Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Troubled Teen Industry
Pinehaven Christian Children's Ranch - new entry on the wiki
Ursus:
Comment left for the above article, "Last two missing teens found in Montana" (by Kate Greene, 16 Aug 2010, WTHItv.com):
rotsne 1p · 3 weeks ago
It is awful that you can residential facilities housing minors which are not monitored by the state. Minors regardless of how troubled they seem to be must be protected. Minors have died at residential facilities in Montana. It is not something a proud and upstanding state should accept.
It is time to send the right message to the children. If you break the law or otherwise cause trouble there will be consequences, but the consequences shall be handed out in a civil and orderly way. A couple of years back when the state asked for guidelines for residential housing of minors a committee was created by our politicians. On the committee was representatives for the various residential treatment centers - among them even Pinehaven.
Will our policians ask people who tend to speed to create a committee setting up new speed limits? Of course not. When you are elected as politician you must do some work on your own. It is expected by the voters. The politicians have failed their duty. The children at facilities like Pinehaven are paying the price.
There is only one answer. Legislation and oversight!
Please get into gear before you have another deaths.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2010 LIN Television Corporation.
Ursus:
Lake County Leader
Runaways found safe
Posted: Thursday, August 19, 2010 2:41 pm
By Sasha Goldstein
ST. IGNATIUS — Four teens missing since July from the Pinehaven Christian Children's Ranch in St. Ignatius have been confirmed found and safe, according to Lake County Sheriff's Office Det. Mike Gehl.
"As far as I can remember, this was the longest kids have been missing," Gehl said of the runaways from the ranch. "One [teen] had been in contact with his mom and his mom got bus fare for the kid to get back to Indiana."
Chance Salyers and Adam Irwin, 17, both of Illinois, ran away from the ranch July 15. Police in Kalispell found Irwin earlier this month and Salyers spoke with his mother about picking him up in Kalispell in early August as well.
Thomas Morson, 15, of Indiana and 14-year-old Cody Thompson, of Illinois, ran away from the ranch July 26 and Gehl said they were found in Missoula just last week. Acting director of the ranch Jonathan Larsson said they were notified that the last two missing youth had been found on the night of the 13th.
All four teens have been transported back to their respective home states.
"There didn't appear to be a connection between the two [pairs of runaways]," Gehl said.
Gehl said approximately one or two children run away from the ranch each year. He said they are troubled youth that are not necessarily used to a structured lifestyle that includes chores and punishment. Most cited homesickness as the reason they ran away, Gehl said.
"It's unfortunate what’s going on, that the kids ran away," Gehl said. "Many aren't used to being told to shovel horse manure if they mess up."
Gehl said there are 75 to 80 kids at the ranch at any one time from all over the country. They are voluntarily admitted to the ranch, either by their parents or themselves, and are taught Christian values in a ranch-type setting.
© Copyright 2010, leaderadvertiser.com, Polson, MT.
Whooter:
Glad they are safe. I guess it is not very clear yet why they ran (my guess would be the structure), but if it wasnt for a good reason it is unfortunate because they had an opportunity to turn their lives around. I am not sure what the next step is for these kids. I just hope they can find themselves and the next place is able to connect with them and set them on the right path.
...
Ursus:
--- Quote from: "Whooter" ---Glad they are safe. I guess it is not very clear yet why they ran (my guess would be the structure), but if it wasnt for a good reason it is unfortunate because they had an opportunity to turn their lives around. I am not sure what the next step is for these kids. I just hope they can find themselves and the next place is able to connect with them and set them on the right path.
--- End quote ---
Barring cases in which the courts were already involved, it's quite possible that some of these families have reconsidered sending off their boys to a program.
Ursus:
Another entry from David Krug's Standing In Corners blog:
-------------- • -------------- • --------------
The Problems Mount For Pinehaven
07. Aug, 2010 · 5 Comments
Pinehaven did not notify Missoula Police about the missing boys at Pinehaven which is the most logical place for runaways to go. Pinehaven has done almost nothing to help locate the boys and has not been cooperative, instead placing blame back on the "troubled teens", their parents, and how they were raised.
While I'm certain these teens are in need of extra care, love, and grace I really don't think you point fingers at runaways, you try to evaluate how to reach them, how to help them, and how to love them. Especially given the circumstances that they came from.
I believe these runaways are a warning sign, and writing on the wall that there are other problems that need to be addressed at Pinehaven. However Pinehaven has not wanted to heed advice from churches, from former staff, or from alumni who offered many paths towards redemption, and healing.
Pinehaven continues to stick to its, It's everyone else's fault policy when really it should be focusing on finding the boys that are missing, and helping the children that are currently in their care.
In my personal evaluation I believe at least one of the boys runaways could have been prevented through having a licensed counselor on board, and a willingness to help address these issues in a proper professional manner.
Regarding More Allegations of Abuse
Pinehaven Christian Children's Ranch continues to have problem after problem stacked on top of problems. Currently Standing in Corners volunteers are investigating 3 more allegations of sexual abuse at Pinehaven dating back 15 years.
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