NYRA annual meeting....was today

[Anonymous]

This is another example of the fence-straddling CAFETY does.  When it comes to Izzy, you have to use the "zero tolerance" policy.  Cut your ties from clowns like Alex, who seems to be clueless about programs, anyway.  Time to quit the "moderate" approach and sprout balls.

[nimdA]

If the answer is to remove Alex from our board then other than asking for his resignation we have a process we need to go to, which includes bringing the issue to the rest of the board of directors. So, if you're going to give advice, then tell us what you would like for us to do, not just what we're doing wrong.

I already told you what I think you should do. Kick him to the kerb.

But you've known about this CAICA thing and alex for quite some time haven't you? You said it yourself that you failed to follow through on it.

Animosity? No.

Disgust... YES.

[nimdA]

If the issue is the link, I refer you to www.nospank.net you can start boycotting them also. So what is the issue here? What have we done to piss you off.

Let's not try to distract from the issue here. The issue is CAFETY, not Jordan Riak's No Spank group.

I

[Anonymous]

What is your animosity at CAFETY all about?  We don't associate with Izzy, and now we won't be associating with anyone who might inadvertantly help facilitate referrals.  

Blombro- please do not read my post as having any issue with CAFETY I think they do a excellent job and my hope is they will continue to do so.  I feel it is important at this time to join together against this industry.  My post was simply to instill some thought provoking on the CAFETY board.  I think it should be a policy for your organization that you do not associate with people who refer to the "troubled teen industry".  I am sure Alex would understand the conflict of interest and either agree that he would uphold that policy or politely step aside.

Your response:  "and now we won't be associating with anyone who might inadvertantly help facilitate referrals."    

I think people just wanted to know where cafety/youth act stood on the issue.  I think you can still have a cordial relationship with NYRA and benefit by helping each other.. however his placement on the board is what is upsetting some of the folks that are involved in the fight against this industy.  Having someone on your board that is involved with someone who refers to programs or supports abusers in fact reflects on cafety. I don't think its worth it.

In my opinion Alex should understand that policy and kindly step aside for the sake of the cause and/or take another look at what he is supporting.  

I guess my earlier question was to Alex, what are the advantages to aligning with caica/positive family solutions/IZehnder?  This is not a menacing question.  It is an honest curiosity.  I have my own experiences as to why I feel she is unethical.  I guess I am just interested in why an organization (NYRA) would continue to support her unless they believe that it is appropriate to place children in these types of programs.  Having a place on the board of cafety doesnt sit well with folks here.  

I appreciate your honesty blombro.  I think everyone needed to know from cafety what will take place.  If it were my organization, I would call an emergency meeting and get it taken care of asap.  I wouldnt let another minute lapse.  

[Anonymous]

sorry-- can't fix the above post.  Please note only the quote was written by blombro

[nimdA]

What is your animosity at CAFETY all about?  We don't associate with Izzy, and now we won't be associating with anyone who might inadvertantly help facilitate referrals.

Blombro- please do not read my post as having any issue with CAFETY I think they do a excellent job and my hope is they will continue to do so.  I feel it is important at this time to join together against this industry.  My post was simply to instill some thought provoking on the CAFETY board.  I think it should be a policy for your organization that you do not associate with people who refer to the "troubled teen industry".  I am sure Alex would understand the conflict of interest and either agree that he would uphold that policy or politely step aside.

Your response:  "and now we won't be associating with anyone who might inadvertantly help facilitate referrals."    

I think people just wanted to know where cafety/youth act stood on the issue.  I think you can still have a cordial relationship with NYRA and benefit by helping each other.. however his placement on the board is what is upsetting some of the folks that are involved in the fight against this industy.  Having someone on your board that is involved with someone who refers to programs or supports abusers in fact reflects on cafety. I don't think its worth it.

In my opinion Alex should understand that policy and kindly step aside for the sake of the cause and/or take another look at what he is supporting.  

I guess my earlier question was to Alex, what are the advantages to aligning with caica/positive family solutions/IZehnder?  This is not a menacing question.  It is an honest curiosity.  I have my own experiences as to why I feel she is unethical.  I guess I am just interested in why an organization (NYRA) would continue to support her unless they believe that it is appropriate to place children in these types of programs.  Having a place on the board of cafety doesnt sit well with folks here.  

I appreciate your honesty blombro.  I think everyone needed to know from cafety what will take place.  If it were my organization, I would call an emergency meeting and get it taken care of asap.  I wouldnt let another minute lapse.  

[Joyce Harris]

Mr. Blombro,
I have posted to both you and to Alex; on both CAFETY and on fornits referring both of you to the Whitmore blogs; and explaining the Whitmore situation as simply and concisely as possible. I have referred both of you to the ISAC website so you could read documentation on the Sudweeks criminal history in 3 countries--information that Scheff and Isabelle Zehnder fail to disclose in these Whitmore BLOGS; which praise the Sudweeks and the defunct Whitmore Academy; while both women bash Whitmore parents and their children.  I have referred both of you to documentation which corrects the errors/mis-statements on these blogs in reference to the plea bargain Cheryl Sudweeks took in regards to the Whitmore criminal case.

It has been documented that Isabelle Zehnder refers to Sue Scheff/PURE and to teen transport companies.  Isbelle Zehnders admits that she does and has referred children to programs.

You have asked what advice people have for you/CAFETY?
I assume you are being sincere in this request.  I would suggest that the CAFETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS ask Alex for his resignation from the CAFETY BOARD.

 Alex has made his support of Isabelle Zehnder clear.  As the Executive Director of NYRA, it appears  that Alex will continue to support Isabelle Zehnder and CAICA; and that is his choice to do so.  But, I would expect CAFETY to not link to NYRA, as long as NYRA chooses to link to CAICA.  Linking to CAICA is in an indirect link to Sue Scheff and PURE in my opinion.

That would be my suggestions and advice, Mr. Blombro.
And, I certainly have no anamosity towards CAFETY, whatsoever.

I do have a problem with anyone referring children to programs; and I do not consider "lesser abusive programs that are non-wwasp" to be acceptable alternatives.  Whitmore Academy was a non-wwasp program.

[blombro]

Thank you for your responses.

So this issue doesn't come up again.  How far along the line must the associations be cut off?  

We are a member of the Youth Policy Action Center, which NYRA is a member of, which means we are linked to YPAC which has a link to NYRA.    

Should we cancel our membership in YPAC?

ASTART is based out of the University of South Florida Research and Training Center.  The USF RTC holds an annual conference, where a small portion of the funding is taken from residential programs.  Should ASTART disassociate from the USF RTC (they are separate entities, but the director is the same of both) because of that funding source (Pressley Ridge and Boys and Girls Town).  And there is a board member of the USF RTC (I happen to be one of them) who has been a director of a residential treatment program (he is also one of the fiercest advocates for community based services).  

Charles Huffine, Kat, and I are members of ASTART.  It should be noted that while ASTART may be indirectly receiving support from some residential programs they took NATSAP head on and gave them no quarter.  Should the three of use resign from ASTART due to their connection to an entity that receives funds and support from residential programs.

T.J. Curtis is a board member of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health and Youth ACT, I know that while FFCMH is generally against residential treatment, their hands (or at least some of their chapters' hands) aren't clean when it comes to referring parents to some residential programs or accepting money from those programs.

Lorrin Gehring is an employee of that same company.

Mor Keshet works for an adult residential treatment program as an art therapist.  Kat used to work for that same program.

Some of our board members have had what they consider positive experiences in residential treatment.

Our board is comprised of individuals who have the ability through their connections to actually reach the policy makers, the administrators, the service providers, and other advocates to press for changes in the law, or the way the system is administered.  

Because of the money that flows through the residential treatment industry, all of them are connected, but not complicit, in some way to tainted money, bad practices, or both.  However, in their own practice of their job they try to avoid that taint, and usually through their positions try to change the systems that they work within.

So, before I ask Alex to resign from his position I want you all to take a hard look at this list of potential conflicts of interest, and tell me if these board members are acceptable to you.  If they are, I believe that this situation was an isolated incident and will be taken care of swiftly.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your responses.

So this issue doesn't come up again.  How far along the line must the associations be cut off?  

We are a member of the Youth Policy Action Center, which NYRA is a member of, which means we are linked to YPAC which has a link to NYRA.    

Should we cancel our membership in YPAC?

ASTART is based out of the University of South Florida Research and Training Center.  The USF RTC holds an annual conference, where a small portion of the funding is taken from residential programs.  Should ASTART disassociate from the USF RTC (they are separate entities, but the director is the same of both) because of that funding source (Pressley Ridge and Boys and Girls Town).  And there is a board member of the USF RTC (I happen to be one of them) who has been a director of a residential treatment program (he is also one of the fiercest advocates for community based services).  

Charles Huffine, Kat, and I are members of ASTART.  It should be noted that while ASTART may be indirectly receiving support from some residential programs they took NATSAP head on and gave them no quarter.  Should the three of use resign from ASTART due to their connection to an entity that receives funds and support from residential programs.

T.J. Curtis is a board member of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health and Youth ACT, I know that while FFCMH is generally against residential treatment, their hands (or at least some of their chapters' hands) aren't clean when it comes to referring parents to some residential programs or accepting money from those programs.

Lorrin Gehring is an employee of that same company.

Mor Keshet works for an adult residential treatment program as an art therapist.  Kat used to work for that same program.

Some of our board members have had what they consider positive experiences in residential treatment.

Our board is comprised of individuals who have the ability through their connections to actually reach the policy makers, the administrators, the service providers, and other advocates to press for changes in the law, or the way the system is administered.  

Because of the money that flows through the residential treatment industry, all of them are connected, but not complicit, in some way to tainted money, bad practices, or both.  However, in their own practice of their job they try to avoid that taint, and usually through their positions try to change the systems that they work within.

So, before I ask Alex to resign from his position I want you all to take a hard look at this list of potential conflicts of interest, and tell me if these board members are acceptable to you.  If they are, I believe that this situation was an isolated incident and will be taken care of swiftly.

No, these conflicts of interest are not acceptable.  What is it about "zero tolerance" you don't understand?

[ZenAgent]

I'm going to be sick.  If what you say is true, it's impossible for A START to be totally unbiased.  You know, I get the feeling A START's going to regret having you post this.  I'm going to ask the A START members I know for some answers before I cut ties to CAFETY and A START.  One thing is certain, I've got no respect for you, Brian.  Maybe it's time for you to crawl back under your rock.

[nimdA]

Thank you for your responses.

So this issue doesn't come up again.  How far along the line must the associations be cut off?  

We are a member of the Youth Policy Action Center, which NYRA is a member of, which means we are linked to YPAC which has a link to NYRA.    

Should we cancel our membership in YPAC?

ASTART is based out of the University of South Florida Research and Training Center.  The USF RTC holds an annual conference, where a small portion of the funding is taken from residential programs.  Should ASTART disassociate from the USF RTC (they are separate entities, but the director is the same of both) because of that funding source (Pressley Ridge and Boys and Girls Town).  And there is a board member of the USF RTC (I happen to be one of them) who has been a director of a residential treatment program (he is also one of the fiercest advocates for community based services).  

Charles Huffine, Kat, and I are members of ASTART.  It should be noted that while ASTART may be indirectly receiving support from some residential programs they took NATSAP head on and gave them no quarter.  Should the three of use resign from ASTART due to their connection to an entity that receives funds and support from residential programs.

T.J. Curtis is a board member of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health and Youth ACT, I know that while FFCMH is generally against residential treatment, their hands (or at least some of their chapters' hands) aren't clean when it comes to referring parents to some residential programs or accepting money from those programs.

Lorrin Gehring is an employee of that same company.

Mor Keshet works for an adult residential treatment program as an art therapist.  Kat used to work for that same program.

Some of our board members have had what they consider positive experiences in residential treatment.

Our board is comprised of individuals who have the ability through their connections to actually reach the policy makers, the administrators, the service providers, and other advocates to press for changes in the law, or the way the system is administered.  

Because of the money that flows through the residential treatment industry, all of them are connected, but not complicit, in some way to tainted money, bad practices, or both.  However, in their own practice of their job they try to avoid that taint, and usually through their positions try to change the systems that they work within.

So, before I ask Alex to resign from his position I want you all to take a hard look at this list of potential conflicts of interest, and tell me if these board members are acceptable to you.  If they are, I believe that this situation was an isolated incident and will be taken care of swiftly.

Wow....  brilliant post.

Apparently you need to fire most of your board of directors. Get on it.

[Anonymous]

And this, ladies and gents, is why it's so much better being an Anonymous.

[nimdA]

/a/nonymous or anonymous?

[blombro]

It would be fair to say that some of the members of ASTART believe in the possibility of "good residential treatment" and some members of ASTART believe that there can be no such thing.  ASTART itself has no budget.  Some of the members of ASTART could be in an awkward position to criticize the residential programs that sponsored the USF conference, but the organization as a whole should be free to make those critiques.  I'm not so worried about ASTARTs conflict of interests, but it should be noted that they are not a "zero tolerance" organization, and neither is Youth ACT/CAFETY.

[nimdA]

This explains my boycott. You are making it easier and easier for me.

Thank you.