Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Troubled Teen Industry
Legislative Committee Investigates Use of Restraint- RTCs an
Antigen:
SATURDAY November 08, 2003oicur12
By Jacob Santini
The Salt Lake Tribune
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Nov/11082003/utah/utah.asp
A California lawmaker has requested a federal investigation to determine if a St. George company, and its network of schools that promise behavior modification for teens, has abused kids and duped parents.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft dated Nov. 3, Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., accused the system of schools of using "deceptive advertising" and alleges "hundreds of children have been mistreated or neglected and that their legal rights have been regularly [flouted]."
The company, World Wide Association of Specialty Programs, or WWASPS, fired back a letter Thursday claiming the request is based on misinformation perpetuated by the news media and dissatisfied clients.
"Many view our methods as harsh, and certainly most miscreant teenagers find that the ordeal of being taken away from home, liberties removed and luxuries eliminated is a huge shock," said Ken Kay, WWASPS president, in a response sent to Miller.
"However, our charge is to return sometimes violent, drug-addicted, promiscuous, delinquent and other like teenagers to their families not only able to be productive in society but to be confident and happy individuals."
The system of schools has courted the concept of tough-love and operates with strict rules and consequences for teens, according to previous reports. The schools can cost nearly $4,000 a month for teens who stay an average of 16 months in the program.
WWASPS was founded as a nonprofit agency in 1998 and currently has nine affiliated residential treatment programs.
Whether the congressman's letter will prompt an investigation is unclear.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City has yet to receive an official copy. Office policy, however, will not allow the U.S. Attorney to confirm an investigation into the schools either, said Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the Salt Lake City office.
Miller, the ranking Democrat on the Committee on Education and Workforce, has requested a report by Nov. 17 on whether an investigation is coming.
Miller said his interest in the WWASPS system stems from allegations of abuse from within the system.
"The reports of abuse of these children never stop coming in," he said.
WWASPS, however, denies there is any abuse, neglect or "deception" of parents going on.
"There's nothing to find from a federal investigation," said James Wall, a public relations consultant in Denver representing WWASPS.
The WWASPS has schools in Utah's Washington and Rich counties, Jamaica, Mexico, Montana and Canada.
In May, the system once again came under public scrutiny after the Academy at Dundee Ranch was shut down by Costa Rican officials who alleged widespread mismanagement and abuse.
Miller also cites the closure of six other WWASPS-affiliated programs, some that predate the formal organization of the umbrella association, since 1996.
* Sunrise Beach in Cancun was closed in 1996 following allegations of abuse.
* Brightway Adolescent Hospital in St. George closed in 1998 following state licensing trouble. Kay was an administrator at Brightway.
* Paradise Cove in American Samoa closed in 1998 after the U.S. State Department requested an investigation.
* The Morava Academy in the Czech Republic shut down in 1998 after allegations of physical abuse.
* High Impact in Mexico closed in 2001 following abuse allegations. According to Miller's letter, there is debate over whether High Impact was affiliated with WWASPS.
* Bell Academy in California closed in September for failing to meet licensing requirements, according to Miller.
WWASPS has invited Miller to come to Utah to check out the schools. Miller said he was uninterested, calling such tours "dog and pony shows."
jsantini@sltrib.com
As your attorney, it is my duty to inform you that it is not important that you understand what I'm doing or why you're paying me so much money. What's important is that you continue to do so.
--Hunter S. Thompson's Samoan Attorney
--- End quote ---
Anonymous:
well the restraint that they used on me was the wrist lock where they bend your wrist forward and hold it there it hurt so bad and i would sit in that restraint for sometimes over and hour and my hand would be all tingly and when they held me in it for a long time the most painful thing was when they would let go of it that would hurt just as much as when they put me in the lock now my wrists crack whenever they move i can make my wrist crack and make it sound like jingle bells some staff would be rub my wrists after they let go and this one staff would when she put me in the lock she would put so much pressure on it just to be mean cause she didnt like me to much. so sometimes it was torture
Deborah:
The behavioral health industry is out of control and needs to be restrained.
After witnessing a restraint that injured a boy's arm, one of the leaders at the wilderness program (actually a boot camp- all ex military staff with no other credentials for working with youth)- which had just been opened by his TBS, asked him if they restrained kids at the TBS. He replied yes. The staff chuckled, "yeh, but I bet they don't have as much fun doing it as we do."
Regarding the ex military staff, they have taken down the page which contained photos and bios of staff members at the wilderness portion of the program, but left the staff bios for the TBS. Guess they didn't want parents to notice they had NO previous experience with youth.
Restraint is not used to protect teens and property. It is used as intimidation or for punishment. In a word, "step out of line and I/we will hurt you."
How many times have we read of a child/teen being restrained by multiple adults and suffocated to death. What gives? Were they so angry/scared that they couldn't notice the kid wasn't breathing? That he was chocking on his own vomit?
Restraint should be outlawed, period. Training in de-escalation techniques should be required. I believe many who work in this industry have been hurt (treated disrespectfully) themselves and enjoy exercising their "power", doling out punishment, control junkies.
How many times is the teen "out of control" because they have been harrassed by staff? Subjected to irrational and unreasonable treatment and demands- pushed to the point of breaking- I would guess sometimes intentionally. Fight or flight.
What happens to a child when their fight or flight response is damaged? When they are shut down to the point of no longer being able to discern a harmless situation from a potentially dangerous situation, physical or emotional?
Antigen:
In actuality, my work is not much different from my military specialty of "Psychological Operations" or "Psychological Warfare". I am still looking to modify people's behavior by studying their strengths and weaknesses and discovering what will motivate them to change their behavior. In a sense, the only change is that my "target audience" has changed. Instead of dealing with foreign governments and terrorists I work with parents and children.
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... forum=22&0
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
Anonymity Anonymous
Deborah:
http://www.statesman.com/specialreports ... cases.html
-Chase Moody 17 Oct. 14, 2002 On Track wilderness program Mason Physical
-Maria Mendoza 14 Oct. 12, 2002 Krause Children's Center Katy Physical
-Cedric Napoleon 14 March 7, 2002 Mason Middle School Killeen Physical
-Latasha Bush 15 Feb. 14, 2002
(Died three days after incident) Daystar Residential Center Manvel Physical
-Stephanie Duffield 16 Feb. 11, 2001 Shiloh Residential Treatment Center Manvel Physical
-Willie Wright 14 March 4, 2000 Southwest Mental Health Center San Antonio Physical
-Randy Steele 9 Feb. 6, 2000 Laurel Ridge Hospital San Antonio Physical
-Jerry McLaurin 14 Nov. 2, 1999 New Horizons Ranch Brownwood Physical
-Demetrius Jeffries 17 Aug. 26, 1997 Crockett State School Crockett Physical
-Roshelle Clayborn 16 Aug. 18, 1997 Laurel Ridge San Antonio Physical
-Bobby Jo Randolph 17 Sept. 26, 1996 Progressive Youth Center Houston Physical
-Eric Roberts 16 Feb. 22, 1996 Odyssey Harbor Mechanical
-Dawn Renay Perry 16 April 10, 1993 Behavior Training Research Center Manvel Physical
-Anthony Green 15 May 12, 1991 Brookhaven Youth Ranch Brownwood Physical
-Diane Harris 17 April 11, 1990 Seguin Community Living Center Seguin Physical
-Brandon Hadden 18 1988 Texas Neurological Rehab Center Austin Mechanical
Federal study found restraints lack sufficient regulation
http://www.statesman.com/specialreports ... 18gao.html
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