I am at a loss for what to do at this point. 1308 South 1600 West, Mapleton, Utah 84664, . Please save your child from this place. . We have all suffered enough, its time to heal and create a system that works. , This place is horrible. For example, in an employment law case, a fired employee will want to see their personnel file, and through discovery, an employer would likely be required to provide those documents. 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. Every part of Discovery Ranch, from the amazing campus to the nationally accredited Academic Program, helps to promote growth and healing. the villa pacific palisades, ca. The amounts of times I screamed out loud in physical/mental exhaustion from being undermined and unheard is uncountable. This merit system was easy for some kids to abuse, in one circumstance during my stay, a child was repeatedly raped, and was threatened with the merit system to get him to keep quiet. They made me feel disgusting and quite hideous. The location is part of a dispute between the city and one tow truck company that filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 2, 2020. He will receive consistent feedback. They often cause way more harm than good. This is my real name, as Im no longer afraid to write my review under an alias. You can find much better treatment for a better price. They lied and were mainpulative, and power tripped all the time. The average stay is OVER a year not under like they love to say. The facility in Utah is run like a prison. In addition to taking part in the equine therapy and horsemanship programs, he will have access to the fully-equipped music studio. Lawsuit Attorney For Grand Ledge - Michigan Lawsuit Attorneys 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. They report that 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 attacker used threats of violence, coercion, guilt, and the merit system of Discovery Ranch to manipulate (the boy) to avoid reporting increasingly deviant sexual behaviors, including discussions about sex, pornography, masturbation, and sexual violence. According to the complaint, Discovery Ranchs merit system also prevented (him) from reporting the assaults because he believed that his inferior status and past interactions with Discovery Ranch staff and administrators would result in him being punished if he attempted to disclose the assaults. The family claims the sexual assaults went undiscovered and unchecked throughout the months of January and February and were only revealed when he [the assailant] was transferred from Discovery Ranch after being discovered engaging in bestiality with a horse. The family says that Discovery Ranch failed to adequately investigate the assailant for psychosexually deviant and violent tendencies before admitting him to Discovery Ranch and placing him in the dorm. Additional Information: Family Alleges Bestiality at Alternative School, 9/20/2020: (SURVIVOR) Discovery ranch seems to actively try to remove as many negative reviews as they can, many were mine being removed over and over. discovery ranch lawsuit - kestonrocks.com I was there almost ten years ago, and it feels like yesterday because of my PTSD. 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. There is not enough research of the negative effects places like DR have on a young person, people dont like to talk or hear about places like DR, the system is extremely flawed, its a corporation that works very hard to keep you there as long as possible for obvious financial reasons while hiring unqualified staff. Get Confidential Help Today, Call Us Anytime, Internationally-recognized Residential Treatment Center for Teen Boys Ages 13-18 Located in Utah, Top Residential Treatment Center For Teens, Discovery Ranch combines the power of traditional and experiential therapies to create a clinically sophisticated, relationship-based. The main issue I have with this place is that it literally fucked up my education so bad that Im 17 and still in freshman English. The moment I stepped foot on campus, I was treated like some sort of criminal. The staff often used abusive behaviors and were very rude to us. Lawsuit filed March 3rd against the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF). Staff members are chosen at random, as the turnover rate is insanely high. We were victims of abuse. It brought everything back because I lived that experience, except for ten months and it was real. They will dream about it years after, waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares about being back there. These programs are money makers. These experiences will teach your son values like Responsibility, Grit, Honesty, Respect, Courage, Kindness, and Accountability. However, your teen is still troubled and your family is still in crisis. 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.. 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. His step-father (my Dad) told me not to discuss it around him. Michigan man found buried treasure. Lawsuits, harassment then found him Paris Hilton just came out with a documentary on her experience at another abusive program just down the street from DR. DISCOVERY RANCH FOR GIRLS Ripoff Reports, Complaints, Reviews, Scams, Lawsuits and Frauds Reported Your Search: Discovery Ranch for girls. Although the system failed us, my peers and I have created somewhat of a little support group to cope and its helped us tremendously. In comparison, most of the other residents had serious drug problems, were in gangs, were extremely violent, etc. This will provide him with the experience of a lifetime because Utah has a natural landscape that is second to none. I am not the only victim. 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. The ranch has the best of both worlds: a small-town atmosphere with access to world-class skiing, outdoor activities, surrounded by beautiful mountains, and close to two major universities and hospitals. If Im in the car with someone and they make a wrong turn or something I will flip out and start having a panic attack because all I can think about it oh my god where are they taking me theyre locking me up again. This merit system was easy for some kids to abuse, in one circumstance during my stay, a child was repeatedly raped, and was threatened with the merit system to get him to keep quiet. He reportedly began working in the TTI because his brothers have worked at various other treatment centers. Learn about discovery -- the legal procedures used to gather evidence for a lawsuit. 0. Their motto is apparently Strength in the Struggle. 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. Like other behavior-modification programs, Discovery Ranch utilizes a level system based around a merit/demerit structure. This is my real name, as Im no longer afraid to write my review under an alias. Isnt that tax evasion? Formal Discovery: Gathering Evidence for Your Lawsuit | Nolo 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. It wasnt until he left the program that people even found out about this happening!! Allegations of abuse that have been reported by survivors include: forcing a resident to lick cow feces off another residents boots, forcing teenagers to unclog a toilet with their bare hands, adult male staff masturbating while watching underaged residents showering, changing, and using the toilet, teens being fed undercooked food and deprived of food, verbal abuse, include staff shouting and swearing at teenagers, widespread allegations of brainwashing techniques in order to force conformity, use of solitary confinement as punishment, published in 2015 by Catherine Kushan, Discovery Ranch, a treatment center located in Mapleton, Utah, provides an empirical example of how this industry rhetorically manipulates legitimate psychiatric conditions to solicit clients. The. With the help of a REAL rehab and AA, I had achieved 14 months sober. Not a single one of us agree that this program helped us or our relationships with our families. Amy Golden. I posted this exact review several times spacing itself out several months. I stopped feeling emotions and didnt for two years. Its not just the kids too, sometimes there are good staff, but whenever there is that person never lasts long at all, they all literally quit because this place is so horrible. On top of that I was forced to study 7 hours straight on the weekends if I didnt meet academic requirements. 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! I attended Discovery Ranch in Mapleton Utah from November 18th 2015 to May 15th 2015. 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. 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. 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. Although the system failed us, my peers and I have created somewhat of a little support group to cope and its helped us tremendously. ages 13-18. Parents have no clue what they are getting themselves into by sending their children there. Privileges to some might sound like being able to talk to friends, or having free time. 8 9 comments Best Add a Comment dsholliday 7 yr. ago My brother was at the Ranch over a decade ago. , There are plenty of articles that prove why Discovery Ranch is dangerous for the mental development of children. 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. They would arbitrarily lock me in a tiny pitch black closet devoid of food, water, a bathroom, or human contact for days, usually because I made an inappropriate facial expression like crying or raising my eyebrows when they screamed at me that I was worthless and no one could ever love me. This type of environment makes reporting abuse and neglect impossible for teenagers. To them, there is one way that every kid learns, and if you have learning disabilities thats too fucking bad and ask the doctor to raise your meds the next time he comes. Throughout your sons experience at Discovery Ranch he will have the support of caring, educated. Regardless of what they were there for, NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE TREATED AS INHUMANELY AS CHILDREN SUCH AS MYSELF WERE. STOP DISCOVER RANCH they will play you out of so much money its unbelievable. The level-system consists of five levels, which the boys progress through by earning points for good behavior while avoiding demerits for negative behaviors and rule infractions. My personal experience here was horrible. The discovery process was contentious, especially with respect to the Aaron Ranch Lawsuit, and went on for years in state court. if I saw him today i would punch him in the face. Dave Blackwell worked as a Therapist at Discovery Ranch. He previously worked at the confirmedly abusive, organization. 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. She currently works as the Residential Director at, is reported by survivors to have run the facility. He also worked for a time as the Director of NATSAP. Im happy to say that she is leading a normal life and leaving DR was the best thing that happened. Josephine (Yelp), 11/26/2013: (SURVIVOR) I try to think positively about it but honestly this shithole gave me PTSD. Any minor infraction is punished severely. Also a staff there named Matt polson threatened to restrain me several times. If you are like most parents of Discovery Ranch students, you have been looking for help for a long time. We had a close friend that took her life during our time there, we lost a friend to drug addiction that spiraled after leaving DR, and we had another friend who lost her life to cancer, which could have been detected in the earlier stages if DR didnt fail to seek proper medical attention (she was actually punished quite often for complaining about the pain and was either made to do hard manual labor or the staff would put her in isolation for days on end. Abuse at its finest.. we were totally and utterly underfed, one morning we were fed one mini bagel and one cream cheese. It brought everything back because I lived that experience, except for ten months and it was real. And the horrible part? 2023 Discovery Ranch Residential Treatment Center for Teen Boys |. This investigative process is aptly named "discovery," because it often turns up facts and documents that were previously unknown -- to at . Our parents (his Mom and step-father) regret sending him there even all these years later. You have been warned and I still have ptsd and Ive been going to therapy for 2 and a half years and more to come. Their website lists the following conditions the program claims to treat: various mental illnesses including anxiety, depression, mood disorders, ADHD, and oppositional defiance the last of which is no longer listed in the DSM substance abuse and other addictions, eating disorders [] learning disorders and nonverbal learning disability [] social struggles, low self-esteem, adoption/attachment issues, and grief and loss The unadvertised conditions that I witnessed among detainees included being LGBT, Internet addiction, and one girl in particular was sent there for having a black boyfriend. However, in 2013 DR moved their girls program to Cedar City, UT and began makerting theis program as Discovery Ranch For Girls. This type of environment makes reporting abuse and neglect impossible for teenagers. I was 15 years old. 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. Paris Hilton just came out with a documentary on her experience at another abusive program just down the street from DR. The ranch horse manager Jerry put a phone in my face showing horses having sex. 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. They are there only to try and give the staff (who by the way have no training in psychology at all) an easier time. You are a survivor of an abusive environment that is very similar to a prison. (During my stay, a kid in a different house was repeatedly raped by another kid for days until he was caught.) 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. ! Jack (Yelp), 5/28/2020: (SIBLING) A family member of mine attended this school so everything I have heard is 2nd hand. We have experience working with a variety of behavioral and emotional issues. 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. Every part of Discovery Ranch, from the amazing campus to the nationally accredited Academic Program, helps to promote growth and healing. The Clinical, Academic, Residential, and Experiential departments all work together. Terrible place dont send your child here. 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. DISCOVERY RANCH - 20 Photos & 27 Reviews - 1308 S 1600th W, Mapleton, UT - Yelp Restaurants Home Services Auto Services Discovery Ranch 27 reviews Unclaimed Counseling & Mental Health Edit Write a review Add photo Save Photos & videos See all 20 photos Add photo Location & Hours 1308 S 1600th W Mapleton, UT 84664 Get directions Edit business info 02-17-2016. 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. Education was packets and computer testing only poor. Not a single one of us agree that this program helped us or our relationships with our families. Privilege to them is being able to sit on a couch, to be able to speak out loud, to be able to eat a single apple. 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. Teenagers at Discovery Ranch have extremely limited contact with the outside world. Lawsuit claims Utah rehab ranch broke its own rules by admitting an The parents believe discovery ranch and most kids have no hope of anyone listening to them because they think no one believes them and they wont talk and they lie about it. My cousin went to a place 2 years ago called Shortridge Academy and had a much better experience there. We have all suffered enough, its time to heal and create a system that works. Carebear (Yelp), 2015: (SURVIVOR) This place is horrible. Mysterious intruders throw a spanner into the works at Blind Frog Ranch 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. However, the abuse overshadowed it. Once a lawsuit gets underway, parties to the lawsuit or their lawyers start gathering information related to the lawsuit. They do a terrific job at keeping kids quiet. They tear children apart, and they come out broken. Your teen is struggling. Discovery Ranch a Utah corporation doing business as Discovery Ranch, Discovery Connections Attorney/Law Firm Details Plaintiff Attorneys Kathryn J. Steffey Attorney at SMITH HARTVIGSEN PLLC 257 E 200 S Ste 500 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Clayton H. Preece Attorney at SMITH HARTVIGSEN PLLC 257 E 200 S Ste 500 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Court Documents It wasnt until he left the program that people even found out about this happening!! He since has shut down and will not discuss it so no idea if it was accurate or something he said when first home to avoid being sent back. Yes, we have an amazing ranch!! The lawsuit was filed in Eaton County Circuit Court more than four months after Hultberg initially "asked the district to provide mask exemptions that had been approved," in a Sept. 7, 2021, FOIA . Discovery ranchs idea of privileges is being able to sit on something other than hard wood chairs.