Fornits

Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => New Info => Topic started by: Anonymous on September 13, 2007, 03:12:38 PM

Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on September 13, 2007, 03:12:38 PM
Anyone been there?
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on September 13, 2007, 03:16:39 PM
They are being sued in a class action lawsuit - and have been accused of various instances of abuse -

http://www.caica.org/Former_patients_su ... cility.htm (http://www.caica.org/Former_patients_sue_Putman_mental_facility.htm)

You can read about former members ordeals - here

http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/ (http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/)

I'm not sure if anyone else has been there - or heard about it, but I wanted to know.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on September 24, 2007, 03:52:32 PM
if they are not a wwasp or teen program this is the wrong place to post red lion
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 24, 2007, 05:03:00 PM
They appear to treat a mixture of teens and young (?) adults.  Their methods sound frightening.  A lot of brainwashing and intimidation.  They have this confrontational group seminar called APD where the patients attack each other and assign consequences.  Sounds very similar philosophically to some of the programs on fornits.
Title: yep, it's true
Post by: Anonymous on September 25, 2007, 09:35:29 AM
Thanks Ursus. That's the tip of the iceberg. But yeah, it's a mixture of residents. They had the guy Evan Marshall as a resident there who "eloped" (haha!) and ended up brutally killing some woman when he went back home. They found her head in the trunk of his car. Supoosedly now, they don't allow "violent" felons in.

But basically, alot of ex-"members" (more SLS-speak) have been speaking out about the abuse and the class action lawsuit has begun to pick up steam. The NY Ofiice of Mental health has yanked their operating certificates but they are still open for business as usual. Go figure.
Title: Re: yep, it's true
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 10:51:49 AM
Quote from: ""red lion""
Thanks Ursus. That's the tip of the iceberg. But yeah, it's a mixture of residents. They had the guy Evan Marshall as a resident there who "eloped" (haha!) and ended up brutally killing some woman when he went back home. They found her head in the trunk of his car. Supoosedly now, they don't allow "violent" felons in.

But basically, alot of ex-"members" (more SLS-speak) have been speaking out about the abuse and the class action lawsuit has begun to pick up steam. The NY Ofiice of Mental health has yanked their operating certificates but they are still open for business as usual. Go figure.
I did come across an article on Evan Marshall yesterday along with many links, only a few of which I had time to read.  He's implicated in at least two more unsolved murders in the Glen Cove, New York, area which also involved decapitations.  Seems to have some issues with women.  The woman whose head was recently found in the trunk of his car used to be a special ed teacher.  Not sure if that's relevant or not, but thought I'd mention it in case it was.

Clearly, SLS did not address his problems effectively, and may have even made them worse.  But yeah, someone like Marshall is very very very fucked up and belongs elsewhere.

I've only just begun the blog readings.  Highly recommended to other fornits readers, in case you're interested.  Highly recommended here is the Comments section, which SLS survivors use to pass info on to the blog writer and to tell their stories.  Although SLS takes in a mixed clientele, they do overlap with fornits concerns and use a lot of the same coercive psychobabble and cruelty, not to mention ruthless disregard for actual help... along with more than a little sprinkling of monetary greed.  Many of the key personnel appear to have backgrounds in treating adolescents and/or substance abuse issues.

This appears to be as good a website to start as any:  http://slshealth.com/ (http://slshealth.com/)

Tell me, red lion, do you know what organization actually owns SLS (not just the personages Joe Santoro and Alfred Bergman), and who they are connected to?
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on September 25, 2007, 11:34:13 AM
Ursus, I have no idea what corporation is actually behind them - but they do have various groups (or tentacles like a marketing firm, computer software for rating "symptoms" - check out the way back machine for all their incarnations) and are trying move into Connneticut since they have a taken a hit in NY.

They also have ERP - which is "cure" for addiction. Again, useless at best, dangerous at its worst.

I'd like to register here - to make sure my posting name is my posting name - & no jokers can copy it (rather than signing on as guest) - but am dubious about registering. How secure is this site? Will my info be passed on. You can never be too careful -
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 12:22:18 PM
Quote from: ""red lion""
I'd like to register here - to make sure my posting name is my posting name - & no jokers can copy it (rather than signing on as guest) - but am dubious about registering. How secure is this site? Will my info be passed on. You can never be too careful -

If you have any concerns re. "trackability," use a proxy when posting, but I doubt you will run into any problems.  This site is run by a devoted free speech proponent and anti-program survivor.

To register, you will need an email address.  You do not even need a name, just the address.

If you are concerned about privacy, set yourself up a gmail account using a different name.  Then use this gmail acct to register on fornits. A huge benefit of registering is being able to private message other people on the forum.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 01:16:21 PM
Quote from: ""red lion""
Ursus, I have no idea what corporation is actually behind them - but they do have various groups (or tentacles like a marketing firm, computer software for rating "symptoms" - check out the way back machine for all their incarnations) and are trying move into Connneticut since they have a taken a hit in NY.
SLSHealth appears to be a parent company for at least two other companies at the moment (they may also "splinter" the SLS banner into sub-divisions such as the RTC for one, and out-patient stuff for other forays, but I haven't checked into that yet).  These companies are Sigmund Software LLC, the aforementioned computer software business, and Catalyst Strategies Groups Inc., which counsels excessively bullish or bearish Wall Street executives and corporative legal personnel on how they can better function as employees.  Key SLS personnel wear the same type of hats in these companies as well.

The thought that immediately entered my mind upon reading the respective descriptions was that these were all ways to track and store potentially compromising information on people to make them more societally compliant.  What can I say; I'm a real fan of Orwell.  These are companies who market themselves to employers, not necessarily employees, and certainly not patients.  Reader take note.

http://www.sigmundsoftware.com (http://www.sigmundsoftware.com)
http://www.catsg.com/ (http://www.catsg.com/)

Quote from: ""red lion""
They also have ERP - which is "cure" for addiction. Again, useless at best, dangerous at its worst.

What is ERP?

Sigmund Software lists a number of companies that have purchased their software.  Somewhere or other I recall reading that there has to be a certain amount of philosophical empathy, as far as the company policy goes, for Sigmund to sell it to them.  That's quite possibly just pure marketing hype, since some of these companies appear to be diametrically opposed to one another, as far as treating addiction is concerned (e.g., pro-12 Step vs. anti-12 Step).  What all of these places do have is common however is the term "Behavioral Health."

http://www.sundown.org (http://www.sundown.org)  
Community Renewal Team Inc.  http://www.crtct.org (http://www.crtct.org)
Brookside Institute  http://www.brooksideinstitute.com (http://www.brooksideinstitute.com)
The Ranch At Cove Tree  http://www.dovetreeranch.com (http://www.dovetreeranch.com)
COPAC  http://www.copacms.com (http://www.copacms.com)
Cornerstone Recovery Inc.  http://www.cornerstoneofrecovery.com (http://www.cornerstoneofrecovery.com)
Caron Treatment Centers  http://www.caron.org (http://www.caron.org)
Ability Beyond Disability (Datahr Rehabilitation)  http://www.abilitybeyonddisability.org (http://www.abilitybeyonddisability.org)[/list]
Title: Re: yep, it's true
Post by: Anne Bonney on September 25, 2007, 01:43:59 PM
Quote from: ""red lion""
Thanks Ursus. That's the tip of the iceberg. But yeah, it's a mixture of residents. They had the guy Evan Marshall as a resident there who "eloped" (haha!) and ended up brutally killing some woman when he went back home. They found her head in the trunk of his car. Supoosedly now, they don't allow "violent" felons in.

But basically, alot of ex-"members" (more SLS-speak) have been speaking out about the abuse and the class action lawsuit has begun to pick up steam. The NY Ofiice of Mental health has yanked their operating certificates but they are still open for business as usual. Go figure.


These places all seem to have the cultspeak in common.  First Straight called  running  "splitting", then "copping out" and finally "eloping".

Same shit, different wrapper.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Rachael on September 25, 2007, 02:06:23 PM
Eloping... I like that. Makes running seem like an even more desirable goal.

In AARC, they pretty much just called it running. But I may be forgetting, I've been doing that a lot lately.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 02:23:23 PM
At Hyde they called it "running from the challenge," "splitting," "copping out," "settling for less," "giving up on yourself," and a host of other terms I can't think of at the moment.  Never heard of "elope," perhaps that one struck too close to home.  Too many faculty preying sexually on the students, ha ha!  

Forgive me, true gallows humor here.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: red lion on September 25, 2007, 02:54:10 PM
aw you guys rock - when I started reading Fornits - it was true - same old, same old for all these programs whose main claim to fame is re-creating abusive family situations - using shame and fear to make us all more compliant.

ERP links are here -

http://www.slshealth.com/residential/tr ... gnosis.asp (http://www.slshealth.com/residential/treatment_tracks_dual_diagnosis.asp)

(I like the computer in that pic, very 1984).

http://www.erptherapy.com/ (http://www.erptherapy.com/)

They drug test evreyone there - a really humiliating experience, especially if you aren't there for a drug issue.

All these programs have a language unique to them (alot like other total institutions like jail and the military) and it's interesting that in order to be "inculcated", assimilated and "cured" - you have to learn and internalize the language. Creepy but true.

They would literally "code" you all day and then hand the sheets in at the end of the day - the computer program generates your "profile" of behaviors - it was bizarre and frustrating to say the least.
They'd give you a horse load of meds and you's get coded for "IDS" - short hand for "inappropriate daytime sleep" - um, but what did they expect when you are forcibly drugged?

Hopefully, some other former "members" will be posting shortly.

Thanks for welcoming us into the fornits clan.

& ursus, thanks for replying to this and getting the ball rolling.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anne Bonney on September 25, 2007, 03:12:29 PM
Quote from: ""red lion""
aw you guys rock - when I started reading Fornits - it was true - same old, same old for all these programs whose main claim to fame is re-creating abusive family situations - using shame and fear to make us all more compliant.

ERP links are here -

http://www.slshealth.com/residential/tr ... gnosis.asp (http://www.slshealth.com/residential/treatment_tracks_dual_diagnosis.asp)

(I like the computer in that pic, very 1984).

http://www.erptherapy.com/ (http://www.erptherapy.com/)

They drug test evreyone there - a really humiliating experience, especially if you aren't there for a drug issue.

All these programs have a language unique to them (alot like other total institutions like jail and the military) and it's interesting that in order to be "inculcated", assimilated and "cured" - you have to learn and internalize the language. Creepy but true.

They would literally "code" you all day and then hand the sheets in at the end of the day - the computer program generates your "profile" of behaviors - it was bizarre and frustrating to say the least.
They'd give you a horse load of meds and you's get coded for "IDS" - short hand for "inappropriate daytime sleep" - um, but what did they expect when you are forcibly drugged?

Hopefully, some other former "members" will be posting shortly.

Thanks for welcoming us into the fornits clan.

& ursus, thanks for replying to this and getting the ball rolling.



Glad you guys found us.

This is a site I keep plugging but its because it really helped me to sort through the bullshit.



http://www.ex-cult.org/bite.html (http://www.ex-cult.org/bite.html)

Quote
III. Thought Control

1. Need to internalize the group’s doctrine as "Truth"

      a. Map = Reality
      b. Black and White thinking
      c. Good vs. evil
      d. Us vs. them (inside vs. outside)

2. Adopt "loaded" language (characterized by "thought-terminating clichés"). Words are the tools we use to think with. These "special" words constrict rather than expand understanding. They function to reduce complexities of experience into trite, platitudinous "buzz words".

3. Only "good" and "proper" thoughts are encouraged.

4. Thought-stopping techniques (to shut down "reality testing" by stopping "negative" thoughts and allowing only "good" thoughts); rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism.

      a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking
      b. Chanting
      c. Meditating
      d. Praying
      e. Speaking in "tongues"
      f. Singing or humming

5. No critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy seen as legitimate

6. No alternative belief systems viewed as legitimate, good, or useful
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 03:42:35 PM
Welcome red lion!  

Ah, yes... the lingo.  I think it is, in part, the result of the progenitor of each program attempting to make said program "unique" and different from all the rest.  And the result snowballs, with some of the additional lingo originating from the staff and some from the residents, and before you know it, the program has a full-fledged lingo unrecognizable to outsiders, thereby making that program, indeed, "unique" and different...

=============================

ERP - Exposure Response Prevention (http://http://www.erptherapy.com/erp-article.asp)

Pouring a drink-in order to stop drinking. Rolling a joint-to kick a pot habit. Laying out a few lines of cocaine-to overcome the desire to snort it. These aren't oxymorons or acts of a fool. They are examples of a new form of therapy for chemical addiction called ERP.

ERP, or exposure response prevention, is a proven behavioral technology applied in the 1980's to successfully treat obsessive-compulsive disorders and phobias. SLS Health's team of behavioral health care professionals applied ERP technology to the problem of chemical addiction and craving (Santoro, DeLetis and Bergman,2001). Since 1990 they have successfully treated scores of chemically addicted patients with ERP.

What is ERP?

ERP is based on principles of operant and respondent learning. Respondent learning takes place when we associate a new stimulus with one that already has an effect on us. For example, we experience respondent learning when we associate the name of a new restaurant with the already familiar experience of having a delicious meal.

Operant learning takes place when we associate rewards, punishments, success, and failure with individual patterns of behavior. Everyday we experience operant learning. It is the primary way in which we learn new behaviors and strengthen or weaken existing behaviors. When we meet a new person we use conversation that was operantly rewarded in the past. When we learn to serve a tennis ball we undergo an intense operant learning experience that will eventually (we hope) lead to a more effective serve.

Conventional Approaches

Conventional wisdom advises people recovering from chemical addiction to avoid the people, places, and things they previously associated with their drug and alcohol abuse. This advice is based on the fact that the addict associates, through respondent learning, people places, and things with the preparation and use of their addicted substances. Respondent learning gives these stimuli the power to trigger strong desires to use drugs or alcohol. For example, if a recovering addict meets a friend with whom they snorted cocaine in the past the addict will get the urge or impulse to use cocaine because of the respondent connection between their friend and cocaine use. Because of this connection conventional treatment advises that the recovering person avoid these stimuli completely.

Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to avoid all former stimuli connected with drug and alcohol abuse (Chiauzzi & Liljegren, 1993). This fact partially explains why the relapse rate for recovering addicts is about 75% within one year. As Dr. Joe Santoro, co-founder of SLS Health, explains, "We realized that the conventional advice just didn't work for most addicted people. We needed to find a way to teach them how to cope with stimuli connected to their former addictions to give them a better chance of staying clean." Dr. Santoro went on to say, "So we applied exposure response prevention techniques to the problem. If we could simulate exposure to the most powerful forms of stimuli associated with chemical use, we could show the patient that after repeated therapeutic exposure to these stimuli their impulse to use would completely extinguish."

Studies completed by Dawe et al. (1993) and Powell et al. (1993) provide research data that supports the effectiveness of ERP for the treatment of opiate addiction. Blakely & Baker (1980) and Hodgson & Rankin (1982) documented the effectiveness of exposure therapy for alcohol use stimuli.

ERP Kits

SLS Health uses ERP kits made up of simulated drugs, alcoholic beverages, drug use paraphernalia, and music and photographs that the user associates with their chemical abuse. The cocaine ERP kit includes a white powder, razor blade, rolled up money, mirror, small spoon etc. Each of these objects has the power to trigger a strong level of craving in an addicted individual. They have no effect on a non-addicted person. SLS also developed a photocard form of ERP for self-administered therapy. Each card set (see photos) depicts a hierarchical sequence of drug preparation and use scenes by substance. There are card sets available for crack, cocaine, alcohol, heroin and marijuana.

Robert DeLetis, SLS Health's senior addiction specialist, developed the format for an ERP therapy session. He designed a special room for the therapy session that is decorated to remind the patient of their chemical use past. Patients need to learn that they can ride their craving wave (see illustration) without giving into a desire to use. Through repeated ERP therapy sessions the impulse to use triggered by the ERP stimuli becomes weaker and weaker. Eventually, the patient feels virtually no desire to use at all. It is at that point that the patient feels they have really accomplished something special.

The Craving Wave
The impulse to use rises upon exposure to a triggering stimulus (point B). If the person does not use, their craving will peak (point C) and then decline to zero (point D).


(http://http://www.erptherapy.com/images/cravingwave.gif)

An ERP Therapy Session

A typical ERP session starts with about five minutes of relaxation exercises. After relaxing the patient is asked to rate their craving level before being exposed to their triggering stimuli. They use a 10 point scale to do this where 10 represents a desire to use immediately. The patient's pulse is also measured (pulse rate generally increases as a patient's craving level rises). Once baseline ratings are secured exposure to the first level of stimulus begins. After looking, touching and smelling the object and answering a few questions the patient is again asked to rate their craving level. Their pulse is taken again as well. Generally, their craving level is up as is their pulse. If they have become over stimulated then the ERP stimuli are put away and they return to doing relaxation exercises. Otherwise, they continue to look at the objects while repeating their cognitive scripts. Cognitive scripts are motivating statements designed by therapist and patient. They are associated with the triggering stimulus and the impulse to use. Typical cognitive scripts include:

The patient makes a respondent connection between these scripts and stimuli formerly associated with chemical abuse. So not only does the patient break the drink or drug connection with the triggering stimuli, he also connects the stimuli with his cognitive scripts. This new connection will help him to walk away from a tempting situation.

Once a patient has completed the first level of stimulus exposure he proceeds to the next level and repeats all of the steps. An ERP therapy session continues until the patient has completed all of the stimulus exposure levels or the session has to be stopped because of over stimulation.

The typical patient requires at least 30 ERP sessions to complete the entire stimulus hierarchy without experiencing any significant levels of cravings (as measured by the rating scale and pulse rate). Once a patient can view the ERP stimuli without experiencing an impulse to use they can end this part of their treatment.

ERP helps the patient to confront their worst fear: accidental exposure to a substance abuse triggers. It prepares them to handle these situations without making them cocky. After ERP therapy they will not experience an unmanageable level of craving if they are triggered by a situation. Instead the situation will trigger their cognitive scripts that will help them to think and talk their way out of the situation without using.

Real World ERP

For some patients simulated ERP therapy is not sufficient. They need to experience ERP in real world situations. Some patients go to a bar (with their therapist) where they can experience triggers to drink and learn to cope with them without using. This step can only be taken after a patient has successfully completed simulated ERP sessions. Once this has been accomplished patient and therapist can set up a real world hierarchy of triggering situations that range from easy to difficult to handle. They then go together to these situations and follow a set of steps of that are similar to those used in office based ERP. For example, one patient treated at SLS Health had a serious addiction to crack cocaine. Every two weeks on the day he got paid he would go on a several day crack binge. The patient responded well to office based ERP and wanted to handle his most difficult real world trigger: payday. His therapist describes how they did real world ERP as follows: "F and I went to pick up his paycheck together. I remember the first time very well. He was very nervous. He was sweating and twitching. He really wanted to get high. I helped him get through his cravings and after about five 'paycheck' sessions he was able to get his check on his own without being triggered to use." Real world ERP sessions can be very helpful when a patient must confront situations in his daily life that have become strongly associated with prior chemical abuse as was the case here. When avoidance is not possible ERP can save the day.

ERP is a tool, not a cure

ERP therapy should never be used as the sole treatment for substance abuse problems. Substance abuse is a complex disorder that requires a comprehensive treatment approach. This approach should include group therapy, community based support meetings, individual psychotherapy to handle concurrent psychological problems and medication where appropriate to assist in the treatment of psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and mood swings.

ERP is a new therapy that can help people recover from drug and alcohol abuse when intelligently combined with other forms of treatment.

For more information about ERP therapy you can contact SLS Health at 1-888-8-CARE-4U, visit their web site at http://www.erptherapy.com (http://www.erptherapy.com) or buy their book Kill The Craving (Santoro, DeLetis and Bergman, 2001). Addiction professionals can buy ERP therapy kits for use with their clients by calling 1-888-8-CARE-4U.

References

Blakely, R., & Baker, R. (1980), "An exposure approach to alcohol abuse", Behaviour Research and Therapy, 18, 319-325.
Chiauzzi, E. J., & Liljegren, S. (1993), "Taboo topics in addiction treatment: An empirical review of clinical folklore", Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 10, 303-316.
Dawe, S., Powell, J., Richards, D., Gossop, M., Marks, I., Strang, J., & Gray, J. (1993), "Does post-withdrawal cue exposure improve outcome in opiate addiction: A controlled trial", Addiction, 88, 1233-1245.
Hodgson, R. J., & Rankin, H. J. (1982), "Cue exposure and relapse prevention", In W. M. Hay & P. E. Nathan (Eds.), Clinical case studies in the behavioral treatment of alcoholism, (pp. 207-226). New York: Plenum.
Powell, J. H., Bradley, B., & Gray, J. A. (1993), "Subjective craving for opiates: evaluations of a cue exposure protocol for use with detoxified opiate addicts", British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 32, 39-53.
Santoro, J, DeLetis, R & Bergman, B. 2001. Kill The Craving. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications.
Santoro, J, DeLetis, R & Bergman, B. 2004. Kill The Craving. New York: SLS Press.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 03:56:49 PM
http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/2007/09/om ... s-and.html (http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/2007/09/omh-finds-continuing-violations-and.html)
From a comment to the blogspot:

I can see the t-shirt now, "I went to SLS and all I got was this lousy PTSD"[/list]

 :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:
Sorry, more gallows humor...
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 08:47:53 PM
Hmmm... interesting:  not sure if it means anything, but Joseph Santoro's books are being sold on 4therapy.com, which is owned by CRC Health Group.  They sell a hell of a lot of self-help books in the addiction arena, so this, in and of itself, does not necessarily mean anything.  Food for thought, though...

Kill the Craving : How to Control the Impulse to Use Drugs and Alcohol
Joseph, Ph.D. Santoro, Alfred Bergman, Robert Deletis, Joe Santoro
LINK to relevant page HERE (http://http://www.4therapy.com/consumer/market_place/viewbooks.php?bookcategoryid=33&&pagenumber=2)[/list]
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 25, 2007, 09:37:12 PM
Funny, I just posted in Web Forum Hosting this afternoon re. perhaps combining Benchmark and SLS as subforums within a larger forum, them being both programs that treat that grey adolescent/adult area...

The following is from HEAL (http://http://www.heal-online.org/adult.htm). Links on this page bring you back to fornits for Benchmark, the aforementioned blogspot posted by red lion for SLS; psy's page is also mentioned for additional Benchmark material.

============================

HEAL has also received reports regarding Benchmark (http://http://wwf.fornits.com/viewforum.php?f=56) and SLS Health (SLS Residential) (http://http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/index.html).  According to reports:  SLS employees, including but not limited to Sena and Caputo, assaulted patients by grabbing them, shoving them, throwing them to the ground, holding their limbs down while pinning patients to the floor, sitting on them and inhibiting their freedom of movement, While Sena and Caputo and other employees engaged in these assaults, they taunted and lorded their power over the patients, humiliated and insulted the patients' helplessness and ridiculed the patients and their mental illnesses..."All of the foregoing activities were committed . . . with the knowledge, approval, complicity and authorization of [SLS] Santoro, Prichard, Bergman and Deletis."  Click on the SLS Health link above to read more.  For more information on Benchmark, visit: http://homepage.mac.com/psyborgue (http://homepage.mac.com/psyborgue)
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on September 27, 2007, 02:47:52 PM
Here is a site run by The Marketing Department of America, which helps companies create good branding and corporate identity for themselves, along with website design, etc. etc.

SLS Health Group is apparently either a very big or a very favorite customer of theirs, as examples of work done for them appear throughout virtually every category on the MDA site.  SLS Health Group, moreover, is the only success story included on the site, and yet it is not noted in MDA's portfolio.  There is also a target date noted in the below indicating that it is sometime in 2003.  I suspect all of this is primarily due to a failure to keep the website updated.

Gotta luv that professional caliber methodology suggested by SLS Forensics:  "Personal selling with Event Marketing Efforts that include Golf Outings and Special Dinner parties targeted to court related decision makers."  So, while some SLS personnel are throwing down recalcitrant patients and shooting them up with Thorazine and Prolixin in the ass, the big-wigs are hob-knobbing it with the judges on the golf course, paid for by SLS expense accounts...

Incidentally, these are the people who created the ERP site for SLSHealth as well.
 
The site is in Flash Player, so it is not such a simple endeavor to copy and paste.  Here are some selections to mull over.  To access the site yourself, click on the Case Study title below.

============================

Case Study:  SLS Health Group (http://http://www.mdaltd.net/MDAv5.swf)
The SLS Health Group is the parent company of SLS Residential, SDL Case Management, SLS Wellness, SLS Forensics, Sigmund Software, and Catalyst Strategies Group.  Their services include outpatient and inpatient psychological services for young adults with serious behavioral problems, personal and forensic psychological evaluations, software development, executive coaching, human relations/employee counseling, and behavioral healthcare software solutions.

The Marketing Department of America was asked to create a standards manual so that the SLS Health family of companies could have a consistent corporate identity.  Standard Manual materials include the consistent uses of logos, development of family division logos letterhead, business cards, along with all advertising and collateral materials for all SLS Health Group divisions.

The results of MDA's efforts are presented for your review.  
We hope that you enjoy our presentation and look forward to hearing from you.

SLS Residential
SERVICE
SLS Residential provides inpatient residential treatment for young adults who have serious behavioral problems.

TARGET MARKET
Parents with young adult children who exhibit schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and drug and alcohol related problems, are targeted in radio and print advertisements.  In addition to parents, SLS Residential targets health care professionals and managed care organizations that make referrals to SLS Residential for their covered lives.

MARKET PLAN
After extensive primary and secondary research, SLS decided on a pull and push strategy for generating admissions to their facility.  Experience our creative materials by clicking on the appropriate creatives that you wish to explore in more depth.

RESULTS
SLS Residential has doubled their revenues over five years.

SLS Wellness
SERVICE
SLS Wellness provides outpatient services for those with behavioral healthcare problems, such as ADD, depression, drug/alcohol related problems, and obesity.

TARGET MARKET
Parents who have children and young adults with behavioral healthcare problems such as ADD, depression, drug/alcohol related problems, and obesity.

MARKET PLAN
After extensive primary and secondary research, SLS decided on a pull and push strategy for generating admissions to their Wellness facility.  Experience our creative materials by clicking on the appropriate creatives that you wish to explore in more depth.

RESULTS
SLS Wellness has increased their revenues by 20 per cent.

SLS Forensics
SERVICE
SLS Forensics provides psychological evaluations for those in the legal arena.

TARGET MARKET
Lawyers, judges and court administrators who need to have a psychological evaluation for court related individuals.

MARKET PLAN
Personal selling with Event Marketing Efforts that include Golf Outings and Special Dinner parties targeted to court related decision makers.  Experience our creative materials by clicking on the appropriate creatives that you wish to explore in more depth.

RESULTS
SLS Forensics is meeting their quarterly sales benchmarks.

Sigmund Software
SERVICE
A Case Management software package targeted to healthcare professionals who need a management tool to track expenses and patient progress.

TARGET MARKET
Hospital Administrators, Managed Care Organizations Administrators, and Residential Care Administrators.

MARKET PLAN
Direct Mail to target market with online demonstration of software package.

RESULTS
Marketing materials are presently being developed.  Target roll out date the fourth quarter of 2003.

Catalyst Strategies Group
SERVICE
The financial industry loses billions of dollars each year on poor employee performance.  With its "Forecasting Human Potential" mantra, CSG promises the financial industry solutions for maximizing employee productivity.

TARGET MARKET
Brokerage Houses, Law Firms, Banks, Mining Companies, Financial Institutions, Human Resources Executives, Employee Assistance Programs, Law Enforcement and Security, Healthcare Organizations.

MARKET PLAN
Personal Selling and Direct Mail campaign targeted to executives within the Financial Services Industry.
Title: excellent job ursus!
Post by: red lion on September 28, 2007, 08:05:02 AM
& thank you for all the info - very interesting indeed - again in perfect Orwellian SLS-speak their

Quote
"pull and push strategy for generating admissions"


really means "dragging in people kicking and screaming".

Because once you are there - you realize what a world of hurt is in store for you.
Title: Class Action Lawsuit
Post by: Doctor_Magoo on September 28, 2007, 11:13:21 AM
Here is an article from the Journal News covering the lawsuit.  I know red_lion posted a link to it but thought I would provide a copy in the thread:

Former patients sue Putnam mental facility
By TERENCE CORCORAN
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: June 9, 2007)

SOUTHEAST - Two former residents of a private mental-health facility, which was fined by the state last year for breaking the law, have filed a class-action lawsuit against companies that run the facility, alleging they were abused physically and emotionally.

The suit, filed in federal court in White Plains, names as defendants companies affiliated with two residential treatment facilities in Southeast as well as the principals of those companies and several employees. The defendants include SLS Residential Inc., SLS Health, SLS Wellness, Supervised Lifestyles Inc., Chairmen Alfred Bergman and Joseph Santoro, a psychologist and several others employed by SLS.

The lawsuit, filed by former patients Nicholas J. Romano and Deborah A. Morgan of New Jersey on behalf of themselves and many unnamed patients, seeks $75 million in compensatory damages, $150 million in punitive damages and an injunction that would bar SLS from further violating patients' rights.

The plaintiffs, who are in their early 20s, also claim that SLS violated the rights of its patients under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

SLS runs residential treatment facilities for adolescents and young adults at two distinctive houses, one on North Brewster Road and the other off Putnam Avenue and Route 6 opposite Drewville Road.

The state Office of Mental Health last year fined SLS Residential $80,000 for violations of the state Mental Hygiene Law and ordered that it stop admitting patients - and stop violating the rights of the patients it was treating.

The OMH said SLS Residential routinely restrained clients and kept them from making phone calls. It also found that staff would search patients, their rooms and packages sent to them.

Spokeswoman Jill Daniels said the OMH has since allowed SLS to admit new patients.

She said the company has requested a hearing, scheduled for next month, to respond to the claims of violations. SLS has not paid the $80,000 fine and won't be required to until after the hearing, Daniels said.

The lawsuit says money was one reason that SLS staff prohibited patients from making and receiving phone calls, because if patients complained to their families and were removed, SLS would lose money.

"SLS advertises and holds itself out to the general public as a treatment facility that provides compassionate and effective treatment for individuals suffering from severe mental illness," says the suit filed by attorney Michael H. Sussman of Goshen. "... The corporate and individual defendants have made these false representations to induce individuals suffering from mental illness to enter SLS, for which their insurance companies pay daily rates as high as $900."

The families of Romano and Morgan paid in excess of $200,000 to SLS for "treatment that was harmful and exploitative," the suit says.

The abuses that Romano and Morgan allege to have suffered while at SLS are similar to the claims of violations for which the state fined the company last year. The pair allege that they and many other patients were subjected to those abuses and were assaulted by SLS employees.

Romano was a patient in 2004 and 2005, and Morgan was there in 2005 and 2006. Morgan was placed in an isolation room that SLS called the Intensive Treatment Room, but instead of treating her, staff members would taunt, ridicule and humiliate her, the suit says.

Romano said he was forced to participate in a group situation in which he and other patients were degraded and punished.

Sussman said the OMH findings prove that the patients who claim they were mistreated were telling the truth. The fact that SLS employs people who abuse patients shows that the company can't be trusted, which is why the suit seeks the injunction, he said.

"What's gone on appears to have been very exploitative to the very vulnerable," Sussman said.

Reached Thursday, Santoro said he would have an attorney call for comment, although none did. Previously, a spokesman for SLS noted that the state's findings last year were unlike any report SLS had received in its 20-year history and said an overwhelming majority of patients were satisfied with their treatment.

SLS made news last year when it took a Pleasantville lawyer to court to keep him from protesting outside SLS facilities.

Attorney Glen Feinberg, whose son was a patient at SLS in 2001 and 2002, felt that his son was traumatized from the treatment and wanted to picket SLS facilities to warn others. Feinberg, who was supported by the New York Civil Liberties Union, eventually won the right to picket.

Reach Terence Corcoran at [email protected] or 845-228-2275.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Doctor_Magoo on September 28, 2007, 11:20:30 AM
What's the story behind the plaintiffs?  How did this all come out?  I'm asking because I am doing research on Class actions against abusive programs and understand that it is very hard to sue these kinds of businesses.  The lawsuit regarding Hidden Lake Academy sounds somewhat similar to this case.  

All I can say is that I hope both suits are successfully won.  I also hope we start to see more former patients of abusive programs start coming forward and try to gain justice.  By doing things like filing lawsuits against programs, we all have the ability to make an impact on the industry as a WHOLE and hopefully deter others from abusing it's clients.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on October 01, 2007, 04:08:53 AM
Quote
SLS made news last year when it took a Pleasantville lawyer to court to keep him from protesting outside SLS facilities.

Attorney Glen Feinberg, whose son was a patient at SLS in 2001 and 2002, felt that his son was traumatized from the treatment and wanted to picket SLS facilities to warn others. Feinberg, who was supported by the New York Civil Liberties Union, eventually won the right to picket.


Where is Glen Feinberg these days?  He might be an important resource.  Kudos to him for having the balls to picket the place.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: red lion on October 01, 2007, 09:14:14 AM
Glen Feinberg is alive and well, working hard to help all those shafted by SLS. Unforunately, he is also being harrassed - so, he doesn't hang out the laundry out on public forums.

You know, Dr. Magoo, right? Just wondering, what kind of research are you doing? & why?

Funny thing to do research on, unless you had a particular "interest"?

I ama little wary of giving out info to strangers. Usually it's program officials trying to get info to use against those fighting for justice. If I'm wrong, magoo my apologies. I've been screwed too often to think otherwise.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on October 01, 2007, 11:43:47 AM
Quote from: ""red lion""
I ama little wary of giving out info to strangers. Usually it's program officials trying to get info to use against those fighting for justice.


A point definitely worth making.  Nevertheless, it is also worth keeping in mind what exactly the worst case scenario might be.  Sometimes, it is more bearable than one might think.  Much of the damage these shitpits are able to effect is fear of more abuse, even after one has long left.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on October 01, 2007, 12:34:04 PM
It is sad that some people take the truth and twit it as they see fit w/ no regard for the people they hurt. It is obviouse that all of you who speak against treatment facilities were probably in one for good reason. You cant stand to face facts and own your problems w/o blaming others. You all have the right to free speach just try not to lie anymore.
I do see how this would be hard for a little lawyer with short scrawney man complex...
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Doctor_Magoo on October 01, 2007, 12:39:29 PM
Quote from: ""red lion""

You know, Dr. Magoo, right? Just wondering, what kind of research are you doing? & why?

Funny thing to do research on, unless you had a particular "interest"?


Red_Lion, I am a friend of the cause and heavily involved with HEAL.  I have taken an interest to this specific case as well as the Hidden lake Academy class action lawsuit.  

I assure you that I am not working for anyone but myself and my personal interest comes from being a victim of an abusive program.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: red lion on October 01, 2007, 12:41:42 PM
haha,

the higher-ups at SLS should learn how to spell. LOL.

snagglepuss+poor spelling= cowardly internet troll.

Enjoy the unemployment benefits while they last.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: red lion on October 01, 2007, 12:43:13 PM
Thanks for the clarification magoo. I appreciate that.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Doctor_Magoo on October 01, 2007, 12:43:28 PM
Quote from: ""snagglepuss""
It is sad that some people take the truth and twit it as they see fit w/ no regard for the people they hurt. It is obviouse that all of you who speak against treatment facilities were probably in one for good reason. You cant stand to face facts and own your problems w/o blaming others. You all have the right to free speach just try not to lie anymore.
I do see how this would be hard for a little lawyer with short scrawney man complex...


Snagglepuss, your clearly working with SLS.  Go push your fraud on someone else.  Yes, i have read your posts on loHud.  Your not welcome in this forum.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Doctor_Magoo on October 01, 2007, 12:48:31 PM
Quote from: ""red lion""
Thanks for the clarification magoo. I appreciate that.


No problem red lion.  You found a forum where most of us have experienced the same types of abuse, whether as children or as adults.  I commend all of you who are involved in bringing this company down.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Doctor_Magoo on October 01, 2007, 12:51:24 PM
I actually have to say one more thing about this matter.  To people like snagglepuss especially.  How can you claim that people are lying about what happened at this program?  There is a website up that clearly documents the OMH investigations and the lawsuit.  To claim those are lies is absolutely astonishing to me, especially since all of that info is coming from patients and the actual governemnt.  So what lies are you actually claiming have been made?  I would love to hear what you have to say.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: red lion on October 01, 2007, 02:43:27 PM
The snagglepuss's of the world use shame to say - oh well, you were 'bad/fucked up/anti-christ" so you MUST have deserved to be treated badly! Their favorite thing on the program menu is shaming-du-jour.

But there is such a thing as unlawful incarceration. & the funny thing is, these jackasses still think we are "losers" in society. The truth is we aren't. We have gone on to succeed in virtually every area of society. We are mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, artists, etc etc - we just share the same unfortunate story of abuse from the hands at greedy charlatans.

Bring it on snagglepuss. You'll be exposed for the creepy POS you truly are.

 :rofl:
Title: Is SLS trying to buy off the Putnam County Sheriff's Dept.?
Post by: Ursus on October 01, 2007, 08:00:27 PM
Here is an article in the New York Journal News (LoHud) touching on the abysmal state of affairs in the Putnam County Sheriff's Department:

===========================

Stalled contract drains sheriff's department
By SUSAN ELAN | THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: August 2, 2007)

Putnam's failure to negotiate contracts with Sheriff's Department employees has demoralized staff, cost the county more in overtime and is turning Putnam into a training ground for other departments, Sheriff Donald Smith has warned county officials.

The 72-member Putnam Sheriff's Employee Association, without a contract since January 2003, has resumed public protest. Over the weekend, about 50 of the union's correction officers, clerical workers, dispatchers and cooks picketed at Putnam's annual 4-H fair to bring their plight to the attention of residents, union President Robert Wendover said.

"Our situation is horrible," he said. "Members are taking out loans on their retirement accounts, and some are on the verge of losing their houses. I'm working three to four days of overtime a week to get by."...
HERE (http://http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070802/NEWS04/708020359)[/list]===========================

I'm not going to post the whole article, as it is quite long, and not of primary pertinence here.  Suffice it to say that there is a whole lot of crap going on and people are pissed.  The Sheriff's Dept. is working without a contract in place and is for the most part -- with the notable exception of Sheriff Donald Smith -- grossly underpaid.  The article appears to have generated some heated discussion in the LoHud forums.
 
Of some interest is a post that indicates a contribution of $10,000 from SLS, raised by Sheriff Donald Smith:

===========================

http://forums.nyjournalnews.com/viewtop ... 9&start=54 (http://forums.nyjournalnews.com/viewtopic.php?t=27179&start=54)
policeblotter
Joined: 20 Jul 2007
Posts: 113

PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:45 pm    
Post subject:    
Fair race? Smith raises $10,000 per year from a Company called SLS, who is currently under investigation, in a non-election year, and you'd like to see a "fair" race?[/list]
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on October 01, 2007, 11:44:40 PM
Some more mentions of the generosity SLS bequeaths to the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

From LoHud forum's thread 'SLS Health Related Posts,' specifically this one (http://http://forums.nyjournalnews.com/viewtopic.php?t=2378&start=22):

Enforcethelaw!
Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 1114
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:13 am

And this one (http://http://forums.nyjournalnews.com/viewtopic.php?t=26700&start=51), from the LoHud thread titled 'Putnam's paid ambulance service ready to quit contract':

policeblotter
Joined: 20 Jul 2007
Posts: 114
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 3:43 pm  
Post subject: Be careful what you wish for........
Title: New Article on SLS
Post by: Anonymous on October 20, 2007, 10:38:32 AM
State could take months to rule on abuse charges against Putnam mental health facility
Terence Corcoran The Journal News
October 14, 2007 12:05 PM

SOUTHEAST - It could be months before the state rules on allegations that a private mental health facility in Southeast violated its patients' rights and broke the law.

SLS Residential Inc., which treats troubled teens and young adults from Putnam, Westchester and Rockland counties and beyond at two treatment facilities in Southeast, was fined $80,000 last year by the state Office of Mental Health for violations of the state's Mental Hygiene Law. At the time, the state ordered SLS to stop admitting patients, although it later rescinded that order.

The state alleged that SLS, which runs its residential program at two large houses on North Brewster Road and off Putnam Avenue near Route 6, routinely restrained patients and prevented them from making phone calls. It also claimed that staff would search patients, their rooms and packages sent to them.


SLS decided to contest the fine, which it has not paid yet, and the charges in a hearing before the state Office of Mental Health.

OMH spokeswoman Jill Daniels said those hearings routinely take four to five business days to complete. But the SLS hearing was held over two weeks in July and continued several more days in September.

"The hearing process is still continuing," Daniels said last week. "The testimony part was completed at the end of September. The next part of the process involves written submissions back and forth between (SLS and OMH) before a decision is made. It may not be decided until sometime next year."

Joseph Santoro, co-chairman of SLS, did not return calls seeking comment on the hearing and the charges. In the past, however, the company has said the negative report it received from the state was unlike any it had been given in its 20-year history and chalked it up to record keeping and a difference of opinions between SLS and state mental health evaluators.


The OMH report, issued last November, found that SLS employees hired since 2005 were not fingerprinted and could have criminal backgrounds, and that SLS patients who misbehaved were forced to wear a jumpsuit that would require everyone in the facility to ostracize them.

The allegations by the state mirror those of two New Jersey residents and former SLS patients in a $225 million federal class action lawsuit filed earlier this year against various companies affiliated with SLS, alleging they were physically and emotionally abused while patients there.

Goshen attorney Michael Sussman filed the suit in federal court in White Plains for Nicholas J. Romano and Deborah A. Morgan, both in their early 20s, and on behalf of many unnamed patients. The suit seeks millions in compensatory and punitive damages. It claims that SLS violated the rights of patients under the Americans With Disabilities Act and that money was the reason that patients were not allowed to make or receive phone calls because if patients complained to their families and were removed, SLS would lose revenue. Romano was at SLS in 2004 and 2005, while Morgan was there in 2005 and 2006.


Sussman said the lawsuit is pending in White Plains federal court and was not surprised to learn that SLS continues to fight the state charges.

"The charges the state filed go to the heart of their operation and, obviously, to concede to those charges would not only open SLS up to a significant state penalty, it would also have a major implication on the federal litigation," Sussman said. "I'm not at all surprised that they're fighting it."

SLS made news last year when it took a Pleasantville lawyer to court to keep him from protesting outside its facilities. Attorney Glen Feinberg, whose son was a patient at SLS in 2001 and 2002, felt that his son was traumatized by the treatment and wanted to picket SLS facilities to warn others. Feinberg, who was supported by the New York Civil Liberties Union, eventually won that right.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on October 25, 2007, 12:47:33 PM
Link for the above article, in case anyone else is following this:

State could take months to rule on abuse charges against Putnam mental health facility
By TERENCE CORCORAN
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: October 14, 2007)
http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? ... 027/NEWS11 (http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071014/NEWS04/710140348/1027/NEWS11)
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on October 27, 2007, 04:41:24 PM
It appears to me that no one at Fornits cares about this.  I guess it does not matter since children are not being abused?  What about adults?  They can be abused too?  And this is no different then the WASSP situation.

Break it down:

Parents of the mentally ill are manipulated into paying large sums of money for treatment of their loved ones.

These loved ones are abused, violated and broken.


Should they not get as much attention as everyone else in this forum?  Does this really sound any different then what most of us have already experienced?

Shame on everyone.
Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on October 27, 2007, 05:34:18 PM
Naw, I hear ya.  But its a similar situation to that of Benchmark, which also deals with that borderline population, namely one that deals with both teens and young adults.  It doesn't get all that much traffic either.  But it is still important.  I find it noteworthy that HEAL has both these facilities grouped together on the same page.  I suggested over in Web Forum Hosting that perhaps these two facilities could be grouped together somehow, for the benefit of both.  That balloon hasn't taken off yet.  A good fornits poster to ask/touch base with re. that possibility would be psy, who attended Benchmark.

I hear rumors that fornits may be moving to a SMF format, so decisions like that might be put off.  But there has to be more stink than one bear can produce, if you catch my drift.  SLS folk need to ingrain themselves more here, so that the fornits community will recognize the need.  I think sayitaintsojoe does such a fine job of keeping y'all up to speed on the blog; I'm not sure SLS folk feel the need to post here, but they should, if they want more press time here.  I try to do what I can, I haven't forgotten, but sometimes life happens and gets in the way of doing everything the way you would want to.

Along those same lines, I think more treatment of topics in the TTI forum would get more folks' attention.  The New Info forum here doesn't get quite the same attention as the TTI does.  That said, it can also get pretty raunchy there, enough to offend just about everybody at some time or another.  'Tis the nature of the beast...

Feel free to PM me.  I was over on the blog a few days ago, haven't had a chance to check back yet, but I will...

Keep the faith! ::peace::  It isn't always easy or perfect, but we just gotta keep chippin' away at it...
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on October 08, 2008, 12:38:16 PM
SLS Residential, LLC, a private mental health facility located in Putnam County, NY, has been sanctioned for threatening former patients who are potential plaintiffs in a class actions lawsuit.  SLS runs two residential treatment centers in the town of Southeast, NY  for adolescents and young adults.  In addition to a class action lawsuit, SLS is facing revocation of its state operating licenses for the two facilities.

The class action lawsuit, filed by two former SLS Residential patients, alleges that they were subjected to physical and mental abuse.  The complaint, which was filed on behalf of all SLS patients, seeks  $75 million in compensatory damages, $150 million in punitive damages and an injunction that would bar SLS from further violating patients’ rights.

The SLS class action lawsuit  alleges that staff illegally employed manual restraints and put patients in isolation rooms where they were physically and emotionally abused, subjected patients to nightly searches of their bodies and rooms, and denied patients the right to refuse treatment, leave the facility or phone family members.  The complaint also charges SLS with discrimination under the Americans With Disabilities Act, and claims patients were targeted for mistreatment because they were mentally disabled.

Southern District Judge Stephen Robinson assessed SLS $35,000 in sanctions after he determined that 80 former patients  had been told by SLS therapists that their private medical records would be made public if they became plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit. In some cases, the therapists falsely told their former patients that the judge had actually ordered the publication of medical records.

At a hearing held by Judge Robinson on July 8, a therapist who had worked at SLS for two years testified that its Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Shawn Prichard, had called a meeting to discuss contacting the potential class action lawsuit plaintiffs and their families, and distributed a list of their names and phone numbers.

In addition to using threats to coerce  former patients into opting out of the class action lawsuit,  the callers contacted other institutions where some former SLS patients were being treated and tried to convince personnel at institutions to sign opt outs on their patients’ behalf.

In levying sanctions against SLS, Judge Robinson called the defendant’s conduct “egregious”.   “Under the guise of caring for their former patients, the defendants sought to capitalize on the potential plaintiffs’ vulnerability and discourage them from participating in the lawsuit.” Judge Robinson said. “This conduct is astounding to the court.”

In his decision, the judge held SLS management responsible for the conduct of the therapists.  “These calls were not the result of inadvertence, misplaced good intentions, or even the product of rogue employees who took it upon themselves to manipulate class members,” Judge Robinson said. “Rather, it was a scheme designed and implemented by the very highest managers at SLS who are, not incidentally, named defendants in this lawsuit.”

In addition to the $35,000 Judge Robinson voided all of the opt-outs signed by potential plaintiffs, and ordered corrective notices to be mailed. He also ordered all the defendants to cease contact with the potential plaintiffs.

The class action lawsuit is not the only legal battle that SLS Residential is facing right now.  Last week, SLS filed a lawsuit in the New York state Supreme Court seeking to reverse the revocation of its operating license by the state Office of Mental Health (OMH).  In 2006, OMH fined SLS Residential $110,000 for violations of the state Mental Hygiene Law and ordered that it stop admitting patients - and stop violating the rights of the patients it was treating.  The OMH said SLS Residential routinely restrained clients and kept them from making phone calls. It also found that staff would search patients, their rooms and packages sent to them.

In seeking to revoke its licenses, OMH alleged that SLS used illegal restraints on patients long after being told not to, that it administered sedatives to patients when they refused to take their medications and that it failed to report troubling incidents to the state, including patients behaving suicidally and complaining of abuse by staff.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on October 10, 2008, 01:51:23 PM
Quote
In his decision, the judge held SLS management responsible for the conduct of the therapists. "These calls were not the result of inadvertence, misplaced good intentions, or even the product of rogue employees who took it upon themselves to manipulate class members," Judge Robinson said. "Rather, it was a scheme designed and implemented by the very highest managers at SLS who are, not incidentally, named defendants in this lawsuit."

Good for Judge Robinson!!! It is great to finally see someone with the balls to do the right thing, not to mention these sleazoids getting their due. But this class action lawsuit isn't over yet, is it? The $35,000 is just a sanctions SLS incurred due to their despicable behavior in the process, no?

Quote
SLS filed a lawsuit in the New York state Supreme Court seeking to reverse the revocation of its operating license by the state Office of Mental Health (OMH).

I think SLS is just trying to buy time and leverage. What do they have to lose? If they lose their operating license (actually, they already lost it), the class action suit will be a slam dunk (basically same complaints). On the other hand, if they get that revocation reversed, they might have a better chance of reducing the class action suit.

Of course, who actually pays this stuff? Not the perps involved, but the insurance companies, who then pass on the financial burden in the form of higher premiums for the other consumers.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on December 12, 2008, 02:56:05 PM
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT UPDATE
The lawyers appeared before Judge Robinson today.

Judge Robinson issued an order directing the parties and SLS' insurers to meet with a mediator to try to settle the case. He directed the parties to report back to him on February 8, 2009 regarding their progress.

The judge has not sent out the new class notices- he wants to wait to see if the parties have agreed to a settlement before sending out the new notices. If the case settles, the judge will send out new notices to all class members advising of the agreement. That way, they could decide if they want to join the case and accept the settlement or proceed against SLS on their own.

Of course, if the case does not settle, the new class notices will be sent out and the case would proceed.


THE APPELLATE DIVISION WEIGHS IN
The Office of the New York State Attorney General, which represents OMH, filed a motion in the Appellate Division to bar enforcement of Justice O'Rourke's order until the Appellate Division has had an opportunity to review and decide the appeal.

Earlier today, at about the same time that SLS was updating its Friends site to trumpet Justice O'Rourke's decision, the Appellate Division issued an order which bars enforcement of Justice O'Rourke's order.

The next step is for SLS' lawyers to appear before the Appellate Division on December 18 to show cause (1) why the appeal should not be heard at this time and (2) why Justice O'Rourke's order should not be stayed (not enforced) until the Appellate Division has decided the appeal.

Technically, this means that the OMH revocation hearing can go forward.

More importantly, in my experience, the Appellate Division grants orders of this type only when it is has serious concerns about the order issued by the lower court. I think this bodes very well for the appeal.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to the OMH and Attorney General lawyers who worked so hard to present this emergency application to the Appellate Division. The names on the papers are David Lawrence III and Pamela Tindall O'Brian. Thanks to you both, and to all who helped you out!!
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on February 19, 2009, 02:17:42 PM
lots of new stuff happening with the cases against sls.  the ny state attorney general has stepped in on behalf of the office of mental health and is fighting to close sls down.  a revocation hearing is currently underway as well by the state.  finally, the judge in the class action has ordered the parties to participate in mediation which has been scheduled for march 25th.  good stuff people.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on March 03, 2009, 11:09:56 AM
So in short SLS is winning. They won the first round otherwise there would be no need for an appeal. The attorney general has no choice but to step in whether he wants to or not as the office of mental health is a state agency that got itself into trouble. They are pushing a revocation hearing with a judge that should have recused himself (have to agree with SayitAintSoJoe's arguments here: http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/05/02/rep ... udge-lake/ (http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/05/02/report-ex-dynegy-employee-olis-seeks-recusal-of-judge-lake/) - different case but the arguments hold). Probably OMH's desperate attempt to get some positive result on their side. Lastly mediation hearings are standard fare in any lawsuit.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on March 04, 2009, 07:42:04 PM
Funny. From what I have heard the OMH has a solid case against SLS with substantial amounts of of evidence to close the facilities.

Ironically when you read the three pro-SLS blogs currently online they all talk about how SLS "won in court" or has been "vindicated".  This is so far from the truth and was created to intentionally mislead parents and loved ones of current patients as well as potential consumers.  This is a company who is being sued for false advertising as part of the many other allegations of abuse.  The short lived success these sites tout about literally backfired the day it was announced when the Attorney General got involved. You can read a news article about it here or by using Google to look for SLS Residential Sanction:  http://www.nunya.com/index.cfm/2008/11/ ... t-facility (http://www.nunya.com/index.cfm/2008/11/18/Federal-judge-blasts-Putnam-treatment-facility)

The Putnam jugde that originally overturned the OMH's findings had that order stayed while it awaits appeal because the AG found that the judge could not have possibly read the 3,498 pages of evidence in the one day he had it prior to making his decision.  Again, three thousand, four hundred and ninety eight pages must have been read to consider the facts before a judge can make a ruling on a case he had no prior experience with).

Then SLS went back to that same judge on Jan. 20 and asked for his assistance in overturning the OMH Commissioners decision to deny SLS request for a new Hearing Officer at the Revocation Hearing.  The Judge said NO.  Further more this same judge DENIED SLS' request for a temporary restraining order barring the Revocation Hearing from moving forward while he reviews the OMH Commissioners ruling.  On Feb. 19 the Judge made his decision to dismiss SLS' lawsuit against OMH and said the Revocation Hearing will proceed no matter what.  This means the evidence and finding that SLS originally was able to get the Judge to throw out, is now back in the picture and being used as evidence to close the programs once and for all.

A lot more information regarding this can be found at the only blog that uses factual sources like government documents obtained by the Freedom of Information Act, as well as the media coverage. Even reputable law journals have discussed the case since the Federal Judge overseeing the class action lawsuit discovered that SLS developed a scheme to lie to and intimidate former patients from participating in the lawsuit. The worst of all though was that the owner actually called the facilities that some of the patients were out and tried to manipulate them to sign the legal opt0out notice on behalf of the former patient, which is not only a federal crime but would have prevented the individual from even knowing the case existed!

The staff have left.  The facility no longer has any medical doctor.  The owner, chief clinician and others have admitted under oath that they broke rules.  They were all found to have lied under oath.  They have been found to try and hide/destroy evidence and alter records.

The ship is sinking and I see prison in the future for some...

 :waaaa:
Title: UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF SLS HEALTH & SLS RESIDENTIAL OF BREW
Post by: Anonymous on March 23, 2009, 01:35:21 AM
THESE ARE THE FACTS REGARDING THE STATUS OF SLS HEALTH VS OMH AS OF MARCH 23, 2009:

1.)  On or around December 3rd Justice O'Rourke from the Putnam County
Supreme Court ordered that all fines and also ordered OMH would be barred
from taking further regulatory action against SLS, including the revocation
of SLS licenses.  This was after him supposedly reviewing the over 3,498
pages of evidence in ONE NIGHT.

2.)  On December 10 the NY State Attorney General filed a motion with the
Appellate Division barring enforcement of Justice O'Rourke's order until the
Appellate Division has had an opportunity to review and decide the appeal.
This permitted the OMH Revocation hearing to move forward (and it did start
on Jan 5, 2009).  Also, the Appellate Division only grants orders of this
type when it has serious concerns about the order issued by the lower court.
In this case the fact that all of the evidence could not have been humanly
possible to be reviewed in under 24 hours made Justice O'Rourke's order
appear to be a "favor" to SLS.

3.) On December 23 the Appellate Division acted swiftly and issued an
Emergency Stay of Justice O'Rourke's order.  Justice O'Rourke's order was
stayed, meaning not in effect, on the condition the NY Attorney General
files its appellate brief on or before Jan. 22, 2009.  This means the
Appellate Division is fast-tracking the appeal.

4.) On Jan 19, 2009 the OMH Revocation Hearing started.  SLS made a motion
prior to the OMH Revocation Hearing on Jan 5,2009 to have the administrative
judge recues himself since he oversaw the hearings regarding the fines and
investigations.  The motion was denied.  SLS appealed this decision on Jan
14, 2009 to the OMH Commissioner.  He rejected the appeal.

5.) On Jan 20, 2009 SLS commenced another lawsuit in front of Justice
O'Rourke of Putnam County requesting to overrule the OMH Commissioners
decision to allow the Administrative Judge to not recues himself from the
Revocation Hearing.  Justice O'Rourke DENIED SLS' request.  The NY Attorney
General also filed motion to dismiss SLS lawsuit as well as fil the Appeal
Brief  and the parties were due in court on Feb 10, 2009. The NY State
Attorney General filed the following to the Appellate Court:

". Justice O'Rourke signed the order finding that Prof. Hutter's decision
was not supported by the evidence one day after he received the 3, 498 page
hearing transcript.

. Although SLS complains that OMH relied on hearsay (which is allowed in
administrative hearings) it failed to mention that its expert, Dr. Samenow,
relied on statements made by 14 unidentified SLS patients to him.

. SLS policy allowed restraints, euphemistically called Brief Safety
Interventions, to last up to 45 minutes even though SLS' own expert
testified that they should last no longer than 20 minutes due to the risks
to the patient.

. In 2006, SLS restrained one-fourth of its residents.

. Santoro admitted that SLS would only call a physician "sometimes" after a
patient was restrained; Dr. Stumacher, the in-house physician, testified
that he was not summoned when restraints were used.

. SLS Clinical Director, Shawn Prichard admitted that he would monitor
patients' phone calls to their families when in his opinion, they were lying
about conditions at SLS.

. Among the many incidents that SLS was required to report to OMH- but did
not-were the following: 1. A patient received 12 stitches at the community
hospital after cutting her arm with glass. The hospital concluded she was
suicidal and transferred her to a psych hospital. Betsey Bergman testified
that SLS did not report this to OMH because they did not think the patient
was suicidal. 2. A patient got violent, went to store, called 911 and said
she was going to kill herself. SLS did not report this to OMH because they
felt she was not suicidal.

. Betsey Bergman, who was in charge of Incident Reporting, had never heard
of the regulations on incident reporting and had never conducted a special
investigation into any incident.

. Matt Sena, SLS' Residential Director, did not know what constituted a
reportable incident and was not familiar with the OMH regulations.

. Despite regulations requiring staff to be fingerprinted, 21 employees were
not fingerprinted until months after they were hired. SLS admitted that
these employees had regular and substantial contact with patients. "

6.) Feb 19, 2009 Justice O'Rourke to SLS "The Revocation Hearing will
proceed" and granted OMH' motion to dismiss SLS' lawsuit regarding the
recusal of the OMH Administrative Judge which was simply a delay tactic to
begin with and never had merit.

7.) On Feb 23 it was discovered by Justice O'Rourke (the Judge SLS
continuously lies to people that he supposedly granted them the big
"Victory" of OMH) that SLS no longer had a medical doctor on staff which is
an extremely serious regulatory violation. He also held that SLS improperly
brought the case in Putnam County and ordered the venue changed to Albany
County.  He also stated that SLS is not entitled to any restraining orders
or any injunctions.  After SLS received the order changing venue
and denying their request for an injunction, SLS filed a stipulation
discontinuing the action.  Oddly, they filed it in Putnam and specifically
limited the discontinuance of action in Putnam, even though the case has
been moved to Albany.

8.)  On March 25 SLS and Roman/Morgan start Mediation in result of the
Federal Judge ordering them to do so.

Summary:  SLS lost it's appeal that it has been touting about since Jan.
on two different websites with the sole purpose of misleading former
and current members and the people who pay for treatment.


They have not had any "victory" and in fact are in a worsening situation.
SLS is currently still participating in the OMH Revocation Hearing.

SLS employees including Joseph Santoro and Shawn Prichard were
CAUGHT lying under oath. Al Bergman was caught trying to
convince other programs to sign opt-out notices on behalf of
former members, so as to ensure they never even knew the lawsuit
existed.

Once the class action trial starts the REAL story will come out and
everything discussed so far will be reinforced, proven and finally
the former members can have the closure they deserve.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on December 03, 2009, 01:44:37 PM
SLS to be shut down by the State of New York.  

http://www.lohud.com/article/20091122/N ... ealth-firm (http://www.lohud.com/article/20091122/NEWS01/911220356/Appeals-court-restores--100G-in-fines-against-SLS-mental-health-firm)

The state Appellate Division has overturned most of a lower court’s 2008 ruling that supported a private, for-profit mental health facility accused of violating patients’ rights.


The Appellate Division ruled mostly for the state Office of Mental Health in its three-year battle with SLS Residential Inc., which treats adolescents and young adults with behavioral and psychological issues at two residential facilities and an outpatient facility in Southeast.

State mental health officials fined SLS $110,000 and have moved to close SLS by revoking its operating permits.

The four-judge panel upheld $100,000 of those fines, finding "substantial evidence in the record" to support them, but rescinded a $10,000 fine that OMH levied against SLS for the alleged illegal use of manual restraints on its clients.

The court found that OMH was trying to change state law by redefining the meaning of "restraint" to include manual restraints and that it violated the state Constitution because it failed to notify licensed facilities of its restraint policy. The court also found no evidence that SLS?used restraints.

"The Appellate Division’s decision ... is a tremendous victory for SLS," Joseph Santoro, co-chairman of SLS, wrote in an e-mail. "As you know our basic position on restraint is that OMH cannot legislate. The Court found that OMH violated New York Constitution by failing to promulgate official rules and regulations. This is the essence of our dispute with OMH and therefore it vindicates our position."

But spokeswoman Jill Daniels said the state agency "is pleased that the court ruled in OMH’s favor on all issues but one" and said the agency has introduced legislation to clarify the definition of the term "restraint" to include "physical, mechanical, or pharmacological measures used to restrict movement."

Santoro said SLS was disappointed that the rest of the court’s ruling went against it but that SLS will appeal to a higher court.

The saga began in November 2006 when OMH inspectors visited the two residential treatment centers in Southeast run by SLS, also known as Supervised LifeStyles Inc., and fined the company $80,000 on violations that included illegally restraining residents, limiting their contact with people outside the facility, including family, violating their privacy by watching them as they provided a urine sample for drug tests and unfairly punishing residents.

OMH moved to rescind the operating permits for SLS, which appealed the ruling and fines in a hearing before the state agency. A hearing officer ruled in favor of OMH, and the agency’s commissioner, Michael F. Hogan, upheld the ruling.

SLS then appealed to the state Supreme Court. In December 2008, Justice Andrew P. O’Rourke ruled in favor of SLS, finding that OMH’s actions were "arbitrary, capricious and contrary to law and wholly unsupported by substantial evidence."

O’Rourke’s ruling, which also vacated the $110,000 in fines, let SLS maintain its operations while the state went to the Appellate Division, which largely overturned O’Rourke Nov. 10.

Daniels said the agency now will move forward to revoke SLS’s permits.

Glen Feinberg, a Pleasantville resident who says his son received abusive treatment while a patient at SLS and who has been a vocal critic, called the ruling "a resounding victory" for OMH and urged the state Office of the Professions to "take action against the SLS psychologists responsible for this lawlessness."



In addition, SLS continues to falsely advertise to a target audience, specifically current and former patients and the families/payees as well as potentially new clients who may have caught wind of the numerous lawsuits and investigations this hospital has been under since 2006.  Here was SLS' spin on the exact same scenario of loosing it's appeal:

http://friendsofslshealth.com/ (http://friendsofslshealth.com/)

OMH VIOLATES NY CONSTITUTION

Supreme Court of the State of New York: “…OMH’s failure to officially promulgate its policy as a rule or regulation violated the New York Constitution...”

It is proven once again that OMH, even though it is a state government agency, does not live up to the standards one would expect from the government. Below some informative writing that we received:


November 12, 2009

To Friends of SLS:

The Appellate Division of NY issued its decision today on the SLS v. OMH matter concerning fines for SLS actions which allegedly violated NY regulations and law.

The Court decided in SLS’s favor in the major issue of whether SLS used illegal restraints.  The Court found that OMH failed to obey the law.  OMH attempted to usurp the power of the Legislature by defining restraint in a manner which the law did not permit.  OMH then used this false definition to defame SLS’s programs by accusing SLS of illegally restraint patients.  SLS has been vindicated on this the most important of the several issues reviewed by the Court.

On the other issues the Court found in favor of OMH.  SLS’s attorneys are reviewing this part of the Court’s decision in depth.  At this time SLS believes that the Court may have incorrectly decided at least three of these issues. The issues that SLS believes were decided incorrectly concern the limitations of patient rights, the imposition of an admissions block without prior due process and the violation of that order.  Once we have completed our legal analysis we will decide on whether we will appeal to the Court of Appeals (NY’s highest Court) for a reversal of the lower Court’s decision.

SLS has won a significant victory. In addition, OMH has been cited for its failed management of Rockland Psychiatric Center.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank all of our friends and supporters who have stood by SLS and its dedicated staff of professionals.

Sincerely,

SLS Residential, Inc.

--

Scary stuff right?! It's pretty safe to say that several people are going to jail. The owners will likely lose homes, cars, assets, etc. Doctors will lose the right to practice anymore. Don't forget these clowns were fined $35,000 already for lying to potential class members about medical records being exposed...
Title: Re: Free Zone my ass, SLS!
Post by: Anonymous on December 03, 2009, 02:46:54 PM
http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/ (http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/)
ABOUT SLS HEALTH, SLS RESIDENTIAL, JOSEPH SANTORO, SHAWN PRICHARD AND LIFEASSISTCOACH.COM
Quote
SLS “is devoid of moral compass” and its actions demonstrate “a serious lack of care about current and former patients.” Federal Judge Stephen Robinson.
SLS is “manipulative, cynical and downright predatory.” New York Journal News.
"SLS lacks the requisite character and competence to operate a program licensed by OMH." NYS Office of Mental Health
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Anonymous on December 10, 2009, 12:58:23 PM
This company is now being sued by five different groups, agencies, insurance providers, ex-patients.

The state of NY is shutting down the facility.

The owners and operators are facing license revocation to practice medicine or psychology in the US.

Some of these clown are going to face criminal charges.


A lot of people on here (Fornits) were abused as teenagers and adolescents.  This is the first I have heard of an adult facility.  These guys are being shut down because of the work of former patients and family members banding together.  They are going to loose a fortune in a lawsuit too.  Other survivors should take great notice of this situation because this has the potential to change case law and allow for victims of other programs to more easily prove the abuse they faced and possibly gain some closure through punitive legal measures.

posting.php?mode=reply&f=14&t=23220# (http://fornits.com/wwf/posting.php?mode=reply&f=14&t=23220#)
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: brokenbySLS on April 05, 2010, 08:54:15 PM
I just have to say, as a previous "member" in the 90's, that everything in these lawsuits is true, and there are PLENTY of other things that they did that were horribly wrong. I was ejected into homelessness when they randomly searched my room and found documentation I had put together regarding reasons to sue them. They lied to everyone they had contact information for, telling them that I was removed from the program because of drug use, and told them not to help me because they'd be enabling me. They abused me while I was there, and ruined my life after forcing me into homelessness.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: psy on April 05, 2010, 10:15:30 PM
Quote from: "brokenbySLS"
I just have to say, as a previous "member" in the 90's, that everything in these lawsuits is true, and there are PLENTY of other things that they did that were horribly wrong. I was ejected into homelessness when they randomly searched my room and found documentation I had put together regarding reasons to sue them. They lied to everyone they had contact information for, telling them that I was removed from the program because of drug use, and told them not to help me because they'd be enabling me. They abused me while I was there, and ruined my life after forcing me into homelessness.
I feel for you, man, and I believe you.  I know how programs can do that kind of shit from personal experience.  Homelessness was used as a punishment at Benchmark (where I was) as well.  I too was thrown out on the streets for a while.  Believe it or not my parents agreed to it (they were assured it was in my best interests).
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on April 06, 2010, 12:13:54 AM
Some more threads on SLS Health or which mention SLS in several posts:

Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: brokenbySLS on April 08, 2010, 05:17:57 PM
does anyone happen to know the result of the lawsuit? I've seen on the blog that they're still up and running, but haven't had the opportunity to go through the years worth of posts...
edit:
my bad... just checked out the blog again and found this:
Quote
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
COURT SENDS OUT CLASS ACTION NOTICES
I just received the following comment:

"just received the new letter from Judge Robinson regarding the class action suit. There is also an apology attached from SLS stating that all patients records would remain confidential and a court order which says the same. Has anyone else heard anything? "

Looks like the long-stalled class action is going to start moving forward.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Eurystheus on August 04, 2010, 09:50:47 PM
Interesting thing I noticed.  SLS threatened and filed a lawsuit against the owner of aboutsls.blogspot.com saying several of his interpretations of ruling from the court were invalid and they in turn lost revenue over a period of time and are suing him for 6.5 million.  Over the past several days when tying to read the blog, a page opens up which said I had to log in and be invited to read the blog which is new to me I have read it freely without having to register or log in.  Today I used a back door link from this website to go to aboutsls.blogspot.com and it appears that the blog is dead and SLS owns the web address as it read SLS health the center for excellence or something like that and no longer has posts.  Possible that he agreed to remove the blog in order for SLS to drop the suit?? Also the Friends of SLS website does not exist either content wise it is a blank page.
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: Ursus on August 04, 2010, 10:58:37 PM
Quote from: "Eurystheus"
Interesting thing I noticed.  SLS threatened and filed a lawsuit against the owner of aboutsls.blogspot.com saying several of his interpretations of ruling from the court were invalid and they in turn lost revenue over a period of time and are suing him for 6.5 million.  Over the past several days when tying to read the blog, a page opens up which said I had to log in and be invited to read the blog which is new to me I have read it freely without having to register or log in.  Today I used a back door link from this website to go to aboutsls.blogspot.com and it appears that the blog is dead and SLS owns the web address as it read SLS health the center for excellence or something like that and no longer has posts.  Possible that he agreed to remove the blog in order for SLS to drop the suit?? Also the Friends of SLS website does not exist either content wise it is a blank page.
Wow. So much for free speech. I too get an almost blank page for the "friends" site: http://friendsofslshealth.com/ (http://friendsofslshealth.com/)

Friends of SLS Health
The site for supporters of SLS Residential and SLS Health.
[/list]

Here's what I get for http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/ (http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/):

SLS Residential

Tuesday, August 03, 2010
SLS Health
SLS Residential the Center of Excellence for Residential Care
Posted by testing at 10:00 PM[/list]

And here is SLS Health's own blog (not blank at all): http://aboutslshealth.blogspot.com/ (http://aboutslshealth.blogspot.com/)
Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
Post by: DannyB II on August 04, 2010, 11:21:27 PM
Quote from: "Ursus"
Quote from: "Eurystheus"
Interesting thing I noticed.  SLS threatened and filed a lawsuit against the owner of aboutsls.blogspot.com saying several of his interpretations of ruling from the court were invalid and they in turn lost revenue over a period of time and are suing him for 6.5 million.  Over the past several days when tying to read the blog, a page opens up which said I had to log in and be invited to read the blog which is new to me I have read it freely without having to register or log in.  Today I used a back door link from this website to go to aboutsls.blogspot.com and it appears that the blog is dead and SLS owns the web address as it read SLS health the center for excellence or something like that and no longer has posts.  Possible that he agreed to remove the blog in order for SLS to drop the suit?? Also the Friends of SLS website does not exist either content wise it is a blank page.
Wow. So much for free speech. I too get an almost blank page for the "friends" site: http://friendsofslshealth.com/ (http://friendsofslshealth.com/)

    Friends of SLS Health
    The site for supporters of SLS Residential and SLS Health.
    [/list]

    Here's what I get for http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/ (http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/):

      SLS Residential

      Tuesday, August 03, 2010
      SLS Health
      SLS Residential the Center of Excellence for Residential Care
      Posted by testing at 10:00 PM[/list]

      And here is SLS Health's own blog (not blank at all): http://aboutslshealth.blogspot.com/ (http://aboutslshealth.blogspot.com/)
       


      So long as your free speech does not defame someone or thing.
      People will sue, you have to know this.
      Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
      Post by: Ursus on August 06, 2010, 05:24:26 PM
      Quote from: "Ursus"
      Here's what I get for http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/ (http://aboutsls.blogspot.com/):

        SLS Residential

        Tuesday, August 03, 2010
        SLS Health
        SLS Residential the Center of Excellence for Residential Care
        Posted by testing at 10:00 PM[/list]
        Today this page merely notes: "No posts."
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: wdtony on August 10, 2010, 09:45:51 PM
        I think SLS has been shut down (operating certificate revoked) by the State of New York - Office of Mental Health (OMH) - July 30th, 2010.

        http://www.heal-online.org/SLS.FinalDet ... 080910.pdf (http://www.heal-online.org/SLS.FinalDetermination.080910.pdf)
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: Eurystheus on August 12, 2010, 11:21:19 AM
        Article on lohud.com has a write up if you click on the Putnam County link up to the left
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: wdtony on August 12, 2010, 12:04:12 PM
        State orders Putnam mental-health company SLS to give up permits


        By Terence Corcoran • [email protected] • August 12, 2010


        The state has ordered a private Putnam County-based mental-health provider that treats teens and young adults to surrender its operating certificates after the mental-health commissioner upheld charges that the for-profit facility violated patients' rights and ignored state regulations.


        Commissioner Michael F. Hogan notified SLS Residential of his decision Tuesday.

        But an attorney for SLS, also known as Supervised LifeStyles, said Wednesday that the facility intends to appeal the decision in court and is confident it will prevail. To keep operating, SLS will have to ask a judge for a temporary order to stay the revocation of its permits.

        "SLS is disappointed in the commissioner's decision and believes that all the charges are unfounded," said David C. Trueman, a Manhattan attorney and adjunct Columbia University law professor. "SLS maintains that the commissioner's decision and the hearing officer's report are unsupported by the law and the evidence."

        The SLS saga dates to November 2006 when state inspectors visited two residential facilities the agency runs in Southeast, found numerous violations and fined the company $80,000. A return trip three weeks later resulted in more violations and $30,000 more in fines, none of which SLS has paid while it has appealed.

        Violations included that SLS limited residents' contact with people outside the facility, violated their privacy by watching them as they used the bathroom, punished them unfairly and humiliated them with other clients, continued to use an unauthorized building for programs and failed to conduct incident reviews as required by state law.

        The state also alleged that SLS illegally restrained patients, but a court dismissed that charge.

        After finding the violations, the state Office of Mental Health moved to rescind the operating permits SLS uses to run two residential-treatment facilties and a clinic. SLS appealed but a hearing officer ruled in favor of the state, and Hogan upheld the ruling.

        SLS then appealed to state Supreme Court. In December 2008, Justice Andrew P. O'Rourke ruled in favor of SLS, calling OMH's actions "arbitrary, capricious and contrary to the law and wholly unsupported by substantial evidence."
        Title: State orders Putnam mental-health company SLS to give up per
        Post by: Ursus on August 12, 2010, 02:20:50 PM
        Full article, with link, follows below:


        Related: Download: SLS Final Determination (http://http://www.lohud.com/assets/pdf/BH162400812.PDF)

        -------------- • -------------- • --------------

        The Journal News
        State orders Putnam mental-health company SLS to give up permits (http://http://www.lohud.com/article/20100812/NEWS01/8120358/-1/newsfront/State-orders-Putnam-mental-health-company-SLS-to-give-up-permits)

        By Terence Corcoran • [email protected] • August 12, 2010

        (http://http://cmsimg.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BH&Date=20100812&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=8120358&Ref=AR&MaxW=318&Border=0)
        SLS operates a home on North Brewster Road in Southeast. The state mental health commissioner has ruled that SLS must give up the operating certificates that allow it to run two residential treatment centers in Southeast. (Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

        (http://http://cmsimg.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BH&Date=20100812&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=8120358&Ref=V1&MaxW=318&Border=0)
        The Bloomer house on Route 6 in Southeast is an SLS residential treatments center. (Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

        The state has ordered a private Putnam County-based mental-health provider that treats teens and young adults to surrender its operating certificates after the mental-health commissioner upheld charges that the for-profit facility violated patients' rights and ignored state regulations.

        Commissioner Michael F. Hogan notified SLS Residential of his decision Tuesday.

        But an attorney for SLS, also known as Supervised LifeStyles, said Wednesday that the facility intends to appeal the decision in court and is confident it will prevail. To keep operating, SLS will have to ask a judge for a temporary order to stay the revocation of its permits.

        "SLS is disappointed in the commissioner's decision and believes that all the charges are unfounded," said David C. Trueman, a Manhattan attorney and adjunct Columbia University law professor. "SLS maintains that the commissioner's decision and the hearing officer's report are unsupported by the law and the evidence."

        The SLS saga dates to November 2006 when state inspectors visited two residential facilities the agency runs in Southeast, found numerous violations and fined the company $80,000. A return trip three weeks later resulted in more violations and $30,000 more in fines, none of which SLS has paid while it has appealed.

        Violations included that SLS limited residents' contact with people outside the facility, violated their privacy by watching them as they used the bathroom, punished them unfairly and humiliated them with other clients, continued to use an unauthorized building for programs and failed to conduct incident reviews as required by state law.

        The state also alleged that SLS illegally restrained patients, but a court dismissed that charge.

        After finding the violations, the state Office of Mental Health moved to rescind the operating permits SLS uses to run two residential-treatment facilties and a clinic. SLS appealed but a hearing officer ruled in favor of the state, and Hogan upheld the ruling.

        SLS then appealed to state Supreme Court. In December 2008, Justice Andrew P. O'Rourke ruled in favor of SLS, calling OMH's actions "arbitrary, capricious and contrary to the law and wholly unsupported by substantial evidence."

        While the ruling vacated the fines and allowed SLS to operate, the state turned to the court's Appellate Division, which largely overturned O'Rourke and reinstated many of the fines in November.

        That led to the latest, 49-day hearing before OMH that began in January and involved 31 witnesses and more than 200 exhibits.

        In his ruling, Hogan said some testimony from SLS witnesses "was not deemed credible" and concluded that "SLS has willfully and knowingly failed to adhere to OMH directives."

        Dr. Joseph Santoro, who runs SLS with Alfred Bergman, testified that Evan Marshall, a patient who left SLS in August 2006 and committed a murder on Long Island, was not receiving clinical services from the agency at the time of the killing. Marshall, who is serving 29 years to life in prison, killed his mother's neighbor and drove around with her severed head in his car.

        "If this were true, SLS would not have had any obligation to report the homicide. However, the clinic records showed otherwise," Hogan wrote in his ruling.

        He also noted that Santoro testified that patients could leave SLS grounds without permission. "But the testimony of other witnesses, which is credited, is that there was no such freedom ," Hogan wrote.

        He concluded that SLS' collective actions "to evade lawful orders and directives of OMH ... show a lack of the requisite character for a person to have an operating certificate."

        Jill Daniels, a spokeswoman for OMH, said in an e-mail that with Hogan's decision SLS has exhausted its administrative remedies but can appeal in court.

        Trueman, the SLS lawyer, noted that the agency prevailed in the earlier ruling from O'Rourke.

        "We anticipate that will happen in this proceeding as well," he said. "We believe the issues of law are in their favor. SLS remains committed, as always, to helping their clients recover from their disorders and lead healthier and happier lives."

        Two former patients filed a $225 million federal class-action lawsuit in 2007 against various companies affiliated with SLS, alleging they were physically and emotionally abused while patients there. The case is pending in federal court in White Plains.

        Pleasantville resident Glen Feinberg, an attorney who has complained of alleged abusive treatment his son received while an SLS patient, declined to comment Wednesday.


        Copyright ©2010
        Title: Re: State orders Putnam mental-health company SLS to give up
        Post by: Anne Bonney on August 12, 2010, 02:45:50 PM
        Quote from: "Ursus"
        Full article, with link, follows below:


        Related: Download: SLS Final Determination (http://http://www.lohud.com/assets/pdf/BH162400812.PDF)

        -------------- • -------------- • --------------

        The Journal News
        State orders Putnam mental-health company SLS to give up permits (http://http://www.lohud.com/article/20100812/NEWS01/8120358/-1/newsfront/State-orders-Putnam-mental-health-company-SLS-to-give-up-permits)

        Violations included that SLS limited residents' contact with people outside the facility, violated their privacy by watching them as they used the bathroom, punished them unfairly and humiliated them with other clients, continued to use an unauthorized building for programs and failed to conduct incident reviews as required by state law.



        Same shit, different wrapper, different decade.
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: Troll Control on August 12, 2010, 02:48:10 PM
        Sounds like Aspen Education Group.  Same policies and tactics, just add ritualized sexual abuse to the mix.
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: Anne Bonney on August 12, 2010, 02:51:23 PM
        Quote from: "Dysfunction Junction"
        Sounds like Aspen Education Group.  Same policies and tactics, just add ritualized sexual abuse to the mix.


        And they wonder why we tend to lump a lot of programs into the same category.  This is the same shit that happened to me decades ago, same shit that happens in Aspen, same shit that happened in HLA, same shit that happened in Tranquility Bay and on and on and on.
        Title: Comments for "State orders Putnam mental-health company SLS.
        Post by: Ursus on August 17, 2010, 01:10:25 PM
        Comments (http://http://www.lohud.com/comments/article/20100812/NEWS01/8120358/State-orders-Putnam-mental-health-company-SLS-to-give-up-permits) left for the above article, "State orders Putnam mental-health company SLS to give up permits (http://http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=23220&p=374044#p373605)" (by Terence Corcoran; August 12, 2010; The Journal News):


        Time4Change wrote: 8/12/2010 5:14:06 AM
        TonettaMom wrote: 8/12/2010 8:26:38 AM
        LuluNYC wrote: 8/12/2010 9:46:10 AM
        manny365 wrote: 8/12/2010 11:32:42 AM
        Time4Change wrote: 8/12/2010 1:03:52 PM
        indianboy101 wrote: 8/12/2010 2:16:41 PM
        Brewster704 wrote: 8/12/2010 2:24:48 PM
        Apertureguy wrote: 8/12/2010 3:38:02 PM
        piscespup wrote: 8/12/2010 4:24:19 PM
        rpcadvocate wrote: 8/12/2010 5:34:14 PM
        LuluNYC wrote: 8/12/2010 6:24:37 PM
        Galileo21 wrote: 8/12/2010 8:42:34 PM
        LaMigra1776 wrote: 8/13/2010 9:06:27 AM
        ILLEGALnLOVINGiT wrote: 8/13/2010 9:44:13 AM
        "The whole mental health racket is a scam, just like shrinks."[/list]
        also, you post Hitler quotes and think people should be allowed to drive drunk.

        so, there's THAT.[/list]
        AwakeningBear wrote: 8/16/2010 5:12:53 PM


        Copyright ©2010
        Title: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: Eurystheus on December 02, 2011, 04:06:51 PM
        I know this link has been quiet for well over a year but I am happy to see  that OMH in New York is now working with SLS to relocate patients to other treatment facilities.  In an article from Lohud.com dated November 30th 2011 the following is stated:

        A Putnam County-based, for-profit mental health provider that treats teens and young adults lost its latest legal battle when an appellate court upheld the state mental health commissioner's decision to revoke its operating certificates because it violated patients' rights and ignored state regulations.

        Though an attorney for SLS Residential Inc. said the company is appealing the ruling, a spokeswoman for the state Office of Mental Health said the agency will begin working with SLS to move its patients to other facilities.
        The court issued its ruling Nov. 15, confirming an earlier decision by mental health Commissioner Michael F. Hogan to revoke three operating permits of SLS Residential, also known as Supervised LifeStyles.
        Hogan's decision followed a 49-day hearing before the OMH that began in January 2010 and involved 31 witnesses and more than 200 exhibits.
        "Having reviewed the record accordingly, we are satisfied that the hearing officer's determination that all of the charges were sustained is supported by substantial evidence based upon the record as a whole," said the ruling of the state Supreme Court Appellate Division, Second Department.
        David L. Trueman, attorney for SLS, said Monday that his client already has filed an appeal to the full Second Department and will try to take the matter to the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, if necessary.
        On Friday, SLS sought a temporary restraining order that would have stopped the permit-revocation process but was denied.
        The state OMH is already moving toward shutting down the 20-year-old company.
        "We are gratified by the decision of the Appellate Division, Second Department, which unanimously upheld the (OMH) commissioner's final determination revoking all three operating certificates," Leesa Rademacher said in a statement. "OMH will immediately begin working cooperatively with SLS to (ensure) that all patients currently being served by the programs will be transitioned to appropriate care settings."
        The ruling is the latest in a court fight that began in November 2006 when state inspectors visited two residential facilities SLS operates in Southeast, found numerous violations and fined the company $80,000. Inspectors returned three weeks later and found more violations, resulting in another $30,000 in fines for a total of $110,000.
        (Page 2 of 2)
        Among the violations were that SLS limited residents' contact with people outside the facility, violated their privacy by watching them as they used the bathroom, punished them unfairly and failed to conduct incident reviews as required by state law.
        The state also alleged that SLS illegally restrained patients, but a court dismissed that charge and a $10,000 fine.
        The state then moved to rescind the permits SLS uses to run its residential-treatment facilities and clinic. The company fought the fines and findings, first in a state hearing in 2007 and later with a motion in state Supreme Court in Putnam County before Justice Andrew O'Rourke.
        A state hearing officer upheld the fines and findings, but O'Rourke ruled in favor of SLS in December 2008.
        The state then appealed O'Rourke's decision and, in November 2009, the court's Appellate Division largely overturned O'Rourke and reinstated most of the fines. SLS then requested a second hearing before the state OMH and Hogan, who upheld the charges.
        SLS then filed an Article 78 petition with the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court, Second Department, seeking to overturn Hogan's decision. The court upheld Hogan with its Nov. 15 decision.
        Pleasantville resident Glen Feinberg, an attorney who has alleged his son received abusive treatment while an SLS patient, said he does not think it can successfully appeal the latest ruling.
        "The courts are not likely to overturn the unanimous ruling upholding OMH's determination that SLS lacks the character and competence to operate a licensed facility in New York state," Feinberg wrote in an email Tuesday.

        Among the violations were that SLS limited residents' contact with people outside the facility, violated their privacy by watching them as they used the bathroom, punished them unfairly and failed to conduct incident reviews as required by state law.

        The state also alleged that SLS illegally restrained patients, but a court dismissed that charge and a $10,000 fine.
        The state then moved to rescind the permits SLS uses to run its residential-treatment facilities and clinic. The company fought the fines and findings, first in a state hearing in 2007 and later with a motion in state Supreme Court in Putnam County before Justice Andrew O'Rourke.
        A state hearing officer upheld the fines and findings, but O'Rourke ruled in favor of SLS in December 2008.
        The state then appealed O'Rourke's decision and, in November 2009, the court's Appellate Division largely overturned O'Rourke and reinstated most of the fines. SLS then requested a second hearing before the state OMH and Hogan, who upheld the charges.
        SLS then filed an Article 78 petition with the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court, Second Department, seeking to overturn Hogan's decision. The court upheld Hogan with its Nov. 15 decision.
        Pleasantville resident Glen Feinberg, an attorney who has alleged his son received abusive treatment while an SLS patient, said he does not think it can successfully appeal the latest ruling.
        "The courts are not likely to overturn the unanimous ruling upholding OMH's determination that SLS lacks the character and competence to operate a licensed facility in New York state," Feinberg wrote in an email Tuesday.
        Title: State will move patients of Putnam mental health provider...
        Post by: Ursus on December 03, 2011, 10:22:11 AM
        Here's the full article:

        -------------- • -------------- • --------------

        LoHud.com
        State will move patients of Putnam mental health provider SLS after court upholds revoking permits (http://http://www.lohud.com/article/20111130/NEWS04/111300318/State-will-move-patients-Putnam-mental-health-provider-SLS-after-court-upholds-revoking-permits)

        12:40 AM, Nov. 30, 2011
        Written by Terence Corcoran


        A Putnam County-based, for-profit mental health provider that treats teens and young adults lost its latest legal battle when an appellate court upheld the state mental health commissioner's decision to revoke its operating certificates because it violated patients' rights and ignored state regulations.

        Though an attorney for SLS Residential Inc. said the company is appealing the ruling, a spokeswoman for the state Office of Mental Health said the agency will begin working with SLS to move its patients to other facilities.

        The court issued its ruling Nov. 15, confirming an earlier decision by mental health Commissioner Michael F. Hogan to revoke three operating permits of SLS Residential, also known as Supervised LifeStyles.

        Hogan's decision followed a 49-day hearing before the OMH that began in January 2010 and involved 31 witnesses and more than 200 exhibits.

        "Having reviewed the record accordingly, we are satisfied that the hearing officer's determination that all of the charges were sustained is supported by substantial evidence based upon the record as a whole," said the ruling of the state Supreme Court Appellate Division, Second Department.

        David L. Trueman, attorney for SLS, said Monday that his client already has filed an appeal to the full Second Department and will try to take the matter to the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, if necessary.

        On Friday, SLS sought a temporary restraining order that would have stopped the permit-revocation process but was denied.

        The state OMH is already moving toward shutting down the 20-year-old company.

        "We are gratified by the decision of the Appellate Division, Second Department, which unanimously upheld the (OMH) commissioner's final determination revoking all three operating certificates," Leesa Rademacher said in a statement. "OMH will immediately begin working cooperatively with SLS to (ensure) that all patients currently being served by the programs will be transitioned to appropriate care settings."

        The ruling is the latest in a court fight that began in November 2006 when state inspectors visited two residential facilities SLS operates in Southeast, found numerous violations and fined the company $80,000. Inspectors returned three weeks later and found more violations, resulting in another $30,000 in fines for a total of $110,000.

        Among the violations were that SLS limited residents' contact with people outside the facility, violated their privacy by watching them as they used the bathroom, punished them unfairly and failed to conduct incident reviews as required by state law.

        The state also alleged that SLS illegally restrained patients, but a court dismissed that charge and a $10,000 fine.

        The state then moved to rescind the permits SLS uses to run its residential-treatment facilities and clinic. The company fought the fines and findings, first in a state hearing in 2007 and later with a motion in state Supreme Court in Putnam County before Justice Andrew O'Rourke.

        A state hearing officer upheld the fines and findings, but O'Rourke ruled in favor of SLS in December 2008.

        The state then appealed O'Rourke's decision and, in November 2009, the court's Appellate Division largely overturned O'Rourke and reinstated most of the fines. SLS then requested a second hearing before the state OMH and Hogan, who upheld the charges.

        SLS then filed an Article 78 petition with the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court, Second Department, seeking to overturn Hogan's decision. The court upheld Hogan with its Nov. 15 decision.

        Pleasantville resident Glen Feinberg, an attorney who has alleged his son received abusive treatment while an SLS patient, said he does not think it can successfully appeal the latest ruling.

        "The courts are not likely to overturn the unanimous ruling upholding OMH's determination that SLS lacks the character and competence to operate a licensed facility in New York state," Feinberg wrote in an email Tuesday.

        Among the violations were that SLS limited residents' contact with people outside the facility, violated their privacy by watching them as they used the bathroom, punished them unfairly and failed to conduct incident reviews as required by state law.


        Copyright © 2011 http://www.LoHud.com (http://www.LoHud.com).
        Title: Re: State will move patients of Putnam mental health...
        Post by: Ursus on December 03, 2011, 10:27:43 AM
        From the above article (http://http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=23220&p=409163#p409162), emphasis added:

        The court upheld Hogan with its Nov. 15 decision.[/list][/size]
        I guess that so-called "professional caliber methodology (http://http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=23220&start=15#p285530)" of "Personal selling with Event Marketing Efforts that include Golf Outings and Special Dinner parties targeted to court related decision makers" ... isn't working out so well, eh? :D
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: OogleDog on February 07, 2012, 01:27:46 PM
        Good news
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: wdtony on February 07, 2012, 04:46:36 PM
        Don't know,

        here is a sls doctor with very low ratings: http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/8 ... ER-NY.html (http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/877400/Dr-Mark-Stumacher-CROSS-RIVER-NY.html)
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: OogleDog on February 08, 2012, 02:39:43 PM
        Yikes! Bad reviews
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: Ursus on February 13, 2012, 11:20:18 AM
        Quote from: "OogleDog"
        What was the Friends of SLS website and the blog that keeps being mentioned?  IS there a support group for survivors of the program?  I went to SLS for two months early last year and it was a nightmare.
        The blog used to belong to the father of an ex-res, who felt that his son was seriously maltreated by SLS. Apparently, SLS blew off both this parent and his concerns, and so... he started the blog. Iirc, it had a subtitle of "Say it Ain't So, Joe..." (or something pretty similar to that).

        The more this guy dug, the more crapola he unearthed, and all or most of it got posted on the blog.

        Over time, the blog became a hot spot where folks unhappy with their experience at SLS came to air their grievances, and where information and news re. the lawsuit and the actions taken by the state of New York were reliably made available to the public.

        The blog was a HUGE thorn in SLS's side.

        The Friends of SLS website may or may not have been started in response to the blog. At any rate, it was a pro-SLS site, and it appeared to attack the posters on the blog and to dismiss and/or mitigate any of the concerns the blog brought to the public's attention.

        At some point SLS decided to either reach a settlement with this parent and/or sue him into silence. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but... in the aftermath... the blog appears to be now owned by SLS (?), and all of its former content has been deleted. Not entirely sure about the ownership, but the content has clearly been wiped.

        That's as much as I know and/or can speculate on.
        Title: Re: SLS in Brewster, NY?
        Post by: Eurystheus on February 13, 2012, 02:22:09 PM
        -Nicholas Romano and Deborah Morgan are the listed plaintifs in the class action lawsuit, last I knew they were mediating over the amount which was over $200 million.  The 16 employees that are now in Blue Sky are therapists, CASAC's, psychologists that were employeed by SLS, the staff that were let go were PAT and MC staff.  

        The blog SIASJ was taken down due to SLS suing Glen for $6.5 million saying his blog entries were misinterpreting the courts decisions and cost them lost revenue, my guess is that they settled to get rid of both of their blogs, FOSLS blog was giving false information and was a futile attempt by SLS to innoculate his blog as they also attempted to have it come up first on Google Search.