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Messages - aiea

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The Troubled Teen Industry / Re: Can Wilderness Camps Kill Your Kid?
« on: March 21, 2010, 04:12:13 PM »
The answer is yes, but so can walking across the street or sending your kid to school.  The key is as a parent reducing the risks of harm need to be looked at.

Some programs are poorly designed and dangerous, wonder why more kids don't die.  However, there are excellent programs out there that work well also.  A parent should not be making the choice alone, they should be getting recommendations from a therapist and MD for what is best for your kid.  Most deaths have been the result of staff not understanding the history and medical needs of the youth.  You do not send a kid who was high on drugs the previous month on a forced hike in 90 degree heat, it is a death wish.  Many programs are forcing kids to do things that they physically cannot do because of past drug problems.  A good program will know the physical limitations of each kid and not push those limitations.  Many kids should never be put into a wilderness program.

Some kids do extremely well and have fond memories, that is usually a kid that was sent to a program that met their needs both physically and mentally.  Research is important and just because a place is licensed does not mean they are qualified.  Don't knock the entire industry because of the bad programs, it denies the help that some really need.  Educate parents so they know what to look for and stay away from the bad programs.

Changing the laws and regulations would help.  Make it so every program must have well trained staff in the wilderness including a therapist and medical staff.   Requiring owners and key staff to be therapist will also help.  Most bad programs rely on cheap untrained staff.  Restricting failed programs from re-opening under a different name and same ownership would make a difference.  Creating a certification and ethics requirement standard.

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New Info / Re: STORM RIDGE RANCH ??
« on: March 21, 2010, 03:44:14 PM »
I have an in depth knowledge about Storm Ridge which includes the status of employee.  It is a legit operation licensed by the state of Utah however; I would never send my kids to their program.  Problems I see.  Owners:  they also serve as directors and overall control.  They do not have any specific or professional training in working with youth, they got started after being a proctor home.  When I worked there I was the only staff with professional training and a degree relevant to the work.  The therapy staff are contract therapist that come a few times a week, seldom do they ever provide more than 40 minutes with a youth.  The therapist themselves are qualified but there is not a therapeutic team with the staff.  Without more staff involvement, little can be done in therapy.  School is largely run by the owners daughter who does not have a degree or license to teach school.  I believe there is one qualified teacher that is on the list to qualify for a school.  Most kids claim the school is a joke and that the "teachers" are unable to help them understand the concepts because they don't know anything.  It is basically home study courses.  Some of the staff do well but overall they have no training in behavioral modification.  Their lack of professional training means they aren't effective.  Kids that succeed in the program either do it through manipulating staff or the kids would have shaped up on their own at home with some outpatient therapy.  The food is the worst quality I have ever seen, my dog would not eat the food, they claim it has been "approved" by a nutritionist.  The ranch aspect is a joke and every BLM/NFS (ranch uses federal land for grazing) employee who knows them have nothing good to say.  Only a select few get to actually work with the animals and the method of working with animals is inhumane (horse hoofs are never trimmed, use of chickens to beat the dogs, physically hitting to hurt the cows, poor care overall).  The horses they use are bought cheap at the auction and are not trained, especially for unskilled youth.  Many youth only get to ride 1-2 times their entire stay.  In the words of several youth, they are "very unprofessional".  Money...they do it all for money.  In staff meetings they have identified which kids parents have money and who doesn't.  The rich ones are targeted (set up) to have failures and stay longer, the ones out of money somehow quickly become ready to graduate.  Staff read and approve letters to home and listen to all personal phone calls to avoid any negative news to parents.  This outfit is unethical, unprofessional, and not trained.  It is too bad because they have a good set up and have the potential to be a good program.  Never trust them.  

I would suggest to only consider a program where the staff have professional degrees, the director /owner should be at the masters level, there should be licensed therapist that are integrated into the program.  Just my experience...

[I am not a disgruntled employee.  When I worked there they did not know all my qualifications.  I have over 20 yrs working with youth, trained clinical social worker -MSW, and have owned a few agencies working with youth.]

3
New Info / Re: STORM RIDGE RANCH ??
« on: March 21, 2010, 03:42:54 PM »
I have an in depth knowledge about Storm Ridge which includes the status of employee.  It is a legit operation licensed by the state of Utah however; I would never send my kids to their program.  Problems I see.  Owners:  they also serve as directors and overall control.  They do not have any specific or professional training in working with youth, they got started after being a proctor home.  When I worked there I was the only staff with professional training and a degree relevant to the work.  The therapy staff are contract therapist that come a few times a week, seldom do they ever provide more than 40 minutes with a youth.  The therapist themselves are qualified but there is not a therapeutic team with the staff.  Without more staff involvement, little can be done in therapy.  School is largely run by the owners daughter who does not have a degree or license to teach school.  I believe there is one qualified teacher that is on the list to qualify for a school.  Most kids claim the school is a joke and that the "teachers" are unable to help them understand the concepts because they don't know anything.  It is basically home study courses.  Some of the staff do well but overall they have no training in behavioral modification.  Their lack of professional training means they aren't effective.  Kids that succeed in the program either do it through manipulating staff or the kids would have shaped up on their own at home with some outpatient therapy.  The food is the worst quality I have ever seen, my dog would not eat the food, they claim it has been "approved" by a nutritionist.  The ranch aspect is a joke and every BLM/NFS (ranch uses federal land for grazing) employee who knows them have nothing good to say.  Only a select few get to actually work with the animals and the method of working with animals is inhumane (horse hoofs are never trimmed, use of chickens to beat the dogs, physically hitting to hurt the cows, poor care overall).  The horses they use are bought cheap at the auction and are not trained, especially for unskilled youth.  Many youth only get to ride 1-2 times their entire stay.  In the words of several youth, they are "very unprofessional".  Money...they do it all for money.  In staff meetings they have identified which kids parents have money and who doesn't.  The rich ones are targeted (set up) to have failures and stay longer, the ones out of money somehow quickly become ready to graduate.  Staff read and approve letters to home and listen to all personal phone calls to avoid any negative news to parents.  This outfit is unethical, unprofessional, and not trained.  It is too bad because they have a good set up and have the potential to be a good program.  Never trust them.  

I would suggest to only consider a program where the staff have professional degrees, the director /owner should be at the masters level, there should be licensed therapist that are integrated into the program.  Just my experience...

[I am not a disgruntled employee.  When I worked there they did not know all my qualifications.  I have over 20 yrs working with youth, trained clinical social worker -MSW, and have owned a few agencies working with youth.]

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