- u/CharredMarshmallows (Reddit), 3/18/2020: (PARENT) "Looking for a therapeutic boarding school for your daughter? Parents who are considering sending their child to Moonridge Academy, please look at different residential or outpatient centers. Im burning with She was also restrained for saying she did not want to do a chore. Safety is when you always have to stand next to a staff member and you are watched in the bathroom. My time in treatment ranges from bad to traumatic. 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. 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. 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. 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. I want her to come home. I could go on and on with the stories. Jalane Christian-Stoker worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. A girl with autism was regularly restrained for not leaving a room or for spinning around in one spot. The Tribune created a crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $11,000 from 136 donors. We recommend that no parent send their child to a facility that is run by CERTS.. Male staff members participated in female students strip searches. I still have nightmares about this place. Emily (Yelp), 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. 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. I cried in my sleep almost every night and staff would tell me to shut up. Look somewhere else. Discover the schools, companies, and neighborhoods that are right for you. Please research alternatives for RTCs. FBI cracks down on major ransomware gang. Is any of this actually true? This is the most common response. Paris Hilton, Utah lawmaker celebrate restrictions on troubled-teen centers. I can communicate with her privately every wk. Some of these rules include: If residents break a rule, they are given a punishment. While in a facility in North Carolina, he said, the boys participated in group masturbation. The head of Moonridge Academy is unprofessional and rude to parents who question anything or their daughters progress. 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. Making sure that two staffers are always with the children, she said, is a safeguard that could prevent one employee from sexually abusing a child. This money paid for the state to fulfill records requests. 9450 West 2400 South, Cedar City, UT 84721, . Utahs Office of Licensing inspects and regulates each facility, and sometimes finds neglect, child abuse or sexual misconduct. But it has been hard to identify what places have a good track record and which ones dont. This is possible because of the donations from more than 100 people. One of them did not think I showered for long enough in my 12-minute time frame. It includes a summary of the incident that was reported, and what actions a facility has taken and plans to take in response. - Grace (BreakingCodeSilence), 6/20/2020: (SURVIVOR) "I went to Moonridge Academy and it was traumatizing. They are also now considered an upper level and reportedly receive preferential treatment from staff. Ten have involved staffers sexually abusing children, while five allege students acting out sexually on one another. You Can Watch Them Here! 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. 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. This database includes only critical incidents where the facility is found to have violated a rule. Two involved incidents on the campus, they said, but were investigated and did not result in any citations or concerns involving the facility.. That information should be easy to get. Thats grooming for lots of problems, he said. Other states have made similar databases public, but Utah requires people who want to see these records to pay for the cost of redacting private information, such as the names of children receiving treatment. After revelations of sexual abuse claims, lawmakers drop Be mindful of your language and be sensitive to survivors. I was brought into the isolation room, and I was kept there for days. Every year during National Prevention Week (NPW), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) celebrates communities, When I explained this and asked for the journal ban to be reduced to one week instead of two, she laughed at me. But it hasnt been. They would restrain us before accessing the situation and would use restraining as a punishment. Ross is 33 years old now. The program was traumatic for her as well." I learned that the only way to survive is to comply. The school falsely advertises. 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. Email us at teentreatment@sltrib.com. Communication with family is considered a privilege which must be earned by the teenager. They would restrain us before accessing the situation and would use restraining as a punishment. Moonridge Academy Moonridge Academy is closely affiliated with Kolob Canyon RTC, another CERTS program. They made me believe that I deserved all of this. The only good that came from it is making one friend who I still talk to regularly. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Moonridge Academy (2003-present) Cedar City, UT, 9450 West 2400 South, Cedar City, UT 84721, State of Maine Investigation into Moonridge Academy, Must ask permission to enter/exit any room including bathroom, Must eat at least 50% of large portions or receive consequence, "Silence"/"No-Talk" where they are not allowed to speak to anybody. It has been reported that the girls contact with their parents is extremely limited. Please, don't send your child there." Our therapist and the Moonridge staff were committed to understanding her and working with her on her terms. Few make false allegations, although some might misread a situation due to their histories. WebMoonridge Academy girls address issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, school refusal, family conflict, sexual boundaries, computer addiction, attention issues, and low I was yelled at for the smallest things, even forgetting to line up my shoes or not asking to enter a room. Do yourself a favor. I still cannot trust myself. One girl tried to kill herself and they would not allow anyone to talk to her for a week. In the past decade, there have been 37 lawsuits filed in Utah against troubled-teen facilities and 40% have involved allegations of sexual misconduct. Ross recently sent lengthy emails, some including graphic and violent threats, to Utah legislators demanding they investigate, which. When I expressed as much, I was told I would hurt myself if I was left alone. I could go on and on with the stories. Lastly, the "level program" is cult-like. RCA in the News Many teenagers have run away from Redcliff Ascent over the years. I remember opening up to my therapist about how awful I felt, maybe five months into my time at Moonridge. When I expressed this, I was told, Lets up the dosage. I was regularly manipulated, lied to and told I was exaggerating. And promise more reforms. Nateasa McGuire worked as a Therapist at Moonridge Academy. Moonridge Academy and the quality of its program. The academy has been accused of allowing employees to abuse teenage boys, then covering it up. I only actually rode a horse there maybe 4 times. Moonridge Academy services younger teens who are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment/adoption issues, emotional dysregulation, poor peer relationships, social withdrawal and school refusal. Students psychological reports, abuse allegations leaked by 0:04. Corrective Action Plan (CAP): This requires facility administrators to submit a plan to correct the violations, and the Office of Licensing monitors. This business is unclaimed. They used our coping skills as punishments. 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. Provides auto-suggestions when entering text, Niche requires Javascript to work correctly. Based on their findings, the State of Maine decided that it would not pay for treatment at the facility. No journals, books, art supplies, stress balls, kinetic sand. This story was produced as part of a larger project by Jessica Miller, a participant in the 2019 Data Fellowship. Im surprised she didnt die. Guide to Performing & Visual Arts Colleges, Phillips Academy PSPA Summer & Gap Year Guide. We are continuing to ask for your help. While at Moonridge Academy, the residents are forced to adhere to a strict set of rules. She also worked as the Executive Director of, worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. The only good thing about this place is they dont have bars on the windows so you can smash them. 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. Safety is when you always have to stand next to a staff member and you are watched in the bathroom. Family therapy usually meant I got blamed for everything that went wrong and my therapist nodded a bunch. It has been reported that phone calls are closely monitored by staff. Jack Hinman is the Executive Director of Moonridge Academy and Kolob Canyon RTC, another CERTS program. We provide academics for grades 6-9. Thats how I got out after a year mistreatment from this place, I dont regret it. But Ross said that punishment often meant days on end spent in an isolation room, a cold concrete room with no furniture. Safety is when you have to stand next to a staff member at all times and you are watched in the bathroom. The Childrens Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) prepared a web page for the initiative. I was strip searched again, but this time they wrote down every mark on my body. 27 were here. I remember telling the staff and my therapist that I felt like a zombie, and they said I was being dramatic. This is the most common response. Does anyone have any positive experience to share? WebMoonridge Academy is a private school located in Cedar City, UT. The food they serve is fattening and unhealthy, and they force the girls to eat it. 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. 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. Shingles are peeling off worn-down geodesic domes, one of which was once a barn and another a so-called therapy room. 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. I would rather soil myself than be watched. At that time, it was just a house on a hill surrounded by wilderness and dirt. Cedar Ridge Academy was one of five that had rates of reported sex abuse that were more than four times the average. SAMHSAs National Prevention Week - Resources for The investigation involves a female staff member at Family therapy usually meant I got blamed for everything that went wrong and my therapist nodded a bunch. It was humiliating. 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. My time as a student at Moonridge Academy left me deeply traumatized. 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. It is not considered a penalty. No, she was not at risk of hitting someone, and no, she was not hurting herself. The amount of food we ate was larger than what I was used to, and I was very small. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. I was sworn at for not walking fast enough. Theyre also keeping a close watch on staff, Pope said, to ensure they dont have favorites or push boundaries. Nothing happened. Email us at teentreatment@sltrib.com. 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.. Private Schools in Cedar City It was awful there. They are abusing children. 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. TeenLife is passionate about teen success. led to the attorney generals office charging him with two felonies. Abuse I witnessed emotional abuse. 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. - Ava (Yelp), 2019: (SURVIVOR) "I was a student here, the staff is extremely out of line. Like other behavior-modification programs, Moonridge Academy uses a level system consisting of 6 levels. 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. At capacity, the treatment center can house nearly 50 students, but on a recent December day, 10 teenagers were staying there. I still have nightmares about this place." They did not have a solitary confinement room at Moonridge. Sometimes his punishment would be sitting on the floor, legs crossed for hours. It is marketed as a Residential Treatment Center for girls aged 11-14. The program has a maximum enrollment of 24 girls, and the average length of stay is reportedly between 9 and 12 months. I feel like I should have been required to eat a smaller amount of food, but that was never considered. They made me believe that I deserved all of this. 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. The document includes a log of how the Office of Licensing investigated and its conclusions. I remember opening up to my therapist about how awful I felt, maybe five months into my time at Moonridge. Rather than attempting to help me process my trauma, staff at MRA brainwashed me into even further believing everything was my fault and I was the only problem. Teen vomited for days before dying of infection at Diamond My 13yo daughters father is trying to send her to Moonridge. These behaviors might include school refusal, self-harm, eating disorders, withdrawing from others, angry outbursts, poor peer and family relationships, and low-level substance abuse. The program has a maximum enrollment of 24 girls, and the average length of stay is reportedly between 9 and 12 months. (4) That any program that rushes you into making a placement decision by urging you to act now, must be considered suspect. Im completely stable now and happy, no thanks to moonridge. This means, in total, the cost of receiving these records was just under $2,000. This database includes only critical incidents where the facility is found to have violated a rule. Thousands of children are sent away to Utah for treatment at troubled-teen centers and wilderness programs. Robb admitted to the crime and was also sent to prison. Date. My parents thought being around specialists and supportive staff would give me the coping skills I needed to be a functioning person. The only staff members that treated us well were Gwen, Danny, Karolin (Caroline?). $150,000$350,000 $150K$350K loan to MOONRIDGE ACADEMY LLC Two of the staff members in particular had it out for me. Tawny Thomas worked as the Executive Director of Moonridge Academy. 04/27/23. One girl tried to kill herself and they would not allow anyone to talk to her for a week. The first thing I noticed is how dumb the bright red door looked. Moonridge Academy is a CERTS behavior-modification program founded in 2004. A very autistic girl was regularly restrained for spinning around. One of them did not think I showered for long enough in my 12-minute time frame. The program was traumatic for her as well." $150,000$350,000 $150K$350K loan to The only good that came is making one friend who I still talk to regularly. 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. Moonridge Academy believes that younger girls should be treated in a loving and nurturing setting that recognizes the unique age and maturity level of girls this age. 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. A couple years ago, I went to a treatment center because I was depressed and not doing school work. I felt suffocated and trapped and hopeless. A team of journalists at The Salt Lake Tribune, KUER and APM Reports worked to bring you this database. Utahs Office of Licensing inspects and regulates each facility, and sometimes finds 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. Or even that its wrong and adults should stop it from happening. All they care about is rules and consequences, and most girls at their age group cant live by that. I was told I was fine when I said I was depressed. Jalane Christian-Stoker worked as the Clinical Director of Moonridge Academy from 2005 until 2008. Scars, moles, scrapes. I only actually rode a horse there maybe 4 times. As someone who had been clean from self-harm for months, this felt like a slap in the face. It blatantly was. Clearly sick students (fainting, puking, in severe pain) were denied access to doctors and hospitals until they nearly died. WebCall 888-406-5968 Home CERTS Programs La Europa Academy Kolob Canyon Moonridge Academy Mountain Springs Prep Academy Mosaic House CERTS Therapy Art Therapy DBT Therapy Equine Therapy Experiential Therapy About Us Blog FAQs Parents Bill of Rights Contact Us Call 888-406-5968 Menu control Posted on January 23, 2019 by The truth is, during the 15 months that our daughter was there, only about 30% of the girls graduated. (3) That any program that refers to troubled teens must be considered suspect. When The Tribune initially asked for these records, the Office of Licensing estimated it would cost more than $6,250. My time in treatment ranges from bad to traumatic. WebStudents who come to Moonridge Academy are often beginning to experiment with high risk behaviors. Beat local competitors. Over 90,000 businesses use Birdeye everyday to get more reviews and manage all customer feedback. Redcliff Ascent Wilderness Program - BREAKING CODE SILENCE In the past five years, the licensing agency has revoked two licenses neither of which was a youth treatment facility. control - CERTS Group It is not considered a penalty. 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. Aaron Ross was constantly in isolation during his three years at Provo Canyon School in the early 2000s. 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. My time in treatment ranges from bad to traumatic. - Emily (Yelp), 2/10/2021: (SURVIVOR) "Rosie and I were brought to Moonridge Academy in Utah. We were told if we refused food three times, we would be sent to the hospital and hooked up to an IV. I was abused at Moonridge Academy : troubledteens - Reddit Rather than attempting to help me process my trauma, staff at MRA brainwashed me into even further believing everything was my fault and I was the only problem. But it has been hard to identify what places have a good track record and which ones dont. I was sworn at daily, regularly forced to eat so much food that I threw up and I was only allowed to use the bathroom at certain times. My friend was slapped across the face for not finishing her dinner. No, she was not at risk of hitting someone, and no, she was not hurting herself.