Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Aspen Education Group

The Only Instance of Abuse "Admittance" by Staff of MBA

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enola:

--- Quote ---" W48 stated W48 was brought to MBA for W48's clinical background and to bring "more accountability to the phase leaders and to empower them.[/b]" W48 stated W48 works with AP2 to assess students throughout their stay at MBA. W48 stated the mentor sets the goals from the treatment plan.W28 was asked if W28 trained the Mentors on the treatment plans, and W28 said no. W28 stated mentors would find it difficult to read the evaluations and information from the testing, as they have not been trained to do so. W28 said it is W28's job to "translate" this information for the mentors. W28 said there is a weekly meeting on Wednesdays when various school issues are discussed and phase members are present, but said W28 could not remember a time when treatment plans were part of that meeting.W28 stated the individualized treatment plan is not intended to be a diagnostic instrument, and mentors are not “therapists." In in the same interview, W28 then described the mentors as students' "primary therapists." W8 stated, “The treatment plan is a guide for the mentors. It’s part of the therapeutic curriculum.” W28 confirmed that mentors are not licensed mental health providers. "
AP2 was asked to respond to the allegation that AP2 neglected the care of Child A, Child B, Child C and Economides by failing to develop individualized and therapeutic treatment plans to address their [redacted] abuse, [medical] or [redacted diagnosed ] issues. AP2 replied, “That’s not true. I have not had any administrative or supervisory relationship to them (the children) whatsoever. I don’t see how I could have had that. My responsibility and relationship to them is to construct a treatment plan based on a synthesis of documentation.” AP2 said MBA is not a residential treatment center where a Clinical Director has oversight of all clinicians. AP2 said, “I am not that person. That person is W48.
--- End quote ---


--- Quote ---Thanks for your post, guest, this seems to be consistent with many of the other programs where individual therapy is provided through a private therapist who isn’t directly working for the program. This way a parent can determine if they want their child to see a therapist one on one during their stay there. Its good to see that they had a couple professionals on staff to oversee the program. The way it reads to me is that they had a process in place which was mostly run by the “mentors” and overseen by licensed therapists.
--- End quote ---

Do you see the inconsistencies?  Do you see the contradictions from their own mouths?  Or are you blind?  AP2 is obviously a mentor.  He/she says he/she has not had any "administrative  or supervisory relationship to them (the children) whatsoever. I don’t see how I could have had that. My responsibility and relationship to them is to construct a treatment plan based on a synthesis of documentation.”
Yet, W28, the licensed clinician of which you are hanging your hat on, says this:
W28 was asked if W28 trained the Mentors on the treatment plans, and W28 said no. W28 stated mentors would find it difficult to read the evaluations and information from the testing, as they have not been trained to do so. W28 said it is W28's job to "translate" this information for the mentors. W28 said there is a weekly meeting on Wednesdays when various school issues are discussed and phase members are present, but said W28 could not remember a time when treatment plans were part of that meeting.W28 stated the individualized treatment plan is not intended to be a diagnostic instrument, and mentors are not “therapists." In in the same interview, W28 then described the mentors as students' "primary therapists." W8 stated, “The treatment plan is a guide for the mentors. It’s part of the therapeutic curriculum.” W28 confirmed that mentors are not licensed mental health providers."

Unless one is used to contradictions, double talk, and downright lies, I don't understand how the above could be misinterpreted into anything other than the licensed clinician being there as a prop.

Anonymous:

--- Quote from: "Whooter" ---[

So the struggle here is to determine how much the licensed professional should be involved in the day to day process of the program.
--- End quote ---

No. the only question is whether or someone should be forced into therapy. I really don't see what you have to fear from agreeing to join me here to illustrate both our points.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=29442

You will have many advantages over the teenager who is sent to a program. You can leave at any time without consequences, you have age, knowledge and experience that few if any have when sent to a program. What could you possibly have to fear from doing this that wouldn't be much worse for a teen put through a program for sometimes years.

Whenever you decide you are ready to talk, just post there. I'm rooting for you.

Ursus:

--- Quote from: "Guest" ---Some excerpts from the DHS report:

[Redacted information] [M]any children enroll at MBA with a variety of mental, emotional and behavioral challenges, including substance abuse, depression, [medical issues], learning disorders, conduct disorders, parent-child relational problems, and trauma histories resulting in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  While MBA has this information, it does not utilize substantive individualized treatment plans for students on which the staff are trained.  Instead, all students are required to participate in MBA's "emotional growth curriculum," including a series of "personal growth" experiences known as "Lifesteps," regardless of their emotional, behavioral or mental health treatment needs."

"[redacted] MBA staff identified Child A's issues as abandonment, molestation, [diagnosed] problems, not obeying Child A's parents, cussing, partying and [redacted behavior].  Staff reported that while at MBA, Child A was supposed to work on feeling "disgusting" because this is how Child A felt about [redacted] and [redacted past event].

Child A reported that while at MBA, during a Venture Lifestep that occurred on [date redacted], Child A had to wear a "French Maid's" outfit and give male clients and one staff "lap dances" in front of male and female clients and staff.  A male peer confirmed that Child A had performed a lap dance on him.  Child A said staff assigned Child A the role of "French Maid" because Child A had been [event] in Child A's past and this was a way for Child A to take responsibility for what happened.  Child A said staff directed Child A to "Go shake your ass like you do for the boys." Child A said staff called Child A a "slut" and told Child A Child A was "worthless" and said Child A "wouldn't get anywhere in life."

MBA Executive Director Sharon Bitz was asked to respond to the allegation of abuse, and stated  "No.  It's my opinion we didn't abuse Child A.  I don't believe Child A was abused on that date."
--- End quote ---
Where is this material from? Which DHS report are you accessing?

Anonymous:
FUCK MBA BITCHES!!! ::deadhorse::

RMA Survivor:

--- Quote from: "enola" ---
--- Quote ---So the struggle here is to determine how much the licensed professional should be involved in the day to day process of the program. Should they have a licensed profession sit in on all groups when they break out for discussions 2 or 3 times a day? Should a professional see each child every day? Should the professional outline treatment plans and allow non professionals to carry them out? Should a process be developed which is overseen by professionals but run by non professionals? I think these are some of the questions I would like to see answered by comparing them to established laws and standard protocol.
--- End quote ---

This may answer part of your question, though I cannot fathom that you have not understood the point yet.
According to the State of Oregon:

  OAR 407-045-0820: Maltreatment of child, which includes but is not limited to failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care that is likely to endanger the child’s health or welfare. Maltreatment also includes but is not limited to the willful infliction of pain or injury, hitting, kicking, scratching, pinching, choking, spanking, pushing, slapping, twisting of head, arms, or legs, tripping, exposure to domestic violence, the use of unnecessary or excessive physical force, or other physical contact with a child inconsistent with prescribed treatment or care, the use of derogatory names, phrases or profanity, ridicule, harassment, coercion, or intimidation, that is likely to endanger the child’s health or welfare.

  OAR 407-045-0820: Threatened harm to a child, which means subjecting a child to a substantial risk of harm to the child’s health or welfare.

  OAR 407-045-0820- Negligent treatment of a child, which includes but is not limited to failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter or medical care that is likely to endanger the child's health or welfare.  Negligent treatment also includes, but is not limited to failure to supervise a child, or failure to intervene when a child needs assistance or care, that is likely to endanger the child's health or welfare.

Perhaps, had there been a licensed psychologist actively participating in the program, that individual would have more knowledge of the laws, and therefore prevented some of the abuse from happening.  Do you think it was an oversight or accident that the licensed party never attended lifesteps or groups?

Here is a description of abuse again, in layman's terms:

Posted by lawsprotect on 04/11/09 at 9:12PM
It seems that perhaps some of the staff, students and parents, past and present, might not understand what constitutes "abuse."

A staff member continually yelling at a student, yelling profanities at the student, yelling humiliating and degrading remarks at the student, name-calling, in Group or out, is ABUSE and against the law. It doesn't matter that you don't think it is abuse. It doesn't matter that there may be some 'good intention' and hope for a good result on the part of the staff member. It is still ABUSE and against the law.

There are other ways to bring about good results.
ABUSE is not one of them.

If you are denied sleep in a two or three or four day Life Step, except for an hour or two, this is neglect, and neglect is ABUSE and against the law. It doesn't matter if you didn't mind it, it is still ABUSE. And you have all suffered sleep deprivation, if you made any of the Life Steps.

If you were not fed meals, but perhaps little snacks on a three or four day Life Step or intervention or work study or self study . . . that is neglect, and neglect is ABUSE. It doesn't matter if you weren't hungry and it was okay with you, it is still ABUSE.

If you were forced to do physical labor for extended periods of time, such as eight hours a day or longer, hauling rocks, digging ditches, digging holes and then filling them back up, shoveling snow, etc., that is ABUSE. Most of you are, or were, minors. It is abusive to force you into physical labor for long days, and days and days on end.

If you were forced to spend weeks, and months for some, in isolation, not allowed to smile, not allowed to talk to anyone, forced to sit and be humiliated at a table by yourself, treated as if you were not even a human being and as if you didn't exist . . . that is psychological, emotional ABUSE. It doesn't matter if you were okay with it, or if you understood the 'bigger picture.' It is still ABUSE and it is against the law.

If you were forced to be abusive to others, as you were in Group, yelling at the top of your lungs at them, thinking up horrible, often untrue things to yell at them, that is ABUSE.
You were not only abused yourselves, but you were forced to abuse other students. This is against the law, even if you didn't think it was so bad. The law is the law. And the laws are there to protect you.

If you were on prescription medication and that medication was denied to you at any time, during Life Steps, when you were leaving campus, etc., that is harmful to your medical health and it is ABUSE.

If you were a minor and forced to do things of a sexual nature that you were not comfortable with, that is ABUSE.

Maybe you get the picture . . .

If you were a victim of any of the above mentioned things, you have been ABUSED.

Just because some well-meaning people think they can bring about a good result for you, they still do not have the right to ABUSE you in order to try to bring it about. ABUSE is against the law.

Again, just because you don't perceive it to be abuse, doesn't change the fact that it IS abuse.

I understand that while you are a student at MBA, you have no recourse to report the abuse. You can't make phone calls, you are not allowed to report anything like that to your parents, you have no access to a hot line . . . the only people you can report the abuse to are the abusers themselves. The fact that you are in that situation with no possibility of reporting is again, abusive to you.
--- End quote ---

Enola,

This is one of the best posts I have ever read on this site.  The letter from Lawsprotect is perfect and simple.  And John Reuben does understand.  The fact he reads the same reports and comes to different conclusions shows that he understands, because his efforts to suggest these reports are not describing abuse and neglect actually confirms that he understands.  We know he is a sock puppet for the industry and trying to convince him or respond to him is pretty pointless.  It is his job to try and counter any negative press to the industry and it's amusing to watch him flail around trying to plug up a sinking ship.  

Your original post was primarily about the abuse you experienced.  And John Reuben naturally didn't want to discuss that, so he changed the subject as usual.  But I wanted to discuss it, specifically the Adoption Blame part.  I too was adopted and was told the same thing.  That it was all my fault.  That my mother was a whore, that she didn't want me, that I was to blame for something that happened seconds after my birth.  Just a few years ago I tracked her down.  My "whore" mom is still married to my father.  I have five other siblings.  They are great people, very wholesome and caring and I am now a part of their loving family again.  And when I began to think about this back in 2002, it helped me realize how indifferent the staff were to the abuse they heaped on us.  That telling a child his or her birth mother is a whore is wrong, but they were incapable of seeing this as abuse.  They really and truly thought that was going to do me some good.  They thought anything they said should be tacked on to the Ten Commandments.  They truly believed that all they said or did was truly holy and blessed.   And the reason is because they were not licensed, had no training to be counseling anyone, and from that Alex Bitz letter, it is just reinforced some more that they are clueless to the abuse they have caused and would continue to cause if they were given another chance.  Alex sounded like he got hit by the reality train.  And John Reuben, posting here as Whooter is just as incapable of accepting that abuse is all these programs can generate.  He wants to find the diamond hiding in the bullshit.  But he, like Alex and Sharon, have their head stuck so far down in to the bullshit all that comes out of their mouth is bovine excrement.   You can see how all of his posts here are so similar to those of Alex Bitz.  And like Sharon Bitz as well.  Unable to accept the reality.  They are used to playing god to children, doing no wrong.  But when the reality police show up and investigate, they get a slap of reality that abuse is abuse no matter how much they like to pretend it isn't.  They find they can't scream and spit or shout loud enough to shut up the investigators.  They can't bullshit and make up enough psychobabble nonsense to squirm their way out of it.  

And that's why this is so cool.  That we all knew, deep down, if a state investigated one of these places, they would come to no other conclusion than that abuse was systematic.  That the clowns were running the circus.  And they did.  When we were in those programs, they were The Mighty.  But oh how the mighty have fallen now.  And like dominoes, they will continue to fall one after another as state after state goes after them.  We just need to keep pushing and the rest will follow.

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