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

Someone had a fun day in Lake Montezuma

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Oscar:
We got a hint from HEAL-online and found this link by the authorities in Arizona.

Behavioral Health Facilities Report - Copper Canyon Academy

Look at Survey Date - 8/27/2010

Let us just say that the inspectors had a busy day.

Pile of Dead Kids:
Exactly how many citations do they have to give before they can shut the place down at once?

AuntieEm2:
When reading these citations--citations that have been issued because Copper Canyon Academy is in violation of Arizona law regarding safe and appropriate care for teens--I am struck by how many of the inspector's questions went unanswered because the administrator would not provide access to records, a violation of the law in and of itself. We know from experience that facilities hide their records and isolate the children in their care so they do not have to subject their programs to public view. (And I am not talking about HIPAA-protected patient information, but staff, program, educational and heath/health emergency and safety records.)  

The system could be said to be working only if a place with so many serious violations were closed or placed under state control by the State of Arizona. In reality, the violations have been listed in a report--they have not been corrected. It's just words on paper if the facility is still operating without limitations or controls.

The other thing that is clear from reading the citations is that proper licensing, training and supervision of staff members providing behavior health services to youth is not occurring. The requirements for MINIMAL staff competence are not being met.

I would not send any child I know or love to an Aspen facility (or other for-profit residential care facility)--or allow strangers to keep my child far from home for months and years on end in the name of "treatment."

Edward Kahn:
Hello, AuntieEm2!  Forgive me if I missed something here, but I didn't see any links or data that suggest the school is in ongoing violation of any laws.  It appears to me that they are working with the state to address some minor concerns and that the process is so transparent that we all have access to the records.  I view this as a good thing.

In my experience with Aspen Education Group, they are among the very finest providers of top-notch traditional boarding schools with special purposes and that 100% of students go on to the college of their choice.  They are thriving and growing, just like the at-risk youths they serve.

AuntieEm2:
Hello, Edward Kahn!

So you are the marketing director for the IECA? Or maybe an online marketing content provider paid by Aspen? Or an educational consultant looking to drum up business?

Aspen Education Group is indeed one very finest top-notch profiteers in the troubled teen industry. Its parent company is CRC Health Group, Inc. of California, which is, in turn, owned by Bain Capital, LLC, headquartered in Boston with offices in New York, London, Munich, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo. In 2010, Aspen/CRC Health's annual report showed that the company’s average net income (so after costs) per youth per day in residential programs was $250.46, or clear and bankable profit of $91,417.90 per child per year. The outdoor division (the wilderness programs) is even more profitable, netting $440.23 per day or $160,683.95 per year.

Educational consultants are being paid for their referrals—the enterprising ones are, anyway—so let’s see, a 10% per head bounty would produce quite a comfortable living for an “ed con” if he or she found only 5-10 parents online who could be “scared straight” into sending their child to a program. Wow, I'm in the wrong business.

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