As a teenager, I was a resident in Daytop's "long-term treatment" Rhinebeck, NY and Millbrook, NY facilities. I was caught smoking pot and drinking--just your average teenage stuff. My parents dealt with it by sending me to this hellhole. Now that they are more educated and know about the program, they are remorseful. These are just a few things I witnessed while in the Daytop "program":
"Treatment" consisted of uneducated "counselors" yelling profanity and derrogatory comments at the top of their lungs--day after day, group after group. Strip searches were common--especially when perverted staff were on the schedule for that day. Residents were forced to wear signs that said things like: "I am a Liar" or "I am a dope fiend loser", etc. I was forced to wear clothes that were 2 sizes too big, because my primary counselor referred to my "slutty body" as "too image." Apparently Daytop's idea of "drug treatment" is associated with degradation and humiliation.
No communication with family was permitted for the first 30 days. How is this legal? All communication was monitored and limited thereafter. I was fearful of complaining to my parents while in treatment, because of possible staff retaliation.
"Marathon" groups utilized age-old cult tactics, such as food and sleep deprivation, to "break down" group members. After clients confessed personal history and secrets in the Marathon (such as sexual identity issues, childhood sexual abuse, etc.), the predators in the group salivated. This is not a safe place for people with trauma or psychiatric history! I witnessed many people being harrassed and victimized by sociopathic residents following Marathon! Some of the staff members were decent people, but others permitted and even encouraged emotionally abusive stuff!
When I was a teenage girl, Daytop housed adolescent males and females in the same facility. This led to all kinds of sexual assault and harrassment.
I remember an incident where a resident was forced to sit on "the chair" outside, all night, in the dead of winter. Daytop administration did not report this to CPS. The residence director responsible for the abuse was "disciplined" by being relocated to a different position-where he is responsible for staff "training." This is just one of many covered-up, resident abuse stories.
Brainwashing, mindcontrol, an omnipotent leader (The Monsignor), its own language, origins in Synanon---the list goes on with proof that Daytop fits the criteria for a cult. And its abuses are too numerous to count. Yet publicity remains almost non existent about the evils of Daytop. Perhaps this has something to do with the organization's political connections. I wish this abusive monster could be exposed, to prevent further harm and abuse.