I work down the street from a Teen Challenge...

[Nihilanthic]

And they're actually tied in with my work.

I won't go into detail because I don't know what I can and can not say, so I won't. All I know is apparently they have a lot of vehicles and do more than just LGATs in public schools.

I'm thinking Ill go tomorrow (my day off) and find out some about them by... well, just asking! They seem proud enough to tell me, dunno how much they'll let slip though.

At any rate, what should I ask? What should I look for? What can I actually do productively? Causing a scene would just get me fired and ruin shit for my co-workers, which I do not want to do.

Also, fuck! I was hoping this would stay out of my personal life... c'est la vie!

[Nihilanthic]

Also, I thought teen challenge just did LGATs and left... seems they do a lot more.


Can someone fill me on on whats going on so I can explain this in detail? Any FACTS?

Mere suspicion isn't enough, at least a soft connection. I'm sick of getting yelled and sneered at for "seeing what isn't there", I need something to back up what I say.

[psy]

well.. when i was very young, this would have to be mid 80s, My mom used to recommend the place...  Why talk to me about this stuff?  Well my mom was a PO and she used to go on and on about the dangers of drugs.  She told me the only way to get off heroin was with the lord...  She said she recommended "Teen Challenge" to others.  She used to be a PO and apparantly bought into their claims of being 95% sucessful.  I remember that statistic vividly.  Some things...  I have the strangest memory.  I remember she told me this in front of McGruders grocery store in Annandale.  It was summertime.

Judging that this was the late 80s, the way Reagan (and Bush Sr.) pushed for Str8, and the current endorsement by DFAF, i'd say Teen Challenge is probably a "Christian" version of Straight.

But hey.  That's just a guess and a tidbit of trivia from mom.  She's sleeping now but tomorrow i'll ask her who recommend it to her, and how she first heard of it.  It would be interesting if they were directly marketing their program to members of law enforcement.

[Oz girl]

I think we have this organisation here. I understand they are run by the headslapping arm of Christianity but doesnt the patient have to be voluntary only?

[Troll Control]

What should you do, Niles?  Fucking firebomb their offices!  Kill 'em all and let the baby Jesus sort 'em out!

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any SPECIFICS and FACTS and LINKS to speak of?

[try another castle]

http://www.heal-online.org/childtortureusa.htm#flor9

Basic skinny on TCs in Florida. Their names, how many, etc.

Heal-Online's generic description of the history of TC:

Teen Challenge is the only group of programs endorsed by the Drug Free America Foundation (DFAF).  DFAF was founded by Mel Sembler, former owner and director of Straight, Inc. a confirmedly torturous group of institutions for teens.   Straight, Inc. was endorsed by former US presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.  In George W. Bush?s first term (2000-2004) he appointed Mel Sembler as US ambassador to Italy.  George W. Bush instituted the ?New Freedom Commission? in 2000.  The ?New Freedom Commission? is a group of psychiatrists and pharmaceutical lobbyists working to insure that every child in America is drugged and virtually enslaved through behavior modification.  Please do not sent your child to any Teen Challenge program. If you were abused or had your rights violated by Teen Challenge, please contact us and we will post your story here as a warning to others.

H-O's detailed description of TC related to a specific facility: (All other TC facilities listed on the site are given the generic definition listed above.)

West Florida Teen Challenge Boys? Ranch?in Bonifay, Florida is a confirmedly abusive teen program.  The contract parents must sign with Teen Challenge does not indicate that the school meets standards that might be roughly equivalent to state requirements.  The contract states that the Florida Association of Christian Child-Caring Agencies? (FACCCA) ?intent? is to ?insure the physical and spiritual health, safety, and well being? of the children and therefore that thee boy?s ranch must meet FACCCA?s ?minimum standards,? but the only one described in the contract is allowing access to public officials who inspect for fire, health, safety, and sanitation codes.  Parents have to agree to hold the ranch and its employees harmless from ?any and all liability? for injury to the child ?even injury resulting in death.?  Parents must agree ?that God desires that they resolve their dispute with one another within the church and that they be reconciled in their relationships in accordance with the principles stated in I Corinthians 6:1-8, Matthew 5:23-24, and Matthew 18:15-20.?  If they cannot resolve their disagreement privately within the church, parents must accept resolution through ?biblically based mediation? by rules of the Association of Christian Conciliation Services.  There is no refund of tuition or deposits if the boy leaves the ranch before 15 months even if the ranch has expelled him.  Several former students say that staff, ?use physical punishment, ridicule intimidate and/or verbally abuse children; use chemical restraints; employ cruel or humiliating treatment or other emotionally abusive behavior; assign excessive exercise or work duties, deny food, clothing, shelter, medical car, and/or prescribed therapeutic activities, or contacts with family, counselors, or legal representatives as a form of punishment.?  Please do not send your child to any Teen Challenge program.   Detailed report provided by Children?s Healthcare Is a Legal Duty, Inc. Nov. 4th, 2004 newsletter.

Other Florida-based Teen Challenge orgs.

Teen Challenge?FL, Inc. in Arcadia, FL

Teen Challenge Int?l?Florida in Orlando, (and cities of Sanford, Fort Myers, Pensacola, Tarpon Springs, Davie, Tampa) FL
 
Teen Challenge Lakeland Girls in Lakeland, FL

Teen Challenge Ministries in Jacksonville, FL

 Teen Challenge of Florida in Vero Beach, FL

Teen Challenge Women?s Center in Ft.Myers, FL

TC survivor site: (With ads galore.)
http://www.teenchallengeexposed.com/index.html

TC blogspot:
http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/

[nimdA]

Ok bub.. Time to put on your big boy pants. March your ass down the street and go inquire if you can volunteer. If they let you then volunteer for a couple hours a week.

Once you pass the background checks and are accepted as a volunteer this makes you a manditory reporter.

By law you will have to report abusive actions. Since your intentions aren't go get sucked into the crapola of the program you won't have to worry about being viewed as a punk for narcing on your fellow staff members.

Once on the inside take careful notes and when the opprotunity arises file the manditory reports. Get someone tossed in jail, and deliver hope to the detainees.

[Anonymous]

Digital cameras FTW.

[nimdA]

On top of that most cell phones have cameras on them now. Makes it even easier. Can send the photo off as soon as you take it. Hell.. even if you don't have a calling plan I'd still get a camera phone. Alot easier to have one of those in plain sight than your canon yakisoba boom daddy big mofo zoom lense and flash rig.

[Anonymous]

The GS-39 isn't much bigger than my fist, and there are a lot of cameras out there smaller than that.

But TSW's right, cell phones are less suspicious. Worse picture quality, though. But you can pretend to be talking to someone about something unrelated on it while pointing it in the direction of some abuse...

[nimdA]

luckily you don't have to worry about over all photoquality when in these situations. Having a time life quality photo isn't required. Have to say though my stundents go around clicking all sorts of photos with their camera phones and they get reasonably high quality shots.

[Anonymous]

I just need a lawyer to help me know what to look for...

[Ganja]

I just need a lawyer to help me know what to look for...

I asked a lawyer about this and he said to look for kids shittin' in the laundry bag, licking baseball bats & trying to jag each other in the ass with them, or putting each other's legs between two rocks and jumpin' up and down on 'em trying to snap each other's legs..... stuff like that.

[nimdA]

WTF? Since when does it take a damn lawyer to tell a home boy what the fuck abuse is?

Jesus christ.. Lemme break it down for you..

You see a staff member hit a kid.. You report it.

You see a staff member fondle a kid's junk. You report it.

You see a staff member slam a kid for no apparent cause. You report it.

You see a staff member curse and sware and flip out on a kid and say all sorts of nasty shit. YOu report it.

You see a staff member give sexual come ons to a kid. You report it.

Prolly more than that, but that should keep you busy for right now so go put on your big boi pants and go do what needs to be done.

***** big reminder... You never want to become friends with staff at these places. It makes it harder for you to report them. Staff has the  burden of having to rat out, or narcing on to you primitive cone heads from Cleveand, their coworkers if they call the authorities. You won't have to worry about this but if you do become friends you are placing yourself in a hell of a position. Also don't compromise yourself by trying to do favors for the residents. This will jeapardize your mission to protect them from psychotic staffers if you get caught.

Just do you damn job.. keep your head down.. and keep your eyes open.

You can do far more good by getting some fuckers thrown in jail than running notes to the outside for Timmy Twiddles who is doing 24 months on a car jacking charge.