As I've learned in my research, BM facilities are attempting to self regulate. They are creating Industry Associations like NATSAP to give the illusion that there is adequate regulation.
http://www.strugglingteens.com/archives ... ews01.htmlThis meeting was the result of an earlier exploratory meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia, November 8, 1998 the day after the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) conference in the same city. The Atlanta exploratory meeting had been called by John Reddan, who had written a paper outlining the size and scope of a possible association and asked for and received $5500 from Len Buccellato and Hidden Lake Academy in Dahlonega, Georgia to travel to ten programs in nine states and to host the meeting at the Atlanta Hilton.
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Members pledge to follow rules that were created by other members-owners/manager of programs. How ridiculous?
And they present this organization to potential clients as an independent entity to give the impressions that they are regulated.
Look at their BODs:
BOARD MEMBERS:
Michael Allgood, Cascade School, California, 3-year term
Tim Brace, Aspen Youth Services, California, 3-year term
Len Buccellato, Hidden Lake Academy, Georgia, 3-year term
Bobbi Christensen, Crater Lake School, Oregon, 3-year term
Kimbal DeLaMare, Island View, Utah, 2-year term
Gary Emmons, Brush Ranch School, New Mexico, 2-year term
John Mercer, Mission Mountain School, 2-year term
Jan Moss, Spring Ridge Academy, Arizona, 3- year term
John Santa, Montana Academy, Montana, 3-year term
Rosemary Tippett, Three Springs, Alabama, 3-year term.
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The facilties that are members of NATSAP appear to want to distinquish themselves from the lowly types like WWASP. But they are no different, just more covert with their abuse. Policies are very similar.
Other links to NATSAP:
http://www.strugglingteens.com/archives ... ews03.htmlhttp://www.strugglingteens.com/archives ... een02.html?NATSAP is a 501(C)(6) trade association of one hundred and ten (110) boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness programs, and group homes in twenty-eight states.?
Their real purpose is to advocate for public policy that enhances their operations. They fought against regulations for "escort services" in Ca.
http://www.strugglingteens.com/archives ... een03.htmlA section at the end of the bill would ensure that the only way an out-of-control youngster could be transported to a program to get the kind of help that is needed, is with that youngster?s permission.
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A Concern is that many states have the right to issue waiviers for "experimental programs" if they can be hoodwinked into believing that the program is a "cutting-edge" program and no complaints have been lodged. That's why it is so vital for parents to file complaints. Even then, it is difficult for state regulators to get into the facility because they are "private corporations" until proven otherwise.
Another issue is the movement within the Industry to be viewed as boarding schools with "Emotional Growth Curriculum". They all want to appear to be boarding schools with boundaries rather than Residential Treatment Facilities. A search at Struggling Teens or Google for "Emotional Growth Cirriculum" will return plenty to review.
The facility I had dealings with regsitered with the state as a private boarding school yet advertised to the public as a therapeutic BS. And lied to the regulators about doing so, "they started as a private school and became a TBS."
They do not want to be classified as BM facilities which require a license, but want to operate and advertise as such. They can't have their cake and eat it too. Or maybe they can?
They are constantly creating new names for their facilities, Academy, School, Character BS...
to skirt state regs and pleading ignorance when caught.
As was said:
So what?s in a name? A lot! The name of this Association will influence it?s future because in our society, words represent ideas, and ideas have consequences. What the Board decides is the proper name will strongly influence whether this association is seen as a sub-set of the mental health establishment, or seen as a force looking for better ways to help struggling teens.
The Dir of Counseling at the facility I had dealings with told me their Wilderness Program was not required to be licensed. Had I been the average parents I would have accepted that answer. Knowing better, I filed a complaint- they were required to apply, as was their TBS which had operated unregulated for 7 years.
Funny, I sent a complaint to NATSAP about the facility. Little did I know the program owner facilitated the creation of NATSAP. Any surprise that I never got a response?
The ICPC- Federal law that governs the placement of children in out-of-state facilities clearly defines the difference between a traditional boarding school and a residential treatment facilty.
http://icpc.aphsa.org/1. In determining whether the sending or bringing of a child to another state is exempt from the provisions of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children by reason of the exemption for various classes of institutions in Article II (d), the following concepts and terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Primarily educational institution" means an institution which operates one or more programs that can be offered in satisfaction of compulsory school attendance laws, in which the primary purpose of accepting children is to meet their educational needs; and which does not do one or more of the following:
(1) accept responsibility for children during the entire year;
(2) provide or hold itself out as providing child care constituting nurture sufficient to substitute for parental supervision and control or foster care;
(3) provide any other services to children, except for those customarily regarded as extracurricular or cocurricular school activities, pupil support services, and those services necessary to make it possible for the children to be maintained on a residential basis in the aforementioned school program or programs.
(b) Placement for treatment of a chronic condition includes the treatment and care of minors who may be mentally ill, emotionally ill, or developmentally disabled and require treatment beyond what was required for stabilization of the underlying acute condition. Treatment modalities for chronic conditions may include psychotherapy and psychopharmacology.
(c) Any placement of a minor for treatment of that minor's chronic mental or behavioral condition into a facility having treatment programs for acute and chronic conditions must be made pursuant to the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children becomes applicable once the minor is placed for treatment of a chronic condition regardless of whether that child was originally placed in the same facility for treatment of an acute condition.
None of these facilties are traditional boarding schools because they limit participants contact with the outside world and participation in therapy is required- and that is what must be monitored and regulated by the state.
