Fornits

Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

http://teenadvocatesusa.homestead.com/TonyHaynes.html

Known as the "people's attorney" for his battles against predatory practices of big business, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis
put it best when he said "publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases.  Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants."

Based on the premise that public access to information that informs rather than deceives will lead program owners, operators and referral agents to CLEAN HOUSE or risk losing the confidence of investing parents, the TAUSA website is working to close information gaps to insure that accurate and complete disclosure will prevail over the priorities of big business.

Effective communication is no easy task and is often complicated by cognitive shortcuts people use to process feedback.  While I regret offending anyone with my choice of words, in my mind sunlight did not kill any of these children. Lack of proper care and treatment in a climate ruled by greed, ignorance and impiety did.

God Bless Us All,

Barbe

To Anonymous,

What the heck are you talking about?  Exposing the dark side of a $200 million dollar industry is not sick and wrong .. it's reality. Second, blaming parents and even the victims themselves is not the answer.  How about holding program owners and operators accountable for the deaths of these children instead of viewing these so-called "teen helpers" as somehow above the law?

 :roll:

http://www.teenadvocatesusa.homestead.c ... a2003.html

[ This Message was edited by: Teen Advocates USA on 2003-03-15 19:31 ]

Has anyone been able to determine the identity of the girl who died while participating in the Nevada based Catherine Freer program not long after this story aired?  If so, please post the info here or send me a private email if you prefer at http://www.teenadvocatesua.org


[ This Message was edited by: Teen Advocates USA on 2002-10-11 19:26 ]

Need help tracking criminal and civil lawsuits filed nationwide against private entities and/or individuals operating for-profit schools, camps and programs for troubled teens.  

Thanks,
Barbe
http://www.teenadvocatesusa.homestead.c ... tpage.html
 *Please see ON THE DOCKET, a short list of recently filed lawsuits.

If you are a teen residing in an offshore behavior modification camp, school or program, chances are you don't know you have the absolute right to quit a program without your parent's (or the program's) consent once you reach the age of majority (18). If you are a teen whose parents may be planning to send you to a program outside the jurisdiction of U.S. law regulating the health and educational standards of said program, please copy this information and give it to your parents!!  Who knows .. it just might convince them to think twice before signing any contract (aka "enrollment agreement") that may violate your civil and human rights.  Good Luck and God Bless,
Barbe

   U.S. Department of State FACT SHEET

In recent years there has been a growth of facilities around the world for the treatment of minors with drug/alcohol and discipline problems. These overseas treatment centers are known as "BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION FACILITIES." Parents enroll their children in these facilities in the hope of improving their behavior. The Department of State is aware of facilities in Jamaica, Mexico and Samoa. There may be facilities in other countries that have not come to the attention of the U.S. Government.

U.S. citizen parents who place their children in these facilities typically sign a contract for their child's treatment that authorizes the staff to act as agents for the parents. These contracts often give the staff blanket authorization to take all action necessary, in their judgment, for the health, welfare and progress within the program of the children. The facilities isolate the children in relatively remote sites, restrict contact with the outside world and employ a system of graduated levels of earned privileges and punishments to stimulate behavior change. Communication privileges of the children may be limited.

The Department of State has no direct knowledge of the corporate or legal structure of these enterprises nor of their precise relationship to each other, including ties to organizations in the United States. Though these facilities may be operated and staffed by U.S. citizens and populated primarily by U.S. citizen minors, the country where the facility is located is solely responsible for compliance with local safety, health, sanitation and educational laws and regulations, including all licensing requirements of the staff in the country. These standards, if any, may not be strictly enforced or meet the standards of similar facilities in the U.S. Parents considering enrolling their children in overseas Behavior Modification Facilities may find it prudent to visit the site and review the host country's rules governing the facility and its employees. Parents should contact the U.S. Embassy/Consulate in the host country to inquire about the facility, or speak to the country officer in the Office of American Citizens Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs at 202/647-5226. When aware of the existence of such facilities, U.S. consular officials conduct periodic site visits, sometimes accompanied by host country officials, to monitor the general well being of the U.S. citizen enrollees and to specifically check on individuals who have been the subject of welfare and whereabouts inquiries. These inquiries may be generated by parents or by other interested individuals. U.S. consular officials are not qualified to determine whether the programs offered by the facilities are of therapeutic benefit to the minors involved. U.S. consular officers encourage the administrators of these programs to ensure that all U.S. citizens at the facilities are registered with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the event it should be necessary to provide emergency consular services. Parents should be aware that U.S. citizens 18 years of age and older have a right to apply for a passport and to request repatriation assistance from the U.S. Government, both without parental consent.

5/99
Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings

Here is the URL to the online source:
http://travel.state.gov/behavior_modification.html




[ This Message was edited by: Teen Advocates USA on 2002-07-23 00:13 ]