I remember opening up to my therapist about how awful I felt, maybe five months into my time at Moonridge. Find a different boarding school for your daughter. , I was a student here, the staff is extremely out of line.
abuse Jalane Christian-Stoker worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. Must ask permission to enter/exit any room including bathroom, Must eat at least 50% of large portions or receive consequence, Silence where they are not allowed to speak to anybody. I was yelled at for the smallest things, even forgetting to line up my shoes or not asking to enter a room. WebMoonridge Academy is a private school located in Cedar City, UT. They made me believe that I deserved all of this. As someone who had been clean from self-harm for months, this felt like a slap in the face. We are a community of survivors and advocates who oppose the abusive Troubled Teen Industry. This place traumatized me. But it hasnt been. We are continuing to ask for your help.
We were all given the same portion of food no matter if you were smaller or bigger, if you couldnt finish your plate they would give you a consequence (paper where you right how you were wrong)or drop your level. He pleaded no contest in 2010 and was Please. Well continue to report on this industry, including our own findings from this trove of records. Support investigative reporting like this. It includes a summary of the incident that was reported, and what actions a facility has taken and plans to take in response. I learned that the only way to survive is to comply. Ross is 33 years old now. She suggested lowering the number of kids in a facility, and increasing staff. One of them did not think I showered for long enough in my 12-minute time frame. He began his career in the TTI as a Therapist at the confirmedly abusive, . For more information, please see our The Office of Licensing then determines whether a critical incident occurred, and plans next steps to investigate. According to the organization Safe Teen Schools, "CERTS is an abusive umbrella corporation for boarding schools for troubled youth. Moonridge Academy provides a specialized unique learning and healing environment for younger teen gi Moonridge Academy | Cedar City UT We were all given the same portion of food no matter if you were smaller or bigger, if you couldnt finish your plate they would give you a consequence (paper where you right how you were wrong)or drop your level. Do yourself a favor. In response to an appeal, the Office of Licensing lowered its estimate to $4,582. The program was traumatic for her as well." If you are a parent thinking of sending your child here, I am begging you not to. Just let her use the bathroom. He twice reported the crimes to Utah police. I remember opening up to my therapist about how awful I felt, maybe five months into my time at Moonridge. Moonridge Academy is closely affiliated with, , CERTS is an abusive umbrella corporation for boarding schools for troubled youth. This type of abuse, experts say, happens more often when there isnt enough staff to keep an eye on the kids and one another. The Tribune also analyzed police dispatch records for 64 troubled-teen treatment centers and calculated how often police were called on a per-bed rate. I remember crying a little while telling someone about how I felt once, and the next day, I learned I did not have free time because my daily grade had been too low from crying. Jewly Krause is a manipulative woman who just wants your money, this place will not help you or your child, it will simply cause your child to push their issues deep down. It was in that room that Ross said a staff member sexually abused him. - Ava (Yelp), 2019: (SURVIVOR) "I was a student here, the staff is extremely out of line. This story was produced as part of a larger project by Jessica Miller, a participant in the 2019 Data Fellowship. Staffs response to me not getting out of bed was to restrain me on the ground for hours. The investigation involves a female staff member at Many of the girls there had severe mental illnesses (schizophrenia, bipolar, etc) and the staff were completely untrained in dealing with them.
GRACES STORY "I was sent - Breakingcodesilence One girl tried running away and one of the staff members (a very large Samoan guy) sat on her for over an hour in the dirt. Another girl would frequently act out and the staff got sick of it so they told us to gather around her in a circle and chant your parents are never coming to get you at her until she laid on the floor in the fetal position crying. Executive Director Jacob Pope said that means making sure students are a good fit, that they want to be there, and their families are on board to participate in therapy. Not to mention the puppy that they got for us was left outside without food and eventually died of starvation.
They would restrain us before accessing the situation and would use restraining as a punishment. My parents thought being around specialists and supportive staff would give me the coping skills I needed to be a functioning person. A very autistic girl was regularly restrained for spinning around. Indiana lawmakers are withdrawing a plan that would have given certain state contractors immunity from most lawsuits filed by abuse victims and their families. The remaining funds will be used to assist The Tribune in future public records disputes. He said they are working on setting up a phone so students can have immediate access to call authorities if they feel unsafe. I still have nightmares almost every night of Moonridge Academy. My time in treatment ranges from bad to traumatic. I remember crying a little while telling someone about how I felt once, and the next day, I learned I did not have free time because my daily grade had been too low from crying. This is not an exaggeration. A staff member didnt think my hair was washed properly. One of the girls was anemic and by the time the staff took her to the hospital two weeks later, she was close to dying. If I had not eaten that much, I would have been put on safety and a female staff member would have watched me in the bathroom for the next three days. The only good thing about this place is they dont have bars on the windows so you can smash them. She did schoolwork in a different room, but she still ate meals with us. I felt suffocated and trapped and hopeless. Safety is when you have to stand next to a staff member at all times and you are watched in the bathroom. She made me shower in front of staff for three days. When I expressed as much, I was told I would hurt myself if I was left alone. I was once again demoted to level 1 and lost my privileges of privacy in the bathroom and social interaction for several weeks. Male staff members participated in female students strip searches. This page includes several publications related to preventing child abuse, protecting children from the risk of abuse, and promoting healthy This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. However that was just driving to Kolob Canyon (the equally bad sister school to Moonridge for older teen girls) and shoveling horse manure and moving hay bales for hours at a time. It took half an hour. Corrective Action Plan (CAP): This requires facility administrators to submit a plan to correct the violations, and the Office of Licensing monitors. Two weeks after she first started saying she needed a doctor, they took her to the hospital. The program is located at 9450 West 2400 South, Cedar City, UT 84721. Find a different boarding school for your daughter." Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. (5) That any program that tries to make you believe your child is manipulating you by raising complaints against the program is very likely to be an abusive program. One girl tried to kill herself and they wouldnt allow anyone to talk to her for a week. rules, Utes seeing transfer portals impact on college gymnastics, Avalon Hills Residential Eating Disorders Program, Catalyst Residential Treatment (Grey House), Discovery Academy (Discovery Connections), Pine Ridge Behavioral Health (FV Canyon)*, Utah Youth Village (Alpine Academy/Lakeview Campus/Cedar Creek Home), Utah Youth Village (Beverly Taylor Sorenson Home), Waterfall Canyon Academy (Oakgrove - Girls Program), Waterfall Canyon Academy (Oakgrove - North Campus), Waterfall Canyon Academy (Oakgrove - South Campus), Young Women's Empowerment Center (House #1), Young Women's Empowerment Center (House #3), Youth Health Associates (Cedar Valley Ranch), Youth Health Associates (Lakeside Academy), Provo Canyon School Intermediate Secure Care. The next year, the facility nearly lost its license after state officials say Cedar Ridge managers knew of sexual abuse involving two boys but didnt report it. The academy has been accused of allowing employees to abuse teenage boys, then covering it up. General counsel for Elevate RTC, Steven Brigance, said his clients took Please research alternatives for RTCs. The head of Moonridge Academy is unprofessional and rude to parents who question anything or their daughters progress. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising.
abuse The program was traumatic for her as well." Robb admitted to the crime and was also sent to prison. My parents were told I would say it is a bad place. Another for talking back. One girl tried to kill herself and they would not allow anyone to talk to her for a week. They did not have a solitary confinement room at Moonridge. I only actually rode a horse there maybe 4 times. Another girl would frequently act out and the staff got sick of it so they told us to gather around her in a circle and chant your parents are never coming to get you at her until she laid on the floor in the fetal position crying. They tell me I can visit. They are also treated like a staff member. But the New York man said what happened to him at Provo Canyon School has traumatized him. It also led to criminal charges, settled lawsuits, and, more recently, a change in ownership. This is a checklist that a worker with the Office of Licensing takes with them when they walk through a youth residential treatment center or wilderness program. She only said she was worried I still felt that way. On this level, residents get ready to go home and gain additional privileges and freedoms. Well continue to report on this industry, including our own findings from this trove of records. Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation - St George. I was yelled at for the smallest things, like forgetting to line up my shoes or not asking to enter a room. I was sent to Moonridge in 2003 when I was 13 years old. They need deep treatment and staff and the counselors there, are not equipped to deliver what the girls need. Please, don't send your child there." Two of the staff members in particular had it out for me. She passed out on the drive and nearly died from anemia. The only good thing about this place is they dont have bars on the windows so you can smash them. Based on their findings, the State of Maine decided that it would not pay for treatment at the facility. WebBut it has been hard to identify what places have a good track record and which ones dont. The facilities must keep these records on file. The program was traumatic for her as well. , Looking for a therapeutic boarding school for your daughter? For Robert, a 24-year-old who grew up in Utah, it didnt register when he was young that what was happening to him at youth facilities was abuse. Owners who claim this profile can update information, boost SEO, and more.
index/moonridge - troubledteens - Reddit The amount of food we ate was larger than what I was used to, and I was very small. Youth should be believed about child sexual abuse, she said. One girl almost died because she had anemia and was told she was faking it when she told staff she was sick. Like other behavior-modification programs, Moonridge Academy uses a level system consisting of 6 levels. Level systems have been used in many confirmedly abusive programs, including the notoriously abusive. I still have nightmares almost every night of Moonridge Academy. My time in treatment ranges from bad to traumatic. This money paid for the state to fulfill records requests. Lastly, the level program is cult-like. One girl tried to kill herself and they would not allow anyone to talk to her for a week. Paris Hilton, Utah lawmaker celebrate restrictions on troubled-teen centers. No, she was not at risk of hitting someone, and no, she was not hurting herself. A staffer, one who had worked with kids daily for 10 years at the troubled-teen facility, had made sexually charged comments to the boys. Does anyone have any positive experience to share? Dominate search results. They do not allow girls to explore their gender identity and if you happen to be trans they will either ignore it completely or try to convince you youre not. Thousands of children are sent away to Utah for treatment at troubled-teen centers and wilderness programs. With the money from the crowdfunding campaign, we were able to expand the database to include youth wilderness therapy programs. Anonymous, submitted directly to Wiki, 10/22/2020: (SURVIVOR) I was sent to Moonridge Academy in 2016 at age 12, which focused a lot on school and therapy. I'm surprised she didn't die. Family therapy usually meant I got blamed for everything that went wrong and my therapist nodded a bunch.
Join us in our fight to combat abuse and neglect in 'troubled teen' programs! I threw up from eating too much. This level typically lasts 1-6 months. I remember telling the staff and my therapist that I felt like a zombie, and they said I was being dramatic. A very autistic girl was restrained for spinning around. My first night, I had a panic attack. Clearly sick students (fainting, puking, in severe pain) were denied access to doctors and hospitals until they nearly died. One girl tried to kill herself and they would not allow anyone to talk to her for a week. One of the girls was anemic and by the time the staff took her to the hospital two weeks later, she was close to dying. - Anonymous (When Far from Home), 2021: (SURVIVOR) "I was taken from Second Nature Blue Ridge wilderness therapy in Clayton, Georgia to Moonridge Academy in Cedar City, Utah via transport service in March 2011. One of the girls was anemic and by the time the staff took her to the hospital two weeks later, she was close to dying. They are abusing children. They did not have a solitary confinement room at Moonridge. He has also previously worked as the Clinical Director of the resportedly abusive programs Sunrise RTC and Discovery Ranch for Girls. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Provo Canyon School is fighting a lawsuit in which a mother alleges her 14-year-old son was sexually abused by another boy in 2017. She has been at blueFire for 90 days.
Thousands of children violently abused by troubled teen programs Im completely stable now and happy, no thanks to moonridge. It happened again in 2015, when Russell Robb groped two girls, one of whom he was supposed to look after on watch level, an increased supervision because she threatened to run away or harm herself. But Ross said that punishment often meant days on end spent in an isolation room, a cold concrete room with no furniture. I fought for myself until I was so broken that I had nothing left to fight for. Moonridge Academy has been a NATSAP member since 2012. If we didnt eat all of the food on our plates at every meal (which was mostly chunks of meat with large pieces of fat attached yes, we were forced to eat the fat too) we had to sign a food refusal form and lost privileges like free time and your weekly phone call. I fought for myself until I was so broken that I had nothing left to fight for. The only staff members that treated us well were Gwen, Danny, Karolin (Caroline?).
Academy 0:53. - u/CharredMarshmallows (Reddit), 3/18/2020: (PARENT) "Looking for a therapeutic boarding school for your daughter? Moonridge Academy is owned by CERTS Group. I was overfed to the point that I puked. Moonridge Academy and the quality of its program. The document includes a log of how the Office of Licensing investigated and its conclusions. This practice can be extremely harmful and traumatic to children, especially those with histories of sexual abuse. I was there for a year and they constantly dropped me and others back to level one for simply stating our mind about the mistreatment/abuse. A very autistic girl was regularly restrained for spinning around. Parents who are considering sending their child to Moonridge Academy, please look at different residential or outpatient centers. This is possible because of the donations from more than 100 people. Utah has centers with only a dozen beds, and some that house several hundred children. This team is continuing to collaborate on a reporting project on youth residential treatment centers. Thats what comes to mind when I think of Moonridge Academy. Andy Larsen: Heres where National Weather Service forecasts flooding, in the short term and the long term, Murray police officers were justified in their use of force against a 52-year-old man who died after arrest, Salt Lake County D.A. If I had not eaten that much, I would have been put on safety and a female staff member would have watched me in the bathroom for the next three days. that many struggling girls need without forcing parents to expose their daughters to "older girl" issues. The Office of Licensing then determines whether a critical incident occurred, and plans next steps to investigate. And promise more reforms. My 13yo daughters father is trying to send her to Moonridge. WebMoonridge Academy states that it enrolls girls, including transgender girls, with a history of attachment issues, depression, anxiety, self-harm, school refusal, family conflict, sexual He has also previously worked as the Clinical Director of the resportedly abusive programs, worked as the Executive Director of Moonridge Academy. Every year during National Prevention Week (NPW), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) celebrates communities, The result is a unique and acclaimed treatment approach that effectively treats significant issues while still maintaining a comparatively sheltered environment in a place that "feels like home. One time, the art teacher had us draw the American sign language alphabet but then Rosie and I were given a category three consequence for practicing outside of class. I was not allowed to go to the bathroom without being watched. 0:53. Kids are cut off from the outside world, he said. WebStudents who come to Moonridge Academy are often beginning to experiment with high risk behaviors. - Emily (Yelp), 2/10/2021: (SURVIVOR) "Rosie and I were brought to Moonridge Academy in Utah. Look somewhere else. The program has a maximum enrollment of 24 girls, and the average length of stay is reportedly between 9 and 12 months. Many dont disclose when it occurs, and most delay until much later if they disclose at all.. Utahs Office of Licensing inspects and regulates each facility, and sometimes finds We are a community of survivors and advocates who oppose the abusive Troubled Teen Industry. No journals, books, art supplies, stress balls, kinetic sand. It was known about, but completely ignored.. WebYou need to be aware (1) That the wilderness programs, therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, and bootcamps that comprise the Troubled Teen Industry At this point, its not about what happened to me 10 or 15 years ago.
After revelations of sexual abuse claims, lawmakers drop Other times, he said, he was denied a meal. The student population of Moonridge Academy is 14. It was bad enough that my therapist had me fill out a form on her computer stating one of the incidents, where a staff swore at me for not walking fast enough for her liking. Male staff members participated in female students strip searches. Individual therapy was usually fine, but I could not actually talk about things because my therapist would ask if I needed to be put on safety. Press J to jump to the feed. The proximity to a stranger made me feel unsafe. This money paid for the state to fulfill records requests. Be mindful of your language and be sensitive to survivors. There was sexual, physical, and constant emotional abuse. When a violation is found, the state can take the following actions: Written notification: The office can give written notice that a violation took place with no formal follow-up. She gave me a Consequence that said I had to have a female staff member watch me in the shower for the next three days to prove I was washing my hair. These facilities have rules they are supposed to follow, such as having a staff ratio of one employee to every four kids. They would restrain us before accessing the situation and would use restraining as a punishment. She was not being unsafe. I dont eat chicken because I raise them as pets, but I was forced to eat it at Moonridge Academy. I worked my way back up to level 3, until one morning I had reached my emotional limit and found myself unable to get out of bed due to depression. If you are a parent thinking of sending your child here, I am begging you not to. Corrective Action Plan (CAP): This requires facility administrators to submit a plan to correct the violations, and the Office of Licensing monitors. However that was just driving to Kolob Canyon (the equally bad sister school to Moonridge for older teen girls) and shoveling horse manure and moving hay bales for hours at a time. Are these all feeder programs to keep these poor kids in the system Are any legit? And well be adding more records to this database in the days to come. Im surprised she didnt die. Date. We recommend that no parent send their child to a facility that is run by CERTS., is the Executive Director of Moonridge Academy and, program. Instead of giving me space like I requested, an adult insisted on sitting next to me. Nothing happened. When The Tribune initially asked for these records, the Office of Licensing estimated it would cost more than $6,250. But some do. Moonridge Academy states that it enrolls girls, including transgender girls, with a history of attachment issues, depression, anxiety, self-harm, school refusal, family conflict, sexual boundaries, computer addiction, attention issues and low-level substance abuse. ", This profile is powered by Birdeye. I still have nightmares about this place. . The only good that came from it is making one friend who I still talk to regularly. Based on their findings, the State of Maine decided that it would not pay for treatment at the facility. I only actually rode a horse there maybe 4 times. One of them didnt think I showered for long enough in my twelve minute time frame. Many of the girls there had severe mental illnesses (schizophrenia, bipolar, etc) and the staff were completely untrained in dealing with them. That information should be easy to get. Just really weird. Two of the staff members in particular had it out for me. She previously worked as the Clinical Director of Kolob Canyon RTC, another CERTS program. Even when I was crying. Moonridge Academy is a CERTS behavior-modification program founded in 2004. Those children that are being abused today, youre not going to hear from them until 10 to 15 years from now., Management at Provo Canyon School denies Ross allegation and told The Tribune in a statement that it considers his mischaracterizations to be detrimental to those seeking mental health care today..