Second post from CALO by Ken Huey

[Anonymous]

Mr. Huey,

I have some other questions for you:

(1)  You talked about a decrease in restraints in paragraph 15.  How many restraints took place when CALO first opened their doors to students?  How many restraints occur on a monthly basis?

(2)  I worked at Eckerd Youth Alternatives.  Restraints were "not always" done by the book.  In your experience at CALO, did you have to fire a staff due to improper restraints [which constitutes physical abuse]?

(3)  You worked at an abusive program [Provo Canyon School].  Whereas Landon Kirk, Caleb Cottle and Nicole Fuglsang worked at abusive programs.  Why did you choose to work for an abusive program?  

(4)  The tuition for students is extremely high [$9,000 - $13,000 per month]!  Please discuss.

(5)  Do all your direct care staff [coaches] have no less than a bachelor degree in a psycology related field?

[Anonymous]

H also said that student or residential coach-led groups are also frequent.

Whoa whoa...  You say above "CALO does not employ unqualified therapists. All CALO therapists are masters level or Psy.D./Ph.D. and appropriately credentialed."  I suppose the two statements are not technically contradictory, but it sounds here like some of the group therapy is lead by unqualified personnel.  Especially if it's led by a student, I can see it being a recepie for some really inappropriate topics where personal grudges and biases can be used.  A student in such control can quickly become "drunk" with power.  Is there an actual therapist present at all times to make sure things don't cross over a certain line?

We call these "power groups," must meaning that they are quick and to the point. H said the motto of those groups that they are "about the behavior, not the person." In those groups they have recently talked about language on campus, conduct while in the community, and appropriate use of time (not slowing everyone down while doing cleaning and household chores). H described those groups as being students bringing up an issue they have with another student or students, staff bringing up an issue about something a student is doing, or students bringing up an issue they have with a staff member or staff members.

What sorts of issues are brought up...  Could "H" give some specific examples?  The reason why I ask is because I wonder whether or not such discussions are really necessary to have in group and whether the time is better spent on other things.  Does "H" think that these discussions help kids to build better skills to deal with conflicts effectively, or rather do they stoke fires that are already there?

They work on resolving whatever the conflict. H related that they are usually pointed discussions and sometimes argumentative. I see that as normal relationship stuff.

I suppose all depends on how his definition of pointed and/or argumentative.  Do you often sit in on such groups?  If not, it might be a good idea to start.

By "not confrontational" I am trying to indicate that we do not force kids to stand in front of all their peers and have them berated in order to break them down. We don't sleep deprive them and then confront them on their issues. That is not to say we don't argue but we look to have that be normal arguing that all relationships have as part of their existence.

Ok.  That makes some sense, but I still think there should be some credentialed and well trained people moderating the group to make sure it doesn't get out of hand.  Hell.  Look at Fornits.  It's allright since this is voluntary and consentual, but there is a big difference if a kid is confronted in group and can't leave.  Can kids leave group if they choose to?  Do they know this?

I hope dysfunction junction or Kat Whitehead join this thread. They'll tell you, as experts, CALO employees are not accredited or educated at the level they should be, to be performing and organizing the treatment they claim to offer.

What’s more, how can you force teens to "hold peers accountable" in groups in which they are not allowed to leave without fairly what goes on in these "accountability groups" and "power raps" berating a supposedly errant teen ? It’s not reasonably possible.

Ken Huey, Nicole Fuglsang, you may not choose to recognize this because you are, well, at least Nicole is, essentially CEDU-Synanotites, but forcing detainees or participants to "confront" other detainees on their supposed wrong doings is thought reform

This is true even for voluntary adult participants. It has been proved harmful to victims over and over, and shown to induce deep pathology, psychological breaks, and suicide. That is evidence based fact.

http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?opti ... ew&id=3090

[Anonymous]

Looks like the steamroller of ownaj isn't finished with him. I wonder what else WP and Gookin are cooking up behind the scenes. I smell a SUPER COMBO coming on and Ken is desperately trying to shed enemies before the DCS finally shrugs off its lethargy and gives him a heaping helping of what he deserves.

What were you saying again? Oh yeah,

No, we do not use provoking techniques meant to force a teen to attach with us.

*bumps two topics proving this is bullshit*

We all know what you do. It's been done to death in topic after topic and will surely be done to death here. So before you rattle on about "we do not do X, Y, Z" know that there is a whole lot of evidence pointing straight to the contrary. So I won't cover that ground.

What I will cover is some bad news for Ken: You can't affect "lasting change" of the kind you want at ALL, no matter what the hell you do. Why do you think Tom ran? Why do you think the rest of your victims envy him? Why do you think most of them would immediately leave CALO given half a chance- don't pretend you don't know this- if they didn't think they'd get caught?

The reality is that you are not worth trust. Seriously, who the fuck trusts ANYONE to touch them in the ways that you've instructed your staff to touch them? I know your goals, Ken, you believe that what you're doing will establish a relationship of trust and dependence (and that really is some serious infantilist bullshit right there). But that's not what you actually get. What you get is fear, rage, Stockholm Syndrome, and lifelong permanent hatred. You get kids who steal their grandmother's car in instants, or, more usually, depression and learned helplessness (but that's kind of the point, now isn't it?). You very literally make your own enemies. Want to know where they end up? That's right. Fornits, or in contact with Fornits members. Why do you think that is?

The steamroller won't stop until you're out of business, regardless of what you post here.

And when you eventually do get put out of business, many of us will simply laugh and move to the next target.

[psy]

I hope dysfunction junction or Kat Whitehead join this thread. They'll tell you, as experts, CALO employees are not accredited or educated at the level they should be, to be performing and organizing the treatment they claim to .

Well.  For the moment they're not here.  Even if they were, I think it's only fair to hear both sides of the argument.  Regardless of what you might feel about Ken Huey or CALO, this is a unique opportunity to ask questions and get them answered from Ken's perspective.

What’s more, how can you have peers "hold peers accountable" in groups in which they  are not allowed to leave without fairly what goes on in these "accountability groups" and "power raps" berating ? It’s not reasonably possible.

Well.  That's sort of a loaded question.  It remains to be seen yet as to whether teens can leave and whether they know they can leave if they are permitted to.  I'd like to hear from Ken on that or perhaps from an ex-calo teen if one is available.

[Anonymous]

(6)  When you hire employees, do you conduct state background checks or national background checks?

[Anonymous]

6wk7

Looks like the steamroller of ownaj isn't finished with him. I wonder what else WP and Gookin are cooking up behind the scenes. I smell a SUPER COMBO coming on and Ken is desperately trying to shed enemies before the DCS finally shrugs off its lethargy and gives him a heaping helping of what he deserves.

What were you saying again? Oh yeah,

No, we do not use provoking techniques meant to force a teen to attach with us.

*bumps two topics proving this is bullshit*

We all know what you do. It's been done to death in topic after topic and will surely be done to death here. So before you rattle on about "we do not do X, Y, Z" know that there is a whole lot of evidence pointing straight to the contrary. So I won't cover that ground.

What I will cover is some bad news for Ken: You can't affect "lasting change" of the kind you want at ALL, no matter what the hell you do. Why do you think Tom ran? Why do you think the rest of your victims envy him? Why do you think most of them would immediately leave CALO given half a chance- don't pretend you don't know this- if they didn't think they'd get caught?

CALO’s self-professed focus on "change" discloses  it is not a medical canter. Real psychiatric medicinal practises never have "change" as a focus, that is not a legitimate or an ethical medical goal

[psy]

A friend of mine i'm talking to on the phone (also reading this topic) had an interesting point regarding escorting.  He said "if they aren't throwing a fit... why do they need to be in a program?".  It sort of makes sense.  Either your staff are supernaturally persuasive to convince all these teens to come without a fight of they don't belong there in the first place (not that anybody deserves to be detained without trial and due process).  Can you explain this?  What is your average student profile?  What is the average set of issues?

[Anonymous]

Mr. Huey,

I lumped all my questions together.  Please answer them honestly.  

(1) You talked about a decrease in restraints in paragraph 15. How many restraints took place when CALO first opened their doors to students? How many restraints occur on a monthly basis?

(2) I worked at Eckerd Youth Alternatives. Restraints were "not always" done by the book. In your experience at CALO, did you have to fire a staff due to improper restraints [which constitutes physical abuse]?

(3) You worked at an abusive program [Provo Canyon School]. Why did you choose to work for an abusive program?

(4) The tuition for students is extremely high [$9,000 - $13,000 per month].  Please discuss.

(5) Do all your direct care staff [coaches] have no less than a bachelor degree in a psycology related field?

(6) When you hire employees, do you conduct state background checks or national background checks?

(7) Why did you choose a crisis intervention model that incorporates "bent wrist control and variations?"

(  Are staff trained in PCS [crisis intervention model utilized by CALO staff] upon arrival?  If not, please discuss.

[Anonymous]

This is done with full knowledge of the teenager and is non-confrontational in approach. We have not had a physical confrontation during a transport ever and hope to never have one.

Define "non confrontational"?  Does this mean intimidation by means of overwhelming force?  The sort of "offer you can't refuse" type of thing?  Do the staff that go to pick up the teens have tazers and such visible?

Staff do not have tazers or any other weapon. Handcuffs and the like are not even considered. We talk with the teen and talk about what to expect at CALO and during our travel. We work on building the beginnings of a relationship.

You are not answering the question.

1)What if your target refuses to accompany you to CALO? Will they be physically forced? Are they informed if they won’t go they will be physically forced, or physically forced to go somewhere else?

2)Are you claiming everyone that CALO has approached with a request to institutionalize themselves has assented?
 ::fullofshit

3) once at CALO can a "student" leave, as a real student is allowed to leave the school premises without fear of being physically prevented?  If so, then why does CALO's coaching packet itemize  how staff should keep students from  "escaping."
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=27533&p=337194#p337194

[Anonymous]

Mr. Huey,

I have some other questions for you:


(5)  Do all your direct care staff [coaches] have no less than a bachelor degree in a psycology related field?

Not according to their website:

(http://notes.ca-lo.com/caloemployment.n ... enDocument)

"Job Title
   
Residential Coach

Requirements
   

Duties
   
The Residential Coach position is essentially a life-coaching job. Coaches interact with teens in a school, living, and play environment. Coaches model how to interact with peers, talk about life in productive ways, and provide positive role-modeling. A typical day includes many life and interpersonal activities such as spending a couple of hours on the water wake-boarding, helping students care for an animal in order to gain empathy, helping students complete their school work, assisting counselors during therapy groups, and much more. Our website provides a good representation of what we are trying to accomplish (http://www.ca-lo.com)

The Residential Coach position is usually full-time, but can be part time for some weekend employees. Shifts go from 6:30 am to 2:30 PM (Day Shift), or, 1:50 pm to 10:00 PM (Evening Shift). There is also a night security position available from 9:45 PM to 6:45 AM. Each residential coach is assigned 5 shifts to work during the 7 day week (night security works 4 shifts a week). When hired, coaches will not get to choose shifts, and weekends will be a part of the work-schedule most weeks. After a few months we will try to get you into a regular shift but we cannot guarantee which shift this will be. Typically the day shift is the most popular so it is the hardest to get.

This job requires honesty, caring, a desire to learn and a thick skin. It can be brutal at times, with kids swearing and being disrespectful. It is also very rewarding as you see kids change and make improvements in their lives. Most interactions with the kids are meaningful (or at least neutral) and frequently fun.

Training is an immediate part of the job. Each week on Wednesday, we have a new employee training and an all-staff training immediately afterwards. Training topics include CPR, First Aid, therapeutic hold techniques, clinical interventions, our model, how to be more effective, etc.

The job is physically demanding. Once in a while you will have to participate in a therapeutic hold with a student. You may have to run distances, and some lifting is required.

Hiring decisions have two steps. Initially you will meet with Human Resources and if you meet the basic requirements we may have you participate in an UNPAID trial shift. For 8 hours you will engage with the students and show us your abilities to coach and mentor troubled teens. If you and your potential co-workers and supervisors believe your skills and personality will fit well in the therapeutic environment that we are trying to create, you will be offered a position.


For staff living within a 50 mile radius of the CALO building, pay starts at $9/hr for the first 30 days, $10/hr for next 60 days, and $11/hr thereafter upon successful completion of training curriculum at each stage. If you live outside the 50 mile radius you are eligible for a salary rate of a dollar more an hour at each stage (i.e. $10, $11, and $12/hr). If you have to move to the lake area we pay a $500 bonus after completing the 90 day training. Medical benefits, vacation, and sick days are available to employees after completing 90 days of employment.

Benefits
   
Medical benefits, vacation, and sick days are available to employees after completing 90 days of employment.

Job Open Date
   
05/15/2009

Job Closed Date
   
07/31/2009"


Their want ads require a HS diploma to apply:
(from: http://www.simplyhired.com/job-id/2gmny ... oach-jobs/)
" Change Academy Lake of the Ozarks  - Lake Ozark, MO
CALO (http://www.ca-lo.com) needs direct- care mentors/ coaches. CALO treats troubled youth (13-18). Must pass background check, 21+ years old, HS diploma or GED. $11/ hour. and benefits... "

[blombrowski]

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
CHILDREN’S DIVISION
P.O. BOX 88
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI
January 28, 2008
MEMORANDUM
MEMORANDUM FOR ALL CHILDREN’S DIVISION STAFF
FROM: Jim Harrison, Deputy Director
Children’s Division
SUBJECT: CHANGE ACADEMY LAKE OF THE OZARKS
130 Calo Lane
Lake Ozark, Missouri 65049
(573) 365-2221
This is to advise staff that effective immediately, Change Academy Lake of the Ozarks is licensed as a residential child care agency and meets the standards for basic core residential treatment services. Change Academy is licensed to care for up to sixty-four (64) males and females, ages thirteen (13) to eighteen (18), but does not have a contract with the Children’s Division to provide residential treatment services for children in the custody of the Children’s Division. Instead, Change Academy serves private placements from around the United States. Dr. Ken Huey is the Chief Executive Officer.
Please feel free to contact Fred Proebsting, State Supervisor, Residential Program Unit, at (573) 751-8926, if you have any questions or comments regarding this matter.
JH:JR:ct

Ok, so I quote this little tidbit to show two things.  One, CALO isn't exactly the same thing as the other Missouri program that gets rightly pounded on this forum (Thayer).  Two, it took them until the winter of 2008 to decide to become a licensed facility.

So, what to make of this entire exchange.  First, Mr. Huey, thank you for coming into this little corner of the universe and identifying yourself.  For that alone you deserve at least some measure of recognition.  You didn't have to come here and try to make your case.  "Try" however is the operative word.

Here are my questions.  I have data from New Jersey which identifies the different restraint and seclusion techniques they use in that state.  Of their 92 programs that use some kind of control system, none of them use Positive Control Systems.  Of the systems they use, the models are Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), Handle With Care (HWC), Managing Aggressive Behavior (MAB), The Mandt System, Professional Crisis Management (PCM), Safe Crisis Management (SCM), The Smart System, and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI).  Furthermore, it appears that PCS is used almost exclusively by private programs, particularly programs based in Utah.

1.  Why use PCS instead of one of these other crisis intervention models (which is not necessarily and advertisement of the other models, just how your decision was made)
2.  Why not have a contract with Missouri DSS?
3.  Why take youth from all over the country, whereby taking youth from places outside Missouri and surrounding states, you invariably make the transition home more difficult than if they were at least in the vicinity of their communities.

Mr Huey, while I appreciate the effort to show that you are trying to move your program in a more positive direction, in particular your stated refusal to work with escort services is a good sign.  If nothing else I hope you can convince your counterparts to distance themselves from some of the practices you've identified as problematic.  But I can guarantee you that you're not there yet.  And I know that I would personally not be satisfied until further dramatic changes took place within your program.  If you're serious about moving towards these best practices I would actually refer you to the juvenile justice system within your state.  From what I hear they've done a lot of good work moving all of their adjudicated youth into community-based programs that are actually relatively non-coercive despite being part of the juvenile justice system.  But who knows, I haven't actually been on the ground in Missouri to see for myself.

Anyway, thanks for the conversation starter.  I'm sure this won't be my last post on this thread.

[Inculcated]

On the controversial topic of Attachment Therapy, what specifically does CALO’S application of this treatment entail?

The best description of our overall model can be found here:

http://caloteens.com/therapeuticModel.aspx

I think you are asking if we do rebirthing and "rib stimulation" and such. No, we do not use provoking techniques meant to force a teen to attach with us.

For an answer to my initial question posed to you, I followed the link you provided.

 1. Please describe how the highlighted intervention methods are implemented.

(From your site)"Below are some interventions and concepts that are hallmarks of our work during Trust of Control"
•   P.L.A.C.E. (Playful, Loving, Accepting, Curios, and Empathetic)
•   Connection-Break-Repair (cycle of a healthy relationship)
•   Vulnerability
•   Rhythm Control
•   Transferable Attachment (using canines)
•   Cycles/Patterns
•   Closeness vs. consequence
•   Time-in vs. Time-out
•   Emotional “holding” (figurative not literal holding)....figurative holding?
•   Acceptance during exploration
•   Healing from past
•   Core beliefs
•   Give students permission to feel without violence
•   Shame (person) vs. Guilt (behavior)
•   Modeling
•   Accept students on their level (emotional, mental, spiritual, etc.)
•   Safe touch

 2. When are children under your care allowed to assert their boundaries?

“Training is an immediate part of the job. Each week on Wednesday, we have a new employee training and an all-staff training immediately afterwards. Training topics include CPR, First Aid, therapeutic hold techniques, clinical interventions, our model, how to be more effective, etc.” (also from your site)

 3.Will you elaborate on the topic of therapeutic hold techniques?

[Anonymous]

3. CALO does censor some reading material, music, and movies. A certain level of maturity is needed to deal with pornography, racist books advocating death, homicidal or suicidal works, etc. Proven harmful material is kept from campus.

Do CALO staff screen (censor) student's mail?  
What procedure do CALO staff follow if a student wants to call the state abuse hotline?
Do CALO staff monitor student phone calls?
How long are phone  calls?
Are students allowed to call their parents on a weekly basis?
Do staff evaluate IEP, Individual Education Plans, with students on a weekly basis?
Three Registered Nurses have been hired recently.  There are 5 RN's working at CALO now.  Why the need for so many RN's?
Do restraint reports stipulate (1) when the restraint took place (2) why the restraint took place (3) who conducted the restraint (4) when the restraint started (5) when the restraint finished (6) what proactive measures were taken to avoid the restraint (7) injuries ( student state of mind before the restraint (9) student state of mind during the restraint and (10) student state of mind after the restraint?
Are students examined by the Registered Nurse after a restraint takes place?
Do parents receive copies of restraint documentation (IR: Incident Reports)?

[Anonymous]

Do CALO staff screen (censor) student's mail? Well, DUH
What procedure do CALO staff follow if a student wants to call the state abuse hotline? 'Laugh at them' would be my best guess. Don't think the kids have ever heard of it
Do CALO staff monitor student phone calls? Again, DUH
How long are phone calls? Varies wildly
Are students allowed to call their parents on a weekly basis? No
Do staff evaluate IEP, Individual Education Plans, with students on a weekly basis? I doubt even a quarter of the people in that building have heard of an IEP
Three Registered Nurses have been hired recently. There are 5 RN's working at CALO now. Why the need for so many RN's? Because they figure at least two of them are going to resign immediately when they figure out what the hell goes on in there. Also the state is breathing down their neck.
Do restraint reports stipulate:
1) In general terms
2) Supposedly, but it's usually bullshit
3) Sometimes
4) In general terms
5) In general terms
6) Hahahahaha, no
7) In cursory, glossed-over terms
More bullshit
9) More bullshit with extra bullshit and a side order of cult-speak
10) They have a very special thing for this. They actually ask "on a scale of 1 to 10, how much physical pain are you feeling" and the same question for emotional pain.
Are students examined by the Registered Nurse after a restraint takes place? Sometimes, not usually
Do parents receive copies of restraint documentation (IR: Incident Reports)? Fuck no

[Anonymous]

You juvenile delinquents are trying to cut into my profits and I don't like it one bit!!!!!!