One girl tried to kill herself and they would not allow anyone to talk to her for a week. A staff member didnt think my hair was washed properly. Two weeks after she first started saying she needed a doctor, they took her to the hospital. He has also previously worked as the Clinical Director of the resportedly abusive programs, worked as the Executive Director of Moonridge Academy. Indiana lawmakers are withdrawing a plan that would have given certain state contractors immunity from most lawsuits filed by abuse victims and their families. On this level, residents get ready to go home and gain additional privileges and freedoms. Instead of giving me space like I requested, an adult insisted on sitting next to me. Get more reviews from your customers with Birdeye. I witnessed emotional abuse. But Ross said that punishment often meant days on end spent in an isolation room, a cold concrete room with no furniture. I was not allowed to go to the bathroom without being watched. No journals, books, art supplies, stress balls, kinetic sand. To make matters worse, their psychiatrist over medicates and will never call you on a weekend or if you have any important problem. Nothing happened. The month of April is National Child Abuse Prevent Month. 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. 3/26/2021: (SURVIVOR) I wish I could give this place negative stars. Two of the staff members in particular had it out for me. Provides auto-suggestions when entering text, Niche requires Javascript to work correctly. It is not considered a penalty. This money paid for the state to fulfill records requests. This is not an exaggeration. 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 With the money from the crowdfunding campaign, we were able to expand the database to include youth wilderness therapy programs. The state already makes these notices public, and they can be found here. A team of journalists at The Salt Lake Tribune, KUER and APM Reports worked to bring you this database. Another for talking back. Group therapy included either talking about how you felt or getting a Consequence and having no Free Time. 0:53. 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. Instead of letting a girl with a UTI use the bathroom, staff made her wear a diaper so they could have her continue working on cleaning or schoolwork. 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 would restrain us before accessing the situation and would use restraining as a punishment. And when we finally come out and express what happened, no one believes us. The only good that came is making one friend who I still talk to regularly. They did not have a solitary confinement room at Moonridge. 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. He believes this was done to protect the facility. The program has a maximum enrollment of 24 girls, and the average length of stay is reportedly between 9 and 12 months. I can communicate with her privately every wk. Thats what comes to mind when I think of Moonridge Academy. This is possible because of the donations from more than 100 people. 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. The only good thing about this place is they dont have bars on the windows so you can smash them. Thats how I got out after a year mistreatment from this place, I dont regret it. We were told if we refused food three times, we would be sent to the hospital and hooked up to an IV. I wish I could give this place negative stars. Teen vomited on multiple days before dying of infection at Utah boarding school, state finds. We were told if we refused food three times, we would be sent to the hospital and hooked up to an IV. Staff refuse to let students use the bathrooms until we peed our pants. Level systems have been used in many confirmedly abusive programs, including the notoriously abusive. Does anyone have any positive experience to share? The program is located at 9450 West 2400 South, Cedar City, UT 84721. If a report is found to have merit, state licensing officials further determine if the facility violated a rule. Indiana lawmakers are withdrawing a plan that would have given certain state contractors immunity from most lawsuits filed by abuse victims and their families. Be mindful of your language and be sensitive to survivors. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I witnessed physical abuse. Multiple staff members would swear and threaten me if I did anything wrong, even walking too slowly. 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. - Grace (BreakingCodeSilence), 6/20/2020: (SURVIVOR) "I went to Moonridge Academy and it was traumatizing. 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. My time as a student at Moonridge Academy left me deeply traumatized. The doctor told her she would have died if she had come in even half a day later. 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. The Childrens Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) prepared a web page for the initiative. They are also now considered an upper level and reportedly receive preferential treatment from staff. Utahs Office of Licensing oversees youth treatment centers but has faced criticism for its light enforcement. Every year during National Prevention Week (NPW), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) celebrates communities, organizations, and individuals that are working to promote substance misuse prevention and positive mental health. They made me believe that I deserved all of this. The levels are reported to be: It has been reported that the girls contact with their parents is extremely limited. Notice of Agency Action (NAA): The Office of Licensing issues a notice that outlines violations, and requires them to be fixed within a certain time frame or the facility would lose its license. 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. Even years later, I still wake up drenched in sweat, afraid that I will be sent back despite my parents admitting it was the worst mistake they have ever made. Thousands of children are sent away to Utah for treatment at troubled-teen centers and wilderness programs. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune). Throughout the ten months I was there, I was constantly manipulated and borderline emotionally abused by multiple staff members. Group Her period was way too heavy and shes a vegetarian. As a result, Moonridge offers all of the clinical intensity of an outstanding residential treatment center (small clinical case loads, 2 individual therapy sessions weekly, weekly family therapy sessions via the telephone, deep family systems work, etc.) The boys received a minor punishment, he said, but it wasnt reported to authorities. These facilities have rules they are supposed to follow, such as having a staff ratio of one employee to every four kids. Any comments about blueFire and/or Moonridge would be appreciated, Scan this QR code to download the app now. General counsel for Elevate RTC, Steven Brigance, said his clients took Some of the children in these sorts of facilities have already experienced trauma, Milne said, and they sometimes try to cope through sexualized behaviors. She has been at blueFire for 90 days. Male staff members participated in female students strip searches. 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. 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. Corrective Action Plan (CAP): This requires facility administrators to submit a plan to correct the violations, and the Office of Licensing monitors. They are also automatically placed on suicide/harm watch. I was once again demoted to level 1 and lost my privileges of privacy in the bathroom and social interaction for several weeks. Our daughter was at Moonridge and management failed her on every level with a fraudulent smile on their faces and the sing-song sound of their voices. In 2005, the State of Maine began investigating Moonridge Academy and the quality of its program. See Privacy Policy. I was told I was fine when I said I was depressed. But it hasnt been. I still cannot trust myself. Lastly, the "level program" is cult-like. But sometimes the abuse continues for another reason: The children who say they have been harmed arent believed. Jan. 26, 202301:26. In the past decade, there have been 37 lawsuits filed in Utah against troubled-teen facilities and 40% have involved allegations of sexual misconduct. Im completely stable now and happy, no thanks to moonridge. 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. They will tell you all students pretend the program is abusive, they will tell you your kid will kill herself without Moonridge. She was also restrained for saying she did not want to do a chore. The punishments used by Moonridge Academy are reported by survivors to be: Several survivors report developing PTSD following their time at Moonridge Academy. I was forced to eat until I threw up. Our therapist and the Moonridge staff were committed to understanding her and working with her on her terms. The Salt Lake Tribune is making public thousands of inspections and critical incidents reports in this free, searchable database. I was yelled at for the smallest things, like forgetting to line up my shoes or not asking to enter a room. When I expressed as much, I was told I would hurt myself if I was left alone. 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. Look somewhere else. ", This profile is powered by Birdeye. 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. The doctor told her she would have died if she had come in even half a day later. I still have nightmares about this place." One of them did not think I showered for long enough in my 12-minute time frame. This is not an exaggeration. 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. This website uses cookies and third party services. Moonridge helped our daughter, and our family, get on a path towards healing and growth - it feels like we are a family again. It is marketed as a Residential Treatment Center for girls aged 11-14. Notice of Agency Action (NAA): The Office of Licensing issues a notice that outlines violations, and requires them to be fixed within a certain time frame or the facility would lose its license. Well continue to report on this industry, including our own findings from this trove of records. She only said she was worried I still felt that way. This team is continuing to collaborate on a reporting project on youth residential treatment centers. A very autistic girl was regularly restrained for spinning around. Once a week there's 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. 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". Jalane Christian-Stoker worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. Find a different boarding school for your daughter. , I was a student here, the staff is extremely out of line. Over 90,000 businesses use Birdeye everyday to get more reviews and manage all customer feedback. That information should be easy to get. I had a panic attack on my first day but instead of helping me, they threatened to physically restrain me. Hopefully the police and social workers will shut down the school or at least revoke their license. Lise Milne, a professor at the University of Regina in Canada, has researched child sexual abuse among youths in residential treatment. 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. At capacity, the treatment center can house nearly 50 students, but on a recent December day, 10 teenagers were staying there. 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. (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. I feel like I should have been required to eat a smaller amount of food, but that was never considered. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. And well be adding more records to this database in the days to come. This story was produced as part of a larger project by Jessica Miller, a participant in the 2019 Data Fellowship. Family therapy usually meant I got blamed for everything that went wrong and my therapist nodded a bunch. Facilities can apply for an exception. It led to a lot of dysfunctional exposure to sexuality, he said. When our homework was illegible, we had to redo it all. But the New York man said what happened to him at Provo Canyon School has traumatized him. One of the therapies they promoted was horseback riding. 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. 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. Moonridge Academy is a CERTS behavior-modification program founded in 2004. This level typically lasts 1-6 months. I still have nightmares almost every night of Moonridge Academy. We seek to raise awareness and to change the law to protect the teenagers in these programs from harm. I feel like I should have been required to eat a smaller amount of food, but that was never considered. Safety is when you always have to stand next to a staff member and you are watched in the bathroom. WebMoonridge 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 84720 (435) 867-5555 9-12 31 Frequently Asked Questions How many private schools are located in The levels are reported to be: It has been reported that the girls' contact with their parents is extremely limited. OWNERSHIP. So please for me and every other kid that was hurt by this place, never send your kids here" - Wilson (Google Reviews), Unknown Date: (SURVIVOR) "I was sent to Moonridge Academy in 2016 at age 12, which focused a lot on school and therapy. On this level, the residents gain more leadership responsibilities and freedom. While in a facility in North Carolina, he said, the boys participated in group masturbation. A team of journalists at The Salt Lake Tribune, KUER and APM Reports worked to bring you this database. I feel like I should have been required to eat a smaller amount of food, but that was never considered. Cedar Ridge Academy was one of five that had rates of reported sex abuse that were more than four times the average. 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. One of them did not think I showered for long enough in my 12-minute time frame. At this time, all violations are weighed equally, so a ripped van seat counts the same as kids complaining they arent given enough to eat. Our daughter attended Moonridge Academy and graduated in 2022. I was overfed to the point that I puked. Facilities can apply for an exception. 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. 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. Level systems have been used in many confirmedly abusive programs, including the notoriously abusive WWASP programs. How is this not a red flag? It was abusive, one 15-year-old girl told The Tribune. It was awful there. Make sure your post is relevant to the Troubled Teen Industry. Instances of abuse and neglect that have been reported by survivors include excessive restraints, staff abusing their power, punitive punishments, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. If you are a parent thinking of sending your child here, I am begging you not to. In response to an appeal, the Office of Licensing lowered its estimate to $4,582. All rights reserved. Beat local competitors. She did schoolwork in a different room, but she still ate meals with us. It backfired, majorly. This practice can be extremely harmful and traumatic to children, especially those with histories of sexual abuse. 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. Utah has centers with only a dozen beds, and some that house several hundred children. She previously worked as the Clinical Director of Kolob Canyon RTC, another CERTS program. Our daughter was at Moonridge and management failed her on every level - with a fraudulent smile on their faces and the sing-song sound of their voices. WebMoonridge Academy is a private school located in Cedar City, UT. Two of the staff members in particular had it out for me. 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. 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. The Office of Licensing then determines whether a critical incident occurred, and plans next steps to investigate. She was also restrained for saying she did not want to do a chore. The program has a maximum enrollment of 24 girls, and the average length of stay is reportedly between 9 and 12 months. If a report is found to have merit, state licensing officials further determine if the facility violated a rule. 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. She also worked as the Executive Director of, worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. One of them didnt think I showered for long enough in my twelve minute time frame. Two involved incidents on the campus, they said, but were investigated and did not result in any citations or concerns involving the facility.. 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. One of the girls got sick. This database includes only critical incidents where the facility is found to have violated a rule. 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. There was sexual, physical, and constant emotional abuse. These reports are based on a complaint or an incident occurring at the facility. But it hasnt been. She did school work in a different room, but she still ate meals with us. Students who come to Moonridge Academy are often beginning to experiment with high risk behaviors. Moonridge Academy provides a specialized unique learning and healing environment for younger teen gi Moonridge Academy | Cedar City UT Male staff members participated in female students strip searches. I wasnt allowed to speak for a few months, and I was being restrained every day for stupid stuff.. As soon as I arrived, I was put on a cocktail of multiple medications at high dosages and because of this, theres full periods of time that I dont even remember. 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. as it creates an environment in which children are unable to report abuse and neglect. Do yourself a favor. WebMoonridge Academy Only Elevate RTC responded, denying all claims made by the survivor Allan . You Can Watch Them Here! I was sent to Moonridge in 2003 when I was 13 years old. Just let her use the bathroom. 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. 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. 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. The remaining funds will be used to assist The Tribune in future public records disputes. Practice that while your child is in treatment. Ross recently sent lengthy emails, some including graphic and violent threats, to Utah legislators demanding they investigate, which. Birdeye helps millions of local businesses to be found online with all their reviews and accurate business information. There was group therapy, family therapy, and individual therapy. Other times, he said, he was denied a meal. In 1999, a group of eight boys at RCA assaulted their staff members and fled into the wilderness.

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