Author Topic: Catherine Freer Spins a Defense  (Read 11997 times)

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Offline Anonymous

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Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
« Reply #30 on: November 03, 2007, 02:09:27 AM »
Stand with the GAO as opposed to what, rejecting their findings that some kids don't survive their therapy in the wild no matter how tight the rules and regulations?

Wilderness therapy should be banned for the obvious reason that it has failed miserably to prove it is a safe and effective treatment modality.

We ban car seats that are defective but allow kids to be dragged into the wilderness by people who call themselves Teen Whisperers?

You can't claim to save thousands of kids at the expense of one, 10 or 50 other kids who had they not participated in a wilderness therapy program would not have lost their lives.

It's really just that simple.  My advice is to ask any congress rep if they would be willing to roll the dice with their child's life by enrolling them in a WT program.  

 :roll:
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
« Reply #31 on: November 04, 2007, 07:16:19 PM »
Quote from: ""Guest""
 My advice is to ask any congress rep if they would be willing to roll the dice with their child's life by enrolling them in a WT program.  

 :roll:


Considering how many of them voted for the Iraq war, or against health or food insurance for poor kids....I don’t think relying on their empathy will get us too far
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Nihilanthic

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Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
« Reply #32 on: November 04, 2007, 08:00:49 PM »
Our congress has proven itself to be a do-nothing bunch of fucking idiots who took the 06 election and ran with it... and then tripped and fell face first into their victory cake on a platter.

Regulation? That would require competence in our government! Where is there any? We STILL haven't fixed New Orleans and our idiot in chief has alienated the entire nation from the entire world.

We need a complete overhaul of our government, Period! I can only hope during a session of congress an asteroid lands on the capitol.

 :roll:
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DannyB on the internet:I CALLED A LAWYER TODAY TO SEE IF I COULD SUE YOUR ASSES FOR DOING THIS BUT THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

CCMGirl on program restraints: "DON\'T TAZ ME BRO!!!!!"

TheWho on program survivors: "From where I sit I see all the anit-program[sic] people doing all the complaining and crying."

Offline Anonymous

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Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
« Reply #33 on: November 04, 2007, 11:48:25 PM »
Is Freer, the one that barbera walters partially owns?

What bigger group owns this
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Ursus

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Catherine Freer Responds To House Hearings
« Reply #34 on: March 26, 2010, 11:26:03 AM »
Very few LINKS to quoted material in this thread. I don't have time right now to research everyone's contributions, but here is a link to the OP:

    Breaking News · Posted: Oct 11, 2007
    Catherine Freer
    Albany, OR

    Catherine Freer Responds To House Hearings

    Media Contact:
    Paul Smith
    800-390-3983
    julia@cfreer.com

    October 11, 2007


    Copyright ©2010, Woodbury Reports, Inc. All Rights Reserved.[/list]
    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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    Offline Ursus

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    Catherine Freer Recognizes Paul Smith
    « Reply #35 on: March 26, 2010, 11:27:10 AM »
    An update on Paul Smith, formerly program director of Catherine Freer Wilderness:

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

    Breaking News · Posted: Mar 6, 2010
    Catherine Freer Wilderness
    Albany, OR

    Catherine Freer Recognizes Paul Smith

    Contact:
    Julia Andrick
    Media Relations
    208-265-8355
    http://www.cfreer.com

    After 22 years of outstanding service to the Catherine Freer Program, Paul Smith has chosen to resign as Program Director in order to pursue new endeavors. During his tenure at Freer, Paul was instrumental in shaping our organization into what it is today. We applaud him for his leadership, expertise, creativity, level-headed decision making and his dedication to our mission.

    We would also like to acknowledge Paul's many contributions to our industry on both a national and state level. He was actively involved in the creation of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC), he held the position of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) Board President, and he served on the Joint Commission of Accredited Healthcare Organization's (JCAHO) professional technical advisory committee. He continues to serve on the Association for Experimental Education's (AEE) accreditation council. Paul should also be commended for his role in the formation of the Oregon State Outdoor Youth Program Board. His contributions will positively impact our industry for years to come.

    Wilderness Program Director Kirk Shimeall, MBA, will now fill the role of Program Director. Kirk began working at Freer as a wilderness guide in 1992 and has worked as the wilderness program manager since 1996. He has 18 years of experience with our organization and is nationally recognized for his risk-management expertise, currently serving as the chair of the OBHIC risk management committee. Executive Director Rob Cooley, Ph.D. will continue to provide the organization with vision and clinical expertise.

    We will all miss Paul, he was both a friend and a colleague, and we are thankful for his many gifts to Freer and to our industry. We wish him all the best and will miss his contributions to our program.


    Copyright ©2010, Woodbury Reports, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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    Offline Ursus

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    Catherine Freer Wilderness aids drowning victims
    « Reply #36 on: March 26, 2010, 07:13:19 PM »
    Paul Smith's views on what Catherine Freer Wilderness actually does, from the 1999 research paper "Wilderness Therapy as an Intervention and Treatment for Adolescents with Behavioral Problems," correctly filed under "Opinion" by Lon Woodbury:

      Wilderness therapy is being increasingly used as a last resort intervention for adolescents who are in serious trouble due to alcohol and drug use, sexual promiscuity, trouble with the law, and intense parental conflict. Phone calls of inquiry taken by admissions personnel commonly deal with parents who are in crisis, and in many cases, literally fear for the adolescent's life. As a director of one program put it, "in many cases, we are literally reaching under water and grabbing the hand of a drowning victim" (Paul Smith, personal communication, August 1998). Thus, a high proportion of wilderness therapy admissions occur with a great sense of urgency to intervene before the adolescent self destructs or moves into more serious problem behaviors as an adult.[/list]
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      Offline Oscar

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      Re: Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
      « Reply #37 on: June 19, 2012, 02:54:15 PM »
      According to Strugglingteens they will close down this year because the owner wants to retire (or in other word taking his money and run as fast as he can before he is being sued his pants off).

      I found a blog entry where someone is writing the last words about this program: After 3 deaths a wilderness program closed (Link to the blog of a certain Joachim Knudtson)

      The Wiki datasheet will be updated
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      Offline ZenAgent

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      Re: Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
      « Reply #38 on: June 26, 2012, 10:12:51 PM »
      :bump:
      Quote from: "Oscar"
      According to Strugglingteens they will close down this year because the owner wants to retire (or in other word taking his money and run as fast as he can before he is being sued his pants off).

      I found a blog entry where someone is writing the last words about this program: After 3 deaths a wilderness program closed (Link to the blog of a certain Joachim Knudtson)

      The Wiki datasheet will be updated
      « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
      \"Allah does not love the public utterance of hurtful speech, unless it be by one to whom injustice has been done; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing\" - The Qur\'an

      _______________________________________________
      A PV counselor\'s description of his job:

      \"I\'m there to handle kids that are psychotic, suicidal, homicidal, or have commited felonies. Oh yeah, I am also there to take them down when they are rowdy so the nurse can give them the booty juice.\"

      Offline Oscar

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      Re: Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
      « Reply #39 on: July 09, 2012, 01:31:42 AM »
      Wilderness therapy school closes abruptly
      Albany Democrat Herald, By Jennifer Moody, July 8 - 2012

      SCIO — The Catherine Freer Wilderness Program abruptly closed last month, along with its Scio-based therapy school, Santiam Crossing.

      The school closure decision came with about a week’s notice to parents of teens enrolled in the programs, leaving at least one wondering when, or if, she’ll get her money back.

      “There’s been no contact with them. They don’t answer emails, they don’t answer phone calls,” said the parent, a mid-valley resident who asked not to be identified because of her child’s medical situation. “They owe me over $21,000.”

      Rob Cooley, founder and president of the Catherine Freer program, said in a brief phone interview that the ongoing recession forced the closure decisions. He said a financial plan is being “worked on” but said he couldn’t say how, or if, payments would be made to families with unfulfilled treatment obligations.

      “The board has the ultimate authority about that,” he said.

      A June 12 press release on the Catherine Freer website announces both Cooley’s retirement and the closure of the Albany-based wilderness therapy business, which was separate from Santiam Crossing. That program shut down June 25.

      In the press release, Cooley said fewer insurance companies now pay for the program, and the struggling economy made it hard to find families who could afford it without their help.

      The closure decision “was a difficult one, but fiscally, it was the right one,” Cooley wrote.

      The press release stated the therapeutic boarding school would remain open, which was the plan at the time, Cooley said. The website message has not yet been changed.

      Cooley said in the phone interview that the Santiam Crossing decision came later, although he was unsure of the exact date. The school sent students home on July 3.

      He said there were multiple issues that he was not prepared to talk about at the moment, adding, “The primary thing was the recession.”

      Cooley said the program was not involved in any lawsuits, and a public records search turned up no reports of any filings.

      The county assessor’s office indicates Cooley’s business, Mountain Glen Wilderness LLC, which owns the Santiam Crossing property, currently owes $3,055 in taxes and interest for 2011.

      The property, Cooley said, “belongs to the bank, you know. We haven’t done an appraisal yet, chances are it’s not quite enough to pay off all the loans.”

      Sheriff Tim Mueller said his office responded to a handful of runaway reports from the program, but has had no major investigations there.

      Sixteen youths were displaced by the therapy school’s closure, Cooley said, some of whom had recently joined. He said some of the management staff are continuing to work at both the school and the wilderness program, to wrap things up.

      The mid-valley parent said her child had not yet completed the program and she was wondering what would happen to parents’ last month’s deposits.

      She said she was told in an email on June 28 that she’d get a letter from Cooley about financial issues, but she has received no communication since. Nor has she received any referrals for new placement or continued treatment.

      “So here are these kids, in a therapuetic program, and some of these kids have serious mental health problems and they (families) are just scrambling,” the parent said. “I have no clue what’s happening now. They are shut down and they’re not communicating.”

      Cooley founded Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Expeditions in 1988, in memory of Freer, a longtime friend and elite mountain climber who perished with her climbing partner the year before.

      The program combined wilderness settings with behavior management therapy delivered by licensed counselors to help combat both drug and behavioral problems. It started with multiple-week wilderness treks, and in 2004 grew to include the outdoor therapeutic boarding school known as Santiam Crossing.

      The 157-acre campus east of Scio housed girls and boys ages 14 to 18 in canvas-walled tents. Schooling took place in a yurt. Teens were eligible to attend only if they’d first completed a wilderness trek.

      Janet Selby of Philomath brought her son, Mark, to the Catherine Freer program in December 2005. She was looking for a way to help him break down the walls he’d built through anger and drug abuse after his father died.

      Mark did three wilderness treks before transferring to Santiam Crossing, Selby said. He learned self-sufficiency and coping skills, and to open up to others about his pain. The experience totally transformed Mark, she said.

      The family had three good years together before Mark was killed in a car accident in November 2010. In his memory, Selby established a scholarship to send other Philomath youths in need to Santiam Crossing. She said she’s not sure yet what will happen to that fund, which is being administered by the Philomath Community Foundation.

      “I’m sorry. I can’t believe it. What an amazing announcement,” Selby said of the closure. “I’m saddened.”
      « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

      Offline Oscar

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      Re: Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
      « Reply #40 on: July 09, 2012, 01:37:05 AM »
      Comment made to the article in Albany Democrat-Herald:

      Quote from: "danielcoyle - July 8 - 2012"
      I worked at Freer and then, Santiam Crossing, for 10 years and left, as the Director of Santiam Crossing School, in November of 2010 after what was, in spite of its challenges, one of the best jobs I am sure I will ever have. Mr. Cooley and the rest of the people who have been involved in fostering his original vision have contributed much to the lives and families of thousands of former clients.

      I left after a board decision to reorganize the school's major operations was intentionally kept secret from myself and other school leadership. These decisions included hiring an assistant director with no feedback or interview process by the school and remotely outsourcing the financial management of the school to a Utah based consulting firm (which meant firing a very competent Albany woman who had served as our Chief Financial Officer).

      The only reason given for keeping the plan and decsion secret from school employees and leadership was that the board was concerned it would not be recieved well.

      During that year the school's leadership and employees had successfully navigated the same recession referred to in the article interview with a series of cost control measures. These included significant long term pay cuts that were scaled up for those in management and leadership positions. These sacrifices helped us to keep everyone employed through the most challenging parts of the recession and eventually turn around the school's financial position.

      The School became profitable for the first time in its 6 year history in the Spring of 2010 and we were able to pay back all cut wages to the many employees who had stuck with it. Ironically, the month that the board implemented its reorganization plan was the most profitable month in the history of the school and the school's line of credit had been paid down to 0 from $100K for approximately 9 months. (The DH could interview former employees and, presumably, Citizens bank, to corroborate the claims made here regarding pay cut refunding and the history of the credit limit).

      Mr. Cooley was the president of the board at both programs and, though myself and others had lobbied for creation of a more traditional board structure, the board had continued to consist of his family members and current and former employess. After a disagreement about decision making processes lead to the departure of the main minority partner of CFWTP in 2009 (after 21 years partnership) there was little balance left and the level and quality of organizational communication changed.

      Like many of the parents spoken about in the story I, even as director, was not able to get valuable communication from the Board. In my first two years working as Director I was not invited to nor did I know of any meetings of the board and I was given no formal feedback on the school's administration and progress. This was in spite of being recruited to take the position by Mr. Cooley himself. Only once the school became profitable did the board's activity increase. This lead, within the space of 5 months, to the aforementioned plan to secretly re-organize the way finances were controlled.

      At least two board members (who were also company employees) told me at the time that they were unhappy with the decisions and process but felt unable to do anything contrary to Mr. Cooley's wishes. One of these members resigned from the board during the process and eventually left the company.

      Along with the financial limbo described for current client families former employees have had retirement accounts put at risk through documented negligence of Mr. Cooley in managing those programs. I was disappointed for myself and the school when I left and am saddened by what I view as the entirely unneccessary loss (through mismanagement) of a genuinely amazing service and dynamic part of the local business community.

      The work and people I was involved with there stands out for me personally and I don't imagine ever doing something I enjoy more. In spite of the difficulties described above there was tremendously valuable work done; by staff, by the teenagers who attended and by families. Many folks have taken the inspiration they gathered from Freer and Santiam to build new resources that have and will continue to form the ways we connect with and guide young people.

      Sincerely
      Daniel Coyle
      Former Program Supervisor at Catherine Freer Program
      Former Director of Santiam Crossing School
      « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

      Offline thantastico

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      Re: Catherine Freer Spins a Defense
      « Reply #41 on: August 13, 2012, 09:49:24 PM »
      Here is an interesting project that is shedding light on the issues w/ reformatory schools through film. Check it out and please pass on the link if it's something that you guys connected with.

      http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/138 ... radise-bay


      cheers!
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