Academy at Swift River: Private School or RTC

[Oz girl]

i dont get why it is all this complex. You'd think that if it offers compulsory regular "therapy" and is locked down it is some kind of treatment centre. If not it is a school.

[TheWho]

i dont get why it is all this complex. You'd think that if it offers compulsory regular "therapy" and is locked down it is some kind of treatment centre. If not it is a school.

Well, they offer therapy from outside therapists, but it is not a lockdown facility.

[Troll Control]

i dont get why it is all this complex. You'd think that if it offers compulsory regular "therapy" and is locked down it is some kind of treatment centre. If not it is a school.

Well, they offer therapy from outside therapists, but it is not a lockdown facility.

WHAT?  You have been here for days saying they get therapy from staff!  Are you now saying kids get NO THERAPY from ASR staff?  If so, I guarantee their files say otherwise.  This is the typical response of programs - to parents, they say they give therapy, to the state, no therapy.  Who are you misleading?  The state?  The parents?

As Oz Girl said, it's really simple.  They have MANDATORY GROUP THERAPY 3x per week, issue "consequences," have a level system, mandatory marathon "workshops," and provide DRUG TREATMENT.  ASR is no school and everyone knows this.  When the state steps in, you'll see the scrambling to destroy records, fire unlicensed staff, answers to inquiries only from attorneys and the rest of the behaviors linked to covering illegal activites.  This is very common and goes on every tie one of these phony schools gets investigated.  Even the who is going right along with the script - pushing the therapy aspect, downplaying academics and then flip-flopping, downplaying therapy and claiming "academics only" which is an obvious lie.  So, if they don't provide therapy, who, why do they post right on their website that they DO?  The who would have you trust him and not your own eyes - look at the website "GROUP THERAPY" 3x a week and "special group therapy" once a week.  Now that they've been exposed, the who has changed his tune, flip-flopped John McCain.  Who's a tired old bloated hack just like Mr. McCain, talking out of both sides of his mouth.

[Troll Control]

If you still can't comprehend what it's saying... call EEC.

it's hard to force someone to learn the truth when they make a living but NOT LEARNING IT. the who is program pusher.  takes referral fees.  he's not going to read anything that goes against the lies he's spreading.

[Troll Control]

From ASR's website:

Academically, our students are not reaching their full potential in the classroom, and are often discouraged by learning differences that have never been successfully addressed.

i.e Special Needs students.

After treatment in an Aspen residential program, both parents and teens indicated the teens? emotional problems had been reduced to a normal range.

Providing treatment.

What Parents And Their Teens Told Researchers: Upon admission, teens were experiencing various psychological and social challenges including:

Disruptive behavior disorders
Substance abuse
Mood disorders
Learning disorders
Eating disorders
Personality disorders
Anxiety
Trauma

i.e. Special Needs and psychologically disturbed patients.

One member of the faculty and two consultants offer support for Special Learning Needs, and attention is paid to records and background at the time of a student's enrollment.

i.e. Special Needs.  BTW, where's the certified Special Ed teacher?

Our Team Model:

Clinical Director
Students assigned a Masters level counselor who heads a team.
Individual Therapy 1x/week
Group Counseling 3x/week
Team Groups, Themed Groups (Mood Management, Adoption, Loss, Eating Disorders, Relapse Prevention

i.e. Therapy and Drug Treatment.

The emotional growth and counseling program at Academy at Swift River boarding school for boys and girls focuses on trust and honesty, especially in terms of the individual child's personal story. Peer group development continues and the intensive cognitive and emotional aspects of the therapeutic program begin.

i.e. Therapy and Group Therapy.


Sure as hell doesn't fit the requirements of a "school."  Clearly a residential treatment center.

[TheWho]

i dont get why it is all this complex. You'd think that if it offers compulsory regular "therapy" and is locked down it is some kind of treatment centre. If not it is a school.

Well, they offer therapy from outside therapists, but it is not a lockdown facility.

Sorry folks didnt mean to rile everyone up --

Well, they offer "Individual" therapy from outside therapists, but it is not a lockdown facility.

[TheWho]

I agree DJ, but you or I can define it anyway we want.  I think the key is to have the "State of Massachusetts" define the kids at ASR as "special needs" kids,  Then there is no question.   They will need to be licensed.  But I believe if the kids are not defined/recognized by the state as "Special needs" kids then they donot.

[Troll Control]

I agree DJ, but you or I can define it anyway we want.  I think the key is to have the "State of Massachusetts" define the kids at ASR as "special needs" kids,  Then there is no question.   They will need to be licensed.  But I believe if the kids are not defined/recognized by the state as "Special needs" kids then they donot.

they are obviously special needs.  they even say it on their website, "special needs."  just read their website or the quotes from it above.  it's very clear that they do rehab, mandatory counseling - both group and individual, again, it's directly from their website - transitional services, and have a level system with workshops.  this is no school.  they're going to have to license properly.  it's just a matter of bringing the true nature - what they advertise on their own website - to the proper authorities.  that is being done.

[TheWho]

I appreciate the translation but what I was looking for is where ASR indicated they take on ?Special needs? kids.  I hate to be a stickler on this but we have a neighbor who has a child with ?Special needs? and this has a definition which is well defined and the children receive services from the state if they are classified as such (anyone who is familiar with Early Intervention will know what I mean).  To say we cater to ?special learning requirements? or the  kids are special or they all have independent needs which are tailored to them may not mean they are ?Special needs? kids.  If I say my child has ?Special needs? doesn?t necessarily mean the state recognizes the child as a ?Special needs? student that requires services.

Deborah extracted a definition which applies:

?This may include,but not be limited to, a school age child with special needs as determined by an evaluation conducted pursuant to M.G.L. c. 71B, § 3, and as defined by the Department of Education in 603 CMR 28.00?

And this appears to leave the requirements open to interpretation (because it is not limited to the evaluation, but who interprets it?  The state or the school?  I am not sure and am curious if anyone knows.

[RobertBruce]

Cindy wrote
 

Sorry folks didnt mean to rile everyone up --

Well, they offer "Individual" therapy from outside therapists, but it is not a lockdown facility.

This is not exactly true, parents do have the option of arranging for private licensed therapy or the kids can request it. However each child still receives individual therapy from their peer group counselor. The majority of which are of course unlicensed and practicing illegal therapy.

[Deborah]

EEC knows. Call them, Who. And stop wasting band-width blathering about "lockdown" (which wasn't even mentioned in the criteria- "residential" doesn't = "lockdown") and "special needs", which is secondary to "Services Provided". The later is what the state will consider in determining if licensure is necessary.

[RobertBruce]

Cindy why would a traditional school have mandatory therapy 4-5x's a week?

[TheWho]

EEC knows. Call them, Who. And stop wasting band-width blathering about "lockdown" (which wasn't even mentioned in the criteria- "residential" doesn't = "lockdown") and "special needs", which is secondary to "Services Provided". The later is what the state will consider in determining if licensure is necessary.

Testy !!  So the state determines, thank you!!  
Oz Girl brought up "Lockdown", I didnt,  I was just responding to her post.

[RobertBruce]

Cindy the state has already established its criteria, ASR openly acknowledges what kind of students it serves and what services are provided. All that has to happen now is to let the state know what ASR is really doing. Once that happens ASR will have some serious questions to answer and will be forced to become licensed.

[Anonymous]

In all of the following, whenever I say something about ASR, it is all just my personal opinion.

As any parent who's spend the countless hours, days, weeks, accumulating the knowledge to navigate the system and then navigating the system for disability advocacy for their own child knows:

"Special Needs" refers to any child who qualifies for services under federal disabilities law in order for that child to receive a FAPE (Free, appropriate, public education). Again, this is all federal--this part (basic qualification standards under one or both of these two statutes) doesn't vary from state to state.

Most specifically, it means any child who qualifies for a 504 plan or an IEP plan.

For a 504 plan, you can qualify based on OHI (other health impaired) or EBD (emotionally or behaviorally disordered).

Some of the kids at ASR might be dual diagnosis and qualify for special ed under more than one category.

Virtually every child ASR claims to service, if the child actually has the problems the parents and ASR say he has, would qualify for a 504 plan in the EBD category.

Julie