A Level of Misinformation

[Doug Wever]

I have worked program accreditation on the govt. side (State of FL Dept. of H.R.S.), secular treatment therapy (Youth Villages), and I was the national accreditatation manager for Teen Challenge for five years.  In an organization with over 200 centers just in the U.S. with roughly 2,000 beds, there are going to be issues and incidents for sure.  

I am not necessarily interested in defending TC; however, I am cautioned by anecdotal incidents that are posted and stated as descriptive of TC in general - particularly when in some cases, these incidents are in direct conflict with Teen Challenge's own accreditation standards for operation.  Individuals and centers are disciplined and centers can and have lost the right to use the name "Teen Challenge."  Anyway, I'll answer any questioned posed regarding actual policies, how they are enforced, and why they exist.

[Chaz]

Doug...

I will not get into detail... I simply wanted to post that my experience over 6 months at a TC centre was a farce.  I entered as a mature 30-something a few years ago.  I am educated and was professionally employed upon entering the centre.  I had uncharacteristically started using drugs during a very challenging time in my life.

The approach and practices I experienced were a farce.  Although I will say the individuals were well-meaning.  I am now clean and sober for about a year and a half and have found tremendous recovery through other approaches.

I personally witnessed gross lies and misrepresentations by the staff and administrators.  As one of the more mature "students" with experience in business negotiation, I was asked to speak for the student group.  That experience was also negative.

The counselor assigned to us, although well-meaning, was completely unqualified.  He was a retired Pentecostal Minister who knew nothing of drug and alcohol addiction and had no experience counseling.  The Executive Director was known to drink socially.  The organization hired many untrained, unqualified staff.  One of whom, as feared, ended up stealing from the students to go out on a relapse.

A student remanded to the facility by the jail system left without an escort and went out on a relapse.  The leadership did not report the incident and later lied to a judge about it.

These are not anecdotal incedents.  They are very serious and the lives of many wide-eyed hopeful would-be recovering people are at stake.  

More recently, I assisted a former employee of another Teen Challenge facility bring genuine concerns to the board of that facility.  Concerns such as abuse, misuse of money, misrepresentation to local government, and unsafe and illegal use of a vehicle.  All matters were swept under the rug and kept from the public and donors.

The director of this facility is known to be anything but a man of his word.  I can provide evidence of these allegations and poduce witnesses.  

I have no doubt that Teen Challenge was once a great organization doing an effective work.  I doubt this is the case in many instances.

I am simply posting this experience wherever possible.  Let me know if it is of any meaning.

Chaz

[Chaz]

Doug...

I will not get into detail... I simply wanted to post that my experience over 6 months at a TC centre was a farce.  I entered as a mature 30-something a few years ago.  I am educated and was professionally employed upon entering the centre.  I had uncharacteristically started using drugs during a very challenging time in my life.

The approach and practices I experienced were a farce.  Although I will say the individuals were well-meaning.  I am now clean and sober for about a year and a half and have found tremendous recovery through other approaches.

I personally witnessed gross lies and misrepresentations by the staff and administrators.  As one of the more mature "students" with experience in business negotiation, I was asked to speak for the student group.  That experience was also negative.

The counselor assigned to us, although well-meaning, was completely unqualified.  He was a retired Pentecostal Minister who knew nothing of drug and alcohol addiction and had no experience counseling.  The Executive Director was known to drink socially.  The organization hired many untrained, unqualified staff.  One of whom, as feared, ended up stealing from the students to go out on a relapse.

A student remanded to the facility by the jail system left without an escort and went out on a relapse.  The leadership did not report the incident and later lied to a judge about it.

These are not anecdotal incedents.  They are very serious and the lives of many wide-eyed hopeful would-be recovering people are at stake.  

More recently, I assisted a former employee of another Teen Challenge facility bring genuine concerns to the board of that facility.  Concerns such as abuse, misuse of money, misrepresentation to local government, and unsafe and illegal use of a vehicle.  All matters were swept under the rug and kept from the public and donors.

The director of this facility is known to be anything but a man of his word.  I can provide evidence of these allegations and poduce witnesses.  

I have no doubt that Teen Challenge was once a great organization doing an effective work.  I doubt this is the case in many instances.

I am simply posting this experience wherever possible.  Let me know if it is of any meaning.

Chaz

[Chaz]

Doug...

I will not get into detail... I simply wanted to post that my experience over 6 months at a TC centre was a farce.  I entered as a mature 30-something a few years ago.  I am educated and was professionally employed upon entering the centre.  I had uncharacteristically started using drugs during a very challenging time in my life.

The approach and practices I experienced were a farce.  Although I will say the individuals were well-meaning.  I am now clean and sober for about a year and a half and have found tremendous recovery through other approaches.

I personally witnessed gross lies and misrepresentations by the staff and administrators.  As one of the more mature "students" with experience in business negotiation, I was asked to speak for the student group.  That experience was also negative.

The counselor assigned to us, although well-meaning, was completely unqualified.  He was a retired Pentecostal Minister who knew nothing of drug and alcohol addiction and had no experience counseling.  The Executive Director was known to drink socially.  The organization hired many untrained, unqualified staff.  One of whom, as feared, ended up stealing from the students to go out on a relapse.

A student remanded to the facility by the jail system left without an escort and went out on a relapse.  The leadership did not report the incident and later lied to a judge about it.

These are not anecdotal incedents.  They are very serious and the lives of many wide-eyed hopeful would-be recovering people are at stake.  

More recently, I assisted a former employee of another Teen Challenge facility bring genuine concerns to the board of that facility.  Concerns such as abuse, misuse of money, misrepresentation to local government, and unsafe and illegal use of a vehicle.  All matters were swept under the rug and kept from the public and donors.

The director of this facility is known to be anything but a man of his word.  I can provide evidence of these allegations and poduce witnesses.  

I have no doubt that Teen Challenge was once a great organization doing an effective work.  I doubt this is the case in many instances.

I am simply posting this experience wherever possible.  Let me know if it is of any meaning.

Chaz