Does anyone else notice how our governments are set up no better than program? I feel like program gave me a clearer understanding of how power dynamics and pyramidal systems corrupt humans. I feel like everyone, especially therapists should be held accountable. I feel like real life, real life therapy, our government, our society, is no different than program. Anytime I steer towards progress I am reminded of my own knowledge. I wish I could unlearn everything and be a blank numb addition to society. I’d be able to go to work fine and have personal relationships with friends easier. All i can think about is how corrupt everything is, how it’s all connected, and how nobody seems to give a fuck or even notice. Spending time unlearning the program makes me more conscious to our false reality and it makes me want to scream that I can’t do much to change it. I had been kicked out of two programs before being sent to the ranch, both of which I tried to fight back against the oppression and stand up for what I knew was right. The ranch didn’t break my spirit, but instead I spent a lot of time meditating while on outings and trying to just count down my last 9 months. I’m an aries so i’ve always been a lot, i’ve always wanted to have fun, but I know when to lock in, especially for those hurting around me. I constantly think of the people i was in treatment with, constantly thinking of those in program who are still suffering. When I see the homeless im reminded that it is no different than PBI (to a degree, obv homelessness is worse), how they’re ostracized from society, how they’re looked down on. I knew kids that were just always on PBI their whole program, they lived an entirely different program experience than me, yet the only thing that made us different is the fact that I could “mask” better. They were labeled by staff and staff never let them out of that label.

Society makes me sick. CPS, adoption, TTI, are all forms of governmentally approved trafficking. Did you all hear about how a women came out after the Diddy situation was exposed, she was one of the party favors and at 16 her CPS worker is handing her over to the Pimps for Diddy. Thousands of children in the system go MISSING. I was adopted at 2, my adopted parents were abusive and controlling, I was in a constant state of disassociating. When I finally ran away at 16, I told the police everything, I stayed in a receiving center, a foster family, I did interviews with therapists to access if I was telling the truth. Yet during that whole time only one of the CPS workers that helped transport me was kind and had a heart. The officers and therapist said I could no longer live in the house if my adopted brother still lived there (due to SA), he was 26 at the time living with them and they chose to send me away instead of relinquishing. When sent to my second program, it was more hands on(parents had to volunteer), they agreed to participate and then abandoned me (dropped contact completely and moved across the country), once hit with abandonment charges they quickly participated just enough to legally not get in trouble. Everyone knew my adopted family was ill in the head. As an adult now, i’m realizing more and more how much I was failed, how no one saw me suffering despite the obvious signs of abuse/trauma.

Have we all lost our sanity? The more I try to use my therapy skills to integrate into society the more I feel sick to my stomach. I feel as if i’m betraying my inner child for not fighting and protesting in the streets everyday for all the other children. People watch a documentary on program and have sympathy, sad that it happened, but glad it wasn’t them. i’m expected to just go and join the very society that failed me from the start? I’m supposed to laugh with my peers as if there aren’t children dying and suffering. My inner child can’t heal because she cares too much about everyone, every child who has been tossed to the side and had to grow up and pick themselves up alone. I feel like Id never be able to rest in peace knowing that our government is okay with the deaths of children, that our society can’t even have compassion in its own nation, that we are divided by hate for each other, just like staff did to all of us, when our real enemy is the ones in power. How can you fix a system that has never been for the people to begin with? Why are we not rioting in the streets? Why are we not angry? Why have we all been brainwashed to believe that everything that’s happening is okay? Our children are suffering, our children are being used, stolen, programmed, and yet no one seems to bat an eye. Why are we integrating ourselves into the very system that treatment was made to program us into? Why are we trusting the very adults that let us be suffering. It takes Paris Hilton to get on her legally blonde heels and fight in the senate??? It doesn’t even end there, even if all programs are shut down statewide, the principal still stands. Have you not noticed that society is just one giant TTI, just different level system, different kind of PBI, different kind of corruption. I’m so sick of pretending, and I hope more adults of TTI start opening up more peoples eyes to the reality we’re in. We’ve seen it first hand, we can help the rest of society be unconditioned and push for real healing and progression that would benefit everyone in society. May we fight for those who cannot, may we fight for the rights of those who don’t even realize their free will has been conditioned.

I attend Eva Carlston from July 2023-Nov 2023(4 months). That place was absolutely terrible and my mom realized and pulled me out and sent me to La Europa Academy.

I attended La Europa Academy from Nov 2023-June 2024(7 months). I turned 18 there, and graduated highschool and the program they had there.

While my first RTC was terrible, I genuinely liked La Europa. I know not everyone will have the same experience, especially because they used to be a lot worse. But I genuinely loved the program in the end, it wasn't amazing but I've been in this type of stuff before and I know it wont always feel great. I still see my therapist I have there, and she continues to help me still. I don't agree with how they ran some things but as someone who got to a point of being in a higher position I can tell how much the staff care there. There we're maybe 2 or 3 staff in my stay that weren't the best but thats to be expected.

I don't think this makes me brainwashed because I had a decent experience, it was hard and I still had to deal with a lot but looking back there were a lot of things LEA helped me acomplish.

Yup

It’s always confused me how so many of the therapists in the TTI were LMFTs as opposed to actual PhDs and PsyDs is there any sort of reasoning behind that?

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/11/09/teen-dies-while-staying-discovery/

Transcript:

A teen at a Mapleton residential treatment center has died by suicide, officials said Friday.

The 17-year-old died Tuesday at Discovery Ranch in Mapleton, a residential program for boys between 13 and 18, Mapleton police and the center’s director confirmed Friday. Police responded to the facility’s call about the boy’s death just after 2 p.m. Tuesday. The boy’s name is not being released.

A medical examiner told Mapleton police that the boy died by suicide, Mapleton Police Chief John Jackson said Friday. The examiner had not sent a written report — which would include a toxicology screening — to police by Friday afternoon, Jackson said.

There is no indication of foul play, Jackson said.

The Department of Health and Human Services has not issued a compliance notice to the treatment facility but is investigating the boy’s death, an agency spokesperson said in an email. If noncompliance is found, the spokesperson said, the agency will make that information publicly available on its website.

Clinton Dorny, executive director of Discovery Ranch, said the Utah County treatment center has been “fully cooperative and transparent with the authorities and their investigations.”

“We are deeply saddened by the loss, and we grieve with the family,” Dorny said in an email statement. The treatment center is conducting an internal investigation, Dorny said, and is making available additional on-site therapists and staff to the teens there.

THIS IS ART BUT FIRST: For context this is a college course reflection on our dream experience, and since this has been on my mind since I got out I decided to do it on this.

Here is the art along with the piece I wrote(THIS IMAGINE IS HEAVILY COMPRESSED):

The thought of being stuck in endless reoccurring nightmares consistently when you try to sleep is something that I struggle with. In my past I've had nightmares related to past events that may replay the events or remind me of them. Now a days between the mix of wacky fever dreams, I deal with reoccurring nightmares of somewhere I was at for a little less than half a year last year. Sometimes these nightmares can be recreations of the events that played out, but most of the time they are building off of me being stuck there or a similar place again. The progress I had made throughout the past year and a half being stripped away and having to start all over again. Not being able to leave, even though I'm now an adult, having to deal with the actions that led my mental health to decrease to such an absurd amount. The amount of paranoia, fear, and anxiety that place drove into their students rushes back to me in these nightmares. When I'm in these nightmares there is nothing I can do but accept these hypothetical situations, I'm at the hands of my mind until I can wake up and realize it was another nightmare. In cases this can translate into affecting my daily life, with moments of overwhelming emotions flooding back to me. In the illustration I depict myself in my bed with a plush from a game that kept me comfort while I was there. The \"monster\" being the teeth, and inky tentacle like creature that I use to represent how I feel the place has me caught in its mouth. I know that if I give in and let this get to me I'm letting the scummy people who run that place win. I'm creating this for me and everyone else who has to deal with the aftermath of what the people of that place has caused their students to go through. The repeated name of Eva is letting them win, all I can do now is spread my word and show the effects these certain places can have when it's run by scummy people who only want to profit off of parents ignorance and adolescents decaying well being. This is my dream experience and my surrealist depiction of an Endless Nightmare.

I was sent away in July of 2023 when I was 17, originally I was sent to Eva Carlston Academy in Utah but after 4 months I was pulled in November of the same year. My mom specifically realized the terrible practices that place had and I was sent to La Europa Academy also located in Utah. My experience at LEA, while not being all sunshines and rainbows, was something I'm so grateful for. I graduated in June of 2024 and I was able to get my life back on track and now I'm in college however my experience at Eva has caused me terrible emotional flashbacks and nightmares that I've been discussing a lot with my therapist.

This might be a long shot but are there any other survivors of "attachment therapy" out there? Just so this stays relevant, I was in an intensive program in Colorado in 1996-97 and then dumped in Devereux Cleo Wallace for a while. I'm not comfortable saying names but my so-called therapist was N.F.

I already had issues when it started but I believe that was what truly wrecked me. 24 hour a day insanity. It ground me down to nothing. You can't even tell other people. Not even therapists. Who would believe that my adopted parents made me wear sunglasses indoors because they thought I was "manipulating them" by having sad eyes. Or that I got punished any time I got a fever because my parents believed adopted kids can make themselves sick at will to ruin things for other people.

They didn't...ask me why I was sad. They just took advice from a book written by a fucking dog trainer that states right in the beginning that following the practices of her book can lead to losing your foster care license. Anyone else?

We are pleased to report that we (the TTI6 team) have received confirmation that First Light Wilderness Program will be closing soon. Embark had previously planned to convert First Light from a wilderness program to an RTC. Those plans are no longer in motion.

I graduated from Sunrise RTC in 2014 and just had my 10 year anniversary of graduating the program. I’m 25 now and life is generally good, but this anniversary still feels very strange. I feel very distant from my teenage self but simultaneously I feel far too affected still by everything I experienced in treatment. I wish I could forget about it and move on. It’s so complicated and difficult to feel proud of myself for where I’ve gotten myself and grateful for (some of) the treatment I got, but I’m also forever scarred and different than my friends because of it. This stuff is so complicated.

I’m sad for my younger self for what I went through and sad for my current self that it took me so long to figure out that I’m not “dramatic” or “sensitive” about Sunrise. It was genuinely trauma and I have CPTSD because of it.

I (16M) graduated from a Therapeutic Boarding School in February of this year. One of my promises to my parents was that I'd go to in-person school. My anxiety and depression have been way too much and have been causing me to have panic attacks and refuse school. Today I got a notice from my principal that I will no longer be enrolled in my school in 20 days, I have an IEP with the school district in a week or two to decide whether I'm going back to treatment.

I'm freaking out because next year is my last year of being a minor (I turn 17 in Dec) and I've spent every year in hospitals and treatment centers ever since I was 9. I really don't want to get sent away, I even suggested homeschooling again but it seems no one is even hearing my pleas.

Sorry for the rant, I'm just really worried and don't know what to do.

so I'm not gonna give many details because the person I'm asking for isn't comfortable with that but she's in hospital for chronically struggling with mental health and such but i know pine river is one of the main places that's being considered and I'm worried because of storied I've heard from friends and others about programs like it so I'm just wondering if anyone has been there recently or knows anyone who has and knows if it was a good place (not being mistreated, fed, etc.) - but yea so if anyone is comfortable sharing it would be really appreciated

Back when I was gathering information about places for my child, before I realized all of them are abusive, I joined a group of adoptive parents with kids in residential care to learn more from that angle.

One of those parents posted this morning saying that their adopted teen died at Discovery Ranch this past week, urging other parents to reevaluate their choices and investigate what’s going on their RTCs.

In their words: “Our adopted son passed away at discovery ranch this past week. I urge you if you have children there to reconsider.”

I don’t know anything more, but I will come back to update if I find out any more details.

Any other survivors of Deveraux?

I was at the Colorado springs/Gold pass heights facility in 1996/1997, so any info would be helpful. I'm trying to piece together my past.

Throwaway. It’s taken me almost 20 years to fully comprehend that this industry has had the single largest impact on the shape of my life. Out of anything. It has shaped a massive part of my personality and fundamentally altered the way I interact with other people. Every day.

Reality may not be as constant as we think it is. Isn’t living in the wilderness closer to reality than being “conventionally successful,” obtaining a PhD, making deep six figures? I have done both and I am still not sure what the answer is.

Were we really “troubled teens”? Was I? I fully embraced the goals of these programs from the moment I was removed from my childhood home, because things were so bad and I would have willingly gone anywhere else to start a new life.

Were our parents simply unwilling or unable to care for us? What is the correlation here? Surely there are piece of s*** kids whose behavior is inexplicable, but surely there are also parents who would rather pay someone else to take a problem off their hands. A problem that has, as it’s solution, time, attention, and a plausible showing that someone gives a shit?

For veterans of this industry, do you resent your parents? Do you still have a relationship with them?

Do you tell people about your experience?

For parents considering this option - why? Are you sick of raising kids? Do you think your kid will be well-adjusted after it’s all said and done?

Second Nature ‘06-‘07 (rebranded to obscure reports of abuse 😂).

Perhaps I am simply looking to connect with someone over this whole, decades-old ordeal, because it has somehow made it insanely difficult to relate to conventionally-raised adult human beings.

Therapist here. I've been receiving promos from a company called Embark. They advertise a huge range of services including residential/RTCs. I can't find much information on them and whether or not they are reputable and provide actual treatment as opposed to TTI. Does anyone here have experience with them you'd be wiling to share?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT- thank-you to everyone who responded and who provided more info on this company, particularly the old companies that have been bought/rebranded (which explains why I couldn’t find much). I appreciate it, and now that I have more background info and have done more research with that info, it looks like we'll be crossing this company off the list.

I recently went to Ascend Healthcare’s Canyons House for trauma and anxiety. I was withheld food and water, information, legally manipulated, threatened, and psychologically abused. I’m left with severe PTSD and trouble with Child Protective Services. I have chronic pain (trigeminal neuralgia) and ASD. I want to report them or do something, but I don’t know how and I don’t know anyone else that would report negatively about them. Would anyone be interested in keeping contact?

Hey! To help me with processing the anniversary of my TTI intake date, I decided that I wanted to make a list of things that I’m grateful for in my life post TTI so far. I encourage you guys to maybe do the same since it can feel really freeing. I’m also going to call a friend and go through my “boarding school memory box.”

Here’s my list:

I am grateful for…

• Going outside by myself
• Eating good food when I want to
• The new friends I’ve made
• My siblings (and the fact that they are healthy)
• My ability to make choices
• My ability to reflect on my experiences in the TTI
• The freedom to feel when I need to
• The newfound privacy I have
• My ability to surround myself with people who want to see me happy
• The feeling of grass beneath my feet
• The smell of salt water in the air during the summer in my home town
• The incredibly strong friends I made during my time in the TTI and the fact that a lot of them are now living somewhat freely
• My therapist and access to mental healthcare that is truly in my best interest
• My medications and my access to immediate and emergency treatment (like doctors and urgent care services)
• The freedom to take my time in life
• The support I have from survivors who are capable of understanding
• The lessons I learned about how to take care of myself in dangerous situations like the TTI
• The opportunities I have been given to reform myself and heal from the abuse I faced
• The dunkin’ donuts near my new public high school
• The drama program at my school
• More stuff that I probably just can’t remember right now

The TTI was horrible, it ruined my life, but I can say now that it made me so much more grateful for things that most people consider to be an every day privilege and I’m so happy that I’m finally out. As I get used to them, I really hope I don’t forget how much of a privilege it is to have all of these things as they are now. I love the friends I made both in and out of the program and I have to thank them for making this healing journey possible. So many things that people who haven’t experienced a life without, are so valuable to me in my life now. I have myself to thank for my ability to stay strong through all of the trauma I faced in order to get to the other end and appreciate these things as much as I do now.

For everybody who is a newly released victim and survivor like I am, or anybody who is still in a program, or people who are having a hard time processing after years of being out: it wasn’t the program that saved you. It was you. You saved yourself through everything that was made to break you down and take away your spirit. I’m so proud of you for that. And for the first time I think I can say that I’m proud of the little girl I used to be, the little girl who got sent away and made it through everything the world threw at her just to make it out the other end and leave me where I am now. Not unscathed, but alive nonetheless, and that is something to be grateful for. Good luck to the rest of you on your healing journeys, and the absolute most love to everyone who has volunteered their time to reply to my posts and help me get through this. I still feel like shit, but healing isn’t linear, and I’m sure it will get better eventually.

Much love ❤️❤️

I was at Summit Achievement from April - June 2019, then at Summit Prep in Kalispell from June 2019 until they closed when covid hit.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1351/all-info?s=1&r=47#latestSummary-content

Okay so, with that being said, what the heck does a federal work group entail, can they actually do anything about these programs, and how does one get to talk to these people?

I know there’s a few federal agencies involved that share info between them, but there’s not much talk about them other than that.

I want to talk the people who are involved, but I’m being lazy and making a Reddit post about it in case someone has any info on it.

I was on the girls side in the Azalea’s home from February 2021 to June 2022. The amount of crazy stuff that would happen was overwhelming. They would dehumanize us if you misbehaved we were put into a green shirt so everybody would know that you were on safety. I witnessed staff abuse their positions of power and I’ve watched young girls maybe 110 pounds gets slammed by huge men maybe 6 feet tall or taller. There was constantly some sort of fights going on many times the staff would instigate it. One of my close friends was in the daisies and a staff beat her so badly that her therapist wouldn’t let her have family therapy so her guardian wouldn’t see how bruised her face was didn’t let her have her social calls so she wasn’t able to tell anyone. If we did try to tell anyone in our letters to our parents or in our social calls, they would try and censor usfor example in the letters we would send out wasn’t up to par approve the letters opinion they would scratch whatever they didn’t want because they didn’t want the program exposed. The amount of physical restraints that were used on students that didn’t deserve it actually scratch that nobody ever deserves to have hands put on them. One staff named Josh. Martin broke both of this kids thumbs. there was a video of students getting jumped on the security camera and the head of the program at the time Doug had the footage deleted. Also, right after I graduated the program, the security guy his name was Chris sterman he was a pervert. He messaged me because this was when the whole Roe v. Wade getting overturned happened. I posted a thing and it was like “why should we let men who can’t even find a clit tell us what to do with our uterus” mind you I was 16 when I posted this. “He responds with if I can find both can I play with your uterus?” he was fired, but there was a lot of him peeking on the girls when they were changing. don’t even get me started on the cameras they had cameras the bathrooms and the cameras watch us sleep in the bedrooms, which is illegal for them to have cameras in the bedrooms. They watch on the cameras. I was sent to calo because my advocate had recommended it mind you I am not adopted every other kid. There was a lot of really good friends but so much crazy stuff happened.. DM me if you need more information.CALO Needs to be shut down now.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and State Public Information Acts allow citizens to access government records that are not exempt from release, as well as redacted documents that were previously exempt. These requests are an important resource for gaining information about the troubled teen industry (TTI).

FOIA:
FOIA is a US Federal Law that gives the public access to records held by federal government agencies, such as documents, emails, reports, and other materials. The law covers a wide range of government activities, including policy decisions, contracts, investigations, and data. Here is the link to FOIA's webpage https://www.foia.gov/how-to.html

State Public Records Requests:
All 50 States in the US have passed a Public Information Act that works similarly to FOIA, but regarding state and local government. Making it possible to request emails, documents, contracts, etc. from state-controlled government entities.

Redaction:
When documents have sensitive information that can't legally be shared, FOIA and local laws allow agencies to use redaction before releasing them. Redaction removes or blacks out private details, letting the public access as much information as possible without risking privacy, security, or legal issues. FOIA has nine rules for redaction, covering areas like national security, personal privacy, law enforcement, trade secrets, and agency communications.

How do I make a request?
There’s no set method for submitting FOIA requests, but most government agencies have a "FOIA" or "Public Records" portal or email link on their website, often at the bottom of the page. Enter what you’re looking for, specify any payment limit or request a fee waiver, and submit. Agencies typically have up to 90 working days after processing the request to get the info to you.

Does it cost?
The cost of a FOIA request varies by agency, the complexity of the request, and the requester’s category (e.g., journalist, commercial, or individual). Costs can include:

• Search Fees: Charges for staff time spent searching for records.
• Duplication Fees: Charges for copying records, with digital copies often cheaper than paper.
• Review Fees: For commercial requesters, fees for reviewing documents to identify exempt content.

Some requesters may qualify for fee waivers or reductions, which means they can possibly get it for free if the request benefits the public/is of great interest to the public. Agencies will inform requesters if costs exceed a certain threshold, allowing them to narrow the request.

Who do I ask for documents regarding the TTI?

• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): The HHS oversees agencies like the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). These agencies may have records on regulations, complaints, contracts with, or funding related to youth treatment facilities.
• Office for Civil Rights (OCR): As part of HHS, the OCR may have records on investigations or complaints related to civil rights violations, such as discrimination, abuse, or lack of access to adequate care within youth facilities.
• Child Care Licensing (CCL): A state level agency who is typically in charge of contracts with, and investigations/reports on troubled teen schools. Most states make schools report all deaths, critical incidents, and injuries to this agency within 24 hours of discovery. CCL typically keeps records of all incidents reported.
• Department of Justice (DOJ): The DOJ, especially its Civil Rights Division, could have documents related to investigations, complaints, or enforcement actions involving youth treatment centers accused of abuse or mistreatment.
• Department of Education (DOE): The DOE may have information on boarding schools, private educational facilities, or alternative schools affiliated with the troubled teen industry, especially regarding student rights and federal funding issues.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): If facilities receive funding through Medicaid, CMS may have records on their licensing, funding, and inspections, as well as any complaints or investigations.
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Since the FTC addresses consumer protection and advertising practices, it might have records related to false advertising claims or fraudulent practices by facilities within the troubled teen industry.
• Other State and Local Agencies: In addition to federal agencies, state departments of health, social services, and education oversee local regulations, licensing, and enforcement for youth treatment centers, so they may have detailed records specific to facilities within their jurisdictions.

Please post here if you are a parent seeking help.

Contributors here should be willing to view these posts and try and help constructively.

This megathread exists to try and prevent the subreddit being overwhelmed with such posts and to try and reduce the level of distress these posts cause to some members.