Fornits

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

Oasis Ascent is just Discovery Academy under a new name. The same directors are in charge of it and I'm sure the same dysfunctional organizational structure is in place.

This place lost its academic accreditation in the summer of 2022 because they tried to claim that having teachers with licenses at one of their campuses counted as having licensed teachers at all of their campuses, even though the teachers in Provo would never actually meet the students in Cedar City, for example.

Watch out for this place; they lie like crazy.

Screw this place! I've been waiting for 2 years to get help and they just passed the buck. TWO YEARS!! They just said they can't help and gave me information for things I've already been trying for 7 years that I told them from the beginning I've been trying. I begged and pleaded for help from this place and basically got a big EFF YOU.  If you're in need for help with your kiddo you won't get it from here.

Many years ago, when I was employed as a substitute teacher at their previous location, the primary job qualification was willingness to respond to ?Dr. Armstrong? alerts, meaning yet another adolescent had lost it. We had to safely surround and restrain the individual until a doctor arrived to inject a sedative. The worst part, imho, was that it became glaringly clear that they were raking in lots of education $$$ under the guise of providing educational services to kids not exactly in the best frame of mind to benefit from being made to fill out boring social studies and other workbooks six hours a day, and I still wonder how much more money they made with their heavy-handed medications dosing after, in some cases, essentially driving kids further over the edge. My feeling was that they didn?t appear able to differentiate between those whose behaviors could only be managed with strong psychotropic medications and those who seriously just needed a caring soul to help them adjust to traumas and etc. Either that or they just didn?t care, on account of they had a business to run.  Personally, I would have been better off if I hadn?t stopped by and read so many reviews that prompted me to write this.

This hospital should be shut down. They falsified records of my child; and the  worst part of it, is that my child got his foot slammed in the door and his toe got broken. They acted like this was nothing. The social worker was awful and was threatening to call CPS on me because I could not get off of work on her time to talk to her. I had to get lawyer involved. The lawyer and multiple doctors told me this is the worst place to send your child for psychiatric treatment. For the safety of your child, I would recommend to send your child to Missoula for treatment. The staff is kind and is a much safer environment for your child, especially if your child has autism.

I?m not trying to be dramatic, but I think I need to tell anyone who is wanting to send their child to this place how it really works.
I was send to shodair for a suicide attempt 3 months ago, after staying 9 days in the hospital I was send there. I was put in a room with cameras all along the ceiling, and it was honestly so uncomfortable for me and my mom (my mom drove me). From the shodair website, it makes it look professional and comfortable for the patients, but once you go in you are lead to a different branch that is honestly hell.
While there I was verbally and physically assaulted by other patients, while the staff watched, forced to continue medication that was obviously not working for me, and treated poorly by the staff.
The thing that bothered me the most is the staffs failure to prevent self harm on patients, this little girl that was in the room next to be used her toothbrush to dig into her skin until she eventually came close to dying. Even though there were cameras in the room and she was constantly being supervised, the staff failed to do their job and it almost cost that girl her life.
It was so bad that my parents had to pull me out as soon as possible, it was all just a waist of time and honestly it gave me some more issues to deal with.

Six months ago our child was admitted for mental health stabilization.  The providers let him stay in his room, which looked like a prison, with very little interaction.   On the third day the social worker finally saw him.  She knew very little of him and asked us what resources we needed, not him.  She stated she was going to coordinate a neuropsych evaluation and never did.  Very, very poor service with inadequate staff.

If you want to get rid of your kid for a while and have absolutely no soul, this is the place to go. If you are a decent human being that actually wants their child to heal, then stay very far away from this place. Almost no actual therapy occurs here, and medications are often distributed based solely on making the children easier to handle, even if this means that they are unable to stay conscious for more than two hours a day. I find it disgusting that victims of abuse and neglect are "Treated"  in an environment that vastly prioritizes money and ease of care over that actual patients well being. The kids who are unlucky enough to be put in this "hospital" almost invariably come out worse then they went in. The majority of the children who stay here return very quickly with the same problems as their last stay, which is unsurprising given that Shodair makes quite a bit of money for every "repeat customer". The systematic dehumanization of these poor kids is horrifying, and WILL lead to irreparable damage to your child's soul. If your care in even the slightest way about your child's well being, find someplace else.

I haven't been here myself, but my girlfriend has and its horrible. It never helped her, she's been there multiple times and none of them did anything, so she had to go somewhere else. They're overprotective with the dumbest things. You have to ask for literally everything, even to go into your room. The pencils there are these plastic flexible things instead of wood. I understand the precaution, but they shouldn't treat everybody the same.

I've been trying to make appointments for my kid at shodair for 4 MONTHS! I leave messages (because no one ever answers the phone). I actually talked to someone once... They argued with me that my son didn't need to be seen. They argued this without seeing any of my doctor's notes or having seen my son. Shodair is garbage and they have zero interest in actually helping. If you have any other option, please... GO ELSEWHERE!

I was looked directly in the eyes and lied to by Dr. Ford and 3 other people and in less than 20 minutes found myself in handcuffs being escorted to st.petes for a psych evaluation.  These folks are terrified of their job and the people that come to see them for testing.....
I can't recommend shodair for any service they provide. After a lengthy phone battle all of my bills from that day were abated ....indicating that s hodair knew full well their "doctors" were absolutely wrong. They actually tried to charge me over 1100.00 for "treatment" that I did not request, couldn't refuse, or sign myself out of. I still have not hurt myself, anyone else, or been a threat to the public in any way...... exactly the conclusion they jumped to in less than 20 minutes after I walked through their doors.

Serves uncooked pork. They don't care about their clients. They are very rude and are just pushing children through the system. They over medicate often with the wrong meds and wrong diagnosis. This is a money scam. It is ridiculous expensive for little to no benefit. I wish the staff actually cared about the children, but take away a child's phone privileges as soon as they get there. It feels like a punishment for mental illness.

• Details emerge in death of Missoula teen on I-15 in Helena KXLH 9 HELENA news
• In Memory Of Angel Lynn Rolph-Jackson, age 15, of Helena (Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home)
• Report: Shodair Hospital had multiple patient escapes before July 15 death (8 KPAX news)
• Shodair Death Raises Questions About Staffing, Training (Montana Public Radio) 

Do not send you kids here! They are manipulative, abusive, and medicate incorrectly. Years later and I still have unresolved trauma even with getting my life back together. This place isn?t what you think it is and causes more harm than good. Just work with your child, get them in therapy, love them, learn about adolescents! Stay away from here. Save the thousands of dollars that will cause psychological distress. The girls part is horrible. I remember when I finally was leaving girls could no longer wear leggings because it made male staff ?uncomfortable? I mean that sounds like?. Just don?t! Even the 2 good staff workers don?t work here anymore because the corruption. Even after girls left they would stock them on social media and laugh (owners and daughters). If that doesn?t get you to rethink I don?t know what to tell you

Please spare your kids trauma and do NOT send them here. Please. All of the girls who have graduated this pathetic youth program are now traumatized and even have a survivors group on Facebook. They will break your kids bones, body shame them, deck them in the face, socially isolate them for days, take them OFF OF MEDICALLY NECESSARY MEDICATIONS TO HELP THEM LOSE WEIGHT do NOT send your kids here please there are so many options this is not one. My dad even regrets sending me here after I opened up to him about everything that happened. Here the things that happened to me, and the things that happened to other girls. There are other options. Sending them away? is giving up on your kid sending them here? is giving up on them. Please don?t do it. I?d never in a million years send my daughter to this child laboring emotional chop shop. Since this place I have developed an eating disorder that I seem to relapse on because of their constant comment of my weight when Ben himself is like 400 lbs. I have constant flashbacks of when I hyperextended my knee and they refused to get me medical treatment until my dad told them to. Them ?restraining? your child isn?t restraining out of fear of physical violence they bend their wrists or arms for NO reason, simply for talking back. They listen to your phone calls and will hang up the phone the moment your kids start saying anything bad about this place. Please please please don?t send your kid here. Refer to the ridiculous dock sheet below as the things your children would/will get punished for or even physically restrained for.

I was a student here 10 years ago. Initially I thought it was a positive experience, 10 years later I?m realizing it was a huge set back and very detrimental in how I process my emotions. Of course your kid will have straight A?s and ?good grades?. There is no teachers. Kids ranch in ages 13-18 so obviously not a teacher for every grade. You?re given packets to complete which are very easy to skim for answers. Didn?t learn a single thing but I got back all of my 9th grade credits (I had previously failed every class) and got back on track to 10th grade. Just because your kid is getting school credits doesn?t mean they?re being taught anything. This WILL be a problem later.
The therapist was extremely over loaded and seeming didn?t care for me. She was only there weekends for almost 20 girls at one point. Eventually they hired a second male therapist but still, there is not a licensed psychologist on site to monitor your kid or to talk to your kid at all times. I would talk  about the weather and drama at the house with the therapist. She never dove into my issues. I was never able to trust her because of the odd circumstances of being sent to a ranch against my will. This ultimately taught me to mask my emotions extremely well.
Something that will forever stick with me was being called a brat for crying on the phone to my parents after being lied to about the length of my stay (9 months but was told 3 months). They ended my phone call because I was crying hysterically, mocked my hyperventilating and told me I?m a brat. This ultimately caused me to believe I?m not allowed to express emotions.
This may still seem fine to some parents! But 10 years later this is causing me to lose my grip on reality. I had successes after this such as getting into beauty school at 16, completing school early, getting a job and my own apartment. I was there for 9 months, did the program how they asked and even I thought it helped. But things consistently crash down because I cannot process emotions or stress myself. I have walked out of multiple jobs because I cannot control my anxiety and I do not feel safe reaching out for help. I?m only now realizing how badly this place has effected me. I went to the ER a few nights ago for bad dysphoria and panic attacks, and was scared to express myself to the nurse and kept saying I don?t want to get in trouble. I have a very hard time trusting health officials and people here to help me because of my experience here.
I am now 24 year suicidal sex worker. Please just talk to your kid, buy them art supplies, take them on hikes. Try to be there for them. Do not send your kid to any type of school like this. Even if you see initial results, years later they will have emotional damage from this place.

My experience wasn't to bad for me except when I went there 12 yrs ago and the state of utah pulled there contract with them and I had to go to a new group home all the money I earned their from going out and working for other ranchers to make money that storm ridge said they hold on to till we leave the program stole it from me they would not return it and there excuse was the state pulled out contract so we had to keep the money which is not right by any means.

worst experience of my life. i am older now and have realized what a horrible place it was. looking back at the trauma caused by other peers, staff, and management. please dont send your kids here. you will regret every second of it, i promise!

I?m 34 years old?17 years later and I still have horrible PTSD from this place. Sleepless nights and hypervigilence are the norm. I know you want the best for your children but please do your research and look for other options

This place I feel like was not any help for me. I gained a benefit which was my high school diploma but can?t get in contact with anyone to get my information. Since it?s legal in Utah to restrain they had broke my arm and I?m still living with pain in my arm. Did not think this place was helpful at all!!