Therapeutic Schools News: A Documentary and Two Sites New to Me

I haven't written about therapeutic schools and their abuses  for months.  This isn't for lack of interest -- just nothing sparking indignation has come across my desk recently.

Liam Scheff, a writer and journalist, evidently was an inmate at the "struggling teen" "emotional growth" program CEDU for part of his teen years (see here and here for more about CEDU).  He is making a documentary about CEDU. Here's a link to the video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYWWe6MB3cc

Dr. Bush was a PhD candidate in psychology at the University of Washington in 2005 when she testified before Congress on unregulated "therapeutic" programs.  She was also quoted in the article, At Some Youth Treatment Facilities, Tough Love Takes Brutal Forms.  She is now a postdoctoral fellow at University of California, San Francisco in Health Psychology.

The second site new to me is Benchmark Young Adult School--Exposed, by Michael Crawford.

 

I hadn't heard of Benchmark before -- it "serves" people from the ages of 18 to 28 who are "struggling".  It is a proprietary (for-profit) progam was founded by Jayne Selby-Longnecker Harper, who worked for  CEDU from 1986 to 1993. Many of the program features are very similar to those at CEDU. Selby-Longnecker (as she is known professionally) has filed suit against Crawford. Here's more on Benchmark from the International Survivors Action Network, where you can download Crawford's statement.

The program costs a minimum of $33,000 for a six-month stay.

I would really like to know how the Benchmark program addresses:

• Bi-polar behavior
• Attention deficit (ADD/ADHD)
• Compulsive behaviors
• Learning differences

What do they mean by "bi-polar  behavior"?  Bipolar disorder is a serious condition requiring close managment by a qualified psychiatrist.

Oh, and "learning differences"?  They offer Irlen screening.  Please.

Comments

[Joyce Myers]

I have a daughter who has been confined by her father and step mother to Mount Bachelor Academy in Prineville, Oregon. He violated the parenting plan and had her forcibly removed from Washington State (by transporters). He also did the same thing this summer and put her in Turnabout Ranch in Utah. She does not get along with his new wife and does not fit into his new family. I believe he has found a new way to abuse her and he does it by having someone else do it. They will not let me have any contact with her without a "mentor" there. She somehow sneaked in a phone call to me pleading for help. (this was just last Saturday) She said they kept her up for two days straight without sleep. Then they work to break her. She said the punishment there is severe and if they knew she had contacted me they would put her in lockdown. This school purports to be a "college prep" type therapeutic school. This is a lie and I would like to see the Aspen group taken down as a whole and all of these prisons closed. We cannot treat our animals the way these children are being treated. This is inhuman. Why has the government not put undercover people in these places. They clean up their act when they know the state is visiting. I never even knew such a horrible world existed. I think they need to be exposed. The place she is in has a number of adopted children in it. What a convenient way to dispose of a problem. Now they feel twice rejected. How tragic.

At this time I feel very powerless against my exhusband and his attorney. They seem to get away with whatever they want. I stood against him 3 different times (called the Sheriff) when he tried to put her initially in Turnabout. He turned around and retaliated against me with legal charges. I was forced to make her go back to him. He immediately took her to Utah. I know Hannah is caught in the middle of this and I know her life is being decimated in this place.

This is a different perspective being a parent who opposed this against the other parent, but I testify to the fact that this really is child abuse. I just do not understand why there are no cameras monitoring these places. JM

[Amber Ozier]

I am right there with you Joyce! I attended Mount Bachelor Academy from 2002-2003. Their emotional growth practices should be known by all as abuse! During a life step they placed me under a XXX sign in downtown Portland and told me if I didnt change that I would end up in a place like that. I am writting this to any parent that has a child in a Aspen Program such as MBA, or might consider a place like this. I urge you to reconsider!

[clariskaye@mac.com]

I am a mother of a 16 year old boy, who has been smoking pot for about three months, I am so worried about my son. I am thinking of sending him to turn about ranch, could you tell me your opinion, or any information you might have? Thanks
Claris