P.S. Hannah was one of the students who moved to Carolina Springs from Dundee Academy in Costa Rica. When Dundee closed, our first priority was to get Hannah home. So we got to visit with Hannah for two days before she moved on to Carolina Springs. We were blunt, we shared the rumors of abuse and negligence we had heard in Costa Rica, and we let Hannah read the newspaper reports. Hannah assured us in her own words. "None of that happened" she told us. "It's really hard" she said, "and I miss my family, but I know that I am learning some very valuable things." Hannah had only been in Dundee ranch for a few months, and was still a level one with the fewest privileges and perks allowed. If anyone were to be negative about the school it would have been her. However after being in Dundee Ranch Hannah made the choice to go to Carolina Springs, because she knew it was in her best interest!!............ Its the same over and over amberly and the Brock twins all said they didn?t actually see abuse even though they first tried to put forth that argument and kid after kid has affirmed this was the case...Could Occam?s Razor be at work here (the principle that states the simplest solution in absence of other evidence is usually the truth) and we have a simple case of false allegations purported by vested interest and dubious persons that disrupted over 200 families and destroyed the lives of over 95 more? Truth is always independent of opinions. It is the knowledge of things as they are and were and how they are yet to be I was there and have over 100 other witnesses to the fact that abuse didn?t exist Now if there was in any form I wasn?t honestly aware and if in fact it did exist I would say let due process have its way and if a staff did something like that let them go after that person. I saw the training that went on every night where the staff would be quizzed and even sign off on the training that insured that abuse was not allowed in any form?. if some staff did something different they did so without the authorization or knowledge of the administration and if so I would be the first to say go after them but quit condemning a whole facility for the unauthorized ?theoretical actions of some staff who chose to not follow the ethics and codes of the company and the law??Again whoa unto them with eyes but will not see...I have included the following directly from my employee manual at Dundee that we were tested on nightly and therefore knew very well what the standards of the company was. I never was aware of any such violations that I personally witnessed in my 2 years there I even recall a meeting that Mr. Lichfield held with all staff and students in the cafeteria following the Brock twins accusations. Mr. Lichfield told the students that if they were being mistreated in any way to let the administration know immediately. He explained again the only circumstances directly from the testing that passive restraint could be used. He also told the Staff and students the administration would have a full investigation on any allegations of this and would not protect any staff that broke the company rules and if a staff ignored the training and chose on their own to do something else he would turn them in if they broke the law in regards to Abusing any student?
Personal Growth of Students:
Staffs are not allowed to treat students in the following manner:
1. Swearing at them
2. Making fun of them
3. Name calling or using nicknames
4. Belittling or demeaning them
5. Shouting at them
6. Refer to them in a derogatory manner
7. Using physical force other than for appropriate restraint according to training as taught in the Mandt or TLC trainings and only in cases of endangerment by students of property, themselves, staff or others.
8. Orders or commands should be replaced with request or invitations to cooperate.
9. Threats or intimidation
EMPLOYEE CODE OF CONDUCT
Definitions:
For the purposes of this rule:
1. Abuse to students will include but is not limited to:
A. A strike with open or closed fist, slap, tap, spank, kick, push, shove.
B. Any type of physical hitting or any type of physical punishment inflicted in any manner upon the body.
C. Physical exercises, such as running laps or performing push-up, except in accordance with an individual's service plan when such activities are approved by the physician and carefully supervised by the facility administration.
D. Requiring or forcing the individual to take an uncomfortable position, such as squatting or bending, or requiring or forcing the individual to repeat physical movements when used solely as a means of punishment.
E. Chemical, mechanical or physical restraints except when authorized by individual's Personal Growth plan and administered by appropriate personnel or when threat of injury to the client or other persons exists.
F. Assignment of unduly physically strenuous or harsh work.
G. Encouragement to engage in or failure to attempt to deter behavior inherently dangerous.
2. Maltreatment will include, but is not limited to:
A. Group punishments for misbehavior of individuals except in accordance with the program's written policy.
B. Verbal abuse; using language that impacts the well being of the individual. This may include but is not limited to name-calling, teasing, humiliation, ridicule, use of foul and abusive language etc.
C. Withholding any meal.
D. Excessive denial of ongoing program services or denial of any essential program service solely for disciplinary purposes.
E. Denial of visiting or communication privileges with family or significant others solely for disciplinary purposes.
F. Denial of sufficient sleep.
G. Requiring the individual to remain silent for long periods of time.
H. Denial of shelter, clothing or bedding.
I. Extensive withholding of emotional response or stimulation.
J. Exclusion of the individual from entry to the residence.
K. Failure to provide adequate supervision; including impairment of employee resulting in inadequate supervision. Impairment of an employee may include but is not limited to use of alcohol and drugs, illness, sleeping.
L. Failure to provide medical care and/or medical Personal Growth as prescribed or instructed by a physician.
3. Sexual abuse and sexual exploitation will include, but not be limited to:
A. Engaging in sexual intercourse with any student.
B. Touching the anus or any part of the genitals or otherwise taking indecent liberties, or causing an individual to take indecent liberties with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
C. Employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing or coercing an individual to pose in the nude for the purpose of sexual arousal of any person or for profit.
D. Employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing or coercing an individual to engage in any sexual or simulated sexual conduct for the purpose of photographing, filming, recording, or displaying in any way the sexual or simulated sexual conduct and includes displaying, distributing, possessing for the purpose of distribution, or selling material depicting nudity, or engaging in sexual or simulated sexual conduct.
E. Committing or attempting to commit acts of sodomy or molestation.
4. Exploitation will include, but is no limited to:
A. Utilizing the labor or power of an individual without giving just or equivalent return.
B. Taking or using property belonging to clients.
C. Selling items to clients.
D. Acceptance of gifts as a condition of receipt of program services.
Abuse, Neglect and Maltreatment Prohibited
1. No contracted individual, agency, or employee shall abuse or neglect any student.
A. No person shall cause physical injury to any student. All injury to clients (explained or unexplained) shall be documented and immediately reported to supervisory personnel.
B. Any person having reason to believe that any student has been subject to abuse shall immediately make a report to the Administrator.
C. No person by acting, failing to act, encouragement to engage in, or failure to deter from will cause any individual to be subject to maltreatment physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually.
D. Any person having reason to believe that any student has been subject to such maltreatment shall document the situation and immediately make a report to the Administrator.
Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation Prohibited
1. No contracted individual, agency, or employee shall sexually abuse or sexually exploit any student.
A. No person shall engage any individual as an observer or student in sexual acts.
B. Any person having reason to be believe that any student has been subjected to sexual abuse or exploitation shall document the situation and immediately make a report to the Administrator.
Student Exploitation Prohibited
1. No contracted individual, agency, or employee shall exploit any student.
A. No person shall make unjust or improper use of an individual or their resources for profit of advantage.
B. Any person having reason to be believed that any client has been subject to exploitation shall document the situation and immediately make a report to the Administrator.
Reporting Requirements
1. Any contracted individual, agency, or employee is responsible to document and report abuse, neglect, maltreatment and exploitation as outlined in this Code and cooperate fully in any resulting investigation.
A. Any person will immediately report abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation, in writing, to the Administrator. During weekends and on holidays such reports will be made to the District Office of Community Operations On-Call worker.
B. All reports and documentation made regarding situations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation will be made available upon request to the Administrator.
2. Any person, including, but not limited to, any social worker, physician, psychologist, chaperone, teacher, or employee, who has a reason to believe that any person has been subject to abuse, neglect, or exploitation, shall immediately notify in writing to the Administrator.
3. Anyone who, in good faith, makes such a report shall be immune from civil liability in connection with the report.
4. Any person required to report a suspected case of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, who willfully fails to do so, is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
5. Any person, who abuses, neglects, or exploits, is guilty of a third degree felony.
With any violations of these, the student has a right to file a grievance and disciplinary action would occur where appropriate.
