First off I was only a trainee, and even then I was only a fifth phase trainee, and even then I was only in that position for a couple of months at best, probably no more than 5-6 weeks.
Kris ( hedwigfan) was actaully in charge of trainees while I held that position. I can remember a couple of trainee raps with her.
I pulled myself twice via the chain of command (COC). each of the programs operated autonomously- so each had its own quirks. Each program operated under different state laws. In Georgia for example, my understanding was that the program could only legally hold an adult client who asked to elave for 72 hours. My understanding was that in Florida, there was far less oversight, and the program was very well connected- so that they might have been more cavalier about such issues.
In Atlanta a SWACA 9sel withdrawal against clinical advice) was moved up the COC very quickly. Indeed we were instructed as trainees that this was one of the few COC that we should pass up immediately, rather than waiting for the evening or morning COC handoff.
For instance the first time I put in the request and was serious about it, I was talking one on one with a Sr. Rusty Mcdanile in fact, within about ten minutes. Later that night or the very next evening my parents drove over from Huntsville for a conference, with Ann Crow. When I held my ground in that conference, they let me sign out.
When I decided to pull myself the last time, they called my parents immediately, and then we had an exit conference that night. Ann handled this conference as well, and the program was clearly not interested in fighting to keep me in any longer.
I was out the door that evening, only this time my parents went against the exec's advice and allowed me to keep control of the car I was driving, and keep money etc. My parents were not happy that I was walking away, and I was too scared and traumatized to tell them the truth about what had happened.
I can't say what drove them to falsely imprison other kids, my sister and Kris both stand out. I can't say why they did not try to pull that with me otehr than perhaps I was clearly prepared to have them call the police and prove to me. I think I actually told Monty Bingham the last time that if they didn't get me out in twenty four hours then I intended to sue for false imprisonment.
I was furious that I had been set back into group from trainee, for something that I percieved as a problem with my work ethic or job performance, and that they had told me it was because of my drug problem, or even worse- in the office I was told that I was 'slipping' because I had been masturbating too much.
I never heard a staff member, or a fifth phaser or a trainee laugh about clients, or do drugs, or talka about any kind of cheating or holding up COC's and if I had, I would have been the first to report it to an exec.
I took what I was doing very serious, but I am sure there were some who did not. I was totally sold on the life or death aspect of the job, I was dedicated and convinced that I was helping people.
I was also brainwashed, I had become somewhat of a neo-nazi, and it took years for that to wear off.
I know that some of you choose to blame those of us who were on staff etc. I can't make you do anything, but I can implore you to understand that each of us was an individual, we were there for our own reasons, and for the most part we had good intentions.
As I have said before, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Lets just hope that the founders reach the end of road.
