moonridge academy abuse

She also worked as the Executive Director of Kolob Canyon RTC, and Director of Outreach at La Europa Academy and Kaizen Academy, which are all CERTS programs. Let us know if you find something noteworthy in these documents. I fought for myself until I was so broken that I had nothing left to fight for. No, she was not at risk of hitting someone, and no, she was not hurting herself. He had bounced around a half-dozen centers, including a few in Utah. Few make false allegations, although some might misread a situation due to their histories. She only said she was worried I still felt that way. A girl with autism was regularly restrained for not leaving a room or for spinning around in one spot. If we didn't 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. She has been at blueFire for 90 days. 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. And state records show regulators were investigating as recently as last July that yet another staff member had an inappropriate relationship with a student. (2) That the Troubled Teen Industry is riddled with abuse, fraud, deceptive marketing, and violations of medical ethics and human rights. He began his career in the TTI as a Therapist at the confirmedly abusive Island View RTC. 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. This practice can be extremely harmful and traumatic to children, especially those with histories of sexual abuse. This level typically lasts 1-3 months. National Interstate Compact Laws (ICPC): This refers to laws adopted by each state that require case workers or parents to have certain documents filled out when a child is going from one state to another for treatment or adoption services. Jack Hinman is the Executive Director of Moonridge Academy and Kolob Canyon RTC, another CERTS program. Paris Hilton says she was abused while at Utah facility for troubled teens, Part 1: Inside Utahs troubled teen industry: How it started, why kids are sent here and what happens to them, Part 2:Provo Canyon Schools history of abuse accusations spans decades, far beyond Paris Hilton, Paris Hilton creates petition to shut down Provo Canyon School, Paris Hilton leads rally against Provo Canyon School, Why we raised money to get reports on Utahs troubled teen treatment centers, Part 3:Utah faces criticism for its light oversight of troubled teen treatment centers, Utah troubled-teen centers have used booty juice to sedate kids, a practice outlawed in other states, Utah inspectors find no problems in troubled-teen facilities 98% of the time, Increased oversight is coming to Utahs troubled-teen industry, Utah ranch for troubled teens could lose its license for subjecting kids to forced labor, repetitive walking, A girl, her hands zip tied, was forced to sit in a horse trough at a Utah troubled-teen center. Web0:04. The Salt Lake Tribune is making public thousands of inspections and critical incidents reports in this free, searchable database. Moonridge Academy is a CERTS behavior-modification program founded in 2004. Here are some definitions that might help as you read the records: Staff-to-client ratios: Utah rules say there must be one staff member for every four students. At the time, he tried to tell his therapist, he said, but she didnt believe him. I witnessed emotional abuse. Cedar Ridge Academy has a new owner now and a new name as of February, Makana Leadership Academy but reminders of the schools past loom throughout the remote, 109-acre campus that stretches over a large swath of the Uinta Basin. That place acts entirely different when parents arrive. 05/01/23. She did school work in a different room, but she still ate meals with us. She also worked as the Executive Director of, worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. They would restrain us before accessing the situation and would use restraining as a punishment. Once a week theres a level ceremony where the staff and students had to sit on the floor and lock arms and sway back and forth while The Reason by Hoobastank played. Our therapist and the Moonridge staff were committed to understanding her and working with her on her terms. WebResidential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities MOONRIDGE ACADEMY LLC 9450 W 2400 S CEDAR CITY, UT 84720. Facilities can apply for an exception. I had to lie my way through the program because when I said I wanted to go to a different treatment center to get the help I needed, I was told I "wasn't progressing" and I was "making adults concerned". In 2005, the State of Maine began investigating Moonridge Academy and the quality of its program. The document includes a log of how the Office of Licensing investigated and its conclusions. Facilities can apply for an exception. 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. They are also treated like a staff member. This level typically lasts 1-6 months. I had a panic attack on my first day but instead of helping me, they threatened to physically restrain me. They made me believe that I deserved all of this. Communication with family is considered a privilege which must be earned by the teenager. (3) That any program that refers to troubled teens must be considered suspect. Please research alternatives for RTCs. ", This profile is powered by Birdeye. At the time, journaling and drawing were my only healthy coping skills. behavior-modification program founded in 2004. Group therapy included either talking about how you felt or getting a Consequence and having no Free Time. At capacity, the treatment center can house nearly 50 students, but on a recent December day, 10 teenagers were staying there. 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. This level typically lasts 1-2 weeks. Another for not vacuuming the floor as he was told. I still cannot trust myself. And well be adding more records to this database in the days to come. I learned that the only way to survive is to comply. I only actually rode a horse there maybe 4 times. Moonridge Academy provides a specialized unique learning and healing environment for younger teen gi Moonridge Academy | Cedar City UT I would rather soil myself than be watched. Moonridge Academy services younger teens who are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment/adoption issues, emotional Provo Canyon Schools boys campus had a rate of reported sex crimes that is 4.4 times higher than the average Utah facility, according to The Tribunes analysis. He pleaded no contest in 2010 and was We are a community of survivors and advocates who oppose the abusive Troubled Teen Industry. It focuses on the troubled rehabilitation industry in Utah, where youth residential treatment centers are abundant but lack adequate oversight. This money paid for the state to fulfill records requests. Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. We were told if we refused food three times, we would be sent to the hospital and hooked up to an IV. He began his career in the TTI as a Therapist at the confirmedly abusive Island View RTC. There are two types of reports included in this database: Inspections and critical incident reports. - Emily (Yelp), 2/10/2021: (SURVIVOR) "Rosie and I were brought to Moonridge Academy in Utah. On this level, residents earn more trivial privileges like being able to wear eyeliner. She currently works as a Lead Therapist at, Like other behavior-modification programs, Moonridge Academy uses a level system consisting of 6 levels. A detailed analysis by The Salt Lake Tribune shows that Cedar Ridge had sex crimes reported to police at a rate 4.5 times higher than the average Utah youth treatment center. Two of the staff members in particular had it out for me. So it simply doesnt get reported by kids.. She only said she was worried I still felt that way. Police were called 15 times to the Roosevelt campus to investigate sex crimes over a nearly six-year period. Jalane Christian-Stoker worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. These notices are published on the states website, and facilities are required to inform their clients of the action and post it on their own website. Reports can come from parents, former staff members and also directly from facilities, which are required to report any time a student is injured or seriously ill. Utah officials want your help as they draft new rules for the troubled-teen industry. I was not allowed to go to the bathroom without being watched. I still have nightmares almost each night of Moonridge Academy. I still have nightmares almost every night of Moonridge Academy. But it hasnt been. WebThere have also been reports made by survivors of sexual abuse occurring at the hands of RCA staff members. Moonridge Academy was not a healthy place for anyone, much less adolescents with mental health issues. The only good that came from it is making one friend who I still talk to regularly. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune). 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. Well continue to report on this industry, including our own findings from this trove of records. "Moonridge Academy is a Residential Treatment Center that provides clinical services and academic services to younger teenage girls aged 11-15 years old. One of them did not think I showered for long enough in my 12-minute time frame. Alex said he spent much of his childhood in institutionalized care and juvenile lockups, and described Provo Canyon School as not healthy., It wasnt a healthy environment, he said. No, she was not at risk of hitting someone, and no, she was not hurting herself. While the therapists are good at their job, the management is LACKLUSTER at best, and they are prone to taking the easy way out vs REALLY helping or caring for their girls. My friend peed her pants because of that, so they forced her to wear a diaper. Offering a hotline or a similar method for kids to report abuse could become standard in Utah. On this level, the residents cannot be more than an arms length away from a staff member at all times. WebMoonridge Academy Private Schools in 84720, UT (2023) School Location Grades Students Moonridge Academy All-girls | Special Program Emphasis Add to Compare (5) 9400 W. 2400 S. Cedar City, UT 84720 (435) 586-9585 7-9 11 Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy Add to Compare (24) 1454 South Campus Drive Cedar City, UT Look somewhere else. Please research alternatives for RTCs. Look somewhere else. Restraints are only supposed to be used when someone is being unsafe. They made me believe that I deserved all of this. 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. One girl tried to kill herself and they would not allow anyone to talk to her for a week. I was told I was fine when I said I was depressed. And there appears to be a pattern. Have hated that song since. He twice reported the crimes to Utah police. Transitioning Home After Residential Treatment Expect It: Regression When your child moves from more structure to less structure, you are giving them the opportunity to make more choices. Shingles are peeling off worn-down geodesic domes, one of which was once a barn and another a so-called therapy room. She was also restrained for saying she did not want to do a chore. A very autistic girl was regularly restrained for spinning around. 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 level typically lasts 1-6 months. Just really weird. 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. No journals, books, art supplies, stress balls, kinetic sand. Like other behavior-modification programs, Moonridge Academy uses a level system consisting of 6 levels. An infraction for not making his bed right. Guide to Performing & Visual Arts Colleges, Phillips Academy PSPA Summer & Gap Year Guide. He added that most incidents are investigated and deemed unsubstantiated. The average length of stay is 10-12 months. All he does is insist that you should never pull your daughter from the program before she graduates. They also involved our family in the process through weekly therapy sessions and family seminar weekends. led to the attorney generals office charging him with two felonies. 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. If a report is found to have merit, state licensing officials further determine if the facility violated a rule. I remember telling the staff and my therapist that I felt like a zombie, and they said I was being dramatic. WebThe head of Moonridge Academy is unprofessional and rude to parents who question anything or their daughters progress. Officers were called 29 times to the 130-bed school to investigate sex crimes during a four-year period. National Interstate Compact Laws (ICPC): This refers to laws adopted by each state that require case workers or parents to have certain documents filled out when a child is going from one state to another for treatment or adoption services. In 2005, the State of Maine began investigating Moonridge Academy and the quality of its program. Robb admitted to the crime and was also sent to prison. But the New York man said what happened to him at Provo Canyon School has traumatized him. Let us know if you find something noteworthy in these documents. If you are a parent thinking of sending your child here, I am begging you not to. I dont eat chicken because I raise them as pets, but I was forced to eat it at Moonridge Academy. My first night, I had a panic attack. We are continuing to ask for your help. This database includes only critical incidents where the facility is found to have violated a rule. 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 would go back there, all by himself, and he pulled his pants down and forced me to perform oral sex., Provo Canyon Schools history of abuse accusations spans decades, far beyond Paris Hilton, Utah faces criticism for its light oversight of troubled teen treatment centers, said that may be part of a bill hes drafting, expansive treatment industry that pulls students from every state, a detailed review of thousands of pages of inspection records. These behaviors might include school refusal, self-harm, eating disorders, Minimum Standards for Teenage Healthcare. She previously worked as the Clinical Director of, worked as a Therapist at Moonridge Academy. 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. How is this not a red flag? The only good that came from it is making one friend who I still talk to regularly. Get more reviews from your customers with Birdeye. 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. When our homework was illegible, we had to redo it all. I was demoted from level 4 to level 1 for kissing another girl. If you are in an urgent situation and need help call 911. (1) That the wilderness programs, therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, and bootcamps that comprise the Troubled Teen Industry are almost entirely unregulated, unlicensed, and uninspected by the authorities. But Ross said that punishment often meant days on end spent in an isolation room, a cold concrete room with no furniture. I was forced to eat until I threw up. I feel like I should have been required to eat a smaller amount of food, but that was never considered. Monitored/restricted communication is one of the WWASP Program Red Flags as it creates an environment in which children are unable to report abuse and neglect. 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. Moonridge Academy has been a NATSAP member since 2012. Two weeks after she first started saying she needed a doctor, they took her to the hospital. All he does is insist that you should never pull your The Tribune generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual abuse, but those named in this story agreed to the use or partial use of their names. I'm surprised she didn't die. Many of the girls there had severe mental illnesses (schizophrenia, bipolar, etc) and the staff were completely untrained in dealing with them. Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. On this level, the residents no longer have to stay within arms-distance of staff, but still cannot leave line-of-sight or earshot of staff. She was passing out and throwing up. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Teen treatment registry. In response to an appeal, the Office of Licensing lowered its estimate to $4,582. We were told if we refused food three times, we would be sent to the hospital and hooked up to an IV. She only said she was worried I still felt that way. The school has denied in court papers that it is legally responsible. Some of the children in these sorts of facilities have already experienced trauma, Milne said, and they sometimes try to cope through sexualized behaviors. Cedar Ridges new owners said they didnt know the facility had problems with sexual abuse when they began leasing the property, but added that theyve overhauled the program and believe they have put in enough safeguards to make sure it wont happen again. Thousands of children are sent away to Utah for treatment at troubled-teen centers and wilderness programs. Learn more about Birdeye, How to respond to negative reviews - business owners guide. The program is located at 9450 West 2400 South, Cedar City, UT 84721. The company said in a statement that four of the crimes reported from the campus located in the southern Utah town of Virgin during the two-year period The Tribune reviewed were calls made by therapists or staff about abuse students disclosed that happened elsewhere. Please look elsewhere for your child. And when a problem does arise, Milne said its important for facilities to be transparent. The lawsuit states the boy had a propensity to engage in nonconsensual sexual activity, but the school put him in the same room with other boys anyway. He believes this was done to protect the facility. 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. I remember telling the staff and my therapist that I felt like a zombie, and they said I was being dramatic. When I expressed this, I was told, Lets up the dosage. I was regularly manipulated, lied to and told I was exaggerating. But Milne said there are ways to reduce this type of abuse. One of the therapies they promoted was horseback riding. Nothing that blueFire told me was accurate. Her period was way too heavy and shes a vegetarian. 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. 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. Two of the staff members in particular had it out for me. He was held down by other boys, he said, while they groped him and tried to penetrate him with a pencil. I had (diagnosed) ADHD, which led to emotional and physical abuse from my parents growing up. My 13yo daughters father is trying to send her to Moonridge. Or even that its wrong and adults should stop it from happening. The program was traumatic for her as well. Grace (BreakingCodeSilence), 3/18/2020: (PARENT) Looking for a therapeutic boarding school for your daughter? The doctor told her she would have died if she had come in even half a day later. They are also now considered an upper level and reportedly receive preferential treatment from staff. It also led to criminal charges, settled lawsuits, and, more recently, a change in ownership. The program was traumatic for her as well." Communication with family is considered a privilege which must be earned by the teenager. The program was traumatic for her as well. , Looking for a therapeutic boarding school for your daughter? I had (diagnosed) ADHD, which led to emotional and physical abuse from my parents growing up. She suggested lowering the number of kids in a facility, and increasing staff. The program is located at 9450 West 2400 South, Cedar City, UT 84721. We provide academics for grades 6-9. Moonridge Academy is owned by CERTS Group. Easy, done. They did not have a solitary confinement room at Moonridge. This level typically lasts 1-6 months. I was overfed to the point that I puked. I remember crying a little while telling someone about how I felt once, and the next day, I learned I didnt have free time because my daily grade had been too low from crying.

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