NATSAP has just issued a very defensive statement at ST. Rather than repost it here, you can read it in the TTI forum.
http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t=17881My comments below, add your own.
Santa makes some wild, sweeping claims about NATSAP programs:
As member programs, we pledge to market our programs in a manner that is honest, complete and accurate in disclosure. We openly describe our treatment methods, and the qualifications of our staff. We agree to refuse payments for referrals and to fully disclose our costs."Pledge", not a guarentee. See the HLA forum for how the "cream of the crop" program markets its services. To the state they are a traditional boarding school providing no "therapy". To parent/Ed Cons they are a "therapeutic" facility. They also advertise as a Drug Treatment facility, although they are not licensed as such and have no Certified Addictions Counselors. Treatment methods are not openly described. Punishments are used that are not spelled out in the Parent Manual. Participants are strip searched without parents knowledge or consent. Staff qualifications have been misleading and deceptive. The staff MD's license was revoked years ago for stealing drugs for personal use, yet they just recently removed the MD from his bio. To name a few.
NATSAP Principles of Good Practice insist that programs operate with the utmost concern for human dignity and specifically prohibit any behavioral management procedures that involve sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, or that deny a nutritionally adequate diet for our participants. All programs must also have a clear written statement of participants rights openly disclosed to both participants and parents."Insist"? Who is checking and what are the "consequences" for a program when found to be in violation? A clear written statement of participants rights was never disclosed to me. Indeed my own parental rights were violated. My son was not given adequate calories while on Restrictions and made to throw his food away if he talked without permission, and further punished if he didn't throw it away when ordered to do so. Restraint was used inspite of HLAs claim to be a non-restraint facility. The program is emotionally abusive by design.
It has been allege that private residential programs treat serious emotional disorders without proper diagnosis or credentialed staff. Again our Principles of Good Practice, endorsed by all NATSAP programs, specifically require the full disclosure and description of staff qualifications. We agree not to provide services beyond our areas of
competence. Virtually all NATSAP programs operate with a full range of licensed psychologists, social workers, educators, and health care providers. The level of care and sophistication of individualized treatment in NATSAP programs stands in stark contrast to allegations of institutional abuse. Care is sensitive, nurturing, and highly professional.Nice sales pitch. HLA has taken seriously disturbed, violent, suicidal, court-ordered kids inspite of claims to the contrary, and several were referred by the owner- a PhD and Ed Con. This is documented in the HLA forum and is a complaint in the Federal Class Action suit filed last week. Staff have complained about this for years.
But critics should understand that our programs are not based simply on the DSM IV symptom clusters. We draw from models of education, experiential education, psychology, psychiatry, social work, and family systems theory. NATSAP programs provide a complex milieu of bio-psycho-social-educational treatment that address multiple aspects of a child?s failure to mature and develop a resilient, adaptive character
structure. Each program places a unique emphasis on the various aspects of treatment.Mr Santa, please disclose which evidence-based models NATSAP programs use and any related research that might show efficacy. Many here have been asking for this for years. And don't toss out the "study" NATSAP recently funded. It has no merit and was conducted and presented by two women with ties to the industry. Your programs need to be licensed so the public can get some real data and statistics.
The result is 170 member programs each with a somewhat different blend of approaches, but all committed to the same basic principles of ethics and practice in which the value, dignity and safety of our students is paramount.Like Booby (woops Bobbi Trott) Christensen. She agreed in a settlement not to run another program following the deaths of several students and staff. So what does she do? Moved to another state and hung out her shingle. Shall we hold her up as another glowing example of NATSAP programs?
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/155 ... sed02.htmlSome allege that NATSAP opposes regulation and state licensure. We do not. This rumor is false. In fact, most NATSAP programs are fully licensed and accredited for all parts of their service. Only in states where appropriate licensure is not available for private programs is membership allowed without specific licensure.The nerve!! That's just a bald-faced lie. Here's the challenge Mr Santa- reveal on each program's page if they are licensed by the state and provide a link, and if not, why NATSAP condones them operating without a license. If a program provides Drug Abuse Treatment/Education services, then list which agency they are licensed or certified by and which of the "counselors" are certified to provide these services.
In such cases programs must still certify that they are in compliance with the NATSAP code of ethics and practice principles.What will HLAs consequence be for violating your Code of Ethics and Practice Principles? Does NATSAP condone their methods and procedures?
Indeed, NATSAP and its member programs have been
instrumental in lobbying states for strong regulation. As with any complex profession, we ask that regulation be deft, well informed and intelligently designed. We ask that regulators consider input from those who understand the profession, that the regulation recognize the unique qualities of programs, and that regulators do not simply apply standards designed for hospitals, extended stay hospitals , nursing facilities, detention centers, or traditional schools.Any committee considering this needs to have Activists helping design the regulations. With NATSAP assistance you were able to create a self-regulating board in Montana, with only one independent person out of five
who doesn't have ties to the industry (that I'm aware of). Self-regulation of any industry is just wrong. It should be a huge Red Flag for any parent considering a placement in Montana. By the way buddy, where are the rules and regs for Montana programs? I'd like to read them.
We welcome intelligent state regulation and encourage all states to consider the NATSAP ethical principles and practice standards as a basis for state regulation and licensure.I bet you do. I sure wish I could make the rules I have to follow in my business.
We resent well intentioned, but uninformed critics who call for restrictive and oppressive regulation that could eliminate professional, creative and competent alternatives to failed conventional diagnosis and care.In the interest of transparency, I want you to replace "creative" with Experimental.
Certainly we who operate NATSAP programs have our own tasks if we are to achieve a new level of trust. We must do a better job of educating the public about our programs and strive constantly to improve all aspects of what we do. We must operate with impeccable ethics. We must examine all of our individual and collective business practices to insure there is not even a perception of impropriety. Quality of care and safety in programs derive from our own self-study and efforts to improve our profession. Regulation and licensure are important, but not to create the ethics and practice standards of our profession. This we must do for ourselves.Heaven help us and protect the kids.
