Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => The Troubled Teen Industry => Topic started by: dfaassen on June 06, 2004, 12:13:00 PM
-
Anyone out there have personal experience with these programs? Considering sending my 17 yr old daughter.
-
On 2004-06-06 09:13:00, dfaassen wrote:
"Anyone out there have personal experience with these programs? Considering sending my 17 yr old daughter."
Reconsider.
At seventeen, give her the opportunity to move out of your home. It beats the hell out of torture and permanent (further?) psychological damage. No matter *what* she's done, she's better off with that year out of your house to grow up in the school of hard knocks than coming out of one of these places with a lifelong case of PTSD and a permanently fractured parent-child relationship.
Look, it's *rare* for kids to die in wilderness programs or BM programs---but it *happens*. And all the programs use restraints, any human being put in restraints is at a *significant* risk of dying from them. They just tell you it was a freak accident, unavoidable, undiagnosed prior heart condition (the stress hormones released while in restraints enlarge the human heart, straining it, and can cause a heart attack in someone with *no* prior heart condition---they just *tell* you the deceased had one)
Don't believe me? See:
http://courant.ctnow.com/projects/restr ... h_data.stm (http://courant.ctnow.com/projects/restraint/death_data.stm)
Look, any human being has a non-zero chance of dying or getting seriously hurt in any calendar year, regardless of age or habits.
Your kid's risks are probably *less*, no matter what she's into, if you just give her a year to grow up a little.
All these private programs are private jails----if you're upset that she might be "deadorinjail" in a year, the solution is *not* to stick her in jail yourself.
It's hard as hell to sit back and let your kids make their own mistakes and take the *natural* consequences (programs are *artificial* consequences---and usually far more severe than the natural ones) of their behavior.
Waiting is *hard*.
Do it anyway. There is no cure for adolescence but time.
Don't give your kid a lifelong case of PTSD and ruin your relationship with her for life just because you're feeling (understandably) impatient.
Waiting is hard as hell, but it is the absolute best thing you can do for your daughter.
Specific, home based therapies, specific medications, may help with any specific serious problems she has, but letting Time cure the "teen" part of the "troubled" is almost universally the best choice a parent can make.
-
This person asked if you have any "personal" experience with the three programs.
This is not the place to ask. Get the names of families that have been there from those schools and talk with the teens if they are home now. If you are in a city that has a support group, go to one. You'll get the truth there, not here.
-
On 2004-06-06 13:33:00, Anonymous wrote:
"This person asked if you have any "personal" experience with the three programs.
This is not the place to ask. Get the names of families that have been there from those schools and talk with the teens if they are home now. If you are in a city that has a support group, go to one. You'll get the truth there, not here.
"
Bullshit.
From the school, you will get the names of *only* people who will say *completely* nice things about them *or* will only say the moderately uncomfortable and iffy things that the school is willing for you to hear that will give an impression of them being open and honest without you *actually* hearing the full story.
There are plenty of threads in this and other fora from people who *have* been to the schools.
Sure, you want to hear the school's side, go right ahead---but since it's your child's lifelong mental health we're talking about if you put her in there and she comes out with PTSD, you need to keep sniffing around and hear the other side from the adults who spent time in those particular institutions as kids.
For one thing, a lot of times program parents and kids that are freshly home from programs will agree with the adult survivors that certain things happened and still happen in the Program. They will just contend that it is not abuse.
Frequently the only people who could contend that the activity is not abusive are people whose brains have been scrambled by brainwashing (in the case of the kids) and groupthink (in the case of the parents). A sane and rational parent who has not yet been sucked in (hopefully this describes you) is likely to blanch at the thought of subjecting their child to that and realize that there *are* still better options.
Including giving the kid a year to grow up.
-
We are sending our 13 year old son to Spring Creek Lodge in Montana on June 12, 2004. If you send me your email address I would be glad to forward a list of phone numbers andor email addresses of parents whose child is or was a student at the above facilities. I received numerous responses from these parents. They all were very positive about the program. My email address is rjsfriends@aol.com
RJ
-
To the annonymous poster who is going to send a 13 year old child to Spring Creek Lodge - you need to do your homework and not listen to the ramblings of "Programed Parents." Don't make the mistake others have regretted. Look for an outpatient program (this may take more of your time but it will be safer and you will still have custody of your child) Here is a recent article:
Deseret Morning News, Saturday, April 17, 2004
Problems plaguing program for youths
By Amy Joi Bryson
Deseret Morning News
Allegations of sexual abuse and assault, which have sparked recent criminal probes here and in two other states, continue to plague a Utah-based program for troubled children.
The trouble linked to programs or services associated with the Worldwide Association of Speciality Programs and Schools (WWASPS) also has a California congressman demanding a federal investigation by the Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, Utah licensing officials say there is little they can do about complaints that come in for programs like WWASPS, which remain unlicensed because they are "boarding schools."
"Unless they are licensed, we do not have the right to go in unannounced, talk to anyone or interview the kids to see what is happening," said Ken Stettler, director of the state Department of Human Services Office of Licensing.
Criminal investigations into abuse and assault have taken place in:
Rich County, where a 13-year-old boy was allegedly assaulted at the company's Majestic Ranch.
Montana, resulting in a former staffer pleading guilty to felony criminal endangerment.
New York, where two men stand accused of assaulting a teen they were transporting to a WWASPS facility in that state.
WWASPS officials say allegations of assault and other mistreatment are fabricated by students who want to go home.
"There have not been any substantiated allegations that I am aware of, ever," said Ken Kay, president. "These kids have a long history of fabricating the truth and not functioning well in mainstream society."
Rep. George Miller, D-California, renewed his plea last month for the investigation to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, asking again that the Justice Department probe WWASPS for allegations of human-rights violations, fraudulent and deceptive advertising, fraud and unjust enrichment under the Internal Revenue Code.
The attorney general, based on a request first made by Miller late last year, initially declined to investigate WWASPS, saying its authority does not extend to WWASPS affiliates outside the country or privately owned facilities.
Miller is not dissuaded, saying private ownership is immaterial to an investigation into possible violations of federal law. He is waiting for a second response.
Utah connections
WWASPS, based in St. George, was founded by Utahn Robert Lichfield and is an umbrella organization with 11 boarding schools or residential treatment programs, including three facilities overseas.
Here in Utah, investigators with the state Division of Child and Family Services, along with Rich County sheriff's deputies, were called to WWASPS affiliate Majestic Ranch north of Randolph to probe a possible assault of a 13-year-old boy.
The incident, which involved a Majestic Ranch staff member, happened March 3 and had facility management concerned about whether or not "their own use of force policies had been violated," according to a press release.
The Rich County Sheriff's Office, on advice of the county attorney, declined to release the deputy's initial incident report on the allegations, even though it is classified as a public document under the Government Records Access and Management Act. The Deseret Morning News is appealing the decision.
Although DCFS officials say one of the allegations of abuse was supported, the Rich County Attorney's Office declined to file criminal charges.
Assault allegations
In Montana just this week, a man who had been a staff member at WWASPS affiliate Spring Creek Lodge Academy in Thompson Falls pleaded guilty to criminal endangerment, a felony.
Initially, the man was charged by the Sanders County Prosecutor's Office with sexual assault and sexual intercourse without consent stemming from allegations involving a 14-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy.
The county attorney's office said the defendant received a three-year deferred sentence of probation, with credit for 11 days served in jail.
Although the Montana employee did enter a guilty plea, Kay stressed the charge "does not mean anything inappropriate happened."
"It may mean he (the defendant) may have had the child in a predicament or a situation where there was the possibility that something could have happened, not that it did happen."
He said the employee was fired immediately for violating policy ? which prohibits staff members from being alone with students.
In New York, two men were accused in March of assaulting a 17-year-old boy while he was en route to the WWASPS Academy at Ivy Ridge, located near the Canadian border.
Police there say the teen was beaten while in cuffs after he grabbed the steering wheel of the car and caused it to crash.
The men, who have pleaded not guilty, were contracted by La Verkin-based Teen Escort Service to do the transport of the teen. WWASPS officials say Teen Escort is not affiliated with their organization, but is one of three approved transport services that is recommended to parents.
The alleged assault happened after the men woke the boy, handcuffed him and led him out to a waiting car ? a style of transport that investigators said had the parents consent.
The rough way the boy was treated and what officials say is a lack of apparent regulatory oversight, has the case being reviewed by the New York Attorney General's Office. A spokeswoman there said investigators there have not yet decided on the scope of the review.
Legislation sought
But Miller, the ranking minority member on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said government needs to take greater action and initiative to protect youth in WWASPS programs in the United States and overseas.
In his letter to Ashcroft, he writes that the only action taken so far by the federal government was a cautionary notice on using behavior modification facilities issued by the state department in January. The notice came after Miller's request for investigation and on the heels of a riot at WWASPS affiliate in Costa Rica.
There, foreign child protection workers and police swooped into the facility, which one local child advocacy group described as a site of "torture."
One woman, a former director of the Costa Rican school, asked the national minister of child welfare to begin an investigation last year.
Utah licensing officials, coupled with the Attorney General's Office, have urged lawmakers to pass legislation imposing more regulatory control on such programs here without success.
"Our concern is that there is currently very little, if any oversight," Stettler said.
While licensed facilities have to meet minimum requirements for health and safety purposes, programs termed as "boarding schools" such as Majestic Ranch are outside the state's purview.
E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com
-
After reading this story - how could any concerned and loving parent send their young boy to Spring Creek Lodge? There have been numerous reports of abuse at these facilities. Parents who do this must insist on having unrestricted contact, phone calls and visits. If a program refuses to allow this then this is a huge danger sign. Remember - if your child is abused the authorities will DO NOTHING!! Even if your child dies - the authorities will Do Nothing. Spring Creek is not licensed and is therefore not regulated. Once you give physical custody to Spring Creek - they will do whatever they please. Your child will be extremely vulnerable to abuse, sexual assault and neglect.
The people's right to change what does not work is one of the greatest
principles in our system of government
--Richard M. Nixon
-
If it was in the newspaper, it must be completely accurate and unbiased??? Any intelligent person would check out the facts before believing everything they read.
I disagree with the statement that the parent names given will report all positives. Just ask them what the drawbacks are, they will tell you if they've experienced anything. The best thing to do is draw your own conclusions after these conversations. The best conversations will also be with the kids that are now home.
There is also a site that rebutes the slanted stories. Again draw your own conclusions. http://www.wwasprebuttal.com (http://www.wwasprebuttal.com)
- You must be in a very emotional place right now to be considering a program for your child. Check out your options and choose a program that has help for you too.
Cross Creek is a great program, it's therapeutic, and has an 18 y.o transition program if your daughter chooses to say past her 18th birthday.
According to this board, there are no reasons to ever get help by any residential program. I absolutely disagree. Your child's life is what matters, whether it's life-threatening or you just want a better life for her and yourself.
-
Look, if I read in a newspaper that a particular program was abusive, I *wouldn't take the chance* with my precious child that the newspaper was *right* and the anonymous program pushers just wanted my money---or just wanted validation for their own bad choices in putting their own kids in an abusive place.
There *are* problems teens (or even adults) can have that require inpatient care.
My biggest concern with the programs is that they put themselves forward as being the answer to too many problems---it sounds a lot like the laundry list of ills Lydia Pinkham's and other patent medicines claimed to cure.
Anyone with a functional bullshit detector would be skeptical.
A good substance abuse treatment facility will insist on a drug screen before or as part of admitting a patient.
A good substance abuse treatment facility will not accept, for example, shoplifters who aren't addicts.
A good residential center for juvenile delinquent kids will not accept kids with major mental illnesses.
A good mental hospital will not accept kids *without* major mental illnesses.
A good residential center for kids with multiple problems *will not* accept kids who are just mentally ill or just delinquent or just addicts.
There absolutely is no reason to ever send your child to a program that promises to treat every troubled teen problem under the sun.
Ever hear the phrase, "Jack of all trades, Master of none"?
In treatment of mental and behavioral problems, whether in teens or of anyone else, one size definitely *does not* fit all.
Any program that tries to will almost certainly be one of these brain-washing behavior modification mills that does practically nothing *well*.
Any program that, for example, sends all kids incoming on a "wilderness phase" that doesn't require a physical before you go and doesn't outright refuse kids with mental illnesses or substance abuse problems, or require that they first go through some treatment to be stabilized on medication or detoxed and sober is BAD NEWS.
There are valid reasons for putting someone (of any age) in residential treatment.
But any problem severe enough to require residential treatment is severe enough to need it to be *GOOD*, *COMPETENT* residential treatment.
And good, competent residential treatment is NOT a "one size fits all" program.
And the behavior modification programs that "adjust to the individual child" merely by adjusting the rate at which the kid progresses through their standard "phases" or "levels" *ARE* "one size fits all" programs.
Notice that the program advocate did *NOT* say, "This school is good *unless* your child has a major mental illness, in which case he should go someplace that deals with that" or "This school is good if your child is mentally ill, but she should go somewhere else if the problem is behavioral." or "This school is good if your child has *several* problems together, but if her problems are primarily mental illness or primarily behavioral, she should go somewhere else." or "This school is an excellent substance abuse program, but if your child's problems are primarily delinquency or mental illness, you'd need something else."
Nope, this program advocate promptly assumed that no matter what your child's problems, this school by golly had THE CURE!!!!
That's a *huge* red flag.
*IF* your child has a serious problem requiring residential treatment, he/she should *NOT* be in a program side by side with children with completely different kinds of problems.
Residential treatment may be needed for substance abuse, mental illness, or delinquency.
A mentally ill kid, or a delinquent kid, does not need "the 12 steps".
A substance abusing kid does not need the routine, discipline, and kinds of therapy a delinquent kid needs.
A mentally ill kid could *die* from the kind of treatment a delinquent kid *needs*. (A delinquent kid needs to not have opportunities to act out---the stress that degree of control requires is devastating for a mentally ill kid.)
A mentally ill, delinquent, substance abusing kid is going to need more direct personal attention and a more careful environment (careful *not* meaning punitive) than a kid with only one of those problems, or only two of those problems.
One size *does not* fit all.
The program advocate presuming the program has the fix for your individual kid and not discussing the particular program's specific focus and when your child shouldn't go to that particular one is a huge red flag that the program tries to be all things to all people----which is a huge red flag that your kid's *specific* special needs will not be well served there.
Timoclea
-
Oh, and a BIG caveat emptor on "educational consultants" you find on the internet who claim to be able to find a program for your child that is not one size fits all but is for your child's specific problems.
1) *ANYBODY* can put up a website and call themselves an educational consultant and charge a fee (or get a kickback from a program--many *do*) and claim to match your kid with the "right" program---there is no licensing, there are no government regulations, there is no oversight.
2) Length of time in the educational consulting business, "experience" is *NO* guarantee of competence. Because there is no oversight, the person could have just been making enough money to keep on doing a bad job for a long time.
3) Anybody can lie on a website, and many parents have complained that the educational consultant or program they sent their kid to *does* lie on the website.
Best advice, recruit your friends contact the program under several aliases with several children with *different* fictitious problems. See if the program sounds willing to accept A) a mentally ill kid who's done a few small delinquent things; B) a kid who smoked a joint, flunked a class, and has spent some time in therapy; C) a kid who's been caught shoplifting several times but you talked the stores out of pressing charges, kid has run away several times; D) a kid who's having unprotected sex with someone you hate and coming home drunk after curfew; and E) a kid who's an admitted cocaine, heroin, or crank addict.
If the program sounds willing to consider accepting kids with problems too different from each other or too different from your kid's problems, DO NOT PICK *THAT* PROGRAM.
Yes, I'm recommending you recruit your friends to lie to them.
Unfortunately, there are so many bad programs that for the sake of your child's health and wellbeing, you'd better.
*IF* your child has a problem that requires residential treatment, make sure you find a facility that genuinely does specialize in your child's kind of problem.
A facility should *either* do mental health only, delinquency only, substance abuse only, mental health AND substance abuse (all patients with both) only, delinquency and mental health (both) only, all patients all three only, other delinquency and substance abuse only, etc.
It's not that the programs are all insincere.
I think the problem is that a lot of 12-steppers have the religious conviction that the 12 steps can either cure *everything* or are good and beneficial for *everyone*. Or the program has a similar conviction about whatever its system is.
If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Any child that genuinely needs residential treatment *deserves* a treatment facility that specializes in *that child's* class of problems.
Timoclea
-
Anonymous yes - if I were looking for money, I'd post an e-mail address.
No, all programs are not one size fits all - Asking the parent to make their own decision is what I posted. Cross Creek does have therapy 5 days a week, in groups and individually. The therapists are licensed, of course. And if the therapist isn't the right fit, they aren't arrogant enough to keep on when it isn't. A change is made.
The rhetorical response of "if there were allegations, I wouldn't want to take that chance" doesn't wash. It's meant to instill fear in already fearful parents. That is a statement in the present tense. The statement, my kid "might" be dead or in jail is a fear the parents could be facing, in the future tense.
Just look at the threads on this site and every single program is covered with some sort of abuse allegation.
THey don't need an educational consultant or a family advocate/another parent telling them this, they more than likely have already feared that themselves.
And yes, anyone can lie on a website. Case in point.
-
"Notice that the program advocate did *NOT* say, "This school is good *unless* your child has a major mental illness, in which case he should go someplace that deals with that" or "This school is good if your child is mentally ill, but she should go somewhere else if the problem is behavioral." or "This school is good if your child has *several* problems together, but if her problems are primarily mental illness or primarily behavioral, she should go somewhere else." or "This school is an excellent substance abuse program, but if your child's problems are primarily delinquency or mental illness, you'd need something else."
Nope, this program advocate promptly assumed that no matter what your child's problems, this school by golly had THE CURE!!!!
That's a *huge* red flag. "
//////////////////////////////////
I didn't say it because that's not my job. The parents need to determine the issues prior to a placement in any program. I just assumed she already had the knowledge of the girls behavior before looking for help.
-
When we sent our 16 yr old son to Spring Creek we thought we had done the right thing. We also received a glowing report from a friend of a freind who's son attended for over 1 yr. What we learned later is that families that refer new clients received either an entire month's free tuition or $1000 if their child no longer attends the program. So keep in mind that the people referring the facilities are receiving a substantial chunk of money if you place your son or daughter in the program.
This program is marketed heavily by parents. As soon as we placed our son in SCL we received data from WWASP asking us to set up a web site in our name to market WWASP to raise tuition for our son. Lots of parents buy into this concept for free tuition. I mean after all how many people can afford to spend 3 grand per month on an ongoing basis.
When we decided to pull our son we gave them the 4 months advance notice (otherwise they charge you for 4 months whether your child is there or not). One week before we were going to pick up our child we asked to speak to our child to confirm pick up, etc. Guess what...even though our son was leaving they would not let us speak with our son. This was totally inappropriate.
Red Flag, Red Flag, Red Flag.
Stay away from WWASP programs would be my strong recommendation. Do you realize how heavily they market their programs. They have a web site listed on a Chamber of Commerce Map in Santa Barbara, distribute flyers on vehicles outside Juvenile Hall, they are everywhere.
Yes, two boys were assualted by a staff person at SCL about 1 yr ago. Be careful, it may do more harm than good for your child. Our child has never forgotten this experience. I've spoke with another parent I met at the seminar, they feel the same about the program. There chid returned howe and had nightmares from the experience. I'm not an isolated situation. Dissatified customers are every where.
-
If a parent suspects that their child is being abused in a program - they can call child protective services and ask them to put their child into protective custody until they arrive. An unconscionable contract is not enforceable. These contracts that indicate that a parent must pay for 4 months tuition if they leave without notice can't be enforced if the child is being abused in the program. These WWASP programs don't have a leg to stand on since there have been numerous reports of abuse and exploitation of youth.
Speak gently! 't is a little thing Dropp'd in the heart's deep well; The good, the joy, that it may bring Eternity shall tell.
-- G. W. Langford: Speak gently.
-
I'd like to talk with you privately...Thanks for responding...Would I be able to Email you or you me? Thanks again.
-
To ANY parent with a child in a program or is thinking of doing so, PLEASE do not put them in there, and PLEASE pull them out! LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN!
Being tricked or kidnapped into being locked in a place against their will where they can't even tell their parents what is going on and being trapped in a painful coercive environment is not going to be therapeutic, its going to make them suffer, feel pain, have a lot of their NEEDS as a child or teenager NOT met, and make them be seperated from you and the world. Being terrified, being VERY painfully 'restrained' (tied up or wrestled down by several people) and made to panic and suffer pain and almost suffocate for hours, the psychological torture a lot of them employ, the complete and total lack of fun, freedom, or privacy, and total lack of control of their lives is not going to make them grow up, but it is almost guaranteed to make them very obedient little dolls that are perfectly happy on the outside for you with their 97% satisfaction rate, and be broken shells on the inside and suffer for years to come.
At that age you need to get out and have FUN AND ENJOY LIFE, and go and do things to grow independant and mature, not be brainwashed and turned into a marionette for their parents to enjoy. When adulthood comes you HAVE to be yourself and do for yourself not just be a damn obedient doll.
To everyone knocking people who speak out against it... what do we have to GAIN by doing this except trying to save a few kids from abuse? We don't want money or fame, we just want kids to grow up happily and healthily and not be tortured and abused.
I started a petition/investigation request of sorts at http://www.askquestions.org/details.php?id=209 (http://www.askquestions.org/details.php?id=209)
ANYONE with a kid in a program or even THINKING about it, or who knows someone with a kid in one or thinking of it, I urge you to look there. Look at what they found out after I tipped them off. Look at the comments. Email the editor. Why would all of these victims over the past 20 years all say the SAME KIND OF ABUSE HAPPENS, when they are all totally remote and unrelated except they were in the SAME KIND OF PROGRAM? Think about it. They want money. We just want kids to not be abused by lying money-grabbing monsters.
Please don't believe their pretty words and give them your money and your child. Life is too short and hard as it is for them to lose out on the best years of their lives to some 'program' and come out a tortured shell.
Check my profile. contact me. I could tell you lots of stories or point you to people who have actually put their kids in a program or been in one.
They want your child, your money, and total control over both. We want you to keep both. Think about that.
-
By the way..
http://wwaspabusesyouth.netfirms.com/my ... ience.html (http://wwaspabusesyouth.netfirms.com/mypersonalexperience.html)
Read her THERAPEUTIC experience at Cross Creek Manor!
Wow, thats some real good treatment for her problems isn't it?
-
On 2004-06-07 11:15:00, Anonymous wrote:
"Anonymous yes - if I were looking for money, I'd post an e-mail address.
No, all programs are not one size fits all - Asking the parent to make their own decision is what I posted. Cross Creek does have therapy 5 days a week, in groups and individually. The therapists are licensed, of course. And if the therapist isn't the right fit, they aren't arrogant enough to keep on when it isn't. A change is made.
The rhetorical response of "if there were allegations, I wouldn't want to take that chance" doesn't wash. It's meant to instill fear in already fearful parents. That is a statement in the present tense. The statement, my kid "might" be dead or in jail is a fear the parents could be facing, in the future tense.
Just look at the threads on this site and every single program is covered with some sort of abuse allegation.
THey don't need an educational consultant or a family advocate/another parent telling them this, they more than likely have already feared that themselves.
And yes, anyone can lie on a website. Case in point. "
If there were allegations, I wouldn't take the chance.
That's not rhetorical, it's exactly what I personally mean.
*NOT* every facility that offers inpatient care is discussed here. *NOT* every facility that offers inpatient care has the same *amount* of "smoke" of allegations about it.
Not every facility that offers inpatient care has a blanket policy cutting off the patient's written correspondence with friends and family.
What I've seen of Behavior Modification Programs has, frankly, been bad.
Not all inpatient treatment is based on the Behavior Modification Program model.
*Real* "Outward Bound" is excellent for at-risk delinquency type issues.
*Real* mental hospitals are excellent for getting a mentally ill patient stable on medication, if he/she is a medication responder, and/or into cognitive behavioral therapy if he/she isn't a medication responder or if it just happens to be helpful for that patient.
*Real* drug treatment centers that don't take kids whose issues are delinquency or mental illness can have good success with a variety of approaches, including rationally-based therapy, medication-supported treatment where necessary, and/or 12 step where the particular patient finds it helpful.
Having studied behaviorist techniques in great detail, far more than most people who aren't professionals in the field, one of the reasons I'm highly skeptical of Behavior Modification Programs is that they seem to me to do a very poor job of applying the body of knowledge gained from behaviorist research----in plain English, they're just flat out doing it wrong. Or "poorly," rather than "wrong," would be more accurate.
Their reinforcement choices and schedules, from what the survivors have related actually happens in the BM programs, might as well have been cobbled together by a blind chimpanzie on acid.
Another thing about your comment that every program has been covered on this site and had allegations of abuse----I haven't heard a single negative thing on Fornits, as long as I've been reading it, about the *REAL* "Outward Bound". Not one.
I generally haven't heard much bad about people's local mental hospitals.
I don't know the names of the various reputable drug treatment facilities (besides Betty Ford---and if they take pediatric patients, I don't know it)---but I'm sure there are some and that people with more experience in that area can chime in with the names of *reputable* places for drug treatment of genuinely addicted kids.
There are problems that a kid can have that are *good* reasons for residential treatment.
There are places that offer *good* residential treatment for each of those problems.
But I've yet to see anything that the rash of Teen Behavior Modification facilities is good for.
Frankly, I consider them this era's nutty mental health fad----in the same class as dunking stools or courses of hundreds of electric shocks for everything under the Sun.
Timoclea
-
Excuse me, it turns out telling you to take out your kids is 'conspiracy' to make you not 'fulfill contractual obligations', so I have to rephrase it.
There have been lots of ACCUSATIONS (many uninvestigated) of abuse at many instutitions like the ones you were considering for your child. I would advise more research before you send a kid there, and against signing over control of your child to them, and do NOT just buy into anything she says is a lie. If she is hurt who whould she tell? How? Give her a way out. Talk to a parent who did pull their kid out of a place after only a few weeks, if that parent is willing to tell you.
For those *WITH* kids in there, well, apparently if I tell you to pull out your kid that could be a breach of contract. So, I'd get a lawyer and try to contact your kid without them influencing you. And shame on you for signing off your child into some contract.
BTW - to all the lawyers or spies watching me, kiss my ass. I'm trying to look out for wellbeing of children and all you want is MONEY MONEY MONEY. You'll get all the profit in the world and NONE of the nasty little accusations if you didn't run your places like you do... perhaps less secrecy, transparency and GOVERNMENT oversight? Then I'd leave you alone because if there is abuse they could tell the world and the authorities!
Sorry for my misbehavior, but I never graduated from a program myself :grin: [ This Message was edited by: Nihilanthic on 2004-06-10 12:42 ]