Fornits

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An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

http://jilliestake.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, July 2, 2013Pennsylvania - Prominent Special Needs Educational Consultant Pleads Nolo Contendere to Simple Assault on a Child in Plea Agreement
 
Thomas J. Croke
??
Early Saturday morning, Jilliestake received a disturbing email regarding a prominent U.S. Special Needs educational consultant, Thomas J. Croke, owner of Thomas J. Croke Associates, Inc. DBA as Family Light in Greensburg, Pennsylvania; which in turn alerted Jilliestake staff to a comment posted on Jilliestake. ??
?
Jilliestake removed the comment post, until further investigation would confirm or disprove the allegations leveled upon Mr.Croke in the comment post. In addition, it was understood and apparent that the post’s author might have had personal motivation for revealing the aspects of a recent criminal case brought by the State of Pennsylvania against Mr. Croke.

After careful consideration, independent consultation, reading of court documents (charges, plea, and adjudication), including discussions with officials knowledgeable of all information related to the case, confirmation was provided.  

Due to the nature and ramifications (known and unknown) of this criminal case, Jilliestake, a children’s rights advocacy driven blog, made the decision to publish the following as children’s rights and safety must come first - forever ensuring child advocates give voice to those children who cannot speak.                            

Posted by Anonymous to Jillie's Take! at June 29, 2013 at 1:13 AM :
"In June of 2012, the grandson of Thomas Crokes wife, alleged that he had been sexually abused by Mr Croke, the president of Family Light of Greensburg, PA. After subsequent investigation by the Pennsylvannia State Police, Mr Croke was charged. In April of this year Mr Croke plead guilty to assault against a minor with menacing intent. He was formally sentenced this month, June of 2013. He was required to undergo psychiatric evaluation and is on two years of supervised probation. He is not allowed during that time to be alone with a minor. You should take these facts into consideration with respect to any endorsements of Mr Croke that appear on your website."

No one should argue that due diligence and restraint is called for upon receiving this kind of information.  According to officials, this incident took place when the child (complainant) was 8 years old. The complainant is now in his 20’s.

Court documents attest to the following:  
Note: [M1] [M2] [M3] refers to the “Grading” of the indecent assault.

Mr. Croke was originally charged with two counts on April 23, 2013:
Count 1 - Ind. assault on a person less than 13 years of age - 18 § 3126 §§ A7
Count 2 - Corruption of Minors - 18 § 6301 §§ A1
 
On May 10, 2013 – Added by Information Count 3
Count 1 - Ind. assault on a person less than 13 years of age - 18 § 3126 §§ A7 - M1
Count 2 - Corruption of Minors - 18 § 6301 §§ A1 - M1
Count 3 - Simple Assault - 18 § 2701 §§ A3 - M2

On June 17, 2013 – Common Pleas Court of Westmoreland County PA
Counts 1 and 2 dismissed.

Mr. Croke plead Nolo Contendere to Count 3 (18 § 2701 §§ A3) which has the same immediate effect as a guilty plea. [Plea agreement to Count 3 “Simple Assault” Grade M2 – “(A3) attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.”]  [1]
The Court of Common Pleas Westmoreland County PA sentenced Mr. Croke.

Order - Sentence/Penalty Imposed

“Ct. 3 Supervision for a period of 2 yrs with County; Mental health eval; Actor to have no direct/indirect contact with victim or unsupervised contact with minors; Pleading Nolo Contrendere; Cts. 1 & 2 Dismissed; Defendant permitted to travel for business with prior permission from PO.” [2]  

Officials state that since there was no physical evidence, a lengthy time frame had lapsed, no prior offenses documented (the prosecution did not have knowledge of other cases as no other child, parent, or guardian came forward over the years), the plea agreement was accepted by the Court.

Mr. Croke’s sentence satisfied the victim in this case. In addition, because the case was pleaded out to Count 3 above, Megan’s Law does not apply.[3]  Mr. Croke was able to avoid having to register as a child sex offender.

Officials appear surprised that Mr. Croke earns his livelihood as an educational consultant predominantly for Special Needs children and their families.  Often situations arise that require travel to various facilities/programs to address the needs and meet with children already attending programs. Unless Mr. Croke advises the various facilities and programs he calls upon of the restrictions the court has imposed on him regarding his probation, the facilities will not be aware of the fact that by order of the court, he cannot be alone with any child under the age of 18. Non-compliance of court-ordered restrictions could endanger children enrolled at the facility/program, and expose said facility to legal damages. One would assume Mr. Croke has restructured his consulting firm, as with Skype, and hired additional educational consultants for travel issues that may arise.

Many states require a program/facility to check arrest record histories of their staff. However, educational consultant’s arrest records are not a pre-requisite – placement of a child in a residential treatment program/facility and the generation of funds created by that placement is the primary incentive.

Jilliestake does not offer moral judgment on Mr.Croke, but does takes issue with the transparency obviously lacking on the Family Light website. It is understandable why Mr. Croke is less than forthcoming, but his rhetoric is cagey at best and dishonest at worst. Readers are encouraged to look at the Family Light website, read the reasoning offered by Mr. Croke for staff not wanting to be alone with minors, and reach their own conclusion. There is no reason given for policy changes at Family Light other than “in the current climate we are increasingly uncomfortable…”

Thomas J. Croke and Associates, Inc. DBA Family Light was a member of IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) and utilizes facilities affiliated with trade organization NATSAP (National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs), which self-proclaims no oversight over their members (Miller Bill Congressional Hearings 2007 Director Jan Moss testimony). http://troubledteenindustry.com/video/n ... al-hearing .

On July 1, 2013, Jilliestake contacted Mr. Croke through a representative. Mr. Croke declined to comment or speak with Jilliestake regarding this expose’.
 
Please find pertinent information, references, footnotes, and links below.

Excerpts quoted from the Family Light website indicate policy changes.
http://www.familylight.com/link2/2.1/2. ... /index.htm

"While we greatly regret this, in the current climate we are increasingly uncomfortable with our consultant being an adult alone with a minor child riding in a car and otherwise being where a parent or other adult caregiver cannot observe. The vulnerability to false accusations has become an increasing concern. Therefore we need to modify this procedure when the client is a minor child. We are leaving a grace period for families already in dialog with us to proceed as we have promised, but as of June 1, 2013, we are requiring that at all times that our consultant is with your son or daughter under age 18, parent or other customary caregiver be in a location where interaction can be observed.”

"Please note: As of February 13, 2013, we are adding flexibility to our home visit procedure. In some cases, we might conduct similar meetings by Skype but not travel to your home. This adjustment is experimental and is subject to change. Not all of the information below reflects that change. What follows describes the in-person home visits accurately. Skype and phone "home visits" will follow these procedures as closely as the situation permits. We do not believe this will be as effective as actual in-person work but will consider this alternative in selective situations. "
"Due to our policy change requiring a parent or other customary caregiver to be where their son or daughter is visible at all times, this must be modified for those under 18, but for now we continue this for clients age 18 and up. This provides a relaxed setting to discuss the young person’s basic concerns and to see how the young person views his/her role in the solution.This is a flexible routine that can be adapted as needed."

"For those under 18, we ask parents to help us come as close to the traditional "lunch out" as we can while staying with the new policy (on and after June 1, 2013). We have several alternative approaches:

PA –  TITLE 18 - Crimes and Offenses
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI ... /18/18.HTM
COUNT 1 – Ind. Assault of a person under 13 years of age Grade M1 18 § 3126 §§A7
http://www.justdetention.org/pdf/legalr ... 8-3126.pdf
COUNT 2 – Corruption of Minors Grade M1 18 § 6301 §§A1
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI ... /0069..PDF

[1] COUNT 3 - Simple Assault with menace Grade M2 18 § 2701 §§A3
    http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI ... 0.027..HTM

[2] PA Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Docket – Criminal - Public Record
    Docket Number: CP-65-CR-0001641-2013
    http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/CP.aspx

[3] Megan’s Law - http://www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us/

Note: Grammatical errors left intact for authenticity.
More reading: "Educatinal Consultants for Dummies" : http://jilliestake.blogspot.com/2012/01 ... mmies.html
 
Copyright © 2013 Jilliestake -  All rights reserved.

Harkin needs to hear about restraint/seclusion of kids in the industry.

Share Your Restraint and Seclusion Stories with Senator Harkin

I think all of you will agree that this is important for all of us to do and share with our friends and relatives.  I will post it on my MindFreedom Alaska Facebook page and my website. Begin forwarded message:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2011/12/shar ... arkin.html
 
Share Your Restraint and Seclusion Stories with Senator Harkin
SEEKING PARENTS WITH RESTRAINT/SECLUSION STORIES FOR U.S. SENATOR HARKIN’S STAFF
Last week, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin introduced the Keeping All Students Safe Act, S.2020, to protect students nationwide from dangerous restraint and seclusion. As the GAO (U.S. Government Accountability Office) has found, restraint/seclusion are dangerous, resulting in deaths, injuries, and trauma to children nationwide. WE ARE SEEKING LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL FROM PARENTS THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH SENATOR HARKIN’S STAFF AND PERHAPS OTHER SENATE STAFF. WE ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN STORIES OF CHILDREN WHO WERE RESTRAINED OR SECLUDED AND WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN HELPED IF THE BILL WAS LAW. You do not have to have a story to send a letter.

Please email Jessica Butler, [email protected] . For those on yahoo groups and other systems that cut off email addresses, my email address is jessica (at) jnba-dot-net

Thank you,

Jessica Butler
Congressional Affairs Coordinator
Autism National Committee
21 years of advocating for the rights of people with autism and related disabilities
email: [email protected].

http://www.strugglingteens.com/artman/p ... 711_.shtml

This clearly proves that AdvancED (SACS) has no credibility. Why would they reaccredit RCS for 5 years with the record they have? Do they check with ORCC for violations? Did anyone at AdvancED watch the report? They need to receive a barrage of calls asking why they continue to accredit RC. What did AdvancED recommend for the violence and suicide attempts? How many violations/acts of violence before they refuse to accredit them?

RCS is admitting that they currently do not have “interdepartmental meetings”? A college prep school doesn’t have a “curriculum map to assist with guiding instruction”?  RC doesn’t “monitor the effectiveness of the ed program”? “Staff/student retention”? LOL I thought they had a plan, bonuses for doing whatever is necessary to retain students, even lying to parents? There's more, but that’s enough. They should already be doing all this stuff. They’re admitting they aren’t, but then go on to praise their effectiveness.

“This sense of ownership results in the students holding one another accountable.”  
Indeed they apparently do, with Fisticuffs.

Not one mention of DJJ kids? Does RCS speak to their parents or deal with DJJ? Certainly they do know these kids issues, and records. Or is RCS claiming that DJJ (parent) withholds information from RCS?

The report was biased??? How the hell do they figure that? They interviewed RCSs attorney, and no one wanted to go on the record, that was their prerogative, but they were given the opportunity. Why didn’t they come on and tell how wonderful the program is?  Easier to lie in print.

Hell of a lot of money for peer control with fisticuffs and community service.
They continue to mislead the public. Scumbags, all of them.

Posted: February 21
Updated: Today at 12:22 PM
Anguished mom talks to CNN - VIDEO
Sandy Fonzo speaks about confronting ex-judge after his corruption trial verdict.
By Jerry Lynott http://www.timesleader.com/news/Anguish ... -2011.html

There are nearly 6 million children in the United States between the ages of 6 and 18 taking mind-altering drugs.
Let Them Pick Their Own Labels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP8wneiV ... r_embedded

The Fun Never Ends

Students charged with assault, robbery of teacher
By Matt Aiken
Published:
Wednesday, December 1, 2010 9:29 AM EST
A pair of Ridge Creek Academy students will face charges of aggravated assault and armed robbery after they allegedly attacked a counselor, stole her car and fled from deputies in an early morning escape attempt from the Camp Wahsega Road therapeutic boarding school last week.

Officials from the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office said Sydney Vaughn and Lucrezia Albegiani, both 17 years old, developed a detailed plan to overpower their night-time counselor Debra Page and then flee to Atlanta early Friday morning.

“They were conspiring to leave campus and steal one of the staff member's vehicles after assaulting her,” said Investigator Ellis Childress. “They did so.”

It was a few hours after midnight when the two girls reportedly rose from bed and began to strike up a conversation with their counselor. When Page turned her back, Vaughn reportedly grabbed a nearby lamp and struck her on the head with it, said officials.

Albegiani then allegedly put her counselor in a choke hold.

Page, who was still conscious, reportedly told the students to take what they wanted from her.

“They took her keys, her radio and her purse and left,” Childress said.

The pair then reportedly jumped into Page's Toyota 4-Runner and drove away with Vaughn at the wheel.

Page then alerted a nighttime counselor at the boys' dorm who called 911 and reported the incident as a runaway juvenile and stolen vehicle.

By the time the suspects had traveled the eight miles to the Highway 19 Bypass two LCSO patrol cars were turning onto Camp Wahsega Road.

When the deputies signaled from them to pull over Vaughn reportedly sped up to about 70 miles per hour, ran right through the intersection and drove the vehicle into the side of Dahlonega Automotive.

“They hit a propane tank damaging the tank and the well cap,” Childress said.

The volatile liquid leaked into the parking lot but did not ignite. The students were then taken to Chestatee Regional Hospital for precautionary purposes.

Since the incident was not reported as an attack it was only after talking to the suspects that investigators discovered what had taken place at the boarding school, said Childress.

“They said they weren't going to kill her. They were just going to hurt her real bad and they were going to take her car and go down to Atlanta,” he said.

Instead Vaughn and Albegiani were taken to Lumpkin County Detention Center.

Albegiani, of Lemont, Ill., has since been charged with aggravated assault, armed robbery, second degree criminal damage to property and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and armed robbery.

Vaughn, of State College, Pa., faces the same charges as well as a slew of traffic related offenses.

On Monday, Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said the LCSO is occasionally called to the boarding school, formerly known as Hidden Lake Academy, to assist with runaway juveniles but the incidents usually aren't of this level of violence.

“I don't know of anything since I've been sheriff that has been this bad,” he said. “ ... I'm just glad the the officers that were responding made contact with the victim's vehicle and got them stopped, not only for the welfare of the victim but also for the welfare of the two girls.”

Ridge Creek Academy founder Len Buccellato said he had no comment on the incident.

http://www.thedahloneganugget.com/artic ... ssault.txt

Federal Player of the Week
Greg Kutz: Uncovering child abuse and neglect at residential, public and private schools
   
Greg Kutz
Enlarge Photo    
Network News
Meet the Federal Player of the Week:Greg Kutz

Position: Managing Director, Forensic Audits and Special Investigations, Government Accountability Office
Age: 48
Residence: Washington, D.C.
Education: Pennsylvania State University, B.S. accounting
Awards: Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service; Client Service Awards at GAO; 2010 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal Finalist
Hobbies: Exercising and any activity with his daughter

The Partnership for Public Service
Monday, September 27, 2010; 5:04 PM
In Arizona, a teen with asthma and complaining of chest pains was forced by counselors at a residential boot camp to do pushups and carry cinder blocks for not having completed an assignment. The youngster subsequently died, with an autopsy finding more than 70 physical injuries.
In West Virginia, a four-year-old autistic girl with cerebral palsy was tied to a chair, badly bruised and traumatized. In Utah, a 16-year-old boy in a wilderness therapy program collapsed and died after counselors ignored signs of physical distress for three weeks, including severe weight loss, severe abdominal pain and loss of bodily functions.
These shocking and heartbreaking stories are among thousands of cases chronicled by Gregory Kutz, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) managing director, who led a nationwide investigation that documented widespread abuse, torture, neglect and death of troubled and disabled children in residential programs and in public and private schools across the United States.
Dedicated to curbing these abhorrent abuses, Kutz' investigation has led to legislation approved by the House of Representatives and pending in the Senate that establishes new federal health and safety standards to protect teenagers in residential programs.
The probe also prompted legislation approved by the House of Representatives earlier this year and pending in the Senate that is designed to prevent and reduce harmful seclusion and restraint of children in all schools. In addition, the inquiry provoked reactions from the Department of Education and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The results of the investigation were disclosed at three dramatic hearings before the House Education and Labor Committee in 2007, 2008 and 2009. They included tales of severe beatings of children by residential program staff; the withholding of essential food, water, clothing, shelter and medical care; abusive seclusion and restraint of children with disabilities; and deceptive marketing by programs targeting vulnerable parents of troubled children.
The inquiry highlighted the lack of federal laws to protect young people in residential programs, and exposed the weak and inconsistent laws and oversight by states regarding issues of seclusion and physical restraint.
"His findings have brought attention to rampant abuses and attracted the attention of the press and Congress," said Sally Anne Harper, GAO's chief administrative officer. "He has taken this work personally, and saw it as his duty to look out for vulnerable children."
Education Secretary Arne Duncan said he was "deeply troubled" by the disclosures, and he sent a strong letter to all state chief school officers requesting they review policies and guidelines regarding the use of restraints and seclusion in schools to ensure every student is safe and protected.
The FTC responded with a guide for parents to use before enrolling their children in residential troubled teen programs. The FTC warned that these programs, such as those for drug and alcohol treatment, confidence building, military-style boot camps and psychological counseling, are not regulated by the federal government, and many are not subject to state licensing or monitoring.
As father to a five-year-old girl, Kutz said he found the use of seclusion and restraint of young, developmentally challenged children especially revolting.
"Doing this kind of work¿speaking to parents of children who died in these facilities and reviewing autopsy reports¿is never an easy task, but it's all the more heartbreaking when the surviving victims are some of the most vulnerable members of our society who are unable to speak for themselves," he said.
The findings resulted from extensive outreach to state and local law enforcement authorities, parents, attorneys and advocacy groups across the country to document cases going back almost two decades.
There were undercover calls to residential programs where GAO investigators, including Kutz, posed as vulnerable parents looking for programs to help their troubled children. The GAO also conducted extensive analysis of federal and state regulations and court records.
Harper of the GAO said the child abuse investigation exemplifies the type of work Kutz has done throughout his career. "He personally conducts investigations which shine a light on places that are dark," Harper said.
This article was jointly prepared by the Partnership for Public Service, a group seeking to enhance the performance of the federal government, and washingtonpost.com. Visit www.ourpublicservice.org for more about the organization's work to recognize the men and women who serve our nation.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 04652.html