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. They would yell at us and use excessive force. Also there were lawsuits against this place. Please do not send your child to this horrific and abusive program. ), 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. Please. 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. Even though I have left the program, if I dont follow their horribly rigorous and reclusive aftercare rules I go back. Chad Ollinger and his brother, Duane, are gold prospectors in the Uintah Mountains of Utah. We were treated like we were in prison, and if we stepped out of line, we had our privileges taken away. Its heart wrenching to see how many families were deeply financially destroyed as well as personal connections being permanently damaged. I stopped feeling emotions and didnt for two years. Stay in touch with the other people you shared your time with during DR, reach out to them when things are tough, talk about your struggles. 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. the licensed substance abuse counselor has obviously never touched a substance in her life. In addition, survivors have reported that on the off-chance that they are able to inform their parents of abuse, their parents are manipulated by DR into believing that their child is lying and being manipulative in an attempt to be pulled from the program. 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. Also if you notice, a large majority of the 5 star ratings are from former staff as opposed to parents/students. William (Google Reviews), 6/1/2020: (SURVIVOR) Through my stay I personally witnessed: Two suicide attempts. Even though I have left the program, if I dont follow their horribly rigorous and reclusive aftercare rules I go back. 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. 2:14-CV-751-TC. Sure, we said all the things our parents wanted to hear once we got out, it was certainly drilled into us every single day, but that faded into a deep anger/depression that raised months, sometimes even years later, & you find yourself in worse condition than you were before entering DR; battling a demon 98% of people will never know. THATS WHEN YOU KNOW THE PLACE IS TERRIBLE. , Beware the evil behind their smiling eyes! One small slip up, and you have all privileges taken away from a day to sometimes even a week. 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. They strip you of everything, even contact with your own parents, and dangle it in front of you as motivation to do/act how they want. I had never done drugs, drank, or even smoked a cigarette at this point in my life. if I saw him today i would punch him in the face. The decision you make for your child will stay with them forever. We earned academic accreditation through Discovery Academy. They dont let parents talk freely to their own child. Find out more about the assessment. They tear children apart, and they come out broken. They emotionally and mentally compromise kids for fun. If you are like most parents of Discovery Ranch students, you have been looking for help for a long time. Duane and his son, Chad Ollinger, are trying to finish a goal set by Duane's own father. I still have insomnia and night terrors of being at that place. While at Discovery Ranch, your son will participate in a variety of outdoor activities. Listen to your child, what do they think they need? Before you would consider sending your son away, you need to know that he is going to a place you can trust. I am not the only victim. Staff refusing to let kid use the bathroom, and making him pee/poop himself. They dont give the children any hope of getting out whatsoever. worked as a Therapist at Discovery Ranch. This will provide him with the. My first treatment center was Redcliffe ascent, and I did really well there. Residential Treatment is an Intensive Healing Experience, Individual, family, and group therapy all take place within a residential treatment setting. 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. Completing the assessment is free. Countless amounts of times seeing staff restrain kids in inhumane ways. the licensed substance abuse counselor has obviously never touched a substance in her life. 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). ), 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. The moment I stepped foot on campus, I was treated like some sort of criminal. They are very abusive and they will lie to you. Our academic program meets your son at his level. First, let me begin by stating that sending your kid anywhere is a traumatic experience they will have for the rest of their life. In May 2018, the family that owns Blind Frog Ranch in Moab, Utah, filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM . As per Discovery, intruders have appeared on the land at Blind Frog Ranch in many forms. STOP DISCOVER RANCH they will play you out of so much money its unbelievable. I attended Discovery Ranch in Mapleton Utah from November 18th 2015 to May 15th 2015. STOP DISCOVER RANCH they will play you out of so much money its unbelievable. I had never done drugs, drank, or even smoked a cigarette at this point in my life. TENA CAMPBELL U.S. District Court Judge. THATS WHEN YOU KNOW THE PLACE IS TERRIBLE. Davinci (Google Reviews), 2018: (SURVIVOR) Beware the evil behind their smiling eyes! Therapeutic experiences challenge your son to learn and grow. This is not just a couple of resentful people. if I saw him today i would punch him in the face. I have constant dreams where bugs are crawling all over my skin and I wake up screaming from anxiety. The school uses research to help create an individualized treatment plan for each teen. If you are in an urgent situation and need help call 911. The parties fought over depositions and the production of documents, among other things, in various states where witnesses were located. However, our neighbor whose son went there the following year had all good experiences. He reportedly began working in the TTI because his brothers have worked at various other treatment centers. Id go on to say I have PTSD. discovery ranch lawsuit. 8 9 comments Best Add a Comment dsholliday 7 yr. ago It is run like a prison. When she was given her home visit, her mom took her to the doctor and was diagnosed, although we have tried to find the outcome of the lawsuit, none of us have been able to track her family down to share our sympathy). Lawsuits, harassment then found him. 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. 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. My cousin went to a place 2 years ago called Shortridge Academy and had a much better experience there. A friend of mine stabbing his arm 15+ times with a pencil. Proof is attached as an image. These programs are money makers. ages 13-18. They will do everything to keep themselves looking like the best option at all costs just for money. If you have a child with attention deficit disorder do not send your son here BECAUSE it is like water boarding to have a kid sit in a room for 7 hours straight and have them study all day even though they are trying. 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. Their motto is apparently Strength in the Struggle. Your son will have the opportunity to build the strength and resilience he needs to thrive at home. Privileges to some might sound like being able to talk to friends, or having free time. 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. 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. BE CAREFUL OF THEM. , This place is sickening. 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. I suggest seeking different options for your child. They will dream about it years after, waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares about being back there. Research shows this is the best approach to help your son and family heal mentally, physically, and emotionally. 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. The amounts of times I screamed out loud in physical/mental exhaustion from being undermined and unheard is uncountable. The amounts of times I screamed out loud in physical/mental exhaustion from being undermined and unheard is uncountable. You are a survivor of an abusive environment that is very similar to a prison. 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. Discovery Ranch only wants to know and talk about their truth which is nothing close to reality. 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. A kid was put in isolation for about 4 weeks before being moved to a different treatment center. They only allow astonishing ones to pass. Although you move on and mature, its a wound that never fully heals and cuts deep. Blind Frog Ranch 2022 lawsuit update In season 2, we see someone come onto the ranch and serve the gang some sort of paper. June 7, 2022 . The tuition is reported to be anywhere between $6,500 to $12,000 per month. But I fucking wasnt. The decision you make for your child will stay with them forever. I will never forgive Discovery Ranch for the damage they did to me, and the damage they continue to do to future generations. able to inform their parents of abuse, their parents are manipulated by DR into believing that their child is lying and being manipulative in an attempt to be pulled from the program. You can find much better treatment for a better price. I felt meaningless, worthless, like a pawn used to control my dads emotions, fishing out hundreds of thousands of dollars from him. 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. The moment I stepped foot on campus, I was treated like some sort of criminal. You are a survivor of an abusive environment that is very similar to a prison. Let us help. We have created this bond because unless you went through a detention center such as DR, you will not understand. Amy Golden. At one point during my stay, I saw my friend stab his arm repeatedly with a pencil, spraying blood all over me and the windowsill we were sitting on. They tear children apart, and they come out broken. 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. There are over 600 people in 2 different groups put together, and we are all in contact with many kids that just left. , family visits, and Parent Day Seminars. 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., In February of 2015, a former resident at DR and his family filed a lawsuit against the school reporting that the boy was violently and repeatedly sexually assaulted by another resident at the program. We provide a safe, home-like environment for your son. They are left up to their own with limited to no help from the teachers. If this describes your family, let us help. 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. 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. Basically non-existent education. The website is misleading. 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. I am not the only victim. They later sued the show, saying . Its funny, almost all of the kids that left as a level 5 or 4 ARE DOING DRUGS AND ARE DOING WORSE AT HOME, goes to show how little the program works. In comparison, most of the other residents had serious drug problems, were in gangs, were extremely violent, etc. 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. These issues include: At Discovery Ranch for Boys, all the professional departments work together. Listen to your child, what do they think they need? We would act like we loved the treatment center, and that there wasnt any abuse going on. We do all this so that you can know your son is safe with us. The program is located at 1308 South 1600 West, Mapleton, Utah 84664. Listen to your child, what do they think they need? Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch is a show on the Discovery Network about a rancher and his son who operate a 160-acre ranch in Utah. Although the system failed us, my peers and I have created somewhat of a little support group to cope and its helped us tremendously. A court has maintained a number of claims the Granby Ranch Metropolitan District has made in a lawsuit against the owners of Granby Ranch. Our parents (his Mom and step-father) regret sending him there even all these years later. This is my real name, as Im no longer afraid to write my review under an alias. san andreas fault, palm springs. 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. 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. 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. , DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO DISCOVERY RANCH IF YOU CARE ABOUT THEM! We will not share your information. NAAS is an organization that has accredited many notoriously abusive behavior-modification programs, including many WWASP programs. With the help of a REAL rehab and AA, I had achieved 14 months sober. The decision you make for your child will stay with them forever. In addition, your son will experience many opportunities to explore Utah. Abuse at its finest.. we were totally and utterly underfed, one morning we were fed one mini bagel and one cream cheese. The kids come out shell shocked, traumatized and fearful. , As a father I was treated poorly. I still have insomnia and night terrors of being at that place. Are they just being a teenager? They often cause way more harm than good. 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. 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. Research shows this is the best approach to help your son and family heal mentally, physically, and emotionally. 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. This place did not save my life it scared me to have problems. H.A. In other words, do not trust them. I didnt ask to see that.. My brother was at the Ranch over a decade ago. John (Yelp), 10/28/2019: (SURVIVOR) There are plenty of articles that prove why Discovery Ranch is dangerous for the mental development of children. Also they lie to the kids about the effects of marijuana, such as the claim that you can withdrawal from it, but I know that isnt true. At Discovery Ranch we understand that when your teen is in trouble, your whole family is in trouble. I still hear screams from my friends being restrained in the back of my mind. Allegations of abuse that have been reported by survivors include malnutrition/food deprivation, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and solitary confinement used as punishment. The. discovery ranch lawsuit. Discovery is the legal term used to describe the different processes that require parties in a lawsuit to exchange information that each side possesses. Your Call is Confidential. 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. Im happy to say that she is leading a normal life and leaving DR was the best thing that happened. , I try to think positively about it but honestly this shithole gave me PTSD. We focus on healing the entire family. "Defendant White took the minor child on a hunting trip where he gave him alcohol . We were victims of abuse. 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. They tear children apart, and they come out broken. 10 Discovery Ranch for Girls reviews. 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. They are there only to try and give the staff (who by the way have no training in psychology at all) an easier time. It got heated on the ranch and Duane kept referring to this person as a "freeloader." The ranch hasn't been short of intruders, in many forms including surveillance cameras and spy drones. In addition, your son will experience many opportunities to explore Utah. The reviews on their website are COMPLETELY weeded before theyre posted. ! Jack (Yelp), 5/28/2020: (SIBLING) A family member of mine attended this school so everything I have heard is 2nd hand. I ended up running away from this program and deciding on a much better program that actually wanted to help people. Its funny, almost all of the kids that left as a level 5 or 4 ARE DOING DRUGS AND ARE DOING WORSE AT HOME, goes to show how little the program works. Also they lie to the kids about the effects of marijuana, such as the claim that you can withdrawal from it, but I know that isnt true. This is not just a couple of resentful people. 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. Contact one of our well-trained representatives now. Our parents (his Mom and step-father) regret sending him there even all these years later. The entire facility is designed to create a rich therapeutic and healing environment. He also worked for a time as the Director of, Teenagers at Discovery Ranch have extremely limited contact with the outside world. Before you would consider sending your son away, you need to know that he is going to a place you can trust. (Blood sprayed on me). This will provide him with the experience of a lifetime because Utah has a natural landscape that is second to none. 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. I thought I was actually crazy, but it was all real. It does not represent any obligation. They dont want to discuss whats actually wrong. The civil lawsuit seeks a minimum of $350,000. Staff unresponsive, administration unresponsive and kept to company line to detriment of my son. As I walked away in shock he was tackled by staff.This was after I had already seen two separate suicide attempts. They have the same goals in mind. It sickens me that even after the kid is out of this place they threaten to send them back to this horrible place. He also is the Executive Director of, . These programs are money makers. 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 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. When you try to induct real truths into the once a week, 1/2 hour, monitored phone call, the therapist redirects you to la la land. Its heart wrenching to see how many families were deeply financially destroyed as well as personal connections being permanently damaged. Overpriced, over rateddo not send your child there if you care about them. He previously worked at the confirmedly abusive, organization. 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. (and have it be removed weeks later). My parents spent over $200,000 here before they realized I was not getting the help I needed. Please save your child from this place. Jason (Google Reviews), 6/10/2016: (SURVIVOR) Terrible place dont send your child here. Parents have no clue what they are getting themselves into by sending their children there. Although the system failed us, my peers and I have created somewhat of a little support group to cope and its helped us tremendously. We were treated like we were in prison, and if we stepped out of line, we had our privileges taken away. He previously worked at, worked as the Residential Director of Discovery Ranch. He previously worked at the confirmedly abusive Provo Canyon School, which is widely regarded as the birthplace of the WWASP organization. You can be assured that your son will not confront these challenges alone. They would restrain kids to the point the kids arm was almost broken. The reviews on their website are COMPLETELY weeded before theyre posted. We were victims of abuse. Sure, we said all the things our parents wanted to hear once we got out, it was certainly drilled into us every single day, but that faded into a deep anger/depression that raised months, sometimes even years later, & you find yourself in worse condition than you were before entering DR; battling a demon 98% of people will never know. linus pauling vitamin c, lysine protocol. Im in therapy, on medication, have been to three AA meetings in the past three days, and just feel like I am out of options and suicide or getting constantly fucked up is my only option at this point. 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. We have experience working with a variety of behavioral and emotional issues.

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