survivors to be an extremely abusive program. Although the system failed us, my peers and I have created somewhat of a little support group to cope and its helped us tremendously. agolden@skyhinews.com. NAAS is an organization that has accredited many notoriously abusive behavior-modification programs, including, The program is affiliated with several other, is the Executive Director of Discovery Ranch. When the program opened, it housed both boys and girls on the same campus, but kept them completely seperate in different parts of the campus. The staff often used abusive behaviors and were very rude to us. They often cause way more harm than good. This type of environment makes reporting abuse and neglect impossible for teenagers. Also a staff there named Matt polson threatened to restrain me several times. The website is misleading. (only the higher rank kids would be allowed to do this). They tear children apart, and they come out broken. Your child will be put in with kids that are older than their age group, that were in gangs, that are addicted to drugs, etc. Youre not. He will have the support of well-trained and experienced clinical, academic, residential, and experiential staff members. Staff care about one another and take a genuine interest in the girls. You get used to the screaming and pleading for help, it becomes background noise. I stopped feeling emotions and didnt for two years. When the program opened, it housed both boys and girls on the same campus, but kept them completely seperate in different parts of the campus. Have been in contact with many former students that have not done well once leaving the ranch. Its sick and I hope in the future these places will be illegal and I will NEVER send my kids to one of these places. Research shows this is the best approach to help your son and family heal mentally, physically, and emotionally. The chidren cant even have open discussions with other inmates there for fear of being punished and losing privileges. Both boys have turned out well however, my brother has trauma from the experience. We have all suffered enough, its time to heal and create a system that works. Carebear (Yelp), 2015: (SURVIVOR) This place is horrible. She currently works as the Residential Director at Redcliff Ascent, another Ascent Company program. If youre a troubled teen thats reading this that just recently got out, or its been years and its still effecting you, please believe me when I say that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You can find much better treatment for a better price. The facility in Utah is run like a prison. The lawsuit filed by the staff parents said the couple joined Eagle Ranch as staff parents in April 2020 and ended their employment in January 2022. He previously worked at Provo Canyon School, which is widely regarded as the birthplace of the WWASP organization. You and your son will work to rebuild your relationship with weekly family therapy, family visits, and Parent Day Seminars. Its heart wrenching to see how many families were deeply financially destroyed as well as personal connections being permanently damaged. The parties fought over depositions and the production of documents, among other things, in various states where witnesses were located. Seek other avenues for your child. Keith (Yelp), 6/28/2013: (PARENT) This is the worst place to send your child. Any complaints about the program and the abuse kids witnessed would be brushed off by program coordinators and therapists. Blind Frog Ranch 2022 lawsuit update In season 2, we see someone come onto the ranch and serve the gang some sort of paper. Contact one of our well-trained representatives now. In January 2104, the boy was placed in a dorm at Discovery Ranch with three other boys, one who began grooming him and another resident for "sexual victimization" until he was "violently sodomized," the family says in the lawsuit. The staff often used abusive behaviors and were very rude to us. It is marketed as a Residential Treatment Center for teenage boys aged 13-18 with emotional and behavioral issues. DR does not accept transgender males. They will dream about it years after, waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares about being back there. There was never any you can do it it was you better do it or youre going to be put on mc and never get out of here. And the horrible part? This isnt how we should treat precious children The staff have no idea how much damage theyre doing as theyre just following orders This is a mess it needs to be shut down.. Clinton Dorny is the Executive Director of Discovery Ranch. DIAMOND RANCH ACADEMY, INC., Plaintiff and Counterclaim Defendant, v. CHELSEA FILER, Defendant and Counterclaim Plaintiff. Discovery Ranch strives to heal your family as a whole. Brent Hall is reported by survivors to have run the facility. (During my stay, a kid in a different house was repeatedly raped by another kid for days until he was caught.) This will provide him with the. Discovery Ranch is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS), but it is important to note that neither the United States Department of Education nor the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognizes NAAS as an accrediting agency for institutions of higher education. Its sick and I hope in the future these places will be illegal and I will NEVER send my kids to one of these places. Not only were surveillance cameras found pointing at their worksite, but military helicopters have flown over the Utah land and spy drones have been seen, too. Your teen is struggling. The decision you make for your child will stay with them forever. I was forced to do the most humiliating and degrading things possibly conceivable; I was forced to eat a girls used tampon, lick cow shit off a girls boots, unclog a toilet with my bare hands adult male staff would masturbate to me showering, changing, and using the toilet while masturbating (keep in mind I was 15. Those goals are helping your son learn, grow, and heal so that your family can be a family again. Basically non-existent education. BE CAREFUL OF THEM. James (Yelp), 2019: (SURVIVOR) This place is sickening. They emotionally and mentally compromise kids for fun. There was never any you can do it it was you better do it or youre going to be put on mc and never get out of here. It makes me fucking sick that this place, along with HUNDREDS of others, still exists, quietly protected under the umbrella of the state government of Utah, and that parents are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for their children to be tortured and driven insane or into obedient, soulless sociopaths. Anonymous (Tales from the Black School), 7/8/2013: (SURVIVOR) DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO DISCOVERY RANCH IF YOU CARE ABOUT THEM! When we have the opportunity to get together, its a very special and meaningful time for all of us, we reminisce about the little funny stories that helped us get through the day during our time, we think about about all the suffering we endeared and how we survived, and we always take the time to honor our close friends that didnt and have passed. Your family is struggling. DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL! Jeff (Google Reviews), HEAL Program Information Discovery Ranch, Family Alleges Bestiality at Alternative School, The Troubled Teen Industry: Commodifying Disability and Capitalizing on Fear by Catherine Kushan (mentions Discovery Ranch), Strength in the Struggle A Marketing Video uploaded by the school to YouTube, Discovery Ranch Secret Prisons for Teens. I cannot even put into words the pain I feel even today when my experience gets brought up or when I read about other kids that are STILL suffering from having to go through this program. Discovery Ranch combines the power of traditional and experiential therapies to create a clinically sophisticated, relationship-based residential treatment center for boys ages 13-18. They will dream about it years after, waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares about being back there. I had to raise a baby cow for the slaughter to learn to deal with loss, exercise until I threw up blood, pick up cow shit every day, I could go on and on. The amounts of times I screamed out loud in physical/mental exhaustion from being undermined and unheard is uncountable. I attended Discovery Ranch in Mapleton Utah from November 18th 2015 to May 15th 2015. Our parents (his Mom and step-father) regret sending him there even all these years later. Grand Ledge Courts. sacramento obituaries 2021; apartments on aldine mail route Seek other avenues for your child. , This is the worst place to send your child. Craig Smith worked as the Clinical Director of Discovery Ranch. Privileges to some might sound like being able to talk to friends, or having free time. please if you are thinking of sending anyone or know anyone who is considering to send someone here, keep the kid far away from them. I am at a loss for what to do at this point. ), There is a significant lack of professional supervision/lack of training, There is a high turnover rate for employees, There is parent manipulation/lies on the programs part for $$, There is lack of necessary medical care to avoid the girls telling a doctor they are being abused, and they are never alone when with a doctor, Run like a bootcamp, zero free time for the kids, every day feels like a punishment, Mormons are running it and very religiously biased, Please. Not a single one of us agree that this program helped us or our relationships with our families. Parents have no clue what they are getting themselves into by sending their children there. I literally couldnt make this shit up. The reason for posting this is that this is cathartic for me and nice to have a group of people who have at least a basic discovery ranch lawsuit. Learn about discovery -- the legal procedures used to gather evidence for a lawsuit. They love tossing kids emotional and mental state around for worse, or they will lie about problems that a kid doesnt have just to keep kids there longer.They will try to keep kids from telling you from what is really going on, the use their security measures as a punishment Instead of safety and they can, have, and will threaten kids. The decision you make for your child will stay with them forever. This place did not save my life it scared me to have problems. H.A. I felt like i somehow deserved to be treated like this and I think a part of me knew I could never stand living in the real world after all this happened. They emotionally and mentally compromise kids for fun. And before you tell me that was a long time ago, I am a part of multiple survivor groups online for former students from DR and other abusive programs in Utah. I dont know why but when i was there I never wanted to leave. If you want to send your kid to either wilderness or discovery ranch why dont you do us all a favor parents and send your child to Disney Land so theyll be happy rather then send them to whats pretty much a mental institution for parents that have no idea what the fuck there doing. I still maintain close relationships with both girls and boys who are around my age (23-27) that have gone through exactly what you are going through now; so whether its easier to talk to a guy or girl or someone with a similar case to yours, I can put you in contact with them if youd like (Free of charge too! Each part of his daily experience will reinforce his therapeutic goals. It is reported that they are only allowed to communicate with their parents through heavily censored and monitored letters, as well as a once-monthly phone call, which is also monitored by staff. Also the staff there (although there were some that I liked) were extremely rude. My parents (his Mom and step-father) note sending him away added to his sense of rejection started by peer abuse even though they were desperate due to his issues at home and school. I didnt ask to see that.. the licensed substance abuse counselor has obviously never touched a substance in her life. Those goals are helping your son learn, grow, and heal so that your family can be a family again. I still hear screams from my friends being restrained in the back of my mind. This will provide him with the experience of a lifetime because Utah has a natural landscape that is second to none. Parents have no clue what they are getting themselves into by sending their children there. Chad Ollinger and his brother, Duane, are gold prospectors in the Uintah Mountains of Utah. With the help of a REAL rehab and AA, I had achieved 14 months sober. 0. I am at a loss for what to do at this point. The reason I am writing this now is because I ended up becoming an alcoholic and drug addict once I went to college and had finally had complete freedom. When Jack Stuef found a chest of gold and jewels in a Wyoming forest last year, he felt giddy. Id go on to say I have PTSD. . He said that he was abused by a staff member while there. These experiences will teach your son values like Responsibility, Grit, Honesty, Respect, Courage, Kindness, and Accountability. Aside from the obvious prejudice and discrimination, many of these conditions are not legitimate clinical impairments, and those that are require individualized care, which this facility does not provide.. I posted this exact review several times spacing itself out several months. Discovery Ranch is reported by many survivors to be an extremely abusive program. Please reach out to me for questions, I will do my best to educate you on what is happening and get you current information. , Kinda like a prison that just focuses on external behavior. On top of that I was forced to study 7 hours straight on the weekends if I didnt meet academic requirements. My parents sent me there because I was depressed, doing poorly in school instead of getting straight As, got caught shoplifting a pack of gum from 7-11, spent too much time on the computer, and was too angry and defiant. Even though I have left the program, if I dont follow their horribly rigorous and reclusive aftercare rules I go back. While some people purchase land for views or for the prospect of building a property, Duane Ollinger 's family bought the massive 160-acre Utah plot known as Blind Frog Ranch to search for buried treasure. The schooling they provide is a joke. We were indirectly expected to manipulate visiting parents of troubled kids who have not yet been sent to treatment. ! , A family member of mine attended this school so everything I have heard is 2nd hand. Also there were lawsuits against this place. They dont give the children any hope of getting out whatsoever. It is reported by survivors that these calfs are later slaughtered, apparently in an attempt to teach the residents how to deal with loss. This practice is extremely cruel, and is reported to be very traumatic to many survivors. Individual, family, and group therapy all take place within a residential treatment setting. There thieves taking advantage of parents dispositions and they should be shut down Derek (Google Reviews), 1/12/2014: (SURVIVOR) Link to Anonymous Survivor Testimony, 12/1/2013: (PARENT) After my daughter was here for here for 2 months her condition worsened and she started having suicidal thoughts which had never happened before.When I met with her Dr. I am not the only victim. Blind Frog Ranch Lawsuit. (Check glassdoor reviews) In return, we have lots of untrained, unequipped young adults who arent prepared to deal with seriously mentally ill children. I am not the only victim. My first treatment center was Redcliffe ascent, and I did really well there. They left me more broken than they found me. Jackson (Yelp), September 2020: (SURVIVOR) Please do not send your child to this horrific and abusive program. We Have Helped Struggling Teens To Learn The Skills They Needed To Heal, Thrive, And Reunite With Their Families. I would estimate their rate of rehabilitation around 20%. In this, experiential, safe, and supportive environment. For many parents, this focus on parental participation is the reason they choose our program. I literally cant live with these memories. Happened several times to my friends. Non-Verbal Learning Disability including High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD). The night staff was apparently fucked up on heroin, meth, pcp, etc the whole time and had virtually no training or qualifications, which I learned when a male staff member sexually propositioned me over Facebook when I was 18, so three years later, and told me what happened behind closed doors. One small slip up, and you have all privileges taken away from a day to sometimes even a week. He reportedly began working in the TTI because his brothers have worked at various other treatment centers. We focus on healing the entire family. Discovery Ranch is an Ascent Company behavior-modification program founded on August 21st, 2005. He reportedly began working in the TTI because his brothers have worked at various other treatment centers. Each part of his daily experience will reinforce his therapeutic goals. It wasnt until he left the program that people even found out about this happening!! Both boys have turned out well however, my brother has trauma from the experience. The program has a maxmimum enrollment of 60 boys, and the average length of stay is reported to be around 10 months, but this can be substantially longer if the boy is deemed resistant. We all cope in our own ways, but if we can help by sharing our experiences and what we learned, theres not a single one of us that would turn down a younger DR peer that is currently battling our same battles. They often cause way more harm than good. My mind sometimes uncontrollably cradles and turns to static when I hear the same radio noise as the staff used at DR. My personal experience here was horrible. I had repressed memories of the physical, sexual, and psychological torture i endured for five years until I watched a documentary on the stanford prison experiment in my psychology class. 54A District Court 124 W. Michigan Ave., #54A Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 483-4433 Court Website. dont do this to your child We are all begging you. If they mention these sorts of things to parents (over heavily monitored phone calls and letters in the mail), contact between student and parent would be cut off. (only the higher rank kids would be allowed to do this). They are very abusive and they will lie to you. Eaton County Circuit Court 1045 Independence Blvd. Also MAY I NOTE THAT THEY ARE SO DESPERATE THAT THEY NEED THEIR OWN STAFF MEMEBERS TO WRITE REVIEWS. He can participate in various sports teams, such as basketball, flag football, wrestling, and cross-country running. Although there are no support groups for people like us and since the program is so small & were from all over the country, it feels and looks very real that you may be alone, YOU ARE NOT. I had been raped when i was 12 and was unable to tell my male therapist or parents about this happening because my family is very Catholic. discovery ranch lawsuit. They made me feel disgusting and quite hideous. It is NOT your fault and youre NOT a lesser being despite what DR drilled into you. However, our neighbor whose son went there the following year had all good experiences. Discovery ranch was hell on earth for me. My Mom says she wishes she had heard of that school at the time. DISCOVERY RANCH FOR GIRLS Ripoff Reports, Complaints, Reviews, Scams, Lawsuits and Frauds Reported Your Search: Discovery Ranch for girls. Throughout your sons experience at Discovery Ranch he will have the support of caring, educated, experienced professionals. Fact-Finding and Discovery Find out about "discovery" -- the process by which opponents in a lawsuit get information from each other to establish facts in the case. Discovery Ranch is accredited by the, Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS), , but it is important to note that neither the United States Department of Education nor the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognizes NAAS as an accrediting agency for institutions of higher education. Discovery Ranch only wants to know and talk about their truth which is nothing close to reality. departments all work together. You will also be able to observe your sons progress through our secure, password-protected parent portal. In comparison, most of the other residents had serious drug problems, were in gangs, were extremely violent, etc. I understand that people need to help themselves and I cannot blame Discovery Ranch for my decisions but this environment definitely did not promote positive change in my life. Your community does not have the resources to help. Listen to your child, and dont fall into the traps that programs make which lead parents to think their child is untrustworthy, a liar, manipulator, etc. We were treated like we were in prison, and if we stepped out of line, we had our privileges taken away. My parents spent over $200,000 here before they realized I was not getting the help I needed. They do a terrific job at keeping kids quiet. They made me feel disgusting and quite hideous. I was told Control-freak parents often produce children who feel guilty and disloyal , fearing theyll disappoint their over-bearing parents. I couldnt believe he was blaming me for thisafter we could no longer afford to send her there she was abruptly released and told good luck. They later sued the show, saying . You are a survivor of an abusive environment that is very similar to a prison. I was 15 years old. DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL! , The Troubled Teen Industry: Commodifying Disability and Capitalizing on Fear by Catherine Kushan. There are over 600 people in 2 different groups put together, and we are all in contact with many kids that just left. In addition, survivors have reported that on the off-chance that they. For many parents, this focus on parental participation is the reason they choose our program. I can still hear the screams of kids being restrained and having their arms pinned behind them and blood flow cut off because they didnt follow simple orders. I will never forgive Discovery Ranch for the damage they did to me, and the damage they continue to do to future generations. Therapy was more like brainwashing than therapy. I highly suggest people look it up, one of the most disgusting things Ive ever read in my life: Link. Its another long, tough, painful battle after you leave DR and I havent known one other person who didnt suffer after getting out. You Have Questions, We Have Answers. We all cope in our own ways, but if we can help by sharing our experiences and what we learned, theres not a single one of us that would turn down a younger DR peer that is currently battling our same battles. They do a terrific job at keeping kids quiet. NAAS is an organization that has accredited many notoriously abusive behavior-modification programs, including many WWASP programs. It wasnt until he left the program that people even found out about this happening!! We have all suffered enough, its time to heal and create a system that works. , This place is horrible. My cousin went to a place 2 years ago called Shortridge Academy and had a much better experience there. In fact, the administration at discovery ranch intentionally delayed my high school graduation by refuting me the right to do my classes in order to keep me there longer. Residential Treatment is an Intensive Healing Experience, Individual, family, and group therapy all take place within a residential treatment setting. The. It began with a lawsuit filed by Hannah Archuleta, who appeared on Dr. Phil in 2019 and then went to the Turn-About Ranch. I suggest seeking different options for your child. This type of environment makes reporting abuse and neglect impossible for teenagers. If you are in an urgent situation and need help call 911. The last few years of my life have felt unreal, Ive had migraines with frustration wondering how places like this exist, and how theyve gotten away with so much deceit. Listen to your child, and dont fall into the traps that programs make which lead parents to think their child is untrustworthy, a liar, manipulator, etc. STOP DISCOVER RANCH they will play you out of so much money its unbelievable. The website is misleading. The location is part of a dispute between the city and one tow truck company that filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 2, 2020. 02-17-2016. They lied and were mainpulative, and power tripped all the time. You have tried community resources or other programs. It is run like a prison. The kids come out shell shocked, traumatized and fearful. Michele (Yelp), 2012: (PARENT) As a father I was treated poorly. They have the same goals in mind. Your PRECIOUS child is NOT safe here! My first treatment center was Redcliffe ascent, and I did really well there. Discovery Ranch strives to heal your family as a whole. Your job as parents is to help your child, you guys are the problem not your kids. If you have any logic in your brain in the slightest then you should realize how goddamn stupid it would be to send your kid to this shit hole. , Its been about 8-9 years since I left DR; Im now 25 and although I dont dwell on what happened so much anymore, this place has had such a negative impact on my life. I am a victim of emotional and physical abuse by Discovery Ranch. dont do this to your child We are all begging you. san andreas fault, palm springs. Im scared to mention my real name because Discovery Ranchs aftercare program still controls my life. If you absolutely need mental support for your child, I suggest something that is close to home, and something that does not limit their ability to see and interact with the outside world. The average stay is OVER a year not under like they love to say. My brother noted some of the staff was wonderful and he used their tips to get through challenges after his father died (my Moms 1st husband). Before you would consider sending your son away, you need to know that he is going to a place you can trust. It is run like a prison. These programs are money makers. I ended up running away from this program and deciding on a much better program that actually wanted to help people. ), I witnessed a 15 year old boy be sodomized by a broom handle and have the living shit beat out of him because he tried to run away and watched a girl punch a window and slit her wrists in front of me because she couldnt take it anymore. There are over 600 people in 2 different groups put together, and we are all in contact with many kids that just left. This place did not save my life it scared me to have problems. , I attended Discovery Ranch 5 years ago when I was 15 years old. discovery ranch lawsuit. The boat bought with funds by Discovery Ranch was not once used for the kids, the owners just use it for personal use. We were indirectly expected to manipulate visiting parents of troubled kids who have not yet been sent to treatment. Teenagers can be punished for infractions as small as making an inappropriate facial expression, meaning they can be punished for crying or raising their eyebrows without permission. Also, I would sit there and talk to my therapist while he takes notes and this is a direct quote is that it? Then the session was over. First, let me begin by stating that sending your kid anywhere is a traumatic experience they will have for the rest of their life. Parents wont know or understand the gravity of impact this experience has had until after you get out and have openly talked about it, and although its very hard not to blame or take your anger out on them, you have to realize they made their decision out of love and ignorance. But I fucking wasnt. If you absolutely need mental support for your child, I suggest something that is close to home, and something that does not limit their ability to see and interact with the outside world. I was forced to do the most humiliating and degrading things possibly conceivable; I was forced to eat a girls used tampon, lick cow shit off a girls boots, unclog a toilet with my bare hands adult male staff would masturbate to me showering, changing, and using the toilet while masturbating (keep in mind I was 15. I still have insomnia and night terrors of being at that place. The representative will help connect you with resources that can help your family--even if that help is not from us. (Check glassdoor reviews) In return, we have lots of untrained, unequipped young adults who arent prepared to deal with seriously mentally ill children.