Pathway Investigation

[Anonymous]

Great.  Does the ISAC ?investigation? incorporate actual site visits and objective review, as does the Council On Accreditation, or does it merely rely on comments from disgruntled ex-clients that are bent on revenge because at one time, someone was trying save them from their self-destructive behavior?  So how independent, unbiased and objective is that, really?  This BB seems to be a convenient forum to spew all kinds of accusations against programs that have never actually been visited.  And any favorable comments about such programs are conveniently blown off with, ?well, the script hasn?t changed.?

[METALGOD8]

OK, you have yet to describe the big difference between Pathway and STRAIGHT, INC treatment methods. I could assume by your lack of cooperation that you are defending the abusive nature of this type of treatment. Until you are able to report differently, I will continue to pursue the notion that Pathway is still flying the STRAIGHT, INC. flag. Based upon news stories and video clips, I know that there is no doubt that Pathway is using STRAIGHT, INC treatment methods. That is about as objective as it gets. I do not seek revenge, like you say, I seek the complete ban on the treatment styles of STRAIGHT, INC and its spawns like Pathway.  Maybe you do not understand how abusive they are, maybe you condone brainwashing and child abuse. You, Miss, or Mr, or whatever anonymous, have yet to explain specific methods used by Pathway.
 STRAIGHT, INC had many a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant and all the other pieces of the treatment puzzle. Another important point here is that ISAC helps people that are victimized by these mind rape mills.
I already know you are afraid to tell me who you are, and that is unfortunate. Most people who have something to hide are like that. It is time for you to put some facts on the table here. We will get a lot more accomplished if you do that.
 
MG8  :smokin:

[mcadaret]

Anonymous,

It would be helpful to me at least if you would articulate your specific relationship to this treatment center which you believe is being unfairly maligned.

There are many flavors of response to Straight on this message board and many ways in which the people who post here have gotten on with their lives. (Or tragically, have been unable to) However, no matter the varied the response, those who post here most frequently or rarely post but read often (like me) do articulate their relationship to Straight. We are survivors.

Inherent in this relationship is the fact that there are many who did not survive (including friends of mine) the brutal physical, psychological, and spiritual abuse suffered while in Straight. We are survivors, for whatever twisted reason we live on with our nightmares and memories.

You ask about objectivity. You are foolish to do so. This board does not mince words in its name. We are survivors. You ask if we have visited this particular treatment center. I cannot say, but my guess is that representatives of this motley band would be denied access. What I can say is we lived through it (also inherent in the moniker - survivor). Why do you come here and deny our experience? We do not tend toward exaggeration when describing Straight around here. We are not liars, nor did we deserve the treatment we received at Straight. If this place is a Straight legacy (and it sounds like it is), most of us have a pretty good idea about what it is like, because we are survivors.

Why do deny the experience of those who you classify as "disgruntled ex-clients that are bent on revenge because at one time, someone was trying save them from their self-destructive behavior?" Has it crossed your mind that they might not be exaggerating or lying? Maybe they, like other survivors, have reason to be enraged (most of us have reason to be feel way beyond disgruntled). Do you believe they deserved harsh treatment? Tell me, do clients get violently confronted? Do they need to get "broken down because they are full of shit?" Do they "earn consequences for misbehavior?" Are they just whining now? Is it all just "tough love" done by noble, caring counselors and compliant, empathetic fellow-clients? And since when are treament center counselors saviors? Is that a consistent idea with AA and NA (the only programs with any real success in contending with addiction)?

I have my opinion about all these questions, Anonymous, but I am anxious to hear yours. (Many will hear Straight catch-phrases in the language I chose) I will comment on my last point, however. One of Straight's strategies was to convince families that counselors and compliant oldcomers were saviors. This strategy allowed families to deny or rationalize the abusive behavior that went on at Straight (and sometimes in their own homes). This strategy effectively made criticism of the program's tactics impossible by those involved in the program. It was brainwashing. Straight's attitude was basically, "If we want your opinion we'll give it to you."

Counselors are not saviors. They do not save people form self-destructive behaviors. They counsel addicts that they might live "one day at a time" and "keeping it simple." They counsel addicts to live this way because they won't be saved. They will be addicts for life. If Pathway Family Center tells you that they are saving addicts, they have a deeply skewed philosophy of the work they are doing. There are many good treatment centers that do not have this skewed sense of mission, and yet still candidly deal with the very harsh realities of addiction. I commend Wes Fager's site to you and his minimums for humane treatment at centers that deal primarily with children. He is very insightful.

You can, of course, disregard everything I have said. I am a survivor, and I do not claim to be objective. I still have nightmares, insomnia, fits of paralyzing self-doubt...... None are my imagination. None do I deserve. None were necessary for me to be saved.

By the way, I do sign my posts.

I am, though you may not believe it, your brother,

Michael Cadaret

[Anonymous]

I am merely a parent who has experienced the Pathway program with my daughter.  I had active participation through individual and group clinical therapy for myself and other client parents.  I saw no merit in a ?drop-off? program, because I realized that I needed changes, as did my daughter.  I was committed to do whatever it took to save my daughter.  That included my active participation on a daily basis.  In my view, any ?drop-off? program without parent and sibling participation would leave substantial risk for the family?s complete relapse to previous behaviors when the teen completed the program and returned home.  My personal experience with Pathway has been a positive one in that my family has made changes, and my daughter has her sobriety  (Not cured, but taking one day at a time with an understanding of the underlying issues that led to her addiction, and tools to remain sober.)  Relationships have been restored and life is great.  (And no, I do not work for Pathway).

But my experience, since it had a positive outcome in my daughter?s and my opinion, is considered by regulars to this BBS as nothing more than ?the usual parent script?, and that I?m just another ?brainwashee? zombie that?s destined for severe repercussions from my daughter at some point in the future.  Frankly, I?ll take that chance any day over the dismal prospects on life my daughter had prior to Pathway.  In the meantime, I am thoroughly enjoying my family?s restored unity.  The prior alternative was crisis at every turn, primarily attributed to my daughter?s destructive choices and her substance abuse.  

My experience is all the ?proof? I need.  My objective is to prove nothing to anyone on this BBS.  Nor is it to denounce your past experiences at Straight.  Rather, my experience was such a contrast to what has been accused on this BBS that I chose to relate my experience.  While I know many others who have also had similar experiences as mine, I presume they simply choose to not waste their time communicating on this BBS with people bent on making negative accusations against a non-Straight program regardless of facts to the contrary.  I am confident that no words can ?prove? to anyone that Pathway has a caring program, with an objective to help restore families (parents and children) broken by substance abuse, without violence and physical abuse as is so accused.  The only ?proof? for others is to see the program first hand.  Additionally, Pathway is accredited by the Council On Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, not-for-profit, child- and family-service and behavioral healthcare accrediting organization.  Research shows that Pathway has no association with, connection to, or support of Straight or any other abusive programs.
   
      ?COA promotes standards, champions quality services for children, youth, and families; and advocates for the  value of accreditation. In 2001, COA accredited or was in the process of accrediting more than 1,400 private and public organizations that serve more that 6 million individuals and families in the United States and Canada.
COA accreditation is a process of evaluating an organization against best-practice standards. COA develops standards by using a consensus model with input from service providers, funders, policymakers and consumers across the United States and Canada. The standards represent up-to-date research findings, regulations, and practice experience that together serve to define quality organizational practice. COA's standards are comprised of organizational and management standards and service standards, including the full array of child and family services, behavioral healthcare services, financial management/debt counseling services, employee assistance program standards, and many service areas for which no other accreditor has standards.
An essential and invaluable component of the COA accreditation process is Team Leaders and Peer Reviewers. COA works with over 900 volunteer Team Leaders and Peer Reviewers who visit organizations and assess their performance with our standards. These individuals are experienced professionals in the behavioral healthcare and human services fields who selflessly volunteer their time and expertise to COA.
The COA community is deeply committed to promoting standards, championing quality and advocating for accreditation - our vulnerable children, individuals, seniors, and families deserve nothing less. With the support of 10 Sponsoring Organizations, 14 Supporting Organizations, a highly skilled and dedicated board of trustees and staff, and an invaluable group of volunteers, COA pursues its mission with vigor. ?  
   - Council on Accreditation

[METALGOD8]

Well, I can see that you still have a problem with being specific. Generalizing terms, STRAIGHT INC lingo, the list goes on and on. I do not understand why you are eluding the issue of being specific about what goes on there at Pathway. Also, a company who's CEO was an actively participating STRAIGHT, INC parent would alone suggest that company is related to STRAIGHT, INC. PERIOD! That is an obvious fact. I heard that she said that STRAIGHT was great and it closed due to a lack of funds. Well, what's up? Do you believe that? She wanted to keep the ball rolling and so with your help, she has succeeded. Stop avoiding the issue and be specific about this treatment you and your daughter received. You may actually end up helping someone in the process.
Did your daughter spend the night in a "host home" at any point?
As far as happy Pathway people wasting time here goes, I can only hope they have a big enough mouth to put their feet in when the time comes.  :smokin:

[2dogs]

I just thought this satistic might shed some light:
   a little over 60% of the members here graduated Straight and two thirds of those were on staff there.  I believed that Straight helped me for years after I graduated. I was afraid to ever let my parents know of my doubts about Straight even years after.  Don't know why I was afraid but I do know it came from that treatment model.  You said pathway is "without violence or physical abuse".  I was in a branch of Straight Inc. in MI.  I was there at a time when physical restraining was not in use.  Yet mental abuse was way ,way more painful than any beating I've ever had. The reason the program is so long is because it takes that long to convince a child that they have no will except for the groups will which is controled by policy. I was trying not to use the term brainwash but do you see what I'm saying? When you get far enough out from the program (if you dare) You go ahead and ask you daughter to tell you the truth of what she thinks of her experience there with out consequence. Even then.  My folks paid $88,000 for my 18 months and they still use all those same stupid phrases that you , no doubt use and it's hard for me still to burst thier bubbles ,so I let it go. I had bad parents. They are not bad people , they just had no business raising kids.  Getting loaded was the only thing that made it bareable. I've been sober over 10 years. My folks don't control my life any more so I am able to be somewhat normal and just don't need to be hammered to be happy. There is no such thing as a drug problem. For me it was a parent/God problem. Once I removed the stick ,my ass stopped hurting.  
  I'm glad your life is better now, however there are difinitely things that are potentialy destructive to your daughter that have been nailed to her brain. Kind of like the feeling you had when you realized there was no Santa Clause , only x1000. Help her see the difference between reality and "group conscience". Or don't ...why mess up a good thing right.  Pathways is not Straight. They changed enough to stay open thus far. But from what I've read about it you still end up with the same lie in your brain , just maybe not along with a black eye.  COA would have loved Straight too. I use to love it myself. I use to go to highschools and speak to a thousand kids at a time and tell them all the scary stuff about dope. But if they knew how I really felt inside and where they could end up (in Straight) they would never have even considered getting high. ...Good luck.
   P.S. has your daughter ever read any of the post here? Never know.....Joey

[Froderik]

2dogs - you made a good point here. The brain damage goes deep. Just yesterday I went out to my mom's w/ the wife and kids. I usually end up perusing the Alumni Board during these visits, aside from doing routine maintainance on my mom's computer. I was on there for 5 minutes when my mom commented that she thought I was "obsessed with that straight stuff" and that "most of those people are probably 'druggies'". This second statement bothered me more than the first one. It became blatently apparent for the first time just how 'taken' she STILL is by that place. That word "druggie"!! BARF! I can't really be angry with her. For one thing, she has been helping my family stay alive over the past few years and especially NOW that I am unemployed. Yes, yours and my situations are quite different in some ways. I'm not proud of 'where I'm at' in life. All I ever wanted to be was a musician. And now, I'm making some headway with that and with this A+/NET+ computer technician thing. Well at least I'll be passing the NET+ exam soon. That by no means guarantees me a frikkin' JOB here in Baltimore or anywhere...I don't know why I can't seem to hold a job for more than a few months these days. I'm a likeable, dependable sorta guy, lol. I did hold a job at a natural food store for 5 years, to my credit. Well, I'm rambling. I hope you've read more than the first sentence of this, LOL. To get back to my point, I don't blame my mom. She was duped. It angers me that she was. It redoubles my hatred for straight which in a way is a GOOD THING! One thing that you and I DO have in common the desire to see to it that this sort of robbery, abuse, and perpetration of a LIE stops...Thanks, talk to you later, FR13

[marika708]

I do not understand the purpose of posting here to defend the program that your child attended and successfully changed their life with.  Good for her, I hope for your and her sakes that your interpretation of what has transpired in your lives is accurate.  The purpose of these boards is not to celebrate such occurrences.  The purpose of this board is to provide a place for all of us, 10, 15, 20 years after the fact who need a place to go to share experiences with others who were abused and mind raped like we were.    My opinion of the Pathway program probably means as little to you as your opinion of Straight means to me.  I would like to point out, though, that part of the beauty of mind control and brain washing is the fact that the victim is usually under the impression that nothing bad has happened to them and in many cult situations there are many who believe whole heartedly that the cult is the best thing that ever happened to them.  As many of our own parents who were ill equipped to deal with their children when they turned into teenagers, you probably do believe that what you did for your child is the best thing.  Just don?t be surprised when you find out somewhere down the road that you were mistaken.  

Marika

We need cops.
We can't live without 'em.
But they need to start working for us....
That's no longer an option.
They've pushed it.
They've gone to far.
They've just gone to far.
Tom Crosslin

[ehm]

I am a daughter, who was in Staight inc. I was also abused by my father.He's dead now.
I am unable to forgive my mother to this day for not being accountable for my safety  the first 12 years of my life, and for incarserating me until age 17, straight being the second 18 mo. program I attended after my father was killed. That's neglect. She is still in denial at 60.(Still, lots of screaming and yelling...) As a mother of a 12 year old  daughter myself, I know it can be difficult, but parent child differences are a part of the important developmental years, and are normal. Handing your child over for someone else to fix or 'save' is just not maternal. Make your excuses. I've heard them, and know enough to disagree. Do you know anything about child psychology? Do you have a clue as  to how disorders manifest themselves in children? If you don't, then mabye take a trip to the book store. You sound about as hell bent insane as my mother. Why don't you educate yourself on how to be the best parent for your child before it's too late! What the hell are you fighting for anyway, because it sounds to me, like YOU! Now how is that for your child? (Please don't answer)


[ This Message was edited by: Morli on 2003-04-05 00:09 ]

[Anonymous]

I told myself, at one time, that I was not going to get involved in this discussion. I am, however, bored out of my mind tight now and I always have an opinion on anything. One of those gifts from straight for not having an opinion or worse, having an opinion different from the group was anathenma to straight doctrine.

I do not believe that all treatment centers are full of it and just looking for money. I think some of them do a great deal of good. I think ALL of them besides straight and possibly it's descendants are better than prison. Calling something bad because of the parent went out with the middle ages. Regardless, I have heard some horror stories about Pathway. Treatment for drug abuse should be quite brief for the basic tenant is like, "the sooner we face are problems, in everyday living, just that much faster do we become acceptable, responsible and productive members of that society." Any "program" which interferes, excessivly, with this is not helping. Not only is it not a help, but it is a hinderence. The "program" then becomes a crutch and a place to hide from those same issues the indivdual was placed the to face in the beginning. Now, if you take into account that the indivdual was placed under EXTREME stress like: long hours, confrontational interactions with people in authority, little sleep, being forced to perform menial tasks, and so forth; this is damaging to the "client" and sets them adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Having ones parent(s) stand up twice a week and bitch followed by,"... and I love you," is not enough for even a smattering of a threaputic relationship. In short, you, the parent, are being replaced by the "group" as the primary caregiver. I can, however, remember, being an out-of-town "phaser" very much wanting to hear my parents say "love you Clay" even after being bitched at and them not being there. It would have been the only thing nice I had heard that week.

Having an accreditation doesn't mean squat. I cannot tell you how many resumes I have seen with this certification and that certification only to find the person behind the resume is a complete idiot who just knew some buzz words. To be honest, the COA accreditation and $2.50 will get you a latte at Barnes and Noble. Go Figure. The accreditation usually means that you are good at documenting things and that your paperwork is in order. Nothing more. If have worked in several mental institutions where it was fairly common to place patients in esclated behaviour in posey restraints. I think I still have my key somewhere. While these were nothing like the cruel methods used in straight, it is still a restraint. The nurse and Doc's would also use thorozine in combination with restraints and timeouts. There are some funny stories about this, but I won't go into them. What I am getting at is that as long as you document the action and follow procedeure the hospitaltreatment center will not lose its accreditation. Straights problem is they were OUT OF CONTROL and the kids were deciding the consequences for indivdual action.

I am not some dope fiend who is just ranting as anonymous is likely to point out. I was about a semester shy of a BA in phsychology when I looked at my institutionalized kids one day a decided they were a great deal better off than I was. It was that day I decided that I had no business in phsychology and changed my major. Today I am a well respected computer geek in my community and I am responsible for several million dollars of a rather large firms hardware, not including the data. I say this to let you know there are doctors, attorneys and well respected business people. In fact there are persons from all walks of life on this board. That we, mostly as a group, doubt the effectiveness of Pathway does nothing to lessen the accomplishments of our lives.

In closing, here's some food for thought. I was told by E. Baumgardner many years ago, "straight( and therefore all it's siblings) was founded by a by a bunch of co-dependent parents who were unhappy with their children because they weren't doing what the parents wanted them to do. What makes you think this is helpful to anyone?" This was back in 1986 or 1987. The amazing thing is I refused to believe him at the time. Damn near 20 years later, I couldn't agree more.

CL

[ClayL]

The above anonymous is moi! Took so long writing it that my login expired....

CL

PS And one day i might learn how to type!

[ This Message was edited by: ClayL on 2003-03-03 12:16 ]

[METALGOD8]

This accredidation thing got me going today, for some reason. Seems as if it may be some sneaky ploy to get parents hooked. As I discussed the issue of having my tires balanced at the local yokel tire shop here in rural Virginia, I explained to the guy that NO! I do not want my tires balanced. Funny thing is, I NEVER have my tires balanced. It's a scam, in my experience, that is, balancing makes no difference. It's the driver! LOL... It's kinda like adding cheese to a cheeseburger and charging double the price of the item. Jeez, I notice it in the recycling industry too. The markets are cornered by "ISO 9000, and ISO 14000" certified companies. All it is, is a friggin piece of paper that says, YOU JUST PAID US $1000 FOR THIS CERTIFICATE, CONGRATULATIONS!  :smokin:  

[ This Message was edited by: metalgod8 on 2003-03-03 13:25 ]

[Anonymous]

bump
to top