Fornits

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

Question:  When were those who said they were abused at Green Chimneys really there?  What year?    The program expanded to take more and more difficult kids and persons with severe mental issues -  coming right out of the psychiatric ward of the mental hospital with court ordered medications.  In the early years they did not take that kind of child and were not doing psychiatric cases of that severity.  Originally the children were sent by their parents or by the local social service agency - but after 1989  there were court ordered placements - children who had been removed from their parents and who were wards of the court.  So when were these survivors there???  After 1989 or before?  In 1989 was when Green Chimney's started talking psychiatric cases straight from the psychiatric hospitals into the residential treatment center.   Prior to that they did not take cases with that severity of illness.  There was a clear change in the kind of program offered at that time.

A little history:

Green Chimneys was founded in 1947 by the Ross Family, who purchased a 75-acre farm from the widow of NY State Senator Ward Tolbert of Pelham Manor, NY. The farm, in the Town of Patterson, Putnam County, NY, was to house a private school where children could interact with farm animals.  The Green Chimneys Farm for Little Folk opened in 1948 with eleven students whose parents paid for them to be boarded at the school. From the start, the plan was to provide an environment where children and animals could live together in a farm setting. Dr. Ross, his son, Samuel ("Rollo"), and Adele MacDonald, a nurse working for Dr. Ross, established the School as a boarding school for pre-school aged children. By 1952 the mission of the school had been expanded to include children aged 2-9. The School's continued success led to a further expansion of its mission, and children aged 2-12 were admitted in 1957, with Green Chimneys providing pre-school through 6th grade classes.

By the mid-1950s the School  focus was changing as it was gaining a reputation for helping children with special needs.

In the 1960s, the Green Chimneys programs expanded, and the School taught children from pre-school to grade 8. The School was now attracting children from around the United States, and also from Canada, Central America, South America, and other countries. The programs were gradually changing to accommodate children with special needs. Green Chimneys became a social services agency in 1974, allowing it to receive some government funding. The School began to provide more services for children considered "at risk". Traditional school programs were replaced by programs for children with special needs, but these new programs continued to use animals as part of the programs. The School provided 24-hour programs with special education and mental health services, limited to children from New York State. A Residential Treatment Center (RTC) was created to care for emotionally disturbed and learning disabled children referred to Green Chimneys from social services departments and public schools around the State.

Also in the 1970s, Green Chimneys added 50 nearby acres to its complex, and created the Hillside Outdoor Education Center. The Center offered programs to the general public on topics including farming and the environment. The Center now also provides day camps for developmentally and physically challenged youth, a pre-school program for children in the community, and other programs that attract area school children to Hillside's farm and education center.

In the 1980’s Green Chimneys assumed responsibility for three group homes in Westchester County, which were operated by another agency.  This began the operation of the 25 bed residence in Manhattan.  That residence specialized in LGBT adolescents.  Then there were the Supervised Independent Living Program apartments in New York City.  

In 1989 The New York State Officials under the New York State Office of Mental Health developed a 14 bed adolescent Residential treatment facility which was accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or JCAHO. This was the highest level of care offered other than inpatient psychiatric treatment for children in all of New York.  So referrals came to it from all over the state of New York.  These were the most serious mental health cases of children handled anywhere other than in a lock down psychiatric ward in the entire state of New York.

In the nineties the program expanded to include supervised living for developmentally challenged adults in a program under the Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation in Danbury CT area.

Dr. S. Bernard Ross was born in New York City on March 30, 1891.  Dr. Ross retired to Marco Island, Florida in 1977, where he died on July 13, 1979 at the age of 88.

Samuel “Rollo” Ross is Dr. Ross’ son.

For additional history of the facility: http://http://www.greenchimneys.org/index.php?option=com_flippingbook&book_id=2&Itemid=147

If you believe that you have credible information regarding sexual or physical abuse of a child or even psychological abuse - you can report this to the appropriate agency.  Green Chimneys is a licensed, regulated and inspected facility so they are clearly under state and federal guidelines for the proper treatment of children there.  If you honestly believe that you have direct first hand knowledge of abuse you can report that abuse to the state authorities.   Child abuse and maltreatment hotline (1-800-342-3720).

The process of investigation of a child abuse case involves the civil rights and constitutional protections of opposing parties thus it is very complex and difficult and should be done by those knowledgeable about child abuse issues who are fully authorized to do a complete and thorough investigation.

False allegations are very damaging to reputations and professional careers and yet we do need to err on the side of protecting the child.  

It is a horrible truth that children are abused, reports are given, mandated reporters not protected by the system and they often suffer retaliation.  When this happens the investigation gets so muddied that it goes nowhere and often children are not properly protected.

Abusive families often manipulate their abused children to obtain welfare benefits and to hide their own indiscretions.  In addition it is common for an abused child to be so fearful of the person who originally abused them that they, when confronted with the child abuse investigator, will lie and refuse to tell the truth about the "real" abuser.  This is because the person who really abused the child has huge psychological coercive control  over the victim.   Child victims often are torn between love of the parent or caregiver that abused them and fear of the abuse they suffered.   It is not uncommon for the child victim to want to go back to the home where they were abused - because what little love they had in their lives was there and they want a family to belong to.  Institutions are not a true replacement for a loving and caring family.  Children who come into the system after multiple investigations into previous child abuse - are very emotionally damaged, have difficulty trusting and many behavioral issues.

I have not been active in this field for decades so I may not be current in my understanding but to the best of my recollection this is the reporting requirements for child abuse in New York State.

New York Mandatory Reporting Requirements Regarding Children

Who Must Report? Any of the following, when acting in their professional or official
capacities:
??Physicians;
??Registered physician assistants;
??Surgeons;
??Medical examiners;
??Coroners;
??Dentists;
??Dental hygienists;
??Osteopaths;
??Optometrists;
??Chiropractors;
??Podiatrists;
??Residents;
??Interns;
??Psychologists;
??Registered nurses;
??Social workers;
??Emergency medical technicians;
??Licensed creative arts therapists;
??Licensed marriage and family therapists;
??Licensed mental health counselors;
??Licensed psychoanalysts;
??Hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination,
care, or treatment of persons;
??Christian Science practitioners;
??School officials (which includes but is not limited to school
teacher, school guidance counselor, school psychologist,
school social worker, school nurse, school administrator or
other school personnel required to hold a teaching or
administrative license or certificate);
??Social services workers;
??Day care center workers;
??School-age child care workers;
??Providers of family or group family day care;
??Employees or volunteers in a residential care facility;
??Child care or foster care workers;
??Mental health professionals;
??Substance abuse counselors;
??Alcoholism counselors;
??All persons credentialed by the office of alcoholism and
substance abuse services;
??Peace officers;
??Police officers;
??District attorneys or assistant district attorneys;
??Investigators employed in the office of a district attorney; and
??Other law enforcement officials.

Standard of Knowledge ??Reasonable cause to suspect that a child coming before them
in their professional or official capacity is an abused or maltreated child, or reasonable cause to suspect that a child is an abused or maltreated child where the parent, guardian, custodian, or other person legally responsible for such child comes before them in their professional or official capacity and states from personal knowledge facts, conditions, or circumstances which, if correct, would render the child an abused or maltreated child.

??Social services workers are required to report or cause a report to be made when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is an abused or maltreated child where a person comes before them in their professional or official capacity and states from personal knowledge facts, conditions or circumstances which, if correct, would render the child an abused or maltreated child.

Definition of Applicable Victim

A person under the age of 18 who is abused or maltreated. “Abused child” means a child less than eighteen years of age whose parent or other person legally responsible for his care inflicts or allows to be inflicted serious bodily harm, causes a substantial risk of serious bodily harm, or sexually abuses a child. A “maltreated child” includes a child who has been neglected as defined by family court act or has suffered serious physical injury by other than accidental means. [Special definitions apply to abused or neglected children in residential care (see N.Y. Soc. Serv. Law § 412-a)]

Reports Made To ??Oral reports must be made to the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment hotline (1-800-342-3720). The reporter should request the address for submitting the written report when making the oral report.

??Written reports must be made to the local child protective service (except that written reports involving children in residential care or children being cared for in a home operated or supervised by an authorized agency, office of children and family services, or an office of the department of mental hygiene, must be made to the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment).

Whenever such person is required to report under this title in his or her capacity as a member of the staff of a medical or other public or private institution, school, facility or agency, he or she shall make the report as required by this title and immediately notify the person in charge of such institution, school, facility or agency, or his or her designated agent. Such person in charge, or the designated agent of such person, shall be responsible for all subsequent administration necessitated by the report. Any report shall include the name, title and contact information for every staff person of the institution who is believed to have direct knowledge of the allegations in the report.

Contents of Report Written reports shall include:
??The names and addresses of the child and his or her parents or other person responsible for his or her care (if known);
??The name and address of the residential care facility or program in which the child resides or is receiving care (if
any);
??The child’s age, sex, and race;
??The nature and extent of the child’s injuries, abuse, or maltreatment (including any evidence of prior injuries, abuse,
or maltreatment to the child or his or her siblings);
??The name of the person or persons alleged to be responsible for causing the injury, abuse, or maltreatment (if known);
??Family composition (where appropriate);
??The source of the report;
??The identity of the person making the report and where he or she can be reached;
??The actions taken by the reporting source; and
??Any other information required by regulation or which the
person making the report believes might be helpful

From the Division of Consumer Services of the State of Florida - The Gift Givers’ Guide is a resource that provides the financial information reported to them from charitable organizations.

https://csapp.800helpfla.com/cspublicapp/giftgiversquery/giftgiversquery.aspx

Teen Challenge International, Usa, Ozark, MO    

Registration Number :CH8204   Expiration Date : 10/3/2012
Revenue Source : 08 - IRS 990 w/ Sch.A (03/31/2010)
Total Revenue : $1,833,010.00   Program Services Expenses : $661,526.00   65%
Total Expenses : $1,020,681.00   Administrative Expenses : $343,782.00   34%
Surplus/Deficit : $812,329.00   Fund-Raising Expenses : $15,373.00   2%   

 
Teen Challenge Of Florida, Inc., Columbus, GA    

Also Soliciting as:     
Branson Teen Challenge
Central Florida Teen Challenge
Columbus Teen Challenge
Griffin Teen Challenge
Gulf Coast Teen Challenge
Kansas City Teen Challenge
Lakeland Teen Challenge
Middle Georgia Teen Challenge
South Florida Teen Challenge
Southwest Florida Teen Challenge
Tallahassee Teen Challenge
Teen Challenge International
Teen Challenge Of Florida/Georgia
Teen Challenge Of The Ozarks
Vero Beach Teen Challenge
West Florida Teen Challenge
   
Registration Number :CH4224   Expiration Date : 4/19/2012
Revenue Source : 08 - IRS 990 w/ Sch.A (12/31/2009)
Total Revenue : $13,913,250.00   Program Services Expenses : $10,380,618.00   80%
Total Expenses : $13,033,800.00   Administrative Expenses : $1,947,525.00   15%
Surplus/Deficit : $879,450.00   Fund-Raising Expenses : $705,657.00   5%
   
   

 
Teen Challenge Of Southern California, Inc., Riverside, CA    

Also Soliciting as    
Teen Challenge International Of Southern California    
Registration Number :CH10462   Expiration Date : 1/29/2012
Revenue Source : 08 - IRS 990 w/ Sch.A (03/31/2010)
Total Revenue : $9,770,828.00   Program Services Expenses : $8,618,654.00   86%
Total Expenses : $10,064,902.00   Administrative Expenses : $751,891.00   7%
Surplus/Deficit : -$294,074.00   Fund-Raising Expenses : $694,357.00   7%
   
   

1

This is Green Chimneys Animal Assisted Therapy Program

ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY AND ACTIVITIES

What’s the differences between Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activities?

Animal Assisted Activities provide opportunities for motivational, educational, recreational, and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance quality of life. AAA are delivered in a variety of environments by specially trained professionals, paraprofessionals, and/or volunteers, in association with animals that meet specific criteria.”

Animal Assisted Therapy is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is directed and/or delivered by a health/human service professional with specialized expertise, and within the scope of practice of his/her profession.

Why does animal assisted therapy work?

Children can respond to animals in ways they often can’t to people. The human-animal contact helps bring out a nurturing instinct.  Learning to care for animals seems to develop a sense of responsibility and caring among children who may not have known that themselves.  Contacts range from children who play with a dog, cat or rabbit during a session with a trained adult, to the more comprehensive approach used by Green Chimneys where children experience an immersion with animals, including therapeutic horseback riding, horticulture therapy including greenhouse and garden work, nature, adventure activities and the training of assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities.  We have found that many of our children come to us unable to trust others due to very difficult situations.  They are often sad or angry.  They are more apt to risk a friendship with an animal because the animal will not ask questions, will not judge them and will not tell their secrets to anyone. The animal then becomes a bridge to the caring adults who are trying to help the child become successful.

Are there clinical benefits to animal-assisted therapy and activities?

•   Caring – to be encouraged to demonstrate and feel care for other living beings
•   Trust – to experience trust toward farm/garden staff and with the animals
•   Emotional Regulation- to develop the ability to function appropriately despite emotional challenges with farm/garden staff, peers and with plants and animals
•   Relationship building – to become part of a greater “we”; that cares for the gardens and animals, to feel a healthy sense of belonging to a group that shares common goals and interests. Learning how to build healthy peer relationships and to relate with adults.
•   Self- Esteem - as competence is experienced and the child feels accepted, self esteem can become strengthened
•   Anxiety Reduction – fears can be mastered and behavior patterns can be learned to cope with anxiety
•   Empathy Development - the ability to gauge and imagine anothers emotional state, both animal and human
•   Task Mastery – to be able to actively participate in caring for animals and plants
•   Conceptual Mastery- to become knowledgeable and competent around plants and animals
•   Vocational responsibility – to experience what a work ethic is and to feel real responsibility
•   Body Localization - Child develops the ability to locate and identify parts of the horse’s/animal’s body.  This activity aids in developing an awareness and understanding of one’s own body.
•   Health and Hygiene - Child develops an understanding of the principals of health & hygiene.  In care for the horses, animals and plants, students are led to understand and utilize good habits.
•   Balance and Rhythm- Child develops the ability to maintain gross and fine motor balance and to move rhythmically while working around animals or riding horses.  Child is continuously involved in interpreting and reacting to the animal’s movements.
•   Directionality and Laterality - Child develops the ability to know and respond to right, left, up, down, forward, backward and directional orientation.  Activities focusing on directing an animal or working in the garden in a specific direction are used to aid the child in developing sensitivity to directionality of his body and space.
•   Time Orientation-  Child develops an awareness of determining feeding time, exercise time, and resting time for the animals, students develop an awareness of the appropriate activities based on the weather and seasonal change.
•   Anticipatory Response-  Child develops the ability to anticipate the probable outcome of his behavior with the animals and plants.  If he yells or acts out, the animal will become frightened and react negatively.  This aids the child in predicting the consequences of his own behavior and that of others in a given situation.
•   Comprehension -Child develops the ability to use judgment and reasoning in riding and working with animals and plants.  This enhances his ability to use judgment and reasoning when interacting with other forces in his environment.
•   Perceptual and Cognitive - Child develops and is stimulated through training in spatial orientation, body image, hand-eye coordination, motor planning and timing, improved attention span, memory and concentration.
•   Physical -Child develops to effectively influence muscular strength and tone.
Academic Impacts: There are three major types of goals commonly focused on in an academic school setting -
1.   Academic goals pertain to schooling. Children attempts to improve competence and knowledge in various subject areas. In the nature-based programs, skills such as reading, writing, mathematical skills, social studies and history can be integrated into “real life” non-academic situations. Reading a book in class may seem too hard, but reading the directions on a sheep feed bag seems important and manageable.
2.   Process goals focus on how you do something. Children learn how to do math problems, how to write, read etc. In learning how to measure animal feed, how to distinguish names of plants on a sign, children can be motivated more easily to attempt the process of learning. Learning to count in school seems uninteresting, but counting the chickens in the coop is a fun challenge.
3.   Character goals describe the attitude with which to approach work. Children learn how to adapt to the demands of school and how to effectively and successfully function in the academic setting. Even students that have a difficult time cooperating with peers in the school, to follow directions from staff, often develop these character skills first in the nature based programs. A child may not want to follow a teachers directions in class, but the same child will learn how to follow the direction of the riding instructor while riding.

The activities and work in the Green Chimneys nature-based programs directly and indirectly translate and “feed back” into the NY state mandated education standards required of Green Chimneys School

In regards to the professionalism of the staff at Green Chimneys:

Green Chimneys does an extensive background check on all employees, including Criminal History, State Central Registry on Child Abuse, Sexual Offenders Registry, Education and References.  There are training programs brought in to provide staff continuing education on professional issues and the facility is licensed and inspected regularly. The school psychologists must have Master's Degree in School Psychology as well as a NYS Certification as School Psychologist. The overnight nurse is required to have a current license in NYS and one year clinical experience in pediatric or psychiatric nursing.  For the position of occupational therapist NBCOT certification is preferred.  The occupational therapist must have a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy with a Masters is preferable as well as one year experience working with children.  The occupational therapist must be certified with New York State Education Department, or in process of securing licensure.  All youth counselors are required to take Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training and take on going professional training as required by state licensing requirements.   All lifeguards working in the pool area are required to have American Red Cross Lifeguard Training/First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer training is required.  The skill builder must have BA or AA with some field experience or a High School diploma with three years experience in related field and must meet all requirements from contracted agencies New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Children’s Village (B2H).  Staff who drive the children all must have valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

Green Chimneys is also internationally known for its animal-assisted methods.

Alternatives to Violence - Making a Difference to Prisoners
by MedicalWhistleblower

To listen live or to download the archive click on this link.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/medicalwhi ... -prisoners



Fri, Oct 7, 2011 05:00PM Central Time


Call in number (626) 414-3466

The Alternatives to Violence program works with prisoners while in prison to teach them non-violent ways to deal with conflict in their lives.  Violence we encounter in our everyday life  can be verbal and emotional.   Violence knows no class, racial, economic or geographical boundaries.  Over ninety percent of prisoners eventually return to society -- from a prison experience that encourages violence.   Today we will hear from a former prisoner, Herb Blake, who participated in this program and who gained valuable perspectives on his own life and the goals for his own future from being involved with Alternatives to Violence.

Please Sign the Petition to  Stop Abuse in Residential Treatment Programs

http://www.change.org/petitions/prevent ... t-programs

Petitioning:
•   The President of the United States
•   The U.S. Senate
•   The U.S. House of Representatives

We call on our US Senators to draft legislation that will protect teens from abuse in residential programs.

Now that H.R. 911 – Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2009 has passed the US house during the 111th session (2009-2010),  we need similar legislation to be passed by the US Congress this 112th Congressional session.

Also you can sign the petition on Move On

 http://signon.org/sign/prevent-abuse-in ... _by=211154

The Journal of Global Drug Policy and Practice http://www.globaldrugpolicy.org/previous.php
– VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4 - Winter 2010
Go to this issue

An Overview of Present and Future Drug Testing David M. Martin, Ph.D. http://www.globaldrugpolicy.org/3/4/1.php

Drug Testing in Clinical Settings
Robert L. DuPont, M.D.  http://www.globaldrugpolicy.org/3/4/2.php

President, Institute for Behavior and Health
Drug Testing of Students
David Evans, J.D. http://www.globaldrugpolicy.org/3/4/3.php

Drug Testing In The Workplace: An historical and economic examination
Calvina Fay http://www.globaldrugpolicy.org/3/4/4.php