New List of Reportedly Abusive Programs In Utah

[Dreamy Surf]

[Anonymous]

As far as Parents making life altering decisions for children.. I was just thinking about that tonight.

I never had a drug problem, I didn't do them, wasn't a problem...I did however have some other stuff going on. Abuse at home was the major cause of my running away etc. Subsequently my parents somehow found Straight. (Im sure I dont need to go into proving the program was severley abusive in all aspects) Straight made my life way worse. But I eventually got terminated (Thank God-dess) And tried to pick up a normal 15yr olds life after Straight. School was real hard for me, I was super smart, but I had "been sent away" so I was diffrent. During my 10th grade year, I was expelled from public school for refusing to say the "Pledge of Alligence" Heh, funny now- what I could have done back then, But as Straight proved to me 2 yrs previous, as a teen I HAD NO RIGHTS!.

Anyhow shortly after that expulsion, My Mother wrote me a suicide letter, She was going to kill herself and it WAS ALL MY FAULT AND SHE WANTED ME TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN SHE WAS DEAD. I still have that letter she wrote me(I keep it, so I can know for sure what reality at home was 20 yrs ago) In the letter she Kicked me out of the house, because I had not complied in school, and she was at her end! Pfft, wth were her problems forced on me and blamed all on me... So I packed my stuff at 17yrs old and moved one county away to my Grandparents. (My father's parents whom my Mother hates to this day, but is my only other family) OK, SO I move. My Grandfather took me and tried to enroll me in my SENIOR year of HS, But I had to have the paper signed by my parents... Well my selfish, inable to think Long term Mother refuses to Sign!.... So my only choice was to get my GED, I did.


So here it is 20 yrs later, and I have a GED and Straight Inc on my "record" and all thanks to my Parents... Even though, I am one who didn't have any problems outside my own family's abuse and my trying to run away from it, begging counselors since 6th grade to take me from my parents.

Had my parents not made those 2 horrendous choices, I would have most likely graduted HS, went to college, and built a successful life easily. I look back and clearly see how those choices my parents made, Because they couldn't deal w/ their own issues, left me at a defict for the rest of my life. Yes, I have built an ok life, but it's not been easy. I suffer from a whole host of emotional and thought processing issues (from being abused in Straight Inc, mainly), as well as having trouble gaining further education through the typical means. My parents made my longterm-life very costly.

So I'd like to know, what terrible offense I had done to deserve LIFE LONG trauma from Straight and not being allowed to finish school? I didn't do drugs, I didn't get arrested, I didn't hurt anyone physically, I was not violent.. SO what was it that I did, that won me a LIFE sentence? My parents inability to handle their own lives and then their inability to make clear, positive choices. Thanks Mom, Thanks Dad!

I do feel children should have rights to have a say (or an advocate of sorts in decisions) that will effect and follow them for the rest of their lives. What do kids do that is so horrible that they deserve a life sentence handed down by their parents and these "programs". I'm sorry Parents, I just don't get it. What would your own child have to do to deserve you taking a chance with their LIFE? It could be a great program, but you just never know. I wound up in one of the most abusive in history, all in the name of "My parents just didn't know what to do" That is so sad, imo, Parents have a responsibility to their children to protect them, but so many parents just send their kids off to anyplace that has a pamphlet that says "My program will save your kid!" It sickens me.

I believe, just as in the treatment for PTSD, The key to building up a troubled teens life is GIVING them more control instead of taking away all their control. The severity these programs break these children down is obscene. Why aren't we empowering our teens and teaching them to use their power to suceed? Instead these programs try to INSTIL in the kids, THEY HAVE NO CONTROL/NO POWER/NO RIGHTS and are in custody of the program...Because they were Bad...

The whole deal w/ parents warehousing their kids just makes me ill. And rightly so, I believe after my own personal experience.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-12-01 09:12:00, CCM girl 1989 wrote:

"

On 2005-12-01 08:54:00, Anonymous wrote:


"I attended Diamond Ranch Academy and graduated in June. It saved my life. HAve you ever been in the position where you dont know if your daughter or son is going to be alive tomorrow? Do you know what it's like to wake up to a call from the police at 2 in the morning? That's what my parents experienced. I think this site is an excuse to convince yourselves that your kids are better off at home. Diamond Ranch is an amazing program. They deeply cared about your well being. I will continue to support them through all my life. If I had not been escorted to it, I guarantee I would be dead or in another state. Don't judge a program without any proof.  Carissa"

Maybe you can prove me wrong, but I think you're not a former student, but someone who is working for WWASP. BTW, getting a call from the police at 2 in the morning? Well, it depends on what it's for?!! I know plenty of kids in my family, or friends that have children that have had minor run-ins with the law thus leading to a phone call from police. Just so you know they went on to lead very normal lives. Hey, now if your on a street corner hooking in the middle of the night, trying to make enough money to support your drug habit, then yes maybe an intervention was appropriate!!! But, from your style of writing.....and from what you said.........I'm calling bullshit!"

Guess what?? Im not bullshiting you! I dont know what WWASP is. But I think it's ridiculous how people like you who have no idea what you are talking about scare the shit out of hopeless parents. Today my staff Andrea from DRA started writing my letter of recommendation for college. I still talk to them. They are part of my family and always will be. And about waking up to a call by the police, my friend died in a drunk driving accident at 2 in the morning while i was gone. That could have easily been me. My parents went to bed every night hopeful i would be alright in the morning. Im 17 years old and an alcoholic. I NEEDED HELP. By the way, in 3-5 years im still gonna be greatful for this chance in life. I have a great job, straight A's in school, great friends, and I no longer go to bed every night hoping i wont wake up. SO SCREW YOU AND YOUR PESSIMISTIC IDEAS!!!! http://www.strugglingteens.org

[CCM girl 1989]

In regards to your friend, well, go ahead, and file that under Shit Happens (that's what these great places of yours seem to do when a teen dies in their care). As far as the program saving your life...........I think I'm going to puke! ::puke::  
I know from two different programs I was placed in, for a total of 4 1/2 years, that it did me more harm then good. As far as saving lives? Tell that to all the kids who have lost there lives in these hellholes.

[AtomicAnt]

On 2005-12-01 08:54:00, Anonymous wrote:

HAve you ever been in the position where you dont know if your daughter or son is going to be alive tomorrow? Do you know what it's like to wake up to a call from the police at 2 in the morning?

Actually, yes. My parents were in that position. In fact, I was just recently reminiscing with some old friends and my Dad how I was brought home by the police about six times, starting in the third grade. I was one tough, rebellious, stubborn kid.

I would like to take a moment to thank my parents. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for never giving up on me and never giving me up. Thanks for not sending me away despite my pot smoking, speed taking, beer drinking and staying out all night. I graduated from high school with the rest of my peers, smoked pot and drank beer through four years of college, received my BS, and went on for my MS. I have a great job and a kid of my own. I know I wasn't easy, but thanks for putting up with me.

I am a non-program success story that never ended up 'dead or in jail.' I just grew up.

Know what? Most of my friends were just like me and not one of us died. In fact, we're all homeowners and family folk.

[Anonymous]

Don't judge a program without any proof. Carissa"

Carissa- we get someone like you strolling through here every once in a while. Fresh out of a program, who claims it saved their life, coming here to tell everyone how wrong they are for criticizing programs. You say you don't even know what WWASP is? Then what right do you have to tell people what they experienced was real or false. Your post is extremely suspicious because of the way it is written. Normal teenagers do not write in this way. If you truly ARE a teenager as you claim, you sure picked up a lot of 'program speak' while you were at your program.

Please, since you are so enthusiastic about supporting your program 'for life' as you say, can you answer these questions:

1. How long were you at your program?
2. What type of therapy did you recieve?
3. Why were you sent?
4. How much did it cost?
5. How would you have died as you say if you wouldn't have gone into the program?

It's quite strange you post the strugglingtrolls.com link at the end of your posts, since they are renowned for coming to this site just to disrupt it. (a good show of what program parents are really like) In addition, they constantly troll these boards for the occasional parent coming for advice about programs, and always try to get them to go to Strugglingtrolls. Could this be for the referall fees?

Why is it necessary to push programs on others? Why do you feel it is necessary to evangelicalize these programs? Nobody does this with AA or real drug treatment faciltiies, so why programs?

[Anonymous]

On 2005-12-02 07:51:00, Anonymous wrote:

"

Don't judge a program without any proof. Carissa"

Carissa- we get someone like you strolling through here every once in a while. Fresh out of a program, who claims it saved their life, coming here to tell everyone how wrong they are for criticizing programs. You say you don't even know what WWASP is? Then what right do you have to tell people what they experienced was real or false. Your post is extremely suspicious because of the way it is written. Normal teenagers do not write in this way. If you truly ARE a teenager as you claim, you sure picked up a lot of 'program speak' while you were at your program.



Please, since you are so enthusiastic about supporting your program 'for life' as you say, can you answer these questions:



1. How long were you at your program?

2. What type of therapy did you recieve?

3. Why were you sent?

4. How much did it cost?

5. How would you have died as you say if you wouldn't have gone into the program?



It's quite strange you post the strugglingtrolls.com link at the end of your posts, since they are renowned for coming to this site just to disrupt it. (a good show of what program parents are really like) In addition, they constantly troll these boards for the occasional parent coming for advice about programs, and always try to get them to go to Strugglingtrolls. Could this be for the referall fees?



Why is it necessary to push programs on others? Why do you feel it is necessary to evangelicalize these programs? Nobody does this with AA or real drug treatment faciltiies, so why programs?"

Alright, I know that some programs are not good. But i think it is completely unfair to stereotype and say they are all bad. I had a good experience. You say normal teenagers dont write this way. How so? As for your questions, I was in DRA for 8.5 months. I recieved therapy from the clinical director Dave MacBeth once a week, group therapy several times a week, and AA once a week. I was sent for drinking, running away, depression, suicide attempts, and some drug use. It cost about 35,000 dollars. If I hadnt gone, I think I would have died because I'd already had alcohol poisoning several times, I was running away and living on the streets as a 16 year old girl, trying to kill myself, driving at about 120 mph on mountain roads on motorcycles, cars, drinking and driving, etc. As for whoever said my friend dying was under the SHIT HAPPENS category, my staff there really cared and made sure I recieved counseling for that. So maybe you guys had a bad experience, but I did not. And I have the right to share that. I do not support parents giving up on their kids and sending them away for no reason. But I support the ones who do it because they love their kids. As for this whole forum, how old are you guys? It doesnt sound so mature to me. If you are adults, arent you a little past the stages of bitching about things with no action. If you are really so into closing all the bad programs, why dont you do something about it, and support the ones that are good. It's pointless to just sit here and bitch like middle school girls. How about we grow up?

[Anonymous]

Apparently you need to do alot more reasearch before asking why no one is doing anything, Facts are Many, many people from here and from other places are trying to do something to protect these kids.

Let me tell you this; I am grateful, (in your eyes), you got good, safe treatment. I'm happy you are not experiencing the extreme effects many us have had to live with for 20+ years. I'm happy no one spit in your face, or illegally restrained you (almost killing you) I'm happy you were never locked in a tiny room unable to properly release your bodily fluids...I could go on and on about all the things I'm happy you didn't have to endure, that so many us had to. I can say for absolute certian in my program I recieved NO therapy or education of any kind. I was abused in a whole array of manners. I came very close to dieing several times while restrained or thrown to the concrete floor, for doing nothing wrong at all.

 To come here and imply or question why many of the people here seem to believe all programs are bad.. asking for proof, etc.. Minimizes every survivor here. See, Those of us who think that a program could be bad are only fearing for stranger children's lives. We know what we endured and never want another place to even have the ability to do it again to another child.

My stand point is, Why would anyone take the chance on a program being bad or good, Because as history proves too often it is too late when the parents realize it was a bad place. Their kid is already dead or forever damaged. OK, look at the stuff over the last 15 years that Just happened in Texas facilities/camps. I read here somewhere 44+ kids died due to improper/illegal/unjustified restraining sessions over a short time period. Would you even risk that happening to your own 12yr old kid?

[trnsz]

SO SCREW YOU AND YOUR PESSIMISTIC IDEAS!!!!

Hahaha.  You really make me laugh.  

First, if you claim not to know what WWASP is, why are you posting on a forums and responding to posts about WWASP? That makes no sense.  That defies logic and reason.  That screams "troll".  

Then, you claim to know exactly how you will think and feel in 5 years.  I don't pretend to know how I will think and feel tomorrow, but I can make an educated guess based on my past experience, and the experiences of others close to me in similar situations.  Take it day by day.  Don't tell youself how you are going to feel or think about the program.  Let it come naturally and don't supress your thoughts and feelings -- it's not easy to do right out of a program.  You were manipulated to not question the program.  (At least for WWASPS).  You have been trained and conditioned to lie to yourself and to close your heart and mind to anyone who opposes your view.

Finally, you don't get what you want, so you scream out at people SCREW THIS and that?  Very mature.  You can't you are embarassing yourself?  

Anyway - yeah.  I'm sure you will be very successfull.

Troll.

[Anonymous]

Where did your parents send you after the holding place?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, but all the stuff about Diamond Ranch Academy is a bunch of CRAP!  How do you people get away with this?  All this stuff is 'sour grapes': people who owe money, employees who were fired for trying abuse tactics which are NOT tolerated, kids who were NOT able to manipulate their way into getting what they want.  There is NO abuse: unless you call no TV, cell phones, or Internet, abuse.  Granted, it might be for some kids.  And, oh yeah, having to clean your room, do your share of the work, and maybe participate in service projects or help someone else, or actually have to learn how to do your own laundry....oh boo hoo!  Lies!  Oh yeah, and learning how to be a little respectful to your family who has provided for you your whole life!  Oh, and yeah....having to learn to grow up and have consequences for choices...be they good or bad.  Oh, and 'gratitude'.....a word totally alien to the people who take time to post all this garbage!  Get a life....a POSITIVE life!

[Oscar]

We "get away with it" because what is going on at the ranch is not right. In most civilized countries like ours, service projects or helping someone is taken care of by our tax system. It leaves us plenty of time to earn money, live positive lives and try to save the rest of the world.

Talking about Diamond Ranch. You are forgetting "unemployment". And there is a family out there who has not got the answer to why their son had to die at the ranch.

Do they come voluntary? If Yes why is there a support group out there trying to save one of the teenagers?

Back to the start of this thread. We have some 80 programs listed in the Utah category. More are yet to come.

[Nihilanthic]

posting sour grapes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK3VihNo_yQ

[richard_locksmiths]

posting sour grapes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK3VihNo_yQ

really great youtube link thanks for sharing