Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Ridge Creek School / Hidden Lake Academy

HLA

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Macaroni3001:
To Whom it may concern,

Where should I start.
1.  To the former parents and students of HLA, do what you need to do that is best for your family and/or yourself.

2.  Two parents when you are placing your children out of home, you need to do all the research possible.

3.  During my stay at HLA, I know for a fact that students stole cigarettes from cars, asked strangers for contraband while at the airport, movies, or any other outings, and have brought back contraband from home visits.

3.  Parents most therapuetic boarding schools or hospitals do searches that range from just checking pockets to strip searches.  Again do your research.

4.   Everyone is talking about the credentials and laws that HLA must follow or have.  Did any check the Georgia state laws to see waht they say in regards to a therapuetic boarding school, hospitals, and/or Wilderness programs.

5.  I would suggest you know that the owner of HLA have a lot of clout in Georgia especially North Georgia.  So you may want to go to the battle with a Full loaded gun before going to his turf in Dahlonega or North Georgia.

6.  While I was working at HLA, I heard every student I came in contact with complain about the school.  If I was at a boarding school I would complain to my parents too.  Just know that the program works for some and not all students.  

7.  Finally, the parents who have students in out of home placements because of what ever reason needs to take a look at their parenting skills or styles.  Some of you send you children away so you would not have to worry about them.  In actuality you can be as much a blame as any school, hospital, or wilderness camp for any PTSD, alcohol, drug, or any future problems you children may have from their experience at these out of home placements.  So before pointing the finger or blaming take a look at yourself first.  I know that the majority of the students who attended HLA had money, but know money cannot buy everything.

This is what I had to say and if there is any problems or concerns.  Holla back!!!  I'm not hard to find just look me up.  

Peace out

AMW

Deborah:
4. Everyone is talking about the credentials and laws that HLA must follow or have. Did any check the Georgia state laws to see waht they say in regards to a therapuetic boarding school, hospitals, and/or Wilderness programs.

Yes, I have, and have posted some of those regs in this forum.
HLA is not a hospital.
Regulations for Residential Care Facilities and Therapeutic Camps (Ga's terms) can be found here:
http://www2.state.ga.us/Departments/DHR/ORS/

The regs state what HLA would be required to do  IF they were licensed as an RCF.

Deborah:
290-2-5-.05 Licenses and Exemptions.
No person, partnership, association, corporation or entity shall operate a child caring
institution in the state without first obtaining a license to operate the institution by
demonstrating compliance with the necessary requirements set forth in these rules.
Institutions operated as a part of a local church ministry or religious nonprofit school or a
nonprofit religious charitable organization may request to be commissioned in lieu of
licensed. All provisions of these rules shall apply to institutions that request to be
commissioned, and for the purposes of these rules, the term license shall have the same
meaning as commission.*

(e) Exemptions. Anyone operating or desiring to provide a service believed to be exempt
from licensure shall apply to the department for exemption. The exemptions granted by
the department are exemptions from licensure, and do not affect the authority of local,
regional or state health department officials, the state fire marshal or local fire prevention
officials to inspect facilities. These rules shall not apply to the following kinds of
programs providing care to children:*

1. Child welfare agencies and other facilities and institutions wherein children and youths
are detained which are operated by any department or agency of state, county, or municipal government.*

2. Any bona fide boarding school whose PRIMARY PURPOSE of admission is EDUCATION, provided that such facility in order to claim exemption shall operate under a published academic educational curriculum which meets the requirements of the State Department of Education, shall have classroom facilities which are not used for residential living, shall not have been granted nor have assumed legal custody of children attending the facility, and SHALL NOT PROVIDE SERVICE PLANNING AND CASEWORK SERVICES as described in these rules.*

juniper:
Deborah,
Why are they allowed to advertise they are a 'Theraputic' boarding school, if they are not licensed?  Also, they advertise they have a 'special' LD teacher program which is non existent now as the teacher left in February.
There are children there for this, that are on academic probation because there is no LD
teacher.  I read some guidelines by the state
and I understood that they should have replaced
her immediately. Would that be ORS?  Also,
From reading a previous post by someone, I figured 'LOADED GUN', that owner is connected,
but there is always someone more powerful
around the corner.  To that person, thanks for the tip..they will trip up..again there is always
the 'MONEY TRAIL' - follow it.

Deborah:
***Why are they allowed to advertise they are a 'Theraputic' boarding school, if they are not licensed?

The million dollar question. You would need to hound ORS for the answer. I asked repeatedly for a copy of the results of the 'negotiation' that followed the inspection. Have not received it to date. I found ORS to be less than helpful.

Now here's the rub:
HLA told ORS that they started as a private boarding school and later became a TBS. Wrong. And I provided ORS with info to refute that.
Every agency I spoke with also classified them as a PBS.

So, if ORS is classifying them as a PBS- it seems fraudulent to take money from school districts, government, and insurance for 'tuition to a PBS'. Those funds are designated for treating 'disabled' students. It would also be fraudulent of a parent to take tax deducations for expenses related to traveling to visit their 'disabled' child, if indeed s/he was in a PBS.

They are obviously a therapeutic facility. Then why are they not being required to possess the appropriate license? The regs clearly state that they are not exempt if they provide casework/service plans (therpeutic).

This appears to be the answer- Programs in the industry prefer the special niche classification 'Specialty School'. Even if ORS views them as a 'specialy school' they still don't meet the requirements for exemption. They should be accredited AND licensed.

If you or anyone else here can get a straight answer from ORS, I would appreciate if you post it. It is a mystery, again, unless ORS is assuming that the accreditation assoc's (GAC and SACS) are monitoring ALL aspects of the program. In that case, it is reasonable that they wouldn't want to duplicate efforts.

Re: the LD teacher. Under normal circumstances, yes it would be ORS to contact. But they have NO jurisdiction over HLA (only RC) because they aren't licensed. You would make complaints to the accreditation associations. When do they plan to replace her?
Why are those kids on academic probation? That doesn't seem fair. Wouldn't that disqualify them for home visits, etc.

Another thing you should know. Programs are attempting to 'Self Regulate'. Rather, make it acceptable to. Buccellato funded the creation of NATSAP- an industry association.
You can read more about that in these threads:

http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... rt=0#88723

http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... rt=0#55103

Look what's happening in Montana as we speak, re: licensing and NATSAP:
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... rt=0#89677

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