Author Topic: CALO email... thanks bob.  (Read 30469 times)

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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #30 on: June 14, 2009, 11:50:15 PM »
Well as I told well proxied in my email my reservations revolve around the fact that the kids are the ones who ultimately pay the price for the information being public, but I personally won't loose any sleep over it knowing they will also not being in CALO to pay that price.

Should they feel outrage, anger, and shame for it being posted they'll at least be able to do so being out of CALO.

My biggest frustration is over the letter that concisely reveals the truth about CALO. This letter was sent to a shit-pot of parents. I'll post it below as it was sent to me by one of my parent contacts. I'm still working on getting MR. RED FLAG TOUCHES big assed rebuttal to the letter. Anyhow, the letter is well written, concise, and from the information I've gathered from victims of CALO the letter is brimming with facts regarding CALOs wrong doing.

What bothers me is that the information is that things have to get taken this far. I certainly don't like the names and torture/sadism plans being posted, but then I won't be very broken hearted if this causes the withdrawal of students from CALO.

It's a shitty situation, but I think we'd all be well advised to remember that while we are arguing about the kid's in the programs rights being violated that the kids are probably being violated as we speak with more of these "therapeutic" touches and other grooming behaviors that are very disturbingly similiar to tactics used by child molesters.

So wtf... its a catch 22 for sure.. not one I'm comfortable with or happy about either.










CALO letter sent out to parents by an anonymous source. It was sent to me by one of my very angry parent contacts...




Quote
The purpose of this mailing is to help you, as parents, to become informed consumers.  Admitting your child into residential care is not a decision that I imagine any of you have taken lightly.  Many of you have brought your children to CALO through the advice of Educational Consultants, and private referrals.  Referral companies do not care about your children.  They provide a “service” and are compensated generously for their referrals. Unfortunately, the residential treatment centers in this country are not governed by any Federal laws.  Federal oversight on this industry is nearly non existent.  Many states have some laws governing the industry.  While the individual states provide some oversight, this varies with each state.  Missouri has virtually none.  I realize that as parents of children in crisis you feel as though you have been forced to trust the system, leaving you and your child vulnerable.  Therefore I have taken it upon myself to share some of the information that I have gathered over the last several months with you, for you to do with as your conscience leads you.

The leadership in any company says volumes about the organization that they run.  The first contact many of you had with CALO involved Nicole Fuglsang.  She paints a wonderful picture of CALO and what their program can do for your child.  She is very convincing, and seems credible.  Unfortunately, Nicole's experience in the residential treatment world speaks directly to her character and credibility.  Google her name.  I did.  Here is what I found.

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=14890&p=216583&hilit=nicole+fuglsang#p216583

Nicole worked for a program called Hidden Lake Academy-a therapeutic boarding school.  Google that and you'll find a class action law suit filed for abuse and neglect of  the children who were enrolled there.  Nicole was right in the middle of it.  I have also included the link for the actual lawsuit filed against Hidden Lake because if you read the complaint, and compare it to business as usual at CALO some striking resemblances jump off the page.  Not to mention that Nicole is mentioned by name as part of the problem.

http://www.strugglingteens.com/news/Hid ... plaint.pdf

http://www.strugglingteens.com/news/Hid ... laint2.pdf

Much of the same can be said of Dr. Ken Huey's resume of residential programs.  Google West Ridge Academy—also known as the Mormon Gulag, or Provo Canyon where Ken Huey learned his trade.  Peruse the message boards and you tube about these fine upstanding institutions.  I implore you to do so.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24125&p=295852&hilit=ken+huey#p295852

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSjW2gh2YQU
 

One might speculate that Ken and Nicole have learned from their colleague's mistakes and developed their own program to right the wrongs of those other programs.  All they learned is how to cover their butts more effectively so that the truth of what happens at CALO stays at CALO. They learned that behavior modification is no longer popular, and they devised a way to set up business as usual in a new state, under a new name, using the same types of tactics--but called it something “new and improved”.

Parents are warned not to believe their children when tales of antagonistic staff and abusive/neglectful practices arise during weekly phone calls.  CALO calls this front loading the parents.  

Parents and staff alike are warned of strict “Federal Laws and Regulations” that dictate that no one communicate with anyone else.  Staff are trained on confidentiality as well.  Staff must sign a confidentiality agreement upon employment that states that contacting parents or students once they have left the program is punishable by civil and criminal laws.  Parents are trained on confidentiality and must sign an agreement that says they will not contact other parents or staff outside the confines of CALO.  Upon extensive investigation, no such laws exist.  HIPPA requires that no personal health information be shared except in certain listed circumstances.  Personal health information is defined as personally identifiable information that pertains directly to past, present, or future treatment.  This is how CALO keeps people from comparing notes.  They tell all of us that sharing information is bad and illegal.  It is not.

However, CALO does not keep personal health information confidential.  One student and their parents were given the news that the student had contracted a sexually transmitted disease.  This information was with held from the parents and student for over a month by CALO—even though CALO had been informed.  Once the student and their parents were informed, certain staff placed this confidential information in an email that went to all employees at CALO.  

One of the forms of deception that CALO uses is incident reports.  Staff are trained on how to prepare these documents and are required to do so.  However, once a staff member fills out this information, administrative staff “edit” the documents before they are printed off and filed in the respective student's file.  This editing takes the form of rewording the incident to shed the best possible light on CALO.  Some of the incident reports that are submitted are never filed in the student's permanent folder at all.  This would lead one to believe that parents were not notified of the incident at all.  If their student would inform them of it, parents would be cajoled into the original front loading statements of “students lie” about staff and their treatment at CALO.  I'm sure that sometimes this might be true.  However, many times it is not true.  CALO gains the trust of the parents and the parents believe CALO rather than their child.  The students learn early on it does no good to complain because no one will believe them.

All parents and staff are familiar with CALO's policy on the use of therapeutic holds and escorts.  What staff observe on a regular basis, and parents do not know is that many staff abuse this tool.  When a student's emotional state is escalating, especially with the boys, there are certain staff who rather than trying to talk the student down will further escalate the situation by antagonizing the student.  Then when they blow their top, they are thrown into a hold or escort for their “safety”.  The incident report that follows will be worded in such a way as to show how unstable the student was and how staff helped stop a seriously unsafe situation.  The majority of the time, this is not the case.  Staff utilize escorts and holds in order to gain compliance, and in some cases to exert their authority over the students.  (behavior modification)  Staff are trained extensively on when it is appropriate to use a therapeutic hold or escort and when it is not.  Staff have learned how to manipulate incident reports in order to make it seem that they are following procedure.  Staff are trained that they must manipulate the incident reports in this way so that any student injuries or complaints seem justified.  CALO is aware of the staff that abuse the use of holds and escorts and yet they do nothing to stop this practice.

One student, for example, wrote a letter to the clinical director stating that a certain staff was targeting them and abusing the use of holds and escorts.  The student's therapist was informed by multiple staff that the student was telling the truth.  So, the therapist gave the student the option of confronting said staff with these accusations to “work it out”.  The student was too intimidated by this staff to do so.  Nothing else was ever done about it.  How much sense does it make to ask a child to openly accuse their abuser in an environment where they do not feel safe in the first place?  

For example, one student had a bad phone call.  Staff and students alike witnessed this student's staff poking fun at them (this would be written in the incident report as using PACE).  The last thing that this student needed in this emotional state was someone to “joke” around with them—yet the staff was not joking with them but making jokes about them.  The student walked away from their staff to avoid any further joking and asked the staff member staff to give them some time..  The staff member ran to catch up with the student and tackled them to the floor, placing them in a therapeutic hold.  The incident report that followed stated how unsafe that staff felt because the student might run away—thus justifying the use of a therapeutic hold.

Another example was where some of the students were outside walking the dogs.  One of the students became agitated at staff over how they were handling the dog.  The staff member antagonized the student rather than trying to calm them down.  The result was a therapeutic hold where the student was brutally taken to the ground which happened to be pavement.  The student required a trip to the emergency room and stitches to their face.

Another day, a snowy day, the students were outside walking the dogs.  Because it was snowy one of the students decided to be playful with their staff and threw a snowball at him.  The student was immediately placed in a therapeutic hold.  The incident report that followed explained how the staff felt unsafe because the student threw an object at them.

One therapist told staff that if a particular student was caught sucking their thumb, to place that student in an escort.  (Behavior modification)

Therapeutic holds during regroup are very common.  If a student is not “responsive to coaching” and refuses to perform their menial task on regroup, staff will place them in a therapeutic hold. (Again, Behavior modification) The incident report that follows one of these incidents will look something like this:

Recently the student had boundaries with interactions with a staff because it was detrimental to the student's treatment.  The student was not able to communicate with this staff.  While on an overnight with their family the student contacted this staff by way of telephone.  There was a peer accountability group held about this.  This morning it was informed to shift lead that the student had tried to pass a note through another staff member to the staff member the student had boundaries with.  The student started the morning receiving an hour of regroup and needing to be close to staff for attempting to pass this note.  Regroup is assigned to students that need to be away from their group so that particular student can regroup their thoughts and think about better decision making.  The student was continuously disrespectful towards staff when they were told they had an hour of regroup.  At this time, the student was given an additional hour of regroup for continuous disrespect and being non responsive to coaching.  After completing morning stewardships, staff assigned to regroup; took the student to the dining room for breakfast.  During this time the student was using vulgar language and continued talking after staff asked the student to please stop talking.    While students are on regroup, they are not supposed to talk so the student can regroup their thoughts and decision making from earlier in the day.  Staff explained to the student it was not time to process or talk with staff, and if they continued to be disrespectful towards staff and continue talking while on regroup, additional regroup would be assigned.  The student explained to staff that they understood the expectations while on regroup.  After breakfast, the student and staff, continued outside for regroup.  While outside during regroup, the student began talking to another student who was also on regroup.  Staff explained to both students they could talk after regroup was over.  At this time, the student mocked staff, repeating what staff had just said.  “You guys can talk after regroup.”  The student continued to get loud towards staff.  Staff explained to the student that mocking staff was rude and disrespectful.  Staff asked the student if they were aware they was being rude.  The student did not respond and continued regroup.  Approximately five minutes later the other student got in the student's way and the student became vulgarly aggressive  towards that student.  After multiple times of staff asking the student to not talk during regroup and asking the student not to use inappropriate language staff explained to the student they would receive an additional hour of regroup.  At this time the student became verbally aggressive with staff saying “fuck this, this is dumb”, and  started to walk away from staff.  Staff explained to the student they could not walk away from staff while needing to be close and while on regroup.  The student did not respond, and for the safety of the student and staff not knowing what state of mind the student was in, staff felt it was necessary to place the student into a PCS Certified Hold.  Staff grasped the student by the right wrist and started to initiate the PCS Certified Hold while the student was resisting.  At this time a second staff,  grasped the left wrist and both staff placed the student into a PCS Certified Hold.  The student continued to be verbally aggressive while in the hold, and asked staff, “Why are you guys making my life hell?”  Staff explained the actions that the student had done to end up in the hold.  The student continued to be verbally aggressive and brought up their right leg and kicked staff in the lower back.  Staff applied pressure on and off for approximately five to ten minutes.  Staff released pressure on both wrists when the student's breathing slowed and his muscles relaxed and became less tense.  Staff started to process with the student being curious with the student and asking  what was bothering them today.  The student explained to staff nothing was wrong.  Staff completed a pain evaluation with the student.  The student explained to staff they were experiencing a seven out of a ten in emotional pain and a three out of a ten in physical pain.  Staff asked the student if they wanted to talk about their emotional pain and the student told staff no.  Staff asked if the student needed any first aid assistance, and the student explained to staff they had a few scratches.  At this time staff took the student inside to administer first aid to the student's right elbow and right wrist.  A visual body check was performed shortly after.  

Walking away from a situation instead of reacting with violence or anger would be considered by many to be an acceptable way to handle this situation.  Take a time out so to speak.  CALO does not allow students to do this.  If a student even turns their back away to a staff member it is considered to be unsafe and a therapeutic hold will be used.  They are given no time to regain their composure.  

Students frequently suffer from numbness in their fingers for days after an escort or hold.  That is never mentioned in the incident reports.

I would challenge any of you to find out about these techniques used at CALO.  This is all I could find when I googled it.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=27163

One of the biggest selling points for CALO is that they are not a behavior modification program.  This is simply not true.  The nuts and bolts of their program are loaded with behavior modification tactics.  Instead they claim to provide trust of care regardless.  Closeness is part of this trust of care.  Students know that closeness is a punishment that is used when they do not obey.  If you ask any student about closeness they will tell you that it is not supposed to be a punishment, but that most staff use it as such.

For example, if a student is not “responsive to coaching”--which means that they are not listening to their staff and doing what staff asks them to do—then they must be struggling emotionally and therefore need to be close to staff.  It is referred to by staff as a consequence, never a punishment.  But can you tell me what the difference is?  There is none.  Students comply in an attempt to avoid a green shirt.  Many students will ask each other “what did you do to get on green shirt”.  Staff are repeatedly trained to say “they need to be close to staff” rather than “they are on green shirt”.  Just because they SAY their program is not behavior modification, does not mean that it is not behavior modification.  It's all semantics.  And CALO trains their staff to be masters with the lingo.

Proper medical care is definitely under the umbrella of the trust of care premise.  CALO has repeatedly neglected to provide proper and timely medical care to the students enrolled there.  

One student had a history of self harming behaviors.  When the student's index finger began swelling to twice and three times it's normal size the student was accused of causing the injury to gain attention from staff.  After several days when the swelling did not go down, the student was taken to the doctor—who was informed of the student's self harming history.  The doctor sent the student back to CALO with minimal instructions on how to treat the finger.  Several days later the ring finger on the same hand became swollen in the same manner.  The student became feverish.  The student's toe began to swell, and another finger, and the fever did not diminish.  All the while the student's therapist contended that the student was causing these injuries in order to gain attention from staff—and warned staff from giving the student any attention.  The student was berated and belittled for doing so by parents (at the therapists request) and their therapist.  Staff were encouraged not to feed into the attention seeking behavior.  Ultimately it was determined that the student did not self harm and indeed had an infection.  However, it took them over a week—and a three day hospital stay to do so.

Another student encountered a nasty fall while outside with the canines.  This student slid on the pavement for quite a distance and scraped up their face and knees badly.  The student was not taken to the doctor.  During the fall, the student hit their face on pavement.  Staff were directed that this student might have a concussion, but still they were not taken to the doctor.  First aid was given and that was all.

Another student went on an outing with their community.  They went rock climbing, during which the student sustained a fall and injured their ankle.  The student asked for several days to go to a doctor because they were in quite a lot of pain.  The student was not taken to the doctor for over a week.  The student had a sprained ankle and required the use of crutches for some time after.

Dispensation of medications also falls under Trust of Care.  Ask CALO how many med errors there are every month.  They are required by law to file this with JCAHO.  

JCAHO certification is another selling point for CALO.  However they do not tell you that 1) they PAY for JCAHO certification, and 2) JCAHO really only concerns themselves with the administrative/Medication dispensing aspects of CALO.  They do not provide oversight for anything else regarding that facility.  Look it up.

http://www.jointcommission.org/Accredit ... efault.htm

Did you know that students are basically forced to take their medications?  If a student refuses to take their meds they are threatened with regroup for not doing so.  If regroup is not suggested, then staff will assume that possibly the student is unstable, maybe even needing self harm closeness because their medication is important to their well being.  Your child has the legal right to refuse to take medication, yet CALO does not allow them to do so.  Ask your child. For instance, one student takes benadryl at night to aid in sleep.  It is a medication that is to be taken on an as needed basis.  This student is not allowed to decline to take this medication.  I realize that many of the students need to take their medications and this may seem on the surface to be a good thing to “force” them to do.  However, if CALO will trample on this legal right, you need to ask what others are being stepped on as well.  It's all a mind set—do we take care of the child's needs or do we make the child do as we want?

There are many more examples of the same types of neglect by CALO.  

Trust of Care also entails the proper care of the student's personal belongings.  Last fall right before the camping trip staff were asked to donate winter coats because all of the students did not have winter coats.  It was suggested that parents could not be contacted about the situation at that late date because it would make CALO look unorganized and unprepared.  They are unorganized and unprepared.  Student items including jewelry and clothing disappear from their boxes—which are supposed to be LOCKED and secure—at an alarming rate.  But that is not a surprise because of the people CALO allows to work with your children.

The Missouri court system has a search engine called Missouri case net.  You can search anyone's name and find out if they have been to court for any reason.  

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/

CALO states that each employee must pass a vigorous background check, yet at the time I write this, there are seven employees who have felony convictions whom CALO still employs.  And CALO is aware of this.

Typically when one is hired, the actual background check is not completed immediately as it should be.  It takes anywhere from 30 – 90 days for CALO to complete it.  Meanwhile, the employee is placed on the schedule and working with students on a daily basis.

There are staff that have physically harmed students, on purpose, by horsing around--giving a student a “dead leg”, or an “iguana bite”—and they are still employed by CALO.

There are staff with felony drug convictions, convictions for assault, driving while intoxicated—just to name a few.  These are not the types of “mentors” I would choose for my children, and I'm certain that if parents were informed they would not choose it either.  You need to realize—your child spends 3-4  hours a week with their therapist(which includes specialized therapy), and all the rest of their waking hours are spent with coaches.  Who has more influence on your child?

Another red flag for you as parents to consider is the high turnover rate of staff at CALO.  If any company has a high turnover rate, there is usually a reason for it.  CALO would have you believe that it is because the students are so difficult to work with and the stress is too much.  This is simply not the case.  Staff are told when they interview that they will begin at $9.00 an hour and after 30 days training is signed off they will advance to $10.00 an hour and finally after their 90 days training is completed they will earn $11.00 an hour.  However, CALO makes these raises nearly impossible.  Many staff who have been employed there for over six months still have not received their first raise because the training required for their raises simply is not provided.  

Furthermore, any staff that truly tries to be an advocate for the students when they see how the facility operates are quietly dismissed.  CALO does not appreciate anyone who questions authority or tries to change the status quo.  They punish it.  

Regroup is another such fallacy.  The purpose of regroup is supposed to be a chance for students exhibiting anti-social behavior to be removed from their community for an hour or so to engage in menial tasks that will allow them to “regroup” their thoughts so that they will be better able to rejoin their community.  However, it is used in a behavior modification manner.  Students are issued regroup to help CALO recoup perceived damage, for disrespect to staff, for breaking rules, for cursing, or for simply anything that CALO deems a negative pattern behavior (ie not showering in the allotted 7 minutes—provided they are lucky enough to have hot water FOR their shower, or something as vague as manipulating).  If a student refuses to perform the manual labor assigned to them as regroup, stress positions are used to encourage the student to make a better decision.  If the student still refuses, usually a therapeutic hold will follow.

One student was issued regroup “until his therapist directed otherwise” in order to correct self harming behavior.  This student was on regroup for DAYS.  TWELVE hour days.  Behavior modification?  You bet it is.

One student was issued 7 hours of regroup for a hole in their bedroom wall.  The cause of the hole in the wall was determined to be the student's fault by their therapist.  Here is the rest of that story.  The student reported to staff that they did not feel safe in their room.  The student asked staff if it would be possible to tell if they had been sexually molested during the night by a room mate.  All of this was reported to the student's therapist.  The therapist attempted to get the student to talk about it—in the milieu not in private, but the student was scared of their room mates retaliating against them and said everything was fine.  Several days later, staff overheard a loud noise coming from this student's room.  Staff went to the student's room and asked what happened and the room mates suggested that the student had banged their head on their headboard.  The student later told staff that a room mate had punched them in the jaw while they were sleeping.  Again the therapist was informed of this incident.  No immediate action was taken to ensure the safety of the student.  Several days later another incident arose where the hole in the wall was discovered by staff.  The student's room mates stated that the hole was made by the student, and the student—who was too scared to speak up—did not dispute their room mates.  The student just completed the seven hours of regroup.  Staff knew the story was not entirely factual, but because the student would not speak up, the student was not pressed for the truth.  The student's therapist was satisfied to let the student complete their seven hours of work.

Another huge selling point at CALO is their canine program.  The canine program is far better at this point than at any previous point in CALO's history.  However, it is still a mess.  Each student is told that the dogs are CALO dogs, not their dogs.  They are encouraged to jump through the necessary hoops in order to have a dog “placed” with them.  However, while the students are emotionally attaching themselves to a dog, so are several other students.  It's all a matter of who can finish their paperwork first and according to the canine director's satisfaction.  

Just last month there was an incident where two students were trying to have a certain canine placed with them.  One of the students, in an attempt to end the competition for that dog, was promised the chance to have ANY of the other available dogs placed with them.  The dog that the student chose was a dog that two OTHER students were trying to adopt.  When these two students were informed that this dog would be placed with neither of them, but rather with a student who had never cared for this dog in the past, they were devastated.  The next day the student decided to choose a different dog because these two students were so upset.  That evening the canine was placed with one of the two original students who wished to adopt it.  Now, tell me this--if the canine director had already intended to place this dog with one of the two students who was caring for it, then why cause all that turmoil?  Why not tell the student who was dog shopping that this particular dog was not up for grabs?  This type of emotional upheaval cannot be therapeutically beneficial.  It happens all the time.

One particular student, in the past, has had inappropriate sexual contact with the canines.  This student was closely monitored in all their interactions with the dogs.  Recently it was determined by the new canine director that this student had progressed enough in the canine program to have a dog placed with them in their room.  The very first night, the dog had to be removed from the student's room because the student was abusing the dog.  CALO swept this under the rug and demanded silence from it's employees on the matter. Word quickly spread through the student population of the circumstances of the incident, despite the therapists warning to be silent, and many students were felt uncomfortable being placed at CALO with a student who was capable of this kind of behavior—rightfully so.

CALO has hired “therapists” who are not licensed in the state of Missouri as therapists.  I suppose they are able to do this by stating that these people are under the direct supervision of the clinical director or another licensed therapist.  However, the supervision provided is questionable.  Six students that were assigned to these “provisional” staff were eventually transferred to another therapist or removed from the program entirely by their parents.  Out of the thirteen students assigned, that is not a very good success rate.  How is it that as parents you are willing to submit your child to a therapist in training?  Are you getting a price break for doing so?  I doubt it.  

The state of Missouri requires that during non waking hours that staffing ratios be eight students to one staff member.  It further states that the staff members be awake, and fully clothed.  CALO has violated this rule consistently.  Currently there are 38 students.  That would call for 5 overnight staff on the premises every night.  That has never happened.  CALO has employees that reside on the premises and they are “counted” as overnight staff.  They are given a radio so that if there is a problem, they can be called to respond.  How quickly do you suppose that a person could respond to a problem if they were dead asleep in their bed?  Even if they were fully dressed, they would have to run upstairs, and unlock the door to gain access to the milieu area.  The most overnight staff that CALO ever schedules is four.  

The final trust of care category that I'd like to address is the student's nutrition.  Growing adolescents need a balanced diet that contains the correct number of calories in the right proportions to promote emotional and physical health.  This is one of the areas where CALO fails most often.  I can only assume that CALO fails in this venue because they are trying to cut costs and this is one place they feel they can get away with doing so.  The students are tired of the same menu all the time.  The cook has a rotating 3 week menu that he recycles and has recycled for over six months. The menu that is approved by the licensed nutritionist is not the menu that is prepared for the students—it doesn't even resemble the same menu—see enclosed menus.  So why would CALO pay for a nutritionist to oversee the nutritional needs of the students if the suggestions that she provides are not going to be implemented?  If what is on the menu happens to be something the students like to eat, which is rare, they are not allowed enough to get full.  Seconds are usually not allowed.  Students often go to bed hungry.  Food has been served that is undercooked on more than one occasion.  For instance twice in the last six weeks the “Salisbury Steaks” which are glorified hamburgers were raw in the middle.  Thawed meat is left for long periods of time and used well past the time that it would be safe to do so. Food poisoning, or as CALO refers to it, stomach flu  is not uncommon. The vegans are offered a peanut butter and jelly sandwich day after day after day as their main course—if enough bread is left in the kitchen for staff to facilitate this.  The students are never offered a glass of milk—even though the menu states that they are--with their meals.  Typically there is barely enough milk for the students to have milk on their one bowl of cereal in the morning.  At times the students have to put water on their cereal or eat it dry.  The foods are high in carbohydrates and not healthy in any fashion.  Instant mashed potatoes and gravy are served often.  Salad consists of lettuce with a sprinkling of tomato and cucumber on the top.  What this means is that the first students to be served salad, get a salad.  Subsequent students are served lettuce.  What isn't consumed, is saved and reserved for another day until the lettuce is too rusty to be served any longer.  The same is true for the “assorted fruit” that is served.  It is set out on the line for hours before dinner time, and consequently freezes in the bowl.  What is not consumed is put away—where it thaws--and is reserved for the next day and so on.  Snacks consist of carrots with ranch, yogurt with granola, apples, trail mix, string cheese, and/or peanut butter crackers.  This sounds fine on the surface, however, the students have had these same choices of snacks for months on end.  The yogurt is served in an 8 oz Styrofoam coffee cup and doesn't even fill it halfway.  Again, what is not consumed is saved for another day.  Moldy string cheese has been served to students on more than one occasion.  Eventually the students become hungry enough, especially the boys, they will eat anything no matter how distasteful it seems.  Fresh vegetables, other than salad are never served.  Vegetables consist of canned corn, canned/frozen green beans, canned carrots, and canned/frozen peas.  I think you get the idea.  CALO spends approximately $7000 a month on their Sysco bill.  This includes all hand soap for the dispensers, laundry soap, paper products, and kitchen cleaning supplies.  If you break that down over a 30 day period, CALO spends less than five dollars a day to feed your child.  Again, ask your child what they've been eating.  Believe them when they tell you.
Figure 1. US Guidelines: Calorie Needs For Adolescents and Teenagers
Teenage Girls Age    Average Calorie Needs Each Day
11-14 years    2200 calories
15-18 years    2200
Teenage Boys Age    Average Calorie Needs Each Day
11-14 years    2500
15-18 years    3000

http://www.diet-i.com/calorie-needs-teens.htm

Health Alert: Calories to Grow On

Teens who restrict the number of calories they eat may be stunting their growth. When calories are limited, growth takes a back seat. Calories go first to provide the energy for basic life processes. Next, they provide fuel for physical activity. If there are calories left over, they are used for growth. When there are no extra calories, the teens growth suffers. Inadequate calorie intake can also affect emotions and the body’s ability to fight infection.

http://rileychildrenshospital.com/paren ... scents.jsp
 
 

Another website that I have become familiar with is the International Survivors Action Committee.  Their web address is http://www.isaccorp.org  

Here is a list of warning signs that they list to indicate possibly abusive residential programs.  I will italicize the ones that apply to CALO.
Warning Signs of Potentially Abusive Facilities
 

   1. The facility is not licensed.
   2. Verbal and/or written communication between the child and his parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. is prohibited, restricted, or monitored on any level. All incoming mail for students is read first by their therapist and THEN passed along to the student if it is approved.  All outgoing mail is passed through their therapist and then mailed IF it is approved.  Students who write letters home are not allowed to seal the envelope.  They must leave it unsealed and give it to their therapist to read first and then seal.  This allows the powers that be to create a cover story if any information is passed along to the parents.
   3. The facility requires that the parents and/or child sign a form releasing the program of liability in the event of injury to the child.
   4. The program requests/demands/recommends that they have legal custody of children.
   5. The program requires that children live in foster or "host" homes instead of allowing them to reside with their parents.
   6. The child or parent or forbidden from discussing the daily happenings at the facility. Often this policy is called "confidentiality."
   7. The child is denied access to a telephone. Students are not allowed to call anyone, ever.  If abuse is taking place they could not even call 911 to report it.
   8. Phone calls between children and parents are monitored. All phone calls are monitored by staff and details of the conversations are sent out in emails to the therapist.  Staff are trained that if the student makes allegations to parents to give the parents an “update” in order to explain OR simply to end the phone call.
   9. The program uses confrontational therapy. Confrontational therapy is used to “convince” students that their actions/feelings are wrong and should be altered.  Peer accountability plays a large part in this.  However, if peers “refuse” to hold the student accountable, staff will implement regroup or other consequences in order to help the students see the errors of their ways.  This is considered by some to be a form of brainwashing.
  10. Parents must fulfill requirements of the facility before being permitted to visit their own children. Parents are not “allowed” impromptu visits to the facility.  Therapists convince parents that this is not therapeutically appropriate for their child.  The purpose is actually to distance parents from their children in order for staff to be able to help students learn that they must count on staff and the facility. All it teaches is mistrust and can further alienate students from the families whom they are supposed to be forging a closer relationship with.
  11. The facility is located outside the jurisdiction of the United States.
  12. Children are restrained or otherwise physically prevented from leaving the facility. CALO states that it is not a locked facility.  However, this is not true entirely.  The facility IS locked down completely at night.
  13. The staff includes former students/clients of the facility.
  14. Staff members claim that self-injury or cutting/carving on ones body is normal behavior for a child in treatment.
  15. Parents are not allowed to remain with their child during the entire intake/entry process.
  16. The program inflicts physical punishments on children such as exercising for extended periods of time, bizarre cleaning rituals (ie scrubbing floors with a toothbrush) or food restrictions. Regroup falls into this category.  Some regroup activities include cleaning the pit area repeatedly with a small scrub brush rather than a mop, cleaning the carpeted floor in any room by hand rather than using a vacuum.  All regroup and campus work activities are used to “better” the campus at the students expense.  Students on regroup do not receive regular meals.  Instead they received a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or one bowl of cold cereal.  For students with prolonged periods of regroup this is not healthy.
  17. The program uses humiliation to "break them down." The therapists call this vulnerability.  They use every means in their arsenal to pile restrictions on students until they do break down and give in.  Students who are resistant to these tactics are not allowed to speak without raising their hands and being called on by their staff and then are issued regroup for breaking this rule. Behavior modification?  You bet.
  18. The program forces children to remain in solitary confinement/isolation/time-out for an unspecified amount of time.
  19. The facility considers homosexuality to be a behavioral problem.
  20. The facility claims to be able to "treat" homosexuality.
  21. Reading materials are prohibited or severely limited.
  22. The facility does not have a clearly visible sign outside the building or descriptions of their location are vague.
  23. The facility claims to modify behavior, yet has no licensed therapists on staff.
  24. A licensed doctor or registered nurse is not present at any time during normal operating hours.
  25. Current clients/students participate in the intake/entry process.
  26. Staff members offer to help parents obtain a court order forcing the child into, or keeping the child in, the facility.
  27. Children are observed while bathing, dressing, or using the toilet on any level of the program. Safety is the catch all used for this violation.  Students who are considered a self harm must leave the door open while they use the restroom or shower so that staff may keep them “safe”.
  28. The facility claims to treat drug abuse, but does not conduct a drug screen prior to entry.
  29. The facility does not allow children to follow their religion of choice.  Spiritual time—all students are require to participate.
  30. Staff members must "approve" family members, siblings, friends, or employment.
  31. Children are not afforded an education in accordance with state requirements.
  32. Medication is recommended, prescribed, approved, or dispensed by anyone other than a medical doctor (MD). Staff dispense all medication at all times.  Ask them about how many medication errors there are each month.
  33. Children are denied medications that have been prescribed by an MD.
  34. Staff members, admissions personnel, referrers, etc. make statements indicating that "your child will die without" the program.
  35. Children escort/supervise other children.
  36. Children have to "earn" the "right" to speak during group/therapy sessions.
  37. Children are denied outside activities on any level/phase. Students who need closeness or have not lived up to any other part of the program are not allowed off campus time with their peers.  Campus work—which is performed twice weekly to qualify them for their community outing—is still required for students who know they will not be allowed to participate in said outing.  One student told staff they were not going to participate in campus work, and staff told that student they could either complete the hour of campus work, or they would be issued regroup to perform the same task (cleaning the therapists offices).  Behavior modification?  You bet.
  38. Staff members must approve the withdrawal of children from the facility.
  39. The facility expects total and unquestioned support of parents. Parents are expected to go along with the treatment plan laid out by the student's therapist.  However, parents are not informed as to what the treatment plan will actually involve.  Parents who question the therapist or the treatment plan or any aspect of the facility are considered to be difficult and uncooperative.  Staff are warned about such parents.
  40. Children on any level/phase are forbidden to speak to other children in the facility.
  41. The facility will not disclose the names of any doctors or therapists on staff prior to the child's admittance into the program.

Eighteen warning signs.  That is disturbing to me. While CALO does not, to my knowledge, perpetrate blatant abuse towards the students, they certainly skirt all around the edges of abuse and neglect.

CALO cuts corners on every aspect of your child's health and emotional needs.  Why would they do that?  If you would like the answer, ask Dr. Ken Huey for a tour of his new office.  CALO boasts about their “world class treatment” center.  The only thing world class about CALO is Dr. Huey's newly remodeled office.  CALO recently placed an add on Craig's list asking for donations to “bless” the lives of troubled teens at their facility.  If CALO needs new couches, and books for the students to read, and exercise equipment, then why is it that CALO isn't budgeting for such items?  Why didn't Ken ask for donated office furniture for his new office?  This is a perfect example of the inconsistencies that exist in every aspect of business at CALO.  The needs of the kids do not come first in any way, shape, or form.  It's always been said if you want to find the motive for any crime, follow the money.  Where does the money go?  It's your right to ask, and verify that what you are told is the truth.

http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/wan/1077874674.html

As parents you have the right to question the program and it's employees—past and present.  Especially when it directly affects your child and their treatment.  You also have the right to speak to other parents and organize for change.  I would encourage all of you to do so.  Please check all of the resources that I've mentioned here.  Search out your own independent resources.  Just make sure that they are unbiased resources.  CALO is a business and their top priority is to make money.  There is no benefit for them to treat your child quickly.  They will drag out your child's treatment for as long as you will allow it, or as long as the money holds out.  Two hours a week are all that your child's therapist devotes to therapy with your child.  If your child needs more than that, many therapists do not provide it—some refuse it.  They defer to significantly less educated, unlicensed staff members.  Many of you have sent your children to CALO to learn how to deal with trauma and abuse from their past.  However well they are handling that, they are being subjected to new trauma and abuse on a daily basis. It is a real possibility for them to leave the program more traumatized than when they arrived.  Is this really what your child “needs”?  
 
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #31 on: June 14, 2009, 11:50:28 PM »
Quote from: "Maminka"
I said I was a parent.

As if anybody here is dumb enough to fucking believe you.
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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #32 on: June 14, 2009, 11:52:31 PM »
It's possible, but if she is a parent, I'll believe her only after she springs her kid from CALO. Till then she's another freak like the rest of them.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #33 on: June 14, 2009, 11:54:24 PM »
Quote from: "Guest"
Quote from: "Maminka1SH53ZJL"
Quote from: "Guest"
[q

Let's not call organizations that abduct and imprison people without due process "schools." Or thier detainees "students"? These organizations are for-profit gulags that utilize thought reform and torture for purposes of most cheaply holding captive and controlling their detainees, and their victims are "captives," "detainees," etc.

Funny, that is what my kids say about our public schools (except for the private part!) (seriously!)

Hilarious. My neighbors kid says fairies are real. Your supposed kid's stupidity has bearing on the fact that organizations calling themselves RTCs, specialty schools, wilderness programs,etc, abduct,imprison, and torture people in what way now?


Umm..huh?
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #34 on: June 15, 2009, 12:00:21 AM »
Quote from: "Che Gookin"
It's possible, but if she is a parent, I'll believe her only after she springs her kid from CALO. Till then she's another freak like the rest of them.


Nice chatting with you guys, too!
I guess you'll never know, then...

So, I'll just leave you with this:
  "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
     --HERBERT SPENCER


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

Offline Che Gookin

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #35 on: June 15, 2009, 12:07:33 AM »
Here's one for you Mamegkins

“The evils of tyranny are rarely seen but by him who resists it”

If you are a parent believe me when I say your child is seeing what tyranny is up front as we speak. Also might want to check on the BYU extension program credit carry over to public schools. From what I'm hearing, in the grape vine, is that parents in the past have had trouble getting them to transfer to other public schools.
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #36 on: June 15, 2009, 12:11:24 AM »
Quote from: "Che Gookin"
Here's one for you Mamegkins

“The evils of tyranny are rarely seen but by him who resists it”

If you are a parent believe me when I say your child is seeing what tyranny is up front as we speak. Also might want to check on the BYU extension program credit carry over to public schools. From what I'm hearing, in the grape vine, is that parents in the past have had trouble getting them to transfer to other public schools.

Good quote, but not relevant here.
The school thing varies from place to place, I believe. In New York State, the kids have to take State Regents exams to get a "real" diploma, rather than just a transfer of credits.
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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #37 on: June 15, 2009, 12:16:55 AM »
A bit of a red herring you tossed out there, but it works well against your argument considering not all kids come from New York. Consider my above message to the rest of the parents as well. Hopefully they'll show more willingness to grow a backbone and tell MR. RED FLAG TOUCHES to go to hell and go get their children.
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #38 on: June 15, 2009, 12:21:20 AM »
Quote from: "Maminka"
Quote from: "Che Gookin"
Here's one for you Mamegkins

“The evils of tyranny are rarely seen but by him who resists it”

If you are a parent believe me when I say your child is seeing what tyranny is up front as we speak. Also might want to check on the BYU extension program credit carry over to public schools. From what I'm hearing, in the grape vine, is that parents in the past have had trouble getting them to transfer to other public schools.

Good quote, but not relevant here.
The school thing varies from place to place, I believe. In New York State, the kids have to take State Regents exams to get a "real" diploma, rather than just a transfer of credits.

Ok. Here are some quotes that are definitely relevant:
" I am a staff member who pretends to be a parent"
or

"i am an abusive, unfit parent who pays to have my kid tortured in a for-profit gulag, and I deserve to be flayed alive"
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #39 on: June 15, 2009, 12:28:13 AM »
Quote from: "Che Gookin"
A bit of a red herring you tossed out there, but it works well against your argument considering not all kids come from New York. Consider my above message to the rest of the parents as well. Hopefully they'll show more willingness to grow a backbone and tell MR. RED FLAG TOUCHES to go to hell and go get their children.

No, I'm just saying that it doesn't matter here (the credits) - might not matter in other places.

I never got that letter which I believe was written by a fired staff member, but I'll say it again: it's bogus; I have plenty of backbone and I am defending CALO! My kid is doing well there, is not "oppressed," and CALO does good work IMHO.  Like it or not...
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #40 on: June 15, 2009, 12:35:05 AM »
Ok. Here are some quotes that are definitely relevant:
" I am a staff member who pretends to be a parent"
or

"i am an abusive, unfit parent who pays to have my kid tortured in a for-profit gulag, and I deserve to be flayed alive"[/quote]

Who are you quoting, exactly?

Here is one you might like to use for yourself, "I am an inarticulate ignoramus who hasn't had an original thought in his life, and I occupy my time hurling nasty and ill-founded accusations at people who don't deserve it."
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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #41 on: June 15, 2009, 12:36:54 AM »
Look lady... If you really, really, really love your son talk to some people about CALO. If you want some ex-students who can vouch for this insanity I can ask them.

I worked in a program, I'm incredibly well versed in how programs pull fast ones. My goal here is simply to allow people to make decisions that are informed. MR. RED FLAG TOUCHES has a business and livelihood to protect. If you have spent any time in the field of business you'd know how it works when it comes down to protecting your bottom line.

I have kids, who might speak with you, but I can't promise it as they are pretty rattled by their CALO experience who can tell you what it is really like.

They have nothing to protect, nothing to hide, no bottom line to preserve, and their reputations aren't a factor.

If you want this chance I'll set something up if these kids are willing. Some of them were so horridly abused it made me sick to my stomach just reading their messages.

The ball really is in your court, if you want something that isn't pre-approved CALO party line I can try to deliver it. If not... well good luck and I pray for your child because I have a pretty informed idea where he is and what he is dealing with at the moment.

It isn't pretty either.
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #42 on: June 15, 2009, 12:46:45 AM »
Quote from: "Che Gookin"
Look lady... If you really, really, really love your son talk to some people about CALO. If you want some ex-students who can vouch for this insanity I can ask them.

I worked in a program, I'm incredibly well versed in how programs pull fast ones. My goal here is simply to allow people to make decisions that are informed. MR. RED FLAG TOUCHES has a business and livelihood to protect. If you have spent any time in the field of business you'd know how it works when it comes down to protecting your bottom line.

I have kids, who might speak with you, but I can't promise it as they are pretty rattled by their CALO experience who can tell you what it is really like.

They have nothing to protect, nothing to hide, no bottom line to preserve, and their reputations aren't a factor.

If you want this chance I'll set something up if these kids are willing. Some of them were so horridly abused it made me sick to my stomach just reading their messages.

The ball really is in your court, if you want something that isn't pre-approved CALO party line I can try to deliver it. If not... well good luck and I pray for your child because I have a pretty informed idea where he is and what he is dealing with at the moment.

It isn't pretty either.

I'll keep your offer in mind, assuming you are sincere and these "kids" are vetted. Meanwhile, might you not want to speak with some satisfied customers? That, too, could possibly be arranged.
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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #43 on: June 15, 2009, 12:52:26 AM »
I'd be happy to speak with them. I've gotten all sorts of incriminating shit from "satisfied" customers. Please, by all means send me a list of emails and such to the email account posted in my signature.

Keep in mind anything I get from them that incriminates CALO will be used against CALO. I can assure you that I more than likely will get something good to use. However, I will not use any of their glowing platitudes in any way shape or form.

Likewise, I won't speak to parents. I want to speak to their children in unmonitored conversations. These conversations will remain anonymous to prevent any retribution being taken out on kids in CALO's aftercare program.

CALO will not be endorsed by me. For that matter I refuse to endorse any school, program, day care center no matter how many satisfied customers they claim to have.
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: CALO email... thanks bob.
« Reply #44 on: June 15, 2009, 12:59:10 AM »
Quote from: "Maminka"
Ok. Here are some quotes that are definitely relevant:
" I am a staff member who pretends to be a parent"
or

"i am an abusive, unfit parent who pays to have my kid tortured in a for-profit gulag, and I deserve to be flayed alive"

Who are you quoting, exactly?

Here is one you might like to use for yourself, "I am an inarticulate ignoramus who hasn't had an original thought in his life, and I occupy my time hurling nasty and ill-founded accusations at people who don't deserve it."[/quote]

I think my "insults" are deserved. I'd call many of them "descriptions" rather than insults, actually.

But, then, I wouldn’t finance another human being’s imprisonment in a private prison, which executes thought reform upon its captives. I wouldn’t have a kid, and proceed to institutionalize him/her without due process. I have a sense of respect for boundaries which restrains my aggressions toward my fellow human being. This respect would extend to my own kid. I would be pretty ashamed if I did something like that, having a conscience.

As you can see, we are positioned to disagree about what you deserve.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »