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Topics - ZenAgent

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31
Peninsula Village / TN: 502 claims of abuse since 2004
« on: March 03, 2008, 02:57:04 PM »
http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=7954113


Tenn. had 502 claims of abuse at juvenile facilities since 2004


NASHVILLE (AP) -- Officials report Tennessee had 502 claims of abuse at state-run juvenile facilities from 2004 through mid-2007.

According to statistics supplied by the state to The Associated Press, 14 of the abuse reports were substantiated.

There were 450 employees at the state's 16 juvenile facilities reprimanded or fired during the same period, but the reasons were not specified in information gathered by the AP.

More than 4,900 juveniles were treated for physical injuries during the time, most of them resulting from fights or sports.

The state reports one death, a suicide in 2004.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

32
The Troubled Teen Industry / Hermitage/Chad Youth Enhancement Protest
« on: March 03, 2008, 11:41:27 AM »
This off my usual PV "fixation", but definitely a good thing - would anybody else be interested in doing a double header protest of Chad and Hermitage in one day this April?  They're close enough to get adequate time at both to distribute fliers/protest.  We'll have coverage from sympathetic media in Nashville, already confirmed.  Getting to both in one day is unique.  The reporter is Elizabeth Ulrich from the Nashville Scene, the biggest free weekly paper in the city.  She's been doing a series on Chad/Hermitage that's been great, and she's interested in learning more about the whole wretched industry.

We can discuss accommodations for the travelers, and I'm sure we can find a day in April that will fit the schedules of everyone who wants to participate.  PM me.

Meanwhile, here are links to what Elizabeth has been writing:

http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/N ... ndex.shtml

http://www.isaccorp.org/documents/hermi ... 13.07.html

http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/C ... With_Care/

http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/N ... ndex.shtml

33
Peninsula Village / PV Blog (Author: SettleForNothingLess)
« on: February 28, 2008, 03:04:53 PM »
Quote from: "SettleForNothingLess"
http://peninsulavillage-survivor.blogspot.com/

34
Peninsula Village / Pegler's a fraud
« on: February 20, 2008, 05:36:21 PM »
What exactly is the educational background of PV's new program director, Bob Pegler?  Is he a licensed health service provider in TN?  According to the PV website on July 9, 2006, Pegler was a state licensed psychologist and health service provider and a member of the APA.  I highlighted the questionable degree and licenses.
   

Bob Pegler, CAS

   

Program Manager, Residential Services

Education:
# Certified Addiction Specialist
# Certified ROPES Facilitator


Professional Affiliations/Licensure:
# American Psychological Association & Appalachian Psychoanalytic Association
# Licensed Psychologist/Health Service Provider, Tennessee

Other:
As Program Manager, Bob is responsible for The Boys and Girls Cabin Program, as well as Activity Therapy Services. He has a background working with adolescents in treatment settings for over 20 years. He was one of the founding staff at Peninsula Village in 1986. He has a background as an Activity Therapist, and has specialized in Addiction Therapy since 1984, when he helped in creating the Youth Chemical Dependency Unit at Peninsula Hospital. He lives with his family in Knoxville, and has two adolescents of his own.

On Staff at Peninsula Village Since: 2004



Do they have a psychology program where they teach the ropes crap?  Dunno.  But now:


Bob Pegler, CAS
Program Director



Education:
# Certified Addiction Specialist
# Certified ROPES Facilitator
# Certified Interventionist

Professional Affiliations:
# Tennessee Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors
# National Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors

Other:
As the Program Director of Peninsula Village, Bob is responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of the program. Bob also manages Recovery Services, Activity Therapy, Admissions and Community and Alumni Relations. Bob facilitates weekly recovery groups and chemical dependency education groups with the outdoor cabin groups as well as the Admission and Assessment Units. He assisted in developing a Family Relapse Prevention Group for patients and families nearing program completion. Bob also co-facilitates alumni and family support groups in Atlanta, GA, and Raleigh, NC. Bob has over 25 years experience working with adolescents with substance abuse issues.




Where did the psychology license go?  Call the fraud patrol PV is laying down a con.  Imagine that.

35
Peninsula Village / Re: The (unofficial) Village Photo Album
« on: February 16, 2008, 12:34:29 PM »
...and a lovely view of the hospital.  Love the wire overhang, very Auschwitz. 


36
Peninsula Village / The (Not-So) New Regime at PV
« on: February 14, 2008, 09:12:37 AM »
http://www.strugglingteens.com/artman/p ... 0213.shtml

Peninsula Village
Louisville, TN

Staff Changes At Peninsula Village


Contact:
Kelly Roberts
Coordinator, Community and Alumni Relations
865-380-4452
www.peninsulavillage.org

February 11, 2008

Dear Colleague,

Please allow me to introduce myself: I am Dr. Marianne Oliveira, Administrator of Peninsula Village. I have recently returned to employment with Peninsula. Some of you may know me, but for those who don't, I will share a bit of my professional background. I have been in healthcare my entire career. I have undergraduate degrees in nursing and psychology, a Master's Degree in Public Health and a Ph.D. in Public Health Education. My focus during my doctoral studies was in mental health and Social Work. I am not new to Peninsula or the Covenant Health System. I have served Covenant Health as a leader for 18 years, including 13 years at Peninsula Hospital as clinical director and administrator.

I am writing to inform you of some leadership team changes at the Village. I want you to know that Peninsula Village remains committed to providing our patients the very best in clinical care. We understand what it means to be worthy of the trust you put in us when you send a patient to us. As an administrator, I take very seriously the responsibility for having the right people in the right positions to achieve long term success for our patients and their families.

Toward this end, there has been a reorganization of leadership positions at Peninsula Village. These people, along with family therapists and other staff join in the commitment to building an environment of excellent service and a culture of teamwork. I believe there is no substitute for experience, as evidenced by the proven track record of the following individuals.

Reggie Raman, M.D., is the full-time psychiatrist for Peninsula Village. Dr. Raman has served as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Peninsula Hospital since January 2000 and as Chief of Staff for the Peninsula system from 2005-2007. In his role as the Village psychiatrist, Dr. Raman is responsible for the psychiatric care and medication management of all Peninsula Village patients. Dr. Raman has a key role in the Interdisciplinary Treatment Teams. He also serves as a member of the Village Leadership Team. Dr. Raman completed his residency at University of South Carolina Child and Adolescent Residential Program from 1997-1999, where he also served as Chief Resident. He is Board Certified in Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Raman has developed strong Child and Adolescent Inpatient programs at Peninsula Hospital over the past eight years, and patients in these programs have experienced excellent outcomes. All who have worked with Dr. Raman have found him to be professional in all aspects of his position, and a tremendous team member.

Bob Pegler, CAS is Program Director and provides oversight for all operational aspects of the program. Mr. Pegler, a founding staff member and member of the Village Leadership Team, has more than 25 years service with Peninsula. He is also responsible for the management of the Peninsula Village Chemical Dependency Recovery Program, Activity Therapy, Admissions and Community Relations. Mr. Pegler facilitates weekly recovery groups and chemical dependency education groups with the outdoor cabin groups as well as the Admission and Assessment Units. He also co-facilitates alumni and family support groups in Atlanta, Georgia, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Barbara Taylor, Ph.D. has returned to Peninsula Village as Clinical Director following a short leave of absence. Dr. Taylor provides clinical leadership for all programs. She previously served the Village as Clinical Director of the Boy's Program, and subsequently as the Coordinator of Psychological Services. In her role as Clinical Director, Dr. Taylor, who has 30 years of clinical experience, provides direct clinical care to patients at the Village and provides clinical oversight of all aspects of treatment planning and service delivery. She serves on the Village Leadership Team oversees all psychological testing, individual therapy services and supervise doctoral students who are placed at the Village each year by the University of Tennessee's School of Psychology.

Jean Bolding, L.C.S.W. joins the Village clinical team as Director of Family Therapy.
Ms. Bolding, who holds a Master's Degree in Social Work, has returned to Peninsula Village after four years at another behavioral health organization. Ms. Bolding has more than two decades of experience as a family therapist, having served Peninsula Village as a family therapist from 1990-1995, and as Director of Family Therapy from 1995-2004. Ms. Bolding supervises the Village Family Therapy Department, currently comprised of seven masters-prepared therapists. She brings a wealth of experience into treatment planning and family education. Ms. Bolding is also an approved field instructor for social work students through the U.T. College of Social Work. She serves on the Village Leadership Team.

Todd Roberts, who has worked at Peninsula Village for 17 years, continues in his role as Director of Continuum Services. In this capacity, Mr. Roberts oversees the day-to-day operations of the nursing department, utilization review and medical records, and Peninsula Village School. He is also the Peninsula Village Health and Safety Officer. Todd is a member of the Peninsula Behavioral Education Steering Team, the Peninsula Revenue Cycle Team, and the Village Leadership Team.

I have every confidence this team of experienced, highly qualified and dedicated individuals will ultimately serve the best interests of our patients. Please know that I am available for you if you wish to discuss how we can be of better service to you, or anything else about Peninsula Village. Feel free to reach me by email at [email protected], or directly at my Village office, (865) 970-1246.


Sincerely,

Marianne Oliveira, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N.
Vice President
Peninsula Outpatient and Residential Services



Barbara Taylor is listed in the Village Vision as having quit, not taking a leave of absence.  I can only guess the issues she had with PV are3 gone now...the issues being McLain, Petty, and Ameel.

Jean Bolding?  Oh, man, she's got a history at PV...she refused to deliver the letter to Andrew Klepper from a MD judge ordering him back...she's the therapist who testified at Matthew Grant's murder trial about his time at PV, and effectively sealed his fate with her questionable testimony, and she was called by the defense team.

37
The Troubled Teen Industry / StrugglingTeens changes their tune
« on: February 14, 2008, 09:02:24 AM »
When I googled strugglingteens, this new catch phrase came up:

"Provides alternatives to military schools and boot camps for at-risk teens."

Lon, you're back-sliding, pal.  You used to have your advertising groups set-up to include boot camps and military-style programs prominently. God, what a bunch of feeble, mealy-mouthed...

That's how you rise to  the challenge, Lon?

38
The Troubled Teen Industry / Troll rights
« on: February 08, 2008, 02:58:06 PM »
So, does this mean as long as you're anonymous, you can slag Sue Scheff?

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20 ... s-too.html?

nonymous trolls on the Internet are allowed to remain anonymous, a judge in a California appeals court ruled yesterday. Not only that, but they're allowed to exercise their First Amendment rights and speak their minds, no matter how scathing their comments may be. The court opinion reversed a previous decision that would have allowed Lisa Krinsky, COO of a Florida-based drug service company, to subpoena 10 anonymous Yahoo message board posters' real names.

The story starts out like this. 10 anonymous individuals posted on Yahoo's message boards in 2005 about Krinsky, her company (SFBC), and two other officers at her company. These posters regularly made what the judge described as "scathing verbal
attacks" against these officers. This included referring to the trio as "a management consisting of boobs, losers and crooks," and with one poster (Doe 6) describing Krinsky when he said "I will reciprocate felatoin [sic] with Lisa even though she has fat thighs, a fake medical degree, 'queefs' and has poor feminine hygiene."

Krinsky left SFBC in December of 2005 and filed the lawsuit in January of 2006, which Doe 6 attempted to quash. In April of 2006, a superior court judge said that Doe 6 was "trying to drive down the price of [plaintiff's] company to manipulate the stock
price, sell it short and so forth," according to court documents seen by Ars. The court also suggested that "[a]ccusing a woman of unchastity [...] calling somebody a crook . . . saying that they have a fake medical degree, accusing someone of a criminal act, accusing someone—impinging [sic] their integrity to practice in their chosen profession historically have been libel per se." The court then denied Doe 6's motion to quash.

The appeals court acknowledged that the Wild West of the Internet is still bound by rules about libel, and that especially in the corporate and financial arena, people's reputations and entire companies can suffer damages as rumors spread over the 'Net. Still, the judge ruled that what Doe 6 had posted were not assertions of "actual fact" and therefore not actionable under Florida's defamation law, despite being "unquestionably offensive and demeaning." Therefore, Doe 6's statements are still protected under the First Amendment, and he is entitled to all costs involved in his appeal.

The decision comes just weeks after two Yale law students were dealt a similar blow in their own case against anonymous forum bashers. They had filed a lawsuit against a number of anonymous posters on AutoAdmit.com who were advocating that others physically assault, rape, and sodomize them if at all possible. The two plaintiffs, however, were unable to get the IP addresses of these posters and have therefore been largely unsuccessful in identifying them. While the attacks made by the AutoAdmit posters may or may not be legally protected (they are threats, after all), we will likely never find out thanks to vigorous data deletion policies.

Further reading:

    * Krinsky v. Doe H030767 (PDF)
    * California court bars unmasking of Web critic

39
Peninsula Village / Former PV counselor's opinions
« on: February 05, 2008, 02:56:26 PM »
_ Zen Agent:_________
Thanks for posting, it's interesting to hear from a PV counselor who went through the Covenant transition. The program is off the rails these days. If you don't mind me asking, were you there when Dr. Vance Sherwood was clinical director, and do you know if Bob Pegler has a degree in Psychology? I appreciate any input you might have from your time there.


Reply from expvstaff
Honestly, I'm a bit unsure about posting here. It is very upsetting to me to read from folks (you included) about what the Village is seen as now or how it was experienced. This guy Turtle was there when I was there, and I surely worked with him. I felt like most of what I did (what PV did too) was helpful and therapeutic and probably unique. I worked with an Administrator who often agreed to keep a kid for an extra 2 or 3 months after the expiration of insurance benefits because that's what they needed. We did discharge kids who ran out of benefits sometimes but I really felt like we had a good relationship with many families and many insurance companies.

It's hard to reconcile that spirit of goodwill and energy with what is being related here. Not saying we saved everyone or turned every kid around, but I was proud of what we did and knew that I was making a difference. That was very important to me, because I knew that we were tough and demanding.

Covenant opened up the floodgates of state-custody kids (foregoing the majority private insurance kids) and that brought in huge numbers of very challenging patients who were facility-hardened and not interested in therapy. They were much angrier on the whole, and staff assaults (and consequently, PCI's) went up.

I worked with Dr. Sherwood and found him to be a pretty brilliant guy, actually. His ideas on group dynamics (treat the individual by creating a group dynamic that rewarded the group for an individual's efforts) were a key to what we did. He felt that since peer pressure is one of the biggest influences on adolescents, then that should be used to help in positive ways. Working with Dr. Sherwood was one of the better things about working there for me. He struggled with the Covenant transition and left by the 1997 or so.

Bob Pegler, as I said, doesn't resemble to me the person described in some of the posts. Bob's "gift", to me, was a natural ability to get to the heart of the matter with kids who desperately needed to be understood. He was a no b.s. kind of guy but I never


Zen Agent
29 November 2007, 11:52

Thanks for the insight into the old PV. I think they suffer from program drift and the corporate bottom line mentality. DCS quit referring kids to PV after some unknown disaster, so PV may be suffering from a drought of patients.

 expvstaff
1 December 2007, 11:50
    

I absolutely think that bringing in more kids in state custody compromised the program in many ways. You ended up getting more patients who spent longer times in STU or whose goals for treatment were modified to no longer include a stay in the cabin program. We saw kids come in and we knew that we'd only have them for 3 or 4 months; once they were "stabilized" in STU, they were discharged to group homes, foster care, home, or other facilities. Naturally, they often had little motivation to progress as they knew they were short-timers. The use of group dynamics and treating the individual by treating the group seemed, in my opinion, less effective. Some of the state patients had no interest in progressing. When you've been in 15 different placements in 3 years and you're hopeless as a result, it is really difficult to believe that anything that you do is actually going to make a difference or that somehow you can break the cycle.

Beyond that, some of the newer patients were nuts. Just totally screwed up and at times psychotic. Pardon my frankness, but they weren't budging from their orientation to the world, and it didn't matter to some of them if they destroyed the group dynamics. They were scared, scarred, and damaged and they weren't giving in, no way, no how.

An unused cabin on both the boys and girls campuses were then utilized as "STU cabins", with round-the-clock awake staffing (as opposed to regular cabin staffing in which the counselors slept at night). Some cabin staff and some STU staff transferred to those programs; others were hired directly and trained specifically for these hybrids.

I believe that a security alarm system was rigged up for the STU cabins, in the event of a restraint or something. I know that lighting was an issue, and so a system with car batteries and lanterns was used so the overnight staff could record patient notes and more easily monitor the patients.

These "developments" further moved PV away from its origins as a unique environment designed to treat the treatment-resistent adolescent and into a place that seemed poised to mine whatever they could from whatever was out there.

Dr. Sherwood eventually grew disillusioned with the changes and left as well, I think by 1997. 






Message from expvstaff
1 December 2007, 14:36
   

after reading here (and on Fornits) about that counselor, I searched a bit and found the links and your email exchanges with her. It looks like her MySpace pages are gone, by the way.

One of the great fears about bringing in new staff is that, especially after Covenant came in, salary and standards were lowered (high school diploma okay instead of BS degree preferably in psych) and you got people with all manner of experience and inexperience. I know that there were a few people hired who had worked up at Mountain View in Dandridge, which was pretty different from PV at the time. PV ended up taking people who were less qualified and were willing to work for less money. A bad combination, as it turned out. We could no longer be as exclusive and picky when it came to hiring, as other places paid more.

I'm trying to remember some specifics about family therapy. FT was required but it usually wouldn't start face-to-face until after the kid had been in STU for about a month or had reached the 2nd level. That was one of the "carrots" that was held out to newbies. "See your family when you get to level 2."

I worked with some awesome family therapists who pushed and prodded, supported and examined, and worked those family dynamics. That went really well when there was an actual family involved. As I mentioned before, that happened a lot less with patients in state custody. Therapists began to come and go a bit more around 1993 or '94 and also as before, when that happened you lost that history, that sense of purpose that PV had early on. The newer FT's were professional but, if my memory is correct, were often pretty new and inexperienced. FT was a key component of what we were doing since the family was the preferred placement upon discharge. Patients were given TA's (therapeutic assignments) home for the weekend to "try out" coping strategies with the family in the months prior to discharge. Again, that was something that happened with kids who were at the Bear level (level 2 of 4) in the cabins.

I don't recall many instances of parents who were actively questioning what we were doing in the early 90's. Certainly we weren't given carte blanche and did whatever we wanted; I think it was more of a comprehensive approach to treatment that kept them involved and informed.

We had kids who got pulled out early (according to our treatment plan) by parents who had issues or grew impatient o



Zen Agent to expvstaff
1 December 2007, 16:41

Your last message got cut-off at the end - is there a word limit? The staff's blog disappeared after I emailed a link to PV's administrator and CC'd it to HIPAA/OHRS.

We were not allowed to question the program, anywhere. All we were told was "If you're against the program you're against your child". We were given a guideline that made the rounds of the mental health professionals we know, including some from CAFETY- to a person, all were shocked.

The program lost its direction, that's obvious. Every PV clinician we encountered seemed de-sensitized and intolerant of parental concerns, openly laughing at some questions and occasionally losing their tempers when questions came up they did not want to think about. One psychologist flipped when questioned about PV's success statistics - my wife knew they were based on a questionnaire sent to 121 people, I believe. Anyway, only 33% returned them, and that was PV's database. The psychologist got angry when this was brought up and growled "Why are you ASKING these questions?'




expvstaff
1 December 2007, 16:57
   

   
oh shoot...hate to see that it got cut off. It was a good one

I guess my main point is that parents were involved in therapy from the beginning, even if their kids were in STU and unable to attend FT meetings due to their level. Parents still came in for sessions. Dr. Sherwood believed that kids needed to take responsibility for what they were doing now as a result of things that had happened to them earlier in their lives...that they couldn't go back in time to figure out what had happened to them but would benefit instead from trying to understand how things in the past (and at home) were affecting them currently. FT was a big part of that, so I don't think that it is necessarily correct that he (or PV at the time) didn't promote FT or attempt to treat the family as a unit.

40
Peninsula Village / Re: A Place to Post PV Experiences
« on: January 31, 2008, 08:00:08 PM »
by PennyLaneJane, Feb 09, 2007 12:00AM
 
You know what. I think I do know what you are talking about now!  I just remembered something today when I read your last response.

When I was a young 13-year-old, I did not get along with my parents for various reasons.. My mother sent me to a Mental status tests hospital... and after three months of being there I was then sent to a place called ''peninsula villiage'' which is were all the staff tries to break you down and build you
Back strain treatment up...it is so wrong for some kids but works great for others. It was wrong for me, I did not need to be there, but that is a whole other story! They really make your life hell there, screaming at you, psychologically abusing you, and make you do labor such as cutCuts and puncture wounds logs and push wheel-barrows through the woods.  ANYWAY!  OK. When I FIRST got to ''Peninsula Villiage'', I did not have a bowel movement for 11 days!  This was totally not normal for me by the way, and I was eating regular meals and not dehydrated.  I said something to one of the staff, and she told me it was very commonCommon cold (that's all she said, they were short with you there unless they were verbally attacking you).

So, is that like the same thing you are talking about? Sorry for the story! lol

 
 
 
 
Very interesting.
by Jaku, Feb 10, 2007 12:00AM
That sounds like a horrible place! (Although the manual labor reminds me of what's involved in a Zen monastery).  Guess I need to experience it myself in order to understand how it can help some people. 

41
Peninsula Village / The Leadership Team of PV is Going...Going...
« on: January 31, 2008, 07:42:07 PM »
Steve Petty the administrator is gone, now Adam McLain.  I'm not a betting man, but if I were to pick a horse in the next round of "vanishings", I'd pick Pegler as my nag to win.

YLF/PV team, we'll need to have an IM chat or something. 

42
The Troubled Teen Industry / Adam McLain: GONE From PV!
« on: January 31, 2008, 06:46:10 PM »
Another one gone from the Leadership Team...second in a couple of weeks.

43
The Troubled Teen Industry / Rate PV's website...LOL
« on: January 29, 2008, 02:16:16 PM »
This could be very entertaining...

http://www.linkreferral.com/reviewlist. ... artrow=420

An opportunity to rate PV's grossly misleading website.  The people who have submitted reviews need some quality time spent with them, too. 

44
The Troubled Teen Industry / PV is scrambling
« on: January 29, 2008, 12:16:28 PM »
http://www.pr.com/press-release/68667
Quote
Tennessee Congressman David Davis Visits Peninsula Village

Louisville, TN, January 22, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Congressman David Davis (District 1) and his Tennessee office manager Paul Chapman recently accepted an invitation to visit Peninsula Village in response to Congressional hearings that took place in October of 2007. These Congressional hearings were to review the US Government Accountability Office’s report on “Cases of Child Neglect and Abuse at Private Residential Treatment Facilities”.

The Report was calling into question the validity of adolescent residential treatment as a treatment modality and discussions were held surrounding legislation to regulate the residential industry.

Congressman Davis is the only Tennessee Congressman who is a member of the Committee on Education and Labor and participated in the hearings.

Village staff felt that it was important to be proactive in this issue and to make sure legislators understand the difference between a licensed, accredited facility and unregulated boot camp type programs.

This time spent with Congressman Davis provided an opportunity to discuss in detail the specific issues surrounding regulation of the residential treatment industry and some of the challenges that facilities face on a daily basis. The Committee on Education and Labor is going to discuss their course of action regarding these issues when they reconvene later this month. Congressman Davis’ tour of the campus included the school, cabins, and other campus areas. One of the high points of the tour was when a female Village patient from North Carolina led a tour of one of the cabins and gave the Congressman the gift of her story.

The patient told him very honestly and frankly how she got to the Village, the behaviors that led to her stay and the value of the treatment she and her family had received. She talked about how hard she had worked and how difficult it was to get better but that she now has hope for a future.

The congressman asked difficult questions and she answered them without hesitation. One of the best moments was when the patient talked about the issues that she still needed to work on and told him that she felt socially awkward talking to folks without using drugs and alcohol.

Congressman Davis stated, “Well, you are doing a fine job talking to a United States Congressman.” and gave her a pep talk about succeeding in her goals. It was a powerful visit; one that showed the value of residential treatment to troubled young people, their families and our community.


Where was the administrator to greet Dave?

45
Peninsula Village / PV is scrambling
« on: January 29, 2008, 12:12:39 PM »
http://www.pr.com/press-release/68667
Quote
Tennessee Congressman David Davis Visits Peninsula Village

Louisville, TN, January 22, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Congressman David Davis (District 1) and his Tennessee office manager Paul Chapman recently accepted an invitation to visit Peninsula Village in response to Congressional hearings that took place in October of 2007. These Congressional hearings were to review the US Government Accountability Office’s report on “Cases of Child Neglect and Abuse at Private Residential Treatment Facilities”.

The Report was calling into question the validity of adolescent residential treatment as a treatment modality and discussions were held surrounding legislation to regulate the residential industry.

Congressman Davis is the only Tennessee Congressman who is a member of the Committee on Education and Labor and participated in the hearings.

Village staff felt that it was important to be proactive in this issue and to make sure legislators understand the difference between a licensed, accredited facility and unregulated boot camp type programs.

This time spent with Congressman Davis provided an opportunity to discuss in detail the specific issues surrounding regulation of the residential treatment industry and some of the challenges that facilities face on a daily basis. The Committee on Education and Labor is going to discuss their course of action regarding these issues when they reconvene later this month. Congressman Davis’ tour of the campus included the school, cabins, and other campus areas. One of the high points of the tour was when a female Village patient from North Carolina led a tour of one of the cabins and gave the Congressman the gift of her story.

The patient told him very honestly and frankly how she got to the Village, the behaviors that led to her stay and the value of the treatment she and her family had received. She talked about how hard she had worked and how difficult it was to get better but that she now has hope for a future.

The congressman asked difficult questions and she answered them without hesitation. One of the best moments was when the patient talked about the issues that she still needed to work on and told him that she felt socially awkward talking to folks without using drugs and alcohol.

Congressman Davis stated, “Well, you are doing a fine job talking to a United States Congressman.” and gave her a pep talk about succeeding in her goals. It was a powerful visit; one that showed the value of residential treatment to troubled young people, their families and our community.


Where was the administrator to greet Dave?

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