(b) The following forms of discipline shall not be used:*
1. Assignment of excessive or unreasonable work tasks that are not related to the resident's misbehavior;*
2. Denial of meals and hydration;*
3. Denial of sleep;*
4. Denial of shelter, clothing, or essential personal needs;*
5. Denial of essential program services;*
6. Verbal abuse, ridicule, or humiliation;*
7. Chemical restraints, except as provided for in Rule .12(3)(d)3. (Psychotropic Medications), or mechanical restraints;*
8. Denial of communication and visits unless restricted in accordance with Rule .10(b)7.;
and*
9. Corporal punishment.*
(c) Residents shall not be permitted to discipline other residents except as part of an organized therapeutic self-governing program that is conducted in accordance with written policy and is supervised directly by designated staff.*
(d) If used, time out isolation procedures in excess of thirty (30) minutes must be approved by the director or designee and any use of isolation shall not exceed 24 hours of
duration unless approved in writing by the physician who has responsibility for the diagnosis and treatment of the child's behavior.*
(f) An institution whose staff uses physical control techniques to control and restrain children shall develop and implement written policies and procedures that describe the techniques used, under what circumstances they are used, appropriate techniques to use as
alternatives to physical control, and which staff are authorized to use physical control techniques.*
1. If physical control techniques are used, authorized staff shall receive orientation and annual training on the uses, and appropriate techniques to use as alternatives. Such annual training shall be part of the twenty-four (24) clock hours of annual training required in Rule .08(6)(d)2.*
(g) All disciplinary action taken that involves physical control and isolation, shall be recorded in children's case records showing the cause for the discipline, the form of
discipline administered, and if needed, approval by the director, the staff member in charge of casework services, and the physician who has responsibility for the diagnosis
and treatment of the child's behavior. Other forms of discipline administered by direct care staff should also be documented in case records in order to insure that such records reflect disciplinary problems.*
Authority O.C.G.A. Secs. 49-5-8, 49-5-12. History. Original Rule entitled "Discipline and Behavior
Management" adopted. F. Jun. 30, 1994; eff. Aug. 1, 1994, as specified by the Agency.
Rule .10(b)6
(b) A service plan shall be developed by the child's Human Services Professional in concert with the child's primary Child Care Worker, meaning the worker who has
responsibility for supervision of the child in the living unit where the child resides. The plan shall contain the following data:
7. Statements about any restrictions of communications or visitations with any persons; such statements shall clearly show that the health, safety, and welfare of the child would be adversely affected by such communications or visits.
(c) The child, and the parent(s) or guardian(s), or child placing agency representative shall be involved in the development of the service plan, and its periodic updates as described below.
(d) The service plan shall be updated by the Human Services Professional at a minimum of every six months and pertinent progress notes and data shall be incorporated in the plan to measure attainment of stated goals and objectives. The child's primary Child Care Worker shall participate in the updating.
290-2-5-.17 Food Service.
(1) An institution shall provide each child with meals and snacks of serving sizes dependent upon the age of the child based upon nutrition guidelines as established by the United States Department of Agriculture Child Care Food Program.*
(a) Meals and snacks shall be varied daily.*
(b) Additional serving of food shall be offered to children over and above the required daily minimum if not contraindicated by modified diets.*
(c) Modified diets based on medical or religious reasons shall be served to children as needed. Modifications due to medical reasons shall be based on the written order of a physician and the order shall be placed in the child's case record.*
(a) Within thirty days of admission, an assessment of the children's medical and dental health shall be completed by the designated intake Human Services Professional.
2. A general dental examination of the child shall be provided for unless such an examination has been completed within six months prior to admission. Such examinations shall be done by either a dentist or a dental hygienist that is employed by the department and County Boards of Health to screen school pupils.
(c) Children shall not be held solely responsible for the accomplishments of any work activity of the institution such as food preparation, laundering, housekeeping, or facility maintenance. Children shall not be considered substitutes for employed staff.*
To name a few. I'm not suggesting these things are still happening. Someone who was recently there needs to confirm or dispell that.
RobertBruce posted 2/23/05 4:43 AM
________________________________________
Erik and Lynn youre both making an awful lot of assumptions about someone youve never even met (unless of course youre simply both employees of HLA and simply trying to cover your own ass). Erik perhaps youre to stupid to know that most attorneys are required or strongly urged by their firm to do a certian amount of pro bono work per year, think before you speak dumbass. Lynn what is your basis for claiming I need therapy? You dont know me or know anything about me, other that I was sent to HLA and I found faults with it. This is reason enough to need therapy? You must be an employee there.
Deborah posted 2/23/05 2:03 PM
________________________________________
What I find more interesting than Lynn's assumption that you need therapy, is that s/he doesn't perceive others as being combative. Only the survivor, who is being attached from all sides- accused of lying, exaggerating, slandering.
What's wrong with that picture?
Would you suggest a rape victim 'get therapy' and cease speaking out about violence toward women?
Any good therapist will tell you that anger is the appropriate response to having been treated disrespectfully. It's a process. If he is indeed angry, he'll be done when he's done.
For all any of you know, a therapist may have told him to speak out and he may be taking action in other areas of this issue.
And everyone of you has a choice to not interact with him, to not address him directly or indirectly, to not bait or attack. He has a right to share his story and opinion. You have NO right to accuse him of lying. You have no idea what the truth of his experience is. You weren't there. You're involving yourself in a matter that is between him and HLA.
What are you angry/afraid of? Who needs therapy?
RobertBruce posted 2/23/05 3:38 PM
________________________________________
Deborah dont bother, look on the formits site, she does work there. People with rationale arguments or people who find fault with HLA are automatically in need of therapy...excuse me, theres a difference between therapy and HLA. She believes they indoctrining, and brainwashing. Not that it matters, shes going to need to start looking for a new job soon after all the cutbacks that will soon be coming to HLA. Ill email you and tell what new devolpements have come out.
Erik posted 2/23/05 8:46 PM
________________________________________
Not everyone on this board that has a conflicting agrument with you Robert is an HLA employee,(think of mothers with custody battles or minorities that were treated unfaily on account of their race ect) it is a good way to negate everything someone says who doesnt agree with you. I am just some kid who graduated from cross creek academy a couple of years ago. Unlike you i am not still bitching about how i had to be sent away and how "badly" i was treated. You might think you are trying to help other kids who are still at a program but you are NOT. Or maybe your not trying to help anyone at all, maybe you just want sympathy from people by stating all the "wrong" things that were done to you. Your right i really dont know you, but from what i know you are just some kid who wants a change in these schools, well i tell you what its probally never going to happen because MOST judges are happy to give the parents the right to do anything in their means to control their fuck up teen and fight all you want cause you will probaly lose.
P.S Pro Bono is meant for lawyers to help people who cannot afford a lawyer and REALLY need one, not for some kid whose parents sent them away cause they were a fuck up(dont be sad about being a fuck up, i was one too....WAS)
RobertBruce posted 2/24/05 0:14 AM
________________________________________
Erik youre still assuming you know me, and that you know something about me. Perhaps you were a fuck up, and you now youve cleaned yourself up, good for you but dont assume others were the same as you. I was never a fuck up, I never did any of the things that kids do to get sent to HLA or cross creek or any of those types of places. Also dont assume Im here to bitch, Im here to make sure that any parents who are considering placing their child in HLA have all the facts beforehand and not just what HLA tells them. Why are you here? What purpose does it serve? It sounds like youre still really pissed off that you went to Cross Creek, why dont you deal with that instead of making assumptions about people you have never and will never meet? Oh and just to respond to one more of your many assumptions my attorney took my case because he recognized the situation I was in was in fact bull shit. After I (with his help) ran away from HLA I was able to pay him all of his legal fees out of my own pocket. But ill tell you what why dont you continue to make more and more assumptions about someone you dont know, better yet continue using yourself as a template and remember what a fuck up you are and how you could never accomplish anything. Not everyone is as retarded as you. Something you may want to bear in mind.
lynn m posted 2/24/05 1:29 AM
________________________________________
RobertBruce, anyone who reads your rederick can see that you are angry, hurt, mad, bitter, you don't need a degree to read that you have all of that and probably more ingrained in you and for that i am truly sorry. i hope that as you stated before that you are a kind man to your family, i am sure that with what you have gone through you are very intent on making sure that your family is secure and happy. also, the documents that you presented, i think it was you, were dated 2001...A LOT has changed since then and you really should also do some more research. yes, things i am sure have happened in the past there but MUCH has changed, it is to bad you don't seem to be able to see past the time you spent there and put all of this energy into some other venue.
God Bless you Robert bruce, i pray for peace for you.
lynn m posted 2/24/05 1:34 AM
________________________________________
oh, and yes, i am an employee and for the most part proud of it but it still doesn't make me wrong...again, you are spouting 4 year old rederick. i don't know you and vica versa so don't judge me like you don't want me to judge you...most of the kids there have earned their place, just think about some of the kids you were in with.
RobertBruce posted 2/24/05 3:21 AM
________________________________________
Lynn you dont need a degree to see Im angry? Wow I guess that makes sense most of the employees at HLA had no degree. In any case I have no idea what documents youre refering to I posted nothing of the kind. But let me ask you, are you suggesting by stating things have changed that the statements I and others have made about HLA are in fact based in reality? Wouldnt that mean we have a legitimate claim against you? I mean hell Alkatraz is a tourist attraction now, but that doesnt change what it used to be now does it? As far as me being angry, Ill again tell you what I told Shh, Im very happy with my life right now and have been for many many years, probably starting with the day I escaped your evil institutions grasp. You claim Im angry because I didnt like it there and am willing to tell the truth about it. Thats not surprising, the staff told me the same thing while I was there, angry about what they could never quite decide. I'll clue you into something though, I was angry and surprised that so many people could be so two faced, claiming they were interested in helping children, but in reality were only interested in feeding their own egos, narcisscism, and greed (important requirements needed for anyone working at HLA). I suppose you could chalk it up to my naivity as a teenager but still once I saw how hypocritical you all were it did make me angry. Almost as much as having every possible freedom taken away from me, but I digress, and thats stuff you already know about anyone since youre still doing it currently to other children. What a wonderful person you must be. In any case no Im not angry now, because Im no longer there and trust me I laughed all the way down the hill as I walked to freedom. My only goals concerning HLA now are to inform any parent of the whole truth rather than the propoganda you all feed them, and to assist in any way possible in the eventual closer of HLA. Its a lofty goal but you people keep feeding into it and making it easier and easier. Seriously you should start polishing up your resume but just as a tip I wouldnt put on there your current employement, you dont want to be associated with that place once it all hits the fan.
Erik posted 2/24/05 5:59 AM
________________________________________
,(think of mothers with custody battles or minorities that were treated unfaily on account of their race ect) sorry that was suppose to go after the pro bono part, and Robert you are a lier, your responded when i didnt believe you had a lawyer with some pro bono shit, suggesting that you had a lawyer that worked pro bonaly, now you say that you escaped and paid your lawyer, you just confuse me with your lies now i know why you were sent to HLA
Erik posted 2/24/05 6:06 AM
________________________________________
and oh yea i am happy that i went to cross creek, i wouldnt be in college if i didnt go and most likely fucked up off some kind of drug and i am writing on this board cause i am bored
lynn m posted 2/24/05 12:54 AM
________________________________________
whoa..sure, your not angry?! ok...i can see that as i visualize you pounding out these statements on your keyboard...but what ever gets you through it.
as for admitting mistakes made, since i was not there during your time and since things are not as you spout right now i can only assume that things have changed. i cannot speak of things i do not have any knowledge of.
i am happy and proud to be associated with this institution and would be more that just as proud to list it on any resume when that time comes. don't know when that will be but am not planning on it being any time soon.
i am getting tired of going around in circles with you on this and the fornits board, so i am taking the high road.
my points before i dis-engage, which is what i would have done had you still been a student:
*we are agreeing to disagree (or at least i am)
*since i do not see the things you are expressing mostly, i can only assume that they have changed
*writing your thoughts and feelings about your experience is very cathartic for you and that is wonderful, but not all necessarily what is going on there (see above)
Take care robertbruce,maybe you should try to educatate parents to do a better job, then perhaps their children would not need to come to schools like HLA or even much more restrictive environments.
peace
lynn m posted 2/24/05 1:08 PM
________________________________________
oops...before i get totally slammed from deborah and other parents, let me apologize and retract the last statement i made about being better parents. that was an unfair statement.
Lynn.
RobertBruce posted 2/24/05 6:35 PM
________________________________________
HAHAHAHAHA is that the best you two can do?
Erik youre more retarded than I thought. My attorney didnt charge me anything for the work he did for me while I was in, and getting me out of HLA, after I escaped I paid him for some other issues that needed to be resolved. Understand now? Let me ask you though, whats the real reason for you coming here. I mean why would being bored give cause to coming onto a website and defending a school that youve never been to?
Lynn, again youre claiming Im angry when Ive told you Im not. Are you sure you dont have ODD, I mean the complete unwillingness to listen to your peers when they are trying to tell you something is certiannly a sign wouldnt you think? You claim you can "visualize me pounding away at my keyboard" that takes a little imagination though doesnt it? Or how about guessing? I mean you keep harping on and on about how sure you are things have changed but then you offer up contridictions when you claim you have no idea how things used to be. If thats so how can you be sure things have changed? Furthermore since youre giving me the exact same arguments I heard (and shot down) several years ago when I was there it lends itself to thinking, nothing has changed. I mean honestly claiming any person who does not automatically embrace the HLA philosphy and submit himself to brainwashing is "angry" and suffering from "ODD" can hardly be called legitimate psychology, but then again as I said earlier most of the staff there didnt have real degrees in psychology anyway, so it wasnt to surprising none of you knew what you were talking about, again somethings dont change do they?
In any case I hope by your disengadgement comments you werent meaning Ill no longer have the pleasure of speaking with you. I say this more for your benefit then my own, I mean we both know how Bucci feels about failure. Maybe you better polish up that resume afterall?
M. Quick posted 3/1/05 2:04 AM
________________________________________
Mr. Bruce may want to consider familiarizing himself with the current laws relating to libel and slander. This might be a useful topic to discuss with your attorney. Clearly, Mr. Bruce has some unresolved issues relating to his stay at the school. Fortunately, many of his statments appear to be simple conjecture as he by his own admission has not been a student in several years. When comparing his many postings, there are several blaring inconsistent statements that should make one question his credibility. Be careful what you wish for. You never know when it may come back on you.
RobertBruce posted 3/1/05 5:49 AM
________________________________________
Go ahead and make mention of a few of those inconsistencies, shouldnt be to difficult for you, while youre working on that though explain to me why your clients would be stupid enough to even consider trying to sue me for slander or libel when they know full well Im telling the truth about my experiences, after all they were wittness to the same events were they not? So acknowleding that I can in fact back up my statements, and would relish the opportunity to bring up a number of facts the school would rather keep quiet in open court, along with the fact that I could with a a few phone calls get close to one hundred former students on the stand to corroborate my story, I would think it would be something your clients would want to avoid, plus while I cant testify to current events in HLA I can certianlly get others to, by the looks of it Ive got quite a pool to work with. Furthermore a number of staff members at HLA have on this and other message boards made comments concerning me that some judges might view as libel, saying I "have issues" or that I "need therapy" and other hurtfull sorted comments. You should probably remind your clients that they do not weild the same influence outside those walls as they do inside them, a point they seem to often forget. Plus the fact remains that while Im sure you already have a nice neat "cease and desist" letter typed up, you dont have an address or even a name to send it to, do you? Well thats unfortunate, but not much you can about it at this point short of getting a suponea to serve on the webmaster and try and get him to track me down. Well better get to work on greasing the palm of some judge I guess, try and get him to sign it. In the mean time you can tell your clients to keep sending staff members on here to try and fish for clues but I doubt youll come up with enough to figure it out, keep trying though.
You know its funny, things really havent changed at all over there, they couldnt deal with me then anymore then you can deal with me now.
RobertBruce posted 3/1/05 5:52 AM
_____________________________________
It amazes me to no end that your clients would have the arrogance to think that this day would never come. If only they knew how many students have been preparing for it and have plans already made. See you soon.
RobertBruce posted 3/1/05 7:46 PM
---------------------------------------
How interesting, the message that seems as if it came from a lawyer was posted by an "M. Quick". The name of HLA's attorney is Martin Quirk. I wonder if its one and the same?
Seriously you people make this to easy.
BCOIT posted 3/1/05 8:55 PM
-------------------------------------------
ROBERT I THINK YOU NEED MORE THINGS TO FILL OUT YOUR DAY, GET A LIFE.
RobertBruce posted 3/1/05 9:44 PM
--------------------------------------------
Oh I stay preety busy in general, I have a class schedule that allows me time to visit the library when needed and pop on here to dispell any propoganda, as well as a job where I am allowed to utilize the internet during my work day and again dispell any propoganda that you people may have spewed off. Let me ask you though, is Bucci paying you to come on here or do you have to do it on your own time?
NAMELESS posted 3/2/05 0:01 AM
--------------------------------------------
NOT BUSY ENOUGH. IT IS REALLY SAD THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO BE ON THE INTERNET WHILE YOU ARE BEING PAID AT A JOB.
Deborah posted 3/2/05 0:21 AM
--------------------------------------
While I'm not big on government interfering with parental rights, it seems necessary in this golden age of Abdicating Parental Responsibility.
The light is shining brighter everyday.
http://www.unmarriedamerica.org/emancip ... lation.htm Juvenile Justice
The Need for Greater Government Regulation of Privately Owned Residential Facilities for Juveniles
The government has a strong interest in regulating and monitoring the operations of private residential facilities for juveniles.
The health, safety, and general welfare of minors are of matters of sufficient public importance to warrant government regulation and oversight of private corporations into whose custody minors are placed for transportation, confinement, education, or treatment.
A massive teen reprogramming industry has developed in the United States. It is estimated that this industry consists of more than 400 so-called "behavior modification" facilities, "boarding schools," and "treatment" centers which confine thousands of minors.
The vast majority of these "troubled teenagers" are institutionalized with the authorization of one or both parents. There has been no judicial determination of wrongdoing by the juveniles. They are simply locked up for months or years by frustrated parents who have fallen for the slick advertising of sophisticated profiteers who promise to reprogram the minors into obedient conformists.
These facilities are generally not licensed or monitored by any governmental agency. Because most parents live hundreds, if not thousands of miles away from these institutions, the parents themselves are not able to supervise how their children are being treated. In reality, the children are no longer in the "custody and control" of their parents but rather have corporate custodians who control their daily lives.
Some of the corporations which run these facilities claim that the government lacks authority to regulate them because the constitution protects the parents right to "custody and control" of their children. This argument lacks merit for several reasons.
First, the United States Supreme Court has never ruled that parental rights of "custody and control" are absolute. In Prince v. Commonwealth, 321 U.S. 158 (1944) the Supreme Court observed:
"It is the interest of youth itself, and of the whole community, that children be both safeguarded from abuses and given opportunities for growth into free and independent well-developed men and citizens. Acting to guard the general interest in youth's well being, the state as parens patriae may restrict the parent's control by requiring school attendance, regulating or prohibiting the child's labor, and in many other ways. . . [T]he state has a wide range of power for limiting parental freedom and authority in things affecting the child's welfare; and that this includes, to some extent, matters of conscience and religious conviction."
Therefore, even when children are living at home and under the direct supervision of their parents, the state does have constitutional power to limit parental authority. The state, however, may not unreasonably interfere with "the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control." Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510, 511-512 (1925).
The need for the government to protect children from potential abuse, and to insure that they are properly educated and cared for, increases as the actual custody and control of the parents over their children decreases. While it may be assumed that parents will look out for the best interests of children in their custody, there can be no such presumption associated with a corporation which is housing dozens or even hundreds of children for a profit.
Parents may not assign their constitutional rights, which are personal in nature, to a corporate entity. Corporations, which are themselves created by statute, can be regulated by statute.
Therefore, once a parent relinquishes custody of a child to a "transportation service" which then takes a child to a private facility and turns custody of the child over to a corporate entity, the role of the state, as parens patriae increases significantly.
Parens patriae is a Latin term which literally means "father of the country." The legal doctrine of parens patriae involves the government acting as a guardian for children within its jurisdiction. The need for the state to act in this capacity is amplified when parents neglect or abuse their child, or when the parents abandon the child or otherwise surrender their personal supervision of the child.
Many of these juvenile residential facilities portray themselves as "boarding schools" or "academies" and all of them appear to have some educational component to their programs. It is unquestionable that the government has the authority to regulate all schools, including private schools.
In Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925), the United States Supreme Court observed that ?No question is raised concerning the power of the state reasonably to regulate all schools, to inspect, supervise and examine them, their teachers and pupils; to require that all children of proper age attend some school, that teachers shall be of good moral character and patriotic disposition, that certain studies plainly essential to good citizenship must be taught, and that nothing be taught which is manifestly inimical to the public welfare.?
Therefore, state and local governments surely have the authority to regulate these juvenile facilities in their capacity as schools. But government authority is much broader than this.
The police power of the state includes the authority to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of children within its jurisdiction. Furthermore, the authority of the government to regulate business entities and corporations is without question. As a result, state and local governments have the power to require juvenile residential facilities to be licensed, to comply with reasonable regulations, and to submit to inspections.
State and local governments have the power to require corporate compliance with laws regulating child labor, prohibiting child neglect, abuse, or endangerment, and statutes protecting human rights.
Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce. Most parents send their "troubled teenagers" to juvenile residential facilities in other states which may be located hundreds or even thousands of miles away from the family home. As a result, the federal government has the power to regulate the "transportation companies" which move the children out of state as well as the juvenile facilities which generate most of their revenues from out of state placements.
The question, therefore, is not whether federal, state, and local governments have the authority to regulate and monitor privately owned residential facilities for juveniles. However, there are three issues to be examined:
(1) Are statutes and regulations already on the books which protect the health, safety, welfare and human rights of children confined in privately operated residential facilities;
(2) If so, are they being adequately enforced by appropriate agencies; and
(3) If the answer to questions (1) or (2) is negative, then what can be done to improve the situation.
One of the primary purposes of the Emancipation Project is to explore the answers to these questions after consulting with elected officials, administrative agencies, and nonprofit advocacy organizations.
The welfare of these "forgotten children" should not be left to chance. That would be unacceptable for a society which professes that children are our most valuable resource and promises that "no child will be left behind."
RobertBruce posted 3/2/05 0:57 AM
-------------------------------------------
And it is really sad that even more proffesionals are willing to work in an unliscenced facility that abuses children.
Oh and I had neither class nor work today. What were you doing on here?
SHH posted 3/2/05 3:46 AM
-------------------------------------------
Robert do you REALLY think that the state of Georgia would have acknowledged the good service of HLA on their 10 yr anniversary if it was so UNLICENSED and UNREPUTABLE as you CLAIM? You and I both know it is accredited by a number of organizations and has the FULL support of the state of Georgia, or it would not have received that honor last year. It has been in existance since July of 1994, and will remain in existance. Sorry to disappoint you Robert.
guest posted 3/2/05 4:08 AM
------------------------------------------
goleta, ca
Deborah posted 3/2/05 5:05 AM
----------------------------------------
Shh,
Can you define for the readers here the difference between Licensed and Accredited?
Which state is HLA licensed with? Do you have a link handy to substantiate that?
RobertBruce posted 3/2/05 7:09 PM
---------------------------------------
Shhhhh what have I told you about your lies and manipulations? You seem to be stuck in this mindset that you can employ the same blatent hypocricy thats permitted in HLA in the rest of the world. Unfortunatly for you however it doesnt work that way, you can claim anything you want but if its untrue Im going to throw it back in your face each and every time, I thought you understood that. I mean afterall you did scurry off into the shadows when you were faced with questions you couldnt answer.
In any case no HLA is not liscensed as they should be, theyve conviently operated under a series of loop holes by lying to the state on a number of fronts. Along with blatently ignoring other regulations simply because they are aware there is no way to enforce their violation of Georgias "agreements".....but it looks like HLAs freeride is about to come to a screeching halt. Why dont you call up your old boyfriend Billy, ask him if anything interesting comes in the mail in the next few weeks.
SHH posted 3/3/05 2:46 AM
----------------------------------------
Who's the one lying Robert? huh? I think you better think about that one. Because I am NOT the one.
just me posted 3/3/05 3:35 AM
---------------------------------------
http://www.sacscasi.org/schools/Proceed ... edited.pdffor SACS accreditation,
there is also one for GISA at
http://www.gisa-schools.org/schoolinfo. ... vious=listnot sure if this is what you are talking about with acreditiations and licensing, but here are 2 links.
Deborah posted 3/3/05 4:33 AM
----------------------------------------
That covers 'Accreditation' which monitors the academic aspect. Who licenses and montiors the 'therapeutic' aspect. Do you understand the difference?
Who regulates such rights as phone contact with parents, the censorship of mail, specific limitations regarding discipline and 'therapy', what may and may not be used as punishment,?
Parents considered out-of-home placements would be wise to read the Office of Inspector General's report on State's Oversight of Residential Facilities if they hold any illusion that the state can ensure the quality of 'treatment'.
http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-98-00570.pdfAs one licensing specialist put it, It's Buyer Beware".
RobertBruce posted 3/3/05 5:24 AM
----------------------------------------
Shhhh you arent convincing anyone, if you yourself are simply to naive to accept the truth, I would recommend that you do a little research yourself. If on the other hand you do know the truth and are simply lying about it now, by all means share with us what is HLA liscensed as and with whom? Get back to me on that one sweet cheeks.
steve g. posted 3/3/05 4:21 PM
---------------------------------------
just a note on accreditation: anyone can get almost anything "accredited" if they are well-funded. take note of various "colleges" and "universities" that are "accredited" by churches. it is noteworthy that anyone can set up a church under US law and that church can then "accredit" whatever or whomever it wants.
an example: "dr." tom sisk, the director of counseling at hla's inception had his "doctorate" conferred upon him by a church-run disreputable diploma mill, lasalle college (not to be confused with lasalle university), that is "fully accredited" by the church that gave rise to it. so the "doctor" in charge of patient care at hla was indeed, not a doctor at all, at least by any academic criteria.
so, as you can see, the issue is not if an institution is accredited, but by whom.
RobertBruce posted 3/3/05 8:11 PM
----------------------------------------
Or as in this case the schools licensure. Im not concerned about the accredidation, as it would matter to me very little the academics there were always sub par anyway. No my bigger concern is that HLA feels its entitled to lie to the state and several boards about their true purpose as well as completly avoid other licenses. The reason of course being what Deborah posted as being the regulations for discipline standards at a theraputic boarding school in GA. God knows if they followed those rules theyd have to redesign the entire school structure, and they might lose some of their brainwashing and coercion abilities, and Bucci cant have that.
Well I guess hes going to have to learn to deal with it preety quickly cause many changes are in the pipe line for ol Buch and the gang.
SHH posted 3/3/05 11:54 PM
-----------------------------------------
HIDDEN LAKE ACAD. ACCREDITED BY SACS AS TRADITIONAL SCHOOL
(December 9, 2001) Dr. Len Buccellato, founder and Chairman of Hidden Lake Academy, Dahlonega, GA, 800-394-0640, was recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, (SACS) at the SACS Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA, for being the first therapeutic boarding school nationwide to achieve full academic accreditation as a traditional school.
25 % OF HIDDEN LAKE GRADUATES RECEIVE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
(March 15, 2003) Hidden Lake Academy, Dahlonega, Georgia, 706-864-4730, announced that approximately 25% of all their high school graduates have received scholarships to college.
RobertBruce posted 3/4/05 1:57 AM
----------------------------------------
Mrs. Grey you keep going on and on about accredidation when the only one who seems to actually care is you. No one else has even brought any academic accrediation up,other than to state how easy it is to get accredited, rather it is the schools licensure that is in question. One more example of how you continue to avoid the issues you dont like.
Guest posted 3/4/05 2:53 AM
--------------------------------------
Leave "Shh" alone. I think it's sheer ignorance...not avoidance. However, it is a very valid point that HLA is not by any means licensed as a residential treatment center...although that to SOME degree is what they function as. To do so legally would probably require several visits from the the friendly government entity known as JCAHO. Simply put, it is much easier to hide behind the auspices of being a therapeutic boarding school vs. a treatment center. Ridge Creek on the other hand is licensed by JCAHO as a provider of mental health services and is recognized as such.
SHH posted 3/4/05 2:54 AM
----------------------------------------
Robert the school wouldnt have gotten a 10 yr honor from the STATE if they werent operating legally and properly....want me to post THAT website as well??? YOU KNOW they are operating properly they have been in business for over 10 yrs....DUH!
RobertBruce posted 3/4/05 4:31 AM
-------------------------------------------
Mrs. Grey you can continue to stamp your feet and insist you are right all you want, it does not change a thing. The fact remains HLA is not licensed as they should be, they have lied to the state to avoid both regs and inspections, as well as completly avoiding other licensure simply because they are aware that there is no way to enforce or penalize them for their refusal to get the proper lisence.
Now I understand that you may want others to believe that HLA is not violating any laws or being unethical in anyway, however that is not the truth, this of course being something you already know. If on the off chance however you dont (which again I doubt Billy is to high up for you him to have not know, and as his wife I would imagien he told you) then I would suggest that you do a little checking yourself. Call up the nessecary departments in GA on both the local level and at the state. See for yourself what they are licensed as and what licenses they should have but dont. After youve actually done your homework then talk to me about whether or not they are "in agreement".
THREAD CLOSED AFTER THIS MESSAGE
