Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Facility Question and Answers
Heritage School RTC in Provo, Utah
Anonymous:
hwo does she live if she's never had a job?
Lain the Odd:
I'm a survivor of several such programs, and I can safely say that *nobody* I knew or know from them saw any effect other than making things worse and making it impossible to trust anyone. I personally was one of those cases of more misguided/asshole parent than actual problem with no apparent solution (I was depressed. That was it), but... from my experience, it accomplished nothing but estranging my family and leaving me with PTSD.
As to specifics, i'm normally reluctant to talk about it, but if there's any chance of conveying an understanding of what kind of 'help' these places really provide, i'd do what I could.
And just as a final note.. a few of the red flags I noticed here:
-Utah. ESPECIALLY Provo. Irrelevant as that may seem, from what i've seen and heard they're just straight-up Bad Places.
-This 'hot seat' exercise. ANY such attack therapy is bad news.
-Matter of fact, most of that self-mastery thing is pretty sketchy. Watch out for the random invented terms and concepts.
-"Treatment teams" are often paid by referral to certain programs. Careful there.
-NATSAP. Organization known to get buddy-buddy with totally abusive programs.
-"Spirituality Program": Basically forcing Religion X upon "students", the problem with which should be obvious.
-It is the policy of Heritage Schools, Inc. that the adolescent has no outside contact for the first two weeks following admission... MAJOR one. Any supposed school that restricts any communication for any reason is probably not very good.
Just for starters.
Che Gookin:
--- Quote from: ""laylo2008"" ---You know -- I am just a 40-something worried and desperate mother of a child who is struggling with anxiety and depression related issues and who is failing school and showing a lot of anger. I am trying to get my child some help without harming or endangering her, and I have turned to this forum as a way to do that. I am not computer-illiterate, and I understand the terms "flame" and "troll" in general, but I have no idea what a "CCM girl flame/troll fest" is or why you would think that this post constitutes one.
Also, when you say the place has descended into a "shithole," I wonder specifically what you mean. Would my child be in danger there? Exposed to more dangerous conduct than what she is currently exhibiting? Not helped?
We are just seeking information so we can make a decision in the best interest of our teen.
--- End quote ---
Sorry about the vagueness of my post. I banged it out in a hurry. CCM girl presence tends to bring out the worst in alot of people, and I'm not willing to have that sort of chaos on my own forum. None of it was directed at you though and thank you for coming here to ask for help.
CCM girl might well have had a grand old time at Heritage. She did come from Cross Creek Manor where she was badly abused according to her own testimony.
So the analogy that fits in my mind to describe CCM girls experience would be as follows:
Pakistani Goat Herder is incarcerated in Gitmo for accidently wandering across the Afgahni border looking for his lost goats.
American Goverment then places him in a minimum security jail.
Of course he is going to believe he went from Hell right to heaven.. And no doubt CCM girl believes the same about her own experience.
The thing CCM girl forgets is that facilities change. Her own experience back in the 1990's doesn't reflect the testimony of recent survivors who've suffered at the hands of the Heritage at a more recent time.
http://http://www.heal-online.org/childtortureusa.htm
This link will take you to Heal's directory on abusive schools.
This is what Heal has to say about the place:
--- Quote ---Heritage House (aka The Heritage Schools) is located in Provo, UT and is highly suspected of being an abusive behavior modification program. HEAL downloaded the Heritage House admissions forms. Things they consider to be extreme behavioral problems in need of immediate intervention include: "cursing, challenging authority, homosexuality--but, they call it "sexual identity distress", sad/unhappy, argues, noncompliant, impulsive, overreacts, secretive (shows a need for privacy), stubborn, does not accept criticism, etc." These are all normal parts of growing up, establishing independence, and growing into one's own individuality/self. Heritage House uses physical restraints. In the contract, Heritage House explains that they control teen's contact with outside world including telephone privileges and monitoring incoming and outgoing mail (this is a civil rights violation, it violates the 4th, 8th, and 14th, amendments according to the Federal Court who has placed federal injunctions against this practice at other programs.) In the contract, "You have the right to refuse to participate in any research project". This is the parent's right, but, it does not apply to the teen. It suggests, and HEAL has other paperwork that confirms, that many of these programs are experimenting on the youth in them. Heritage House also uses "seclusion" as a punishment/disciplinary tool. Seclusion is solitary confinement and in many programs can last for months and permanently disable the child/teen mentally. Heritage House identifies their inmates by number, not name, like Provo Canyon School and like Nazi Germany. We recommend you do not subject your child to Heritage House. If you were abused or had your rights violated at Heritage House, please contact us and we will share your story here as a warning to others.
--- End quote ---
Good luck.
Covergaard:
I looked at the myspace groups because all programs have periods of better and worse
Various issues:
1) Past: Lower levels had to sleep in a bluelighted room because they had cameras running all night (and possible during the day also)
Present: The lowe levels can sleep in a room but the door into the room has to remain open at all time.
Level system: past
--- Quote ---Special Status (S.S.) after going to Crisis or running you were on S.S.
Level 1 (not much difference between S.S. and 1 no privelages)
Level 2 (got to go onto porch alone every 10 minutes check in)
Level 3 (got to go to room alone, and check out with other level 3's to horses or pool, or whatever!)
Level 4 (You had to be on level 3 for 8 weeks straight to be eligible, the therapist and staff met every 2 weeks to discuss levels)
Level 5 (I could count on one hand how many I saw in my 3+ years make 5)
--- End quote ---
Present:
--- Quote ---1: basically your nothing.. and get nothing
2: you could have a radio in your room and go off campus with the unit for rec activities
3: could check out to the porch, have a radio and head phones, and a radio in your room, you could go off campus with your unit or other units, and could also attend coed dances, and join the heritage sports teams, oh and you could get on campus jobs
4: everything a 3 can do plus check out to the circle with other level 4's and 5's and also go on 4 & 5 activites that were coed, and you could check out to other GIRLS units, and you could order food!
5: everything a 3 and 4 could do plus you could get an nsas with which you could go off campus by yourself for a certain amount of time and also get an off campus job.
we didnt get to check out to the pool or horses inless you were a 4 or 5 and there was another girls unit there
what you call crisis is now isu.... i personally never went there and maintained high levels the whole time i was there.. with over a year spent there was only dropped levels to a 1 one time besides entry level 1.
--- End quote ---
About education - you dont get it better in any programs
--- Quote ---we didnt have anything like getting to go to real school or anything like that.. or anything like that points system.. you could get removed, and end up in isu but thats about it
--- End quote ---
Then there is the isolation room. For how long are people put inside it? One of the largest transport firms, who cuffs and transport people around to many program has made a guide where they recommend that the use of isolation rooms do not exceed 2 hours.
I have also looked on Teton Peaks.
Their webside is here. It seems like a normal hospital lockdown and it is only something people should be put in if they are caught trying to commit suicide. I wont let my child live like that.
Late 2006 one in my family were committed voluntary because the individual were about committing suicide due to depression by not eating the life-supporting medicin. It was a so-called semi-open unit. No cords, a closed but not locked door, single bed room with absolutely no hiding spaces, clothed being checked for belts - anything that could be used wrongly. I had to visit the individual and be present while using a shaver etc. But there were no specific levels, privileges like walking down to the store inside the hospital, walking on the property, off the property were decided every day on a meeting. The individual were kicked out after 16 days and transferred to day-treatment because the family took over working shifts monitoring the progress. It was hard.
Why are there not places out there where people are treated with somewhat decency and where they dont have to earn things?
CCM girl 1989:
Hey Che,
You have it backwards. I was at Heritage for 3 1/2 years, then was transferred to Cross Creek Manor for 9 months. Just wanted to clear that up.
I've actually spoken to numerous students to see what Heritage is like these days. I was curious since after all I did spend a pretty long time there! Anyway, the program has changed for the better in my opinion. More therapy, less strict. Unfortunately, you do have to have have some rules. Sorry, but it's true. They just don't let you run wild!
CCM girl 1989
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