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Topics - Oz girl

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1
Aspen Education Group / struggling teens article on the restructure
« on: March 30, 2011, 04:42:56 AM »
March 24, 2011

Aspen Education Group is the leading provider of behavioral health and education services for adolescents and has been for over two decades. As part of our commitment to providing clinical excellence for the students and families we serve, we will be transitioning to a more focused national network of services. This smaller network will allow us to apply our resources where there are the greatest needs and assure the best possible service for our students and families.

This transition reflects the reduced demand for therapeutic schools and programs in today's economy, and comes after serious deliberation including substantial financial investment over the past two years in an effort to avoid program consolidations. These decisions are accompanied by extensive planning to ensure that the significant majority of our current students will be able to complete their clinical treatment programs and/or graduate - with comprehensive transition plans developed for the students who may require them - as well as extensive efforts to retain and assist affected employees.

As part of this operational restructuring, Aspen has announced plans to discontinue operations at five locations and consolidate services for three other facilities. The programs to be closed include Bromley Brook School (Manchester Center, VT), New Leaf Academy of Oregon, NorthStar Center (Bend, OR), Aspen Ranch (Loa, UT) and SunHawk Adolescent Recovery Center (St. George, UT). Aspen Achievement Academy (Loa, UT) will consolidate with Aspen's Outback Therapeutic Expeditions in Lehi, Utah; Youth Care (Draper, UT) will be moving onto Aspen's Island View campus in Syracuse, UT, maintaining its established brand name; and Passages to Recovery (Loa, UT) will be relocating to Shoshone, ID, to add a young adult substance abuse treatment component to Aspen's already existing SUWS Adolescent & Youth program.

We are working closely with parents, students, referring professionals and staff to minimize the impact of these changes to the greatest extent possible. The safety and wellbeing of our students are our highest priorities. Careful planning and stay incentives for critical academic and therapeutic staff have been created to ensure the continuity of high-quality services at each program during this reorganization process. The majority of students will continue uninterrupted in their current program locations and graduate as planned. Our intent is that all students enrolled in an outdoor program will complete their program in its entirety. Aspen's robust network of services and programs will offer choices for most of the few remaining students to transition to other strong schools or programs appropriate to their needs. We have created initial transition plans for these students, and are collaborating with families and referring professionals for the smoothest possible transition. In addition, we are paying the student relocation costs for those who transfer to another program, regardless of whether it is within the Aspen network.

Aspen hopes to retain many members of our excellent staff currently working at affected locations, and is offering numerous employees the opportunity to transfer to one of our other facilities. Any employee, full or part time, who we are not able to accommodate within our network, will receive a severance package. Employees will be offered outplacement resources and access to our Employee Assistance Program. We are sincerely appreciative of our employees' many years of dedicated professionalism and service and regret having to make these difficult business decisions. These talented men and women have been instrumental in reuniting families and improving the lives of thousands of students, and have earned immense respect from these families, students, referring professionals and colleagues.

Aspen Education Group remains confident in our collective purpose, our mission, values, and our future. We look forward to continuing to provide adolescents and young adults with the highest quality of care within our ongoing national network of programs.

Aspen Education Group is the nation's leading provider of therapeutic education programs for struggling or underachieving young people. Aspen's services range from short-term intervention programs to residential treatment, and include a variety of therapeutic settings such as boarding schools, outdoor behavioral health programs and special needs summer camps, allowing professionals and families the opportunity to choose the best setting to meet a student's unique academic and emotional needs. Aspen is a division of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest chemical dependency and related behavioral health organization. For over two decades, CRC Health has been achieving successful outcomes for individuals and families.

2
The Troubled Teen Industry / bogus medical associations
« on: November 20, 2010, 10:25:22 PM »
This issue is not directly related to the industry as it is not about sending kids to programs or illegal incarceration, but it is pertenent nevertheless. While the religious right has a history of using discredited science to justify all kinds of crazy parenting methods from corporal punishment to praying the gay away, apparently the latest trick is to form apparently "secular medical" organizations that have names similar to more famous legitimate organizations.
For instance there is a legitimate organization called the American Academy of Pediatrics, which should not be confused with the american college of pediatricians;
http://www.acpeds.org/
or the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality.
http://www.acpeds.org/
This is the so called legitimate wing of the pray away the gay movement. their leader was famously caught taking a rent boy to Europe. Apparently the boy was hired from rentboy.com to help him "lift his luggage"
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/05/chri ... d-luggage/
does anyone have any experience of these organizations or know of any more?

3
Let It Bleed / nick cave jello biafra and henry rollins
« on: September 09, 2010, 12:31:30 AM »
thought you punk fans might like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgGh35Z5 ... 1&index=46

4
The Troubled Teen Industry / coral island academy welfare check
« on: September 29, 2009, 05:54:52 PM »
Hi everyone
There is a tsunami hitting western samoa and some parts of FIgi right now. Coral island academy otherwise known just as "the academy" is located in Figi. US citizens in particular may wish to call or email the american consulate to request a welfare check to ensure that if need be the kids are moved to safety. Phone lines may be down for  bit so try email as well
[email protected]
Telephone: (679) 3314-466
Facsimile: (679) 3308-685
cheers

5
The Troubled Teen Industry / Landmark forum
« on: April 20, 2009, 04:45:33 AM »
I found this on a now defunct Australian site. I didn't even know they had young person seminars here

My brothers got us kicked out of the landmark young person seminar when I was fifteen.

In the 90s my dad really got into the landmark forum and for Christmas one year my older brothers and I all got tickets to the landmark forum for young people. Hu bloddy rah! My dad’s thinking was that it transformed his life & made him some sort of uberparent who went from being just a regular father to this hippy freak who went about hugging everyone regularly & insisting we all talk about every single little bullshit issue as if it was of earth shattering importance. After the forum every previously normal conversation went something like this;

‘So dave when you drink the last of the milk and put the empty carton back into the fridge, it tells me that you don’t care what the rest of the family does for milk.

Dave hates this bull shit and would get mad and resort to sarcasm with something like-Gee dad, you are right, I really don’t give a rats arse what the rest of you bastards do for milk. I am a terrible son.

I see what you are doing. You are hiding behind sarcasm & laconic humor. It is because western men are conditioned to do this when they are in pain and feeling defensive. It is only once you learn to feel your feelings that you will be capable of taking responsibility for your actions.”

 

It was Dave that my other brother Matt and I had to thank for our weird Christmas gift that year. At the time he was in his first year of uni and following a longstanding fresher tradition of drinking ½ his body weight in beer every single night. While most slow down by second semester Dave just kept drinking. My parents were getting worried that after a full year of this he might be getting a bit of a problem. My mum wanted him to have a chat with the family GP about cutting back or maybe going to AA or something, but Dad decided that the forum was the answer to everything including alcohol. My other brother and I got sent along for the ride just because it was supposed to be this “amazing” weekend. I as looking forward to it as much as root canal work. When I begged my mum not to make me go I was told that it had cost a lot to get tickets & it would really hurt dad’s feelings if I didn’t. I was also told that she imagined it would be much like catholic school retreat but without all the god stuff & I would probably have a great time once I was there. For those of you who did not endure catholic school, I should point out that every girl puts up with the cringe worthy cheezyness of retreat weekend because they are educated in a single sex environment and would volunteer to jump in front of a bus if it meant meeting boys. The indignity of singing this little light of mine is far outweighed by the excitement to the point of passing out of meeting some of the boys from the local Jesuit school. But I digress.

My Mother had not attended the forum we think because deep down she suspected it was utter nonsense. But we flew to Melbourne, spent the night seeing the sights and having a few cold ones then got up bright and early the next day for this life changing weekend. We walk in take a seat and get told that you cant sit with anyone you know but you also cant talk to the kid you are next to unless it is part of the exercise. Weird! But anyway I sit down next to this other guy who I think is cute and matt raises an eye at me & the guy in charge tells him you cant make faces or gesticulate. I am beginning to think this guy in charge is something of a tool. It is sad cause he is really cute in a muscular American black guy sort of way. But his voice sounds like something from a late night telemarketer tv show. I soon feel really sleepy & I need the ladies bad. We aren’t allowed to go to the loo till the designated break period though.   Damn Dave for buying all that beer! I tried to think of something else when trainer dude came right up to me and said that if he wanted to he could overpower me. It was pretty creepy. I didn’t think this was allowed. Just like a catholic school retreat my arse I thought. Just as I was wondering what to do Dave tapped him on the shoulder and said

Nobody threatens my little sister mate

Matt echoed yeah in a less confident voice.

The trainer asked whether getting violent would be a working choice dave said they should step outside and see. I should add that this guy was a lot bigger than my brothers.

The trainer then backed down and said it was good that they had chosen to defend their little sister and life is about choices blah blah. At the toilet break we said we were leaving and the trainer said it was for the best & that our dad would not get a refund cause we were a disgrace.

The boys went to the footy that afternoon & I think I just went to bed. My dad never made us go again

6
Aspen Education Group / website
« on: March 22, 2009, 10:30:35 AM »
Hi Everyone
I have made a website. The basic Idea is that it is a sort of "anti Marketing" website. Any google search involving the troubles of adolescents brings up a tsunami of program marketing sites. This gets in the way of sites that simply have bonafide information on how to cope with whatever issue the family is struggling with. The aim of this site is to pop up amongst the propaganda and provide links to helpful sites that address the problems parents are seeking help for as well highlighting other sites like Isacorp. Should any one wish to make a similar site with the copy please go ahead. It is designed to try and counter the saturation marketing so the more the merrier. Also if you have a site that you want included on the useful links page and it is a referral free zone then flip me a PM & I will include it
cheers
http://web.mac.com/yolanda_evans/iWeb/t ... lcome.html

7
Straight, Inc. and Derivatives / website
« on: March 22, 2009, 10:27:09 AM »
Hi Everyone
I have made a website. The basic Idea is that it is a sort of "anti Marketing" website. Any google search involving the troubles of adolescents brings up a tsunami of program marketing sites. This gets in the way of sites that simply have bonafide information on how to cope with whatever issue the family is struggling with. The aim of this site is to pop up amongst the propaganda and provide links to helpful sites that address the problems parents are seeking help for as well highlighting other sites like Isacorp. Should any one wish to make a similar site with the copy please go ahead. It is designed to try and counter the saturation marketing so the more the merrier. Also if you have a site that you want included on the useful links page and it is a referral free zone then flip me a PM & I will include it
cheers
http://web.mac.com/yolanda_evans/iWeb/t ... lcome.html

8
CEDU / Brown Schools and derivatives / clones / website
« on: March 22, 2009, 10:23:41 AM »
Hi Everyone
I have made a website. The basic Idea is that it is a sort of "anti Marketing" website. Any google search involving the troubles of adolescents brings up a tsunami of program marketing sites. This gets in the way of sites that simply have bonafide information on how to cope with whatever issue the family is struggling with. The aim of this site is to pop up amongst the propaganda and provide links to helpful sites that address the problems parents are seeking help for as well highlighting other sites like Isacorp. Should any one wish to make a similar site with the copy please go ahead. It is designed to try and counter the saturation marketing so the more the merrier. Also if you have a site that you want included on the useful links page and it is a referral free zone then flip me a PM & I will include it
cheers
http://web.mac.com/yolanda_evans/iWeb/t ... lcome.html

9
Hi Everyone
I have made a website. The basic Idea is that it is a sort of "anti Marketing" website. Any google search involving the troubles of adolescents brings up a tsunami of program marketing sites. This gets in the way of sites that simply have bonafide information on how to cope with whatever issue the family is struggling with. The aim of this site is to pop up amongst the propaganda and provide links to helpful sites that address the problems parents are seeking help for as well highlighting other sites like Isacorp. Should any one wish to make a similar site with the copy please go ahead. It is designed to try and counter the saturation marketing so the more the merrier. Also if you have a site that you want included on the useful links page and it is a referral free zone then flip me a PM & I will include it
cheers
http://web.mac.com/yolanda_evans/iWeb/t ... lcome.html

10
The Troubled Teen Industry / New Website
« on: March 22, 2009, 09:33:18 AM »
Hi Everyone
I have made a website. The basic Idea is that it is a sort of "anti Marketing" website. Any google search involving the troubles of adolescents brings up a tsunami of program marketing sites. This gets in the way of sites that simply have bonafide information on how to cope with whatever issue the family is struggling with. The aim of this site is to pop up amongst the propaganda and provide links to helpful sites that address the problems parents are seeking help for as well highlighting other sites like Isacorp. Should any one wish to make a similar site with the copy please go ahead. It is designed to try and counter the saturation marketing so the more the merrier. Also if you have a site that you want included on the useful links page and it is a referral free zone then flip me a PM & I will include it
cheers
http://web.mac.com/yolanda_evans/iWeb/t ... lcome.html

11
The Troubled Teen Industry / brat camp season 3 in Australia
« on: February 19, 2008, 07:24:16 AM »
This is the season that featured actual violence toward the girls. If any American's with some insight into the industry wish to post the other side of the story on the ABC message boards it would be greatly appreciated
http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/Client/NewM ... x?b=81&t=1
If you are going to post please remember that it is tax payer funded & thus very PC so if you want to be heard no bad language. (I posted this in the bc forum also)

12
Brat Camp / season 3 is on in Australia
« on: February 19, 2008, 05:47:57 AM »
This is the season that featured actual violence toward the girls. If any American's with some insight into the industry wish to post the other side of the story on the ABC message boards it would be greatly appreciated
http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/Client/NewM ... x?b=81&t=1
If you are going to post please remember that it is tax payer funded & thus very PC so if you want to be heard no bad language.

13
Web forum hosting / bring back the ads please
« on: January 30, 2008, 09:36:31 PM »
They were really cool and a great way to learn more about issues associated w the industry.
Remember too there may be an international audience reading who come across really informative books or just cool stuff like crapple that are not widely available outside of the US or just not known of. I have stumbled across many interesting books/products that are not stocked here as a result of the banner ads or the pages down the bottom of the forums.

Thanking you in advance

14
Open Free for All / internet safety argument
« on: January 12, 2008, 05:57:36 AM »
What are the risks? My sister is thinking of demanding the myspace/facebook etc passwords of my nephews and niece for safety purposes. She fears mainly online paedophiles. My argument is that if you don't believe in listening in on phone calls deliberately or reading a kids diary (and she doesn't) then it is a bit cheeky to hack into their internet accounts.

As her kids are not allowed to meet any kid they met online without the kid coming over to the house (this way she knows they are not 40) i cant see the risk. Who is right and are there any risks I have not considered?

15
Straight, Inc. and Derivatives / Australia looked at straight
« on: December 27, 2007, 08:31:03 PM »
Some of you may not know that Australia looked at straight as a potential model for drug treatment for young adults. At around the time semmbler was the ambassador here a delegation of beaurocrats and health professionals had a look at some straight like programs. (i cant find any direct link between this and semmbler) They decided in the end that it was not something they wanted to replicate because they did not like the foster home model or the extended isolation from the wider community at such a young age. They also felt the yelling at kids was over the top. But they did not see restraints, belt looping or the other abuses that occurred. The person I spoke to also was aware that early stage kids did not get to talk to their families but had the impression that this was for a few weeks to a month.

Does anybody remember a visiting delegation of Australians? Did anyone speak to them? If anybody recalls this I would like to hear about it
cheers

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