Author Topic: Dr. George Ross  (Read 12999 times)

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Offline RTP2003

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Re: "Dr." Miller Newton
« Reply #30 on: September 02, 2009, 11:17:16 AM »
Quote from: "ajax13"
To the best of my knowlege Miller Newton was not a psychiatrist in 2004, nor at any other time in his storied life.  Funny that he should be described as such twice in that article.

He does nothing to dissaude people from thinking he is a psychiatrist, though.  He likes to throw the appellation "Dr." in front of his name, it makes him feel like his penis is very, very large.  In reality, Miller Newton received a degree in divinity (like the ones lots of other crackpot theologians possess).  He got it from a mail order diploma mill.  Call him @ 727-392-3437 and ask him about his medical credentials and qualifications to diagnose and treat chermical dependency (or any other condition) in teenagers (or anyone else).
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
RTP2003 fought in defense of the Old Republic

Offline Ursus

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Re: KHK w/ refs to Penny Walker, Dr. George Ross, and Straig
« Reply #31 on: September 04, 2009, 11:25:47 AM »
Quote from: "Ursus"
Quote from: "RG"
What relationship is Penny Walker to Ross? They look similar in age, and is that her "real" name?
Wasn't Penny Walker responsible for the day to day operations of Hebron's KIDS HELPING KIDS?
Quote from: "Kathy"
Umm, yeeessss!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OfCXLdOAwk
I'll never forget when I emailed her about her program being awfully similar to MIller Newton's Straight... and she completely denied any connections.
Here's a chapter from Finn Green's Senior Thesis for the 'Gaines Seminar in the Humanities' (May 1, 2002; University of Kentucky), titled "ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE." The 104-page pdf download itself is titled 'Stages of Substance Abuse'.

Mr. Green uses his daughter's "struggle with drug and alcohol abuse" and subsequent "rehabilitation" at KIDS HELPING KIDS (Milford, Ohio) as the premise and backbone of his thesis. Mears Green also subsequently became a "Senior Staff Counselor" at KHK, and cooperated/assisted in her father's thesis preparation.

The section on KHK history, which makes a number of references to both Straight, Inc. and Dr. George Ross, was allegedly provided by none other than Penny Walker herself.

Summary, Chapter Three: KIDS HELPING KIDS (pp40-54)
    History and Personnel
    Philosophy, Assessment, Admissions and Host Homes
    Program Description, Open, Group, and Aftercare Meetings

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

CHAPTER THREE

KIDS HELPING KIDS


    …like their motto, 'If your kid is lost, then one of our kids will find them.' That's what they say and that's what happens. That's Kids Helping Kids. It's not like diplomas helping kids, or some clinical woman. I mean they play a big part, like Michelle played a big part in my program and in my treatment but if she would've been the only person I would have dealt with I wouldn't have been sober still…I wouldn't have made it.

      -Mears Green, March 2002
    [/list]

    KHK both changes and saves the lives of children. I disavow any claim or effort to fully describe the KHK program model. A claim of this nature would be both false and futile for the only way to provide a complete depiction of the KHK program is by actually experiencing it in person on an ongoing basis. I only sketch an outline that describes the program as it relates to its aspects or the participation by the KHK staff, kids, and parents.

    History and Personnel

    Kids Helping Kids (KHK), located in Milford, Ohio, is a unique long-term, day treatment, multi-modality, adolescent drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. Several factors attribute to KHK's uniqueness. Utmost, however, it's not called Kids Helping Kids for nothing. New adolescent clients, or "newcomers," are immediately placed under the guidance of program peers who have progressed to a point of earning the responsibility of helping others. KHK also employs their own program graduates, or "seventh-steppers," as Staff Counselors whose responsibility is to help current KHK clients through rehabilitation. KHK administers a hybrid treatment that synthesizes the family-based and multi-systemic, behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and twelve step intervention modalities. Parents and families are involved in many aspects of treatment, including the provision of nighttime housing for the adolescent clients. In this section, I describe these above notable factors in detail and provide information on KHK's history (KHK history provided by Executive Director Penny Walker), philosophy, personnel, and quantified data.

    The late 1970's marked an alarming increase of substance use and abuse by American adolescents. In 1979, a study revealed that there were no beds in Cincinnati, Ohio rehabilitation facilities or hospitals for adolescents suffering from alcohol and chemical dependency. One evening, people packed a Northern Kentucky High School gymnasium to listen to George Ross talk about STRAIGHT, an adolescent drug and alcohol rehabilitation program based in Florida. Within months, more than sixty families from the Cincinnati area had admitted their children into the STRAIGHT program.

    STRAIGHT required that family members attend meetings in Florida on a monthly basis, and if not their child would be dismissed from the program. This requirement prompted a proposal from the Cincinnati parents to STRAIGHT: open a STRAIGHT facility in Ohio. Although STRAIGHT had plans on going national, they initially declined the request. Some parents wanted to continue lobbying STRAIGHT while others wanted to start a new rehabilitation program. The two schools of thought split the Cincinnati contingent. In 1981, both STRAIGHT and KHK opened facilities in the Cincinnati area, STRAIGHT in Milford, Ohio and KHK in Northern Kentucky.

    The two organizations experienced some nature of competition in the early years. In 1982, First Lady Nancy Reagan attended a STRAIGHT fund-raising event in Ohio that helped STRAIGHT net two million dollars in solicitations that year. STRAIGHT bought a land-tract and constructed a state of the art facility, specifically designed for adolescent rehab. The KHK Board of Directors hired STRAIGHT's George Ross to oversee KHK's operation. At times, STRAIGHT would be treating nearly two hundred adolescent clients while KHK might treat a dozen or so. However, as many things do, things changed. Ross remained with KHK for only a few years when Penny Walker replaced him as Executive Director. By 1986, STRAIGHT found it necessary to close the doors on their facilities, including the one in Milford, Ohio. The STRAIGHT facility in Milford, Ohio remained unoccupied and in foreclosure for seven years until KHK purchased it in 1993. The acquisition negotiations with the court system began in July and ended in September 1993. KHK held their first meeting in the renovated facility in November 1993 and continue to operate there today.

    As Executive Director, Penny Walker guides a complete staff of relevant personnel resources. The staff currently includes but is not limited to Program and Clinical Director Michele Hoehn, M.A., C.C.D.C. III-E, a fully accredited Clinical Staff and Coordinator, a Medical Director, a Nurse Practitioner, a Staff Psychiatrist, a Consulting Psychologist, an Educational Coordinator, and a fully operative Executive Staff. KHK's Board of Directors currently consists of twenty members and is supported by an Advisory Board and an Honorary Board that includes four Congressmen and a Senator. I am forever indebted to and thankful for these people.

    Philosophy, Assessment, Admissions and Host Homes

    KHK is for kids between the ages of thirteen and twenty-one. KHK's philosophy supports a belief that

      chemical dependency is a disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. We further believe that, with adolescents, chemical abuse is characterized by developmental arrest or deterioration which may be viewed in stages with characteristic physical, psychological, and social symptoms.

      As a result of chemical abuse, the adolescent may experience inadequacies of personality, impairment of cognitive functioning, diminished motivation, interpersonal and social conflicts, emotional blocking and regression, and causal disregard for behavior consequences
      (www.kidshelpingkids.com).[/list]

      The KHK philosophy identifies areas of concern that are addressed by basic treatment modalities including family based, multi-systemic, behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions. KHK helps adolescents to learn how to apply a set of principles that will better enable them to manage their behavioral and emotional responses to life's situations. A KHK goal is to return the adolescent client "to a healthy productive lifestyle (www.kidshelpingkids.com). How does KHK get the opportunity to give these kids a chance to live a healthy productive lifestyle?

      I doubt that many kids, if any, wake up, or come to, one morning and say, "I want to go to a long-term drug rehab." For example, in our situation, that's not what Mears did. She only asked for help ("only" implies no shortcoming on her part, whatsoever). Furthermore, she told me later that if she had known that "KHK was the kind of help you were going to get me, I wouldn't have asked." The pattern of Mears' sad and destructive behavior had been increasing in both regularity and severity for some time. Making the decision to send Mears to KHK did not come easy. My first visit to KHK occurred eighteen months prior to the time when her mother Cere and I took Mears there in February 1999.

      In the fall of 1997, KHK Program Director Scott Stacey and Admissions Director Pat Burfitt personally interviewed me to discuss the nature of the problem. They did briefly describe KHK's program; however, they focused on the problem, not on treatment. I began to both see and accept certain things while I verbalized my perception of the problem to them. I accepted then that Mears, who was not quite fourteen, had definitely been using alcohol and drugs. I also accepted that my previous behavior had been an example for Mears, not a good or responsible example either. For several years, Mears had watched me either trying to force solutions to problems or to altogether avoid life situations by drinking alcohol. I accepted that I needed help being a responsible parent. Scott Stacey and Pat Burfitt helped me to ascertain the nature of the problem and to realize that potentially I could be both a part of the problem and the solution. Mears, her mother and I were floating in ice-laden water. As I left, Scott said, "I'll see you later." He could not have been more correct, thankfully.

      The next time I contacted KHK, I spoke to Pat Burfitt on the telephone Monday, February 22nd, 1999, and we made arrangements for Mears' admission to KHK. Pat remembered my previous visit to KHK and said we could bring Mears there anytime. Cere and I would take her to KHK the next morning, unbeknownst to Mears. Although I knew that we were being loving, responsible parents, I experienced a great deal of emotional pain and mental confusion with this decision and admissions process. When we arrived at KHK two kids took Mears off to our right behind a set of doors and Pat led Cere and me into a nearby room. Pat explained that

        Mears is on the other side of this wall with four kids from the program and she, by now, has probably figured out a few things. The other kids will have told her that they have been here for ten months, seven months, fourteen months and eleven months and are here because of drug and alcohol abuse. Mears will be given the choice of telling you good-bye with the condition of being cordial, or not telling you good-bye.[/list]

        We were only beginning to experience what Pat continued to explain—the nature and extent of the program. From Pat, I heard well-explained information about the KHK Open Meetings on Friday nights; however, I did not understand much of what Pat verbalized until experiencing the numerous situations that she depicted. For example, I understood what Pat told us earlier about it being Mears' choice to tell us good-bye only when Christopher, one of the kids on the other side of the wall, came into the room and said, "Mears wants to say good-bye." I had never been glad to say good-bye to Mears; in an odd way, a sense of relief engulfed me. She remained seated when her mother and I walked into the room. Cere told her "I love you Sweet-Pea" and Mears responded, "I know that." The three of us were crying. Glancing at me, Mears said, "Toodles" and I leaned over and held her face in my hands and kissed the top of her head. After a moment, Mears slightly recoiled. I let her go and left the room. By leaving Mears there, her mother and I had become parents of a KHK first phase newcomer client.

        KHK recognizes two types of families, in-town or out-of-town families. Families who live within a fifty-mile radius of KHK are considered as in-town and families who live outside of that radius are out-of-town families—we were an out-of town family. That meant that Mears would be staying overnight with "oldcomer," in-town families or "Host Homes." An oldcomer kid and their family have advanced to at least the second phase.

          Newcomer kids are supervised by oldcomers during their stay at night. The hosting family makes house rules and it is the responsibility of the oldcomers to assure these rules are followed. These host families provide a critical part of each client's treatment, by providing a positive role model and adult perspective as each kid works through their issues (www.kidshelpingkids.com).[/list]

          In addition to being role models, the host families provide breakfast and dinner as well as daily transportation to and from KHK for numerous kids. These families help to change and save the lives of children. During the admissions process, KHK clearly defines the differing roles and responsibilities of in-town and out-of-town families.

          Program Description, Open, Group and Aftercare Meetings

          There are six phases that KHK adolescent clients and family members participate in, given that the client completes the program. Kids must satisfy specific requirements of each phase prior to advancing to a subsequent phase. KHK also requires that the adolescent client spend a minimum number of days in each phase.

          First phase newcomer clients have few, if any privileges. Some privileges that are immediately removed are speaking without being spoken to, independently moving about, speaking to family members, wearing certain clothes, going home, going to school, talking on the telephone, listening to music, and watching television. KHK also teaches that being responsible is a privilege; for example, first-phase kids earn the privilege of helping to clean the facility. These privileges are bestowed or restored based on the individual's behavior, compliance to KHK rules, and consequent advancement through the phases. First phase kids spend ten and one half-hours per day focused on and participating in their treatment program.

          Kids continually both introspectively examine and discuss their history of alcohol and substance use with clinicians, peer counselors and oldcomers prior to earning privileges like talk-time. "Talk-time," a first-phase privilege, is a fifteen-minute monitored conversation with their parents or guardians that takes place after open meetings on Friday nights. Kids generally experience two or three talk-times, at a minimum, prior to advancing to the second phase. Second phase clients have earned the privilege of going home on the weekends with their family. Third phase clients return to school, taking classes at schools in Milford, and may work part-time for businesses in Milford. Fourth phase clients may talk on the phone, listen to music, watch television, and are gradually re-integrated into their home communities. Fifth phase clients have all privileges restored, even driving and visiting friends without being in the presence of parents or guardians. If a kid fails to comply with certain KHK guidelines they may be either not allowed to advance through the phases, or may in fact be "set-back" to first phase. Parents, guardians, and family members of KHK adolescent clients advance or regress through the phases as their kid does.

          Parents, guardians, and family members attend two separate meetings held on Friday nights. Group meetings last ninety minutes and are held prior to the Open Meetings that may last several hours. Monday night meetings are offered for siblings.

          KHK holds Open Meeting in a room the size of a junior high school gymnasium. Seating arrangements ceremonially identify four distinct groups. Kids are divided into girl and boy groups and face the parents who are divided by being parents of either a boy or girl client. Parents and family members of girl clients sit directly opposite of the boy clients and family members of boy clients sit directly opposite of the girl clients. In other words, parents and family members sit in a diagonal quadrant to their kid. The primary purpose for this aspect of the seating arrangement is to reduce attempted eye contact and potential manipulation of the family member by their newcomer child. Newcomer kids sit in the front rows of their respective sections and parents of newcomers sit in the back rows of their respective sections. As the kid advances through the phases they move back in the rows, eventually to stand in the back row. The parents, on the other hand, move to the front of their respective section as their child advances through the phases, eventually ending up on the front row as a parent of a fifth phase kid or a seventh-stepper. The seating method produces an effective nuance.

          I have both a clear memory of and notes about our first KHK Open Meeting on February 26, 1999. The kids were in place as the parents filed into the room and found their seats. That night there were less than twenty girl and close to thirty boy clients. KHK personnel introduced themselves, then monitored and led the meeting. Next each newcomer kid stood and introduced him or herself. When someone handed Mears the microphone she stood and said,

            I'm Mears Green and I'm sixteen years old. I've been here for three days. My drug list is alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and mushrooms. I've used for three years. I've learned the first five steps, and my goal is to learn them all. A time from my past is Christmas and I went to my Grandmother's high on cocaine and had been drinking…just so I could be with my family. I was in the bathroom that night swallowing down pills with alcohol. I'm really ashamed of that.[/list]

            Mears sat and wept. I wept also, knowing we had done the right thing. I lived this couplet numerous times. After all of the newcomer kids and one boy and one girl oldcomer finished their introductions, the monitor asked if there were any phase changes. Kids who had phase changes shouted them out, one by one, "Third Phase," "Third Phase," "Fifth Phase" and so on. At that time, I didn't realize what those announcements meant.

            KHK literature defines three purposes of Open Meeting as

              [li]To provide a therapeutic environment, where parents can identify the many ways they have been affected by their child's chemical dependency, AND the feelings they each have about this.[/li]
              [li]To productively confront your child with the seriousness of his/her disease, by relating episodes from his/her drug-using past which vividly demonstrate an affect of family and others.[/li]
              [li]To provide a time and place to celebrate the progress you and your child are making toward recovery.
              (KHK: Your Role as a Parent of KHK Handout).[/li][/list]

              KHK stresses that parents should verbally express their feelings and avoid lecturing their child at all. After the kids announced their phase changes, the parents and family members spoke beginning that night, as every Friday, with the parents of first phase kids. Mears stood when Cere and I stood. Mears wept. We all wept. Cere recalled to Mears the "night I had to help you into the car from the party at Fasig-Tipton when we were with _____ and _____. I love you." And then, I told Mears

                I'm so glad you are here. I believe that God will heal you. I don't remember a specific incident from the past. But, I am so sorry for having hurt you and for neglecting my fatherly responsibilities to you. I love you.[/list]

                Mears said, "I love you Mom, I love you Dad." We all sat down and the kids chorused, "We love you Mears." We continued to weep. We didn't spend anytime alone that night with Mears. At the end of the meeting, Mears and the other newcomers were led out of the room by oldcomers who held onto the belt-loop of the newcomer. As I stated earlier, you can only understand the program model when you attend KHK on an ongoing and regular basis.

                The purpose of the other group meetings is to focus on the family member's part in, or responsibility to, both the problem and the solution. Group meetings are designed to cover six separate areas and are identified by the titles of basics, group, coming home, fourth phase, fifth phase, and seventh-steppers or program aftercare.

                Basics and group meetings introduce and educate family members on the fundamentals of alcohol and substance use or abuse, and treatment—specifically KHK's program model in terms of parent involvement. Parents are exposed to a set of principles and skills that may help them to better understand the basis of their thoughts and feelings so that they may more effectively communicate with their children. KHK makes many demands of parents because they believe that parents are critical to their child's success at KHK. KHK exposes parents to the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA's Twelve Steps are essential to the KHK program model. Parents learn how to write a "moral inventory" (MI), based on the suggestions found within and throughout AA's Twelve Steps. Parents only write a couple of these inventories, while the kids write inventories on a daily basis for their program's duration. These MIs include the recognition of three good points of the individual's character and a statement of five well-defined and achievable personal goals. Some people who are unfamiliar with the Twelve Steps find their introduction to the Steps similar to that of learning a new language. A vital factor of KHK's success rests on both the kids and their parents learning and using this Twelve-Step language.

                Parents are instructed during "Coming Home" group meetings on how to prepare their homes for their child's return. Kids return to their homes for the weekends upon their advancement to the second phase. KHK provides and reviews an in-depth instruction text on "Home Preparation" and a set of rules for parents to both refer to and follow. The instructions and rules include suggestions for sleeping arrangements, what to do with your child's belongings, security requirements, fire safety, how and who to communicate with at KHK, and what to do in case your child runs away from home. In addition, the kids are familiarized with these instructions and are held accountable for their adherence and also for reporting any violation of the rules. Parents' failure to comply with these guidelines can result in the kids being setback to lower phases.

                As important, if not more so, during "Coming Home" meetings parents are versed on fundamental personal skills like how to establish a new relationship, how to commit to communicating, and learning the arts of both listening and talking to your child and other family members. For example, KHK identifies "Stumbling Blocks to Listening," and claims that,

                  listening to your child can do nothing but good! Unfortunately, so many of your own thoughts can get in the way of really hearing what your child has to say. Common and negative thoughts that can crowd your mind are 'I've heard this all before,' 'I think the child likes to hear himself/herself talk,' and 'When is this kid going to get the point?' (KHK Preparation for Coming Home Handout).[/list]

                  As KHK does consistently well, after identifying problem areas they then identify and provide solutions to these common problems. KHK identifies skills to "The Art of Listening" that suggest parents
                   
                    [li]Focus your listening by choosing to ignore negative thinking.[/li]
                    [li]Focus your listening by not thinking about what you want to say next.[/li]
                    [li]Focus your listening by not interrupting.[/li]
                    [li]Focus your listening to particularly "sensitive issues" by giving your child your complete attention.[/li]
                    [li]Focus your listening by use of eye contact.
                    (KHK Preparation for Coming Home)[/li][/list]

                    Following these and other KHK suggestions helped me to establish and restore my side of the relationship with Mears.

                    Kids join their parents in Fourth Phase, Fifth Phase, and Program Aftercare meetings. All group meetings are led and monitored by KHK clinicians, kids, or former program parents who share their experiences with a particular program aspect.

                    Fourth phase meetings focus on discussing real life situations that the families are experiencing. The meetings provide not only a format to follow but also a safe environment for the kids, who occasionally bring up difficult subjects that relate to their relationships with family members. The impetus behind this safe environment may well stem from the presence of other recovering kids. The child both relates to peers and may well have previously discussed their situation with them. For the most part, there exists a general comradely atmosphere between the kids and parents. There are, however, heated discussions as well when people deal with problematic matters they deem of great importance. When these situations arise, the KHK clinician oftentimes provides sound guidance and several options to consider as solutions to the specific difficulties. These solutions may be presented in the forms of suggestions, instructions, or by merely sharing their own experiences. KHK attempts to provide their clients and family members with skills that are effective and vital in dealing with life's situations.

                    Fifth phase meetings are mainly devoted to assisting the kids and parents in discussing, drafting and agreeing on contractual issues for the program aftercare phase. This agreement "formalizes various decisions about family life that have been made between the parties while at Kids Helping Kids," and is executed by the parents, the adolescent, and KHK (KHK Seventh-Step Contract). The term of the contract is for six months following the graduation of the adolescent from KHK. There is an optional renewal period of six months unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The contract negotiations offer an opportune time for unspoken misunderstandings to arise. The contract details cover many areas including but not limited to time spent together as a family, the adolescent's responsibilities at home, curfew, advising parents of plans, school and work issues, structured leisure time, financial responsibilities, and automobile use. It also addresses arrangements for living outside of the home, support meetings or church activities, "druggie" friends and inappropriate places, and the consequences for failure to abide by contractual agreement. Not unusually, parents and kids experience great difficulties with these negotiations—we did not. We executed our contract during our last family meeting with our family counselor and clinician Michele Walton (now KHK's Program Director Michele Hoehn). We had had four or five family meetings with Michele during the eleven-month course of treatment. Graduations held during Open Meetings mark the end of the first five phases. Then the kids become Seventh-Steppers and are required to attend a six-month aftercare on a weekly basis, with monthly parental attendance required.

                    Aftercare proves to be the phase or period when most kids and family members experience great apathy, in turn potentially abandoning program responsibilities. Completing the first five phases requires a great deal of fortitude and commitment. The task may emotionally, physically, and mentally drain many participants. Possibly, a tendency exists to believe that by completing the first five phases that you have completed the KHK program. Aftercare proves to be when and where the rubber meets the road. Kids and family members are no longer nurtured in the security that lends itself to them while in treatment. Once again, they are truly tested by real life.

                    Will they choose the new way, or the old way? Kids are asked to spend ten hours a week during aftercare at the program "participating in group sessions with clients and a two-hour Saturday support group for graduates (www.kidshelpingkids.com). Meeting this commitment instills a sense of personal accomplishment and responsibility in addition the kids remain accountable to their peers. Each kid who continues to progress through aftercare earns additional program privileges. Kids must complete aftercare in order to work as KHK counselors.
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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                    Offline seamus

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                    Re: Dr. George Ross
                    « Reply #32 on: September 04, 2009, 02:18:13 PM »
                    This thread is givin me NIGHTMARES. Brings me back to an absolutely horrendous time.swear to god I get pains in my stomach from thinking about this shit.
                    reminds me of how much I hated my mother.and why I cant keep a relationship,and my fucking failure to trust anything.Why I am such a jealous prick.
                       My wife is divorcing me,I m probably gonna lose my dogs and a lotta$$$$$. Once I cool off IM taking a road trip.Goddamn am I disgusted.
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
                    It\'d be sad if it wernt so funny,It\'d be funny if it wernt so sad

                    Offline Ursus

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                    Area Parents To Be Given Facts On Drug Rehab Program
                    « Reply #33 on: March 29, 2010, 02:04:12 AM »
                    Here's a 30-year old article on Dr. George Ross and the Sarasota L.I.F.E. program within its first few months of existence.

                    This article is accompanied by an extremely grainy pic of Ross on the phone (see link below).

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

                    Sarasota Herald-Tribune
                    Area Parents To Be Given Facts On Drug Rehabilitation Program
                    By LINDA GROTKE · Herald-Tribune Reporter
                    Wed., Oct. 29, 1980


                    A new drug or alcohol rehabilitation and counseling program based in Sarasota will be explained to Charlotte County parents on Nov. 13.

                    The LIFE (Life Is For Everyone) program is designed to help families from Manatee to Collier County. The keys to it are family involvement and kids helping kids get off drugs and redesign their lives.

                    LIFE's director, Dr. George Ross, is speaking to service clubs, such as Rotary International and other groups before the adults-only parents meeting in November at 7:30 p.m. at Port Charlotte Junior High School.

                    Since the program began its services in June, 51 youngsters between the ages of 13 and 21 have been enrolled, and eventually LIFE plans to serve 250 at a time.

                    Ross says the non-profit, state-licensed organization is funded by community donations and individual fees. While the cost of the nearly year-long program ranges from $600 to $2,000, depending on ability to pay, Ross said, no family is turned away for lack of funds.

                    The program incorporates what Ross calls the practical successes of Alcoholics Anonymous, along with the latest scientific methods in counseling and rational behavior therapy.

                    THE COMMITMENT BY THE youngster's parents is a key to the program. Before a youngster is admitted, the parents must come to an open meeting, and an individual screening session. After that their child is seen and evaluated. If accepted, the parents must continue to be involved, and if they too have a drinking or drug problem, the program aims at helping them as well, he said.

                    Siblings are seen in a special Saturday session, said Ross.

                    But besides the family involvement, Ross said, teen-agers who have already been through the transformation from a life on drug and-or alcohol to a drug-free life are an essential ingredient to the programs success.

                    These "kids helping kids" work under the careful supervision of adults [who] receive intensive training before assisting.

                    Each participant in the program learns how to implement six goals in his or her own life: build meaningful family relationships, pursue educational and occupational interests, develop meaningful friendships, creatively use leisure time, and share of themselves and give to other people.

                    AFTER ACCEPTANCE IN LIFE, the teen-ager attends the center for counseling sessions for 12 hours per day, while living in a foster home with another teen-ager, who is further advanced in the program.

                    Ross said during this phase, which lasts 14 to 21 days, the teen-ager experiences the awareness and commitment stages of rehabilitation and is encouraged to be honest with himself.

                    He said the honesty means letting go of some beliefs such as "pot is not harmful," "continued marijuana usage does not cause cancer," etc.

                    Ross explained that for a person to change his life, he needs to have a spiritual quality to it. While the program does not try to define the nature of this quality, it encourages belief in "something greater than one's self," he said.

                    THE PROGRAM ALSO concentrates on teaching the criteria for rational thinking, and gives the youngster a chance to practice working on the goals, such as developing family relationships, and learning how to constructively use drug-free leisure time with new friends.

                    While the teen-ager is re-shaping his or her life, the families are also learning the same basic goals and how to apply them. They are encouraged to serve as temporary foster homes for other children in the program, which enables them to experience the workings of the program first-hand, said Ross.

                    For more information about the November meeting, contact Bob Waldrop, community education director at Port Charlotte Junior High School, or the LIFE program in Sarasota at 966-5684.

                    Ross spoke Tuesday morning to the Charlotte Harbor Rotary Club and has additional meetings scheduled with other Rotary Clubs and Charlotte County minsters.


                    # # #
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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                    Offline wdtony

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                    Re: Dr. George Ross
                    « Reply #34 on: March 29, 2010, 06:13:27 AM »
                    It is amazing how incredible this KHK program sounds if I were to view this information from the perspective of someone not familiar with KHK and the Straight Inc. programs. A LOT is left out and a lot is twisted to appear benign.

                    Multi-systemic...cognitive behavior therapy...it sure sounds nice when the majority of the details about what really happens is left out of the description. And it seems like these details were intentionally left out to soften the image.

                    If I hadn't been through the hell of it myself, I would almost consider this a model for an improved program. At least from the description given. How is it possible to separate a possible good program from all the bad?

                    So penny Walker took over when George Ross left, very interesting. I wonder where she came from?

                    I agree with seamus, makes a person kinda sick to read the spin and happy happy/joy joy theme that the paper was written in. I'm gonna take a walk...

                    Thanks for posting Urs.  Good info!
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
                    Pathway Family Center Truth = http://www.pfctruth.com

                    Offline Woof-a-Doof

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                    Re: Dr. George Ross
                    « Reply #35 on: April 02, 2010, 05:45:19 AM »
                    My introduction to George Ross was when Helen Peterman brought him in front of the group, not unlike a ‘newcomer’. Helen Peterman explained that George Ross would be her equal in the Chain of Command. He was a weasel like looking guy, he had that funky 70’s look kinky hair (kinda like Mr. Brady from the Brady Bunch) with that ridiculous mustache. There was lots of fan fair on his arrival, Helen Peterman seemed besides herself with her typical over enthusiasm, rather, over zealous manner.

                    I recall the group getting caught up in the enthusiasm and there was a short lived pseudo-euphoria that enveloped the entire group. He was to be accepted, and embraced as Helen Peterman was (or thought she was). As Helen Peterman and George Ross left the group room, the dismal drudgery of the daily routine continued as if nothing had happened.

                    George Ross’s contribution to Straight Inc. was the RSA (Rational Self Analysis) and RET (Rational Emotive Therapy). If memory serves, I was on 4th phase, about to go on 5th phase.

                    Soon after George Ross’s arrival, he initiated his “Rational Self Analysis. 5th phasers  were chosen to be the first to undergo “special sessions”. People were picked out of group to “act like 5th phasers” while the 5th phasers were taken to a separate room for the special session.

                    On their return, all eyes were on them as they made their way back to their respective positions, relieving those who had assumed their roles during that time. Some thing was different about our 5th phasers. They looked baffled, confused, as if they had been informed that 2+2=5.  

                    The entire group (if I may be so brave) took notice of the odd behavior of the 5th phasers. Of course their were murmurs and later, questions were certainly asked. And to my knowledge, most refused to explain, or were unable. The “Special Sessions” continued. Each time, the 5th phasers would return looking bewildered and secretive.

                    The time came when I was put on 5th phase. During the time from when George Ross came to Straight Inc, until the time I made 5th phase (3-4 months) I had already come to have a strong dislike for George Ross. Not for any thing he had done to me or even effected me. But I had a seething disgust for him.

                    Prior to being placed on 5th phase, I was called, with several other males to escort a female (at the bequest of George Ross) to the “Green Room”.

                    I was jaded, calloused to the things that went on at that time, so pulling someone out of group to “confront” them was common place. The violence of Miller Newton’s regime had not come to life as of yet. The individual would be verbally assaulted, accused of unmentionable acts. This would go on for hours. In my own mind at the time, to me, it was just time outta group.

                    Per my usual, I was only acting as if I were paying attention in group. My mind was on anything but what was happening “in group”. I presume I had that 1000 yard stare I still get accused of…Hmm.

                    Quickly it became glaringly apparent what had been happening in the group. Staff had received “intel” that the female had been raped. She was stood up, confronted and had refused to discuss it. After a lot of probing from staff and members of the group, it was announced “Take her out of the group”.

                    Once in the green room, it was obvious that George Ross was enraged. I have a vivid memory (in 3D HD Techno-Color with 5.5 Dolby Surround Sound) His face was blood red, I had never seen anyone’s face that red before. I had never seen jugular veins bulge before, nor had I actually seen a vein bulge across a persons forehead. He  shrieked in rage, high pitch shrieking, like that of witch with holy water thrown on it.

                    His anger/rage with the young girl was remarkable. There was spittle flying from his mouth as he screamed in her face. What looked like wads of cotton had formed at the corners of his mouth. Like myself, the others, all male, stood silently, presumably in shock, as some of us looked milk white about the face. I was sickenly fascinated with this fully grown adult male…DOCTOR…behaving in such a manner.

                    Somehow, the young girl landed on the floor of the “Green Room”. How it happened remains unclear, even after hours and hours of trying to piece the sequence of events over the last 30 years. As suddenly and as quickly as he back hit the floor. Dr. George Ross was just as quick to pounce upon the young girl.

                    What probably took place in a matter of seconds, seemed endless. Endless in that somehow, time had stopped. Although the time element of the situation had stopped, movement persisted. In that moment of realizing there was a stop in time, I recall thinking he is simply trying to pin her down, to restrain her. Because this young girl was coming unglued at the seams at this point.

                    Its given that perception is sketchy, (30 years since the incident) the events seem skewed, all relative to time. The actions I saw were without a doubt real. The demonic voice of Dr. George Ross I heard was just as real.

                    As everything seemed to have stopped in time, it was movement that brought me back to awareness. I realized Dr. George Ross was not trying to restrain the young girl. Dr. George Ross was trying/succeeding in mounting the girl. Fully clothed, he began to physically mock her attacker, by acting as if he was the attacker. He was dry humping her. His blood gorged forehead was riddled with sweat and gravity soon brought these droplets of sweat onto her face, along with the spittle from his incessant screaming.

                    I don’t recall any of the males making an effort to assist Dr. George Ross. Sadly, I don’t recall any of us making an effort to stop Dr. George Ross. I fail to believe, although as adolescent males (assumable to think, raging with hormones) in anyway got pleasure from the experience. Personally, even at that young age I was stunned beyond words. I recall looking at our faces (of which I have no recall) and when I remember doing that now. I see it as a group aliens staring blankly, with grayish skin and large black eyes at a ‘procedure’ by a truly sinister spawn of evil itself.

                    I have since corresponded with this young girl. Now, a survivor. I expressed my heart sickened remorse to her for my lack of action. With open heart and mind she accepted what was on my own heart. Around that time, I kinda did some math. The young girl & myself. Two (2). Being way generous with time. Lets assume 25 years of suffering for each of the two. That’s 50 years of suffering. I recall 8-10 guys. Again to error on the side of caution; 8 @ 25 years, that is an additional 200 years of suffering.

                    So, in one act of Dr. George Ross, conceivably there are some 250 years of suffering. In one fraction of our lives, Dr. George Ross brought a life time of horrid memories for at least a dozen people, collectively…250 years.


                    I wish much Peace
                    I wish much Healing
                    woof
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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                    Offline shaggys

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                    Re: Dr. George Ross
                    « Reply #36 on: April 02, 2010, 12:59:55 PM »
                    The post by Woof above was tough to read. The visual I get of the madness and terror unleashed in that intake room makes me angry and really sad at the same time. The years of suffering manufactured in seconds by "Dr" Ross is sickening.  Woof, even though our contact with each other has been limited I feel like I know you. We have spoken personally and share many things in common. I know if you had a time machine, could put yourself back in that room, the outcome would be vastly different. I envision "Dr" Ross being slammed  to the floor and his disgusting spittle dripping mouth being properly smashed. Sadly dude we don't have that time machine and we have to live with what we saw and did. It sucks. I am glad you haven spoken to the girl involved, Im sure that was good for both of you. I wish you well.
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

                    Offline RTP2003

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                    Re: Dr. George Ross
                    « Reply #37 on: April 04, 2010, 06:56:01 PM »
                    Quote from: "Woof-a-Doof"
                    His face was blood red, I had never seen anyone’s face that red before. I had never seen jugular veins bulge before, nor had I actually seen a vein bulge across a persons forehead.


                    Miller Newton fit this description every Monday and Friday, during Open Meeting Review.
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
                    RTP2003 fought in defense of the Old Republic

                    Offline Anne Bonney

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                    Re: Dr. George Ross
                    « Reply #38 on: April 05, 2010, 11:48:22 AM »
                    Quote from: "RTP2003"
                    Quote from: "Woof-a-Doof"
                    His face was blood red, I had never seen anyone’s face that red before. I had never seen jugular veins bulge before, nor had I actually seen a vein bulge across a persons forehead.


                    Miller Newton fit this description every Monday and Friday, during Open Meeting Review.

                    True dat!!    :flame:


                    How much interaction did Ross & Newton have?  Did Newton 'train' under Ross or vice versa?


                    Woof....wow.  I'm glad you got to speak with her and hopefully it helped heal a small part of the wounds.
                    « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
                    traight, St. Pete, early 80s
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                    Offline Ursus

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                    Ross & Newton, partners in crime?
                    « Reply #39 on: April 08, 2010, 04:35:54 PM »
                    Quote from: "Anne Bonney"
                    How much interaction did Ross & Newton have?  Did Newton 'train' under Ross or vice versa?
                    This is not so much an answer as it is a compilation of some relevant reportage:

                    Seamus states that George Ross "was involved in str8 prior to miller newton,also."

                    According to Ross's CV, he got his PhD in Education from the University of South Florida in 1978. He also presented three papers at the Twentieth Annual Conference of Florida Educational Research Association (January 31, 1976, Orlando, Florida). One of those papers was titled, "The application of an anthropological-sociological technique to program evaluation."

                    According to Ross's website, he conducted several workshops on the topic of teenage substance abuse since 1978.

                    According to Finn Green's 2002 senior thesis on Adolescent Substance Use and Abuse (University of Kentucky), which is essentially a love letter to KHK, George Ross helped provide the ultimate incentive to later open a Straight program in Ohio by way of a talk he gave in 1979 or shortly thereafter:

                      The late 1970's marked an alarming increase of substance use and abuse by American adolescents. In 1979, a study revealed that there were no beds in Cincinnati, Ohio rehabilitation facilities or hospitals for adolescents suffering from alcohol and chemical dependency. One evening, people packed a Northern Kentucky High School gymnasium to listen to George Ross talk about STRAIGHT, an adolescent drug and alcohol rehabilitation program based in Florida. Within months, more than sixty families from the Cincinnati area had admitted their children into the STRAIGHT program.[/list]

                      According to one of the footnotes on Wes Fager's Virgil Miller Newton page:

                        Miller Newton became an assistant director at Straight on January 15, 1980, though he was a parent member before that. His resume shows him as the director of Straight, St Pete in 1981. In a press release on July 13, 1982 Board Chairman Mel Sembler announced that Miller Newton had been officially appointed as Straight's national clinical director on or about July 4, 1982. However, he told reporters that much of the clinical responsibilities for Straight were already being handled by Newton. Even Newton boasted that, "The local programs are responsible to me. That was going on before. [Source: St. Petersburg Times, July 14, 1982, p. 3B.][/list]

                        According to this article in the Broward-Palm Beach New Times published in 2004 about the Straight spin-off Growing Together, George Ross and Miller Newton both contributed to the design of Straight's methods. Whether they worked together or separately on that is not made clear:

                          During the late '70s, Straight became a well-known and apparently effective drug treatment center. Its methods, which were designed by psychiatrists Miller Newton and George Ross, were a kind of hybrid of the common 12-step model used by Alcoholics Anonymous; but there were only six steps and a hierarchical system. Children who had been in the program for a few months graduated to higher levels and became "oldcomers." They were then put in charge of new attendees, known as "newcomers." Newcomers weren't allowed to move around the facility unless oldcomers held them by the belt in a technique known as "belt looping."[/list]
                          « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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                          Offline Ursus

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                          Re: Dr. George Ross
                          « Reply #40 on: April 08, 2010, 04:44:30 PM »
                          Quote from: "ajax13"
                          To the best of my knowlege Miller Newton was not a psychiatrist in 2004, nor at any other time in his storied life.  Funny that he should be described as such twice in that article.
                          Neither was George Ross. Yet he was also thus described. Funny that...
                          « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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                          Offline seamus

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                          Re: Dr. George Ross
                          « Reply #41 on: November 22, 2010, 04:08:30 PM »
                          He holds a doctorate in education, is not a psychiatrist.And now he's doing the "man of the cloth" hustle, just like another character we all know, must be all the rage amongst that type.Cant believe my parents fell for this guys horseshit.Un-real
                           

                          To the best of my knowledge,Newton and Ross never worked together,nor did Ross train Newton.I knew both of them.
                          « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
                          It\'d be sad if it wernt so funny,It\'d be funny if it wernt so sad

                          Offline webdiva

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                          Re: Dr. George Ross
                          « Reply #42 on: November 23, 2010, 01:37:17 PM »
                          HIs picture is on his website. It also mentions LIFE, KIDS, DFAF etc.
                          http://http://www.georgerross.com/about.html
                          « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
                          RIP Steve Matthews and all those we have lost along the way!

                          Offline Ursus

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                          Re: Dr. George Ross
                          « Reply #43 on: November 23, 2010, 01:57:25 PM »
                          Quote from: "webdiva"
                          HIs picture is on his website. It also mentions LIFE, KIDS, DFAF etc.
                          http://http://www.georgerross.com/about.html
                          Yep, check out the first page of this thread. There are a number of pics there.

                          His curriculum vitæ is spelled out in this post; another program mentioned is Possibilities Unlimited (KY).

                          You'll like this part: "Ordained minister (April 2002)."
                          « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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                          Offline kpickle39

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                          Re: Dr. George Ross
                          « Reply #44 on: November 24, 2010, 10:48:53 AM »
                          yep, that is a pic of the son-of-a-cunt.   And the ordained minister thing . . .imagine that?  Ross a minister.  I'm not suprised . . .he is after all the same as Newton, total fraud.  Interesting that on his CV/Resume, he left out his time working at Straight.
                          « Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »