Here's What Survivors of a 'Troubled Teen' Program Say Went On Inside

[@VICENews]

Watch Next: For millions of wheelchair users, flying on an airplane means undergoing a series of indignities, and sometimes even dealing with a broken chair upon arrival. VICE News rides along with one traveler to see the nightmare firsthand. - kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4PRpZp7nrl7f7s

[@girlyaccount7771]

I really wish they didn’t have to go through this :(

[@patriciaariley5810]

Mom, was shocked by what I did I was angry with my family and she got served with restraining order.

[@thomaskonradyjr1142]

Hello Vice~Dude, I've been watching your channel...from a safe distance and I do not try this at home...🤣 like the Disclaimer says. But the school in Jamaica? I had 3 wisdom teeth come in, and in short, I came out of sedation and on a cornmeal/oatmeal diet, due to the damage a scalpel caused to my throat. It was as if I was choking on fishing line for about a month...no, you couldn't call home. But I did after that. My family mother held an index finger I hanger upper....one wrong word. Nite nite (EDIT) id question the Davis sisters...J&J you know who you are...you can trust anything a male employee of these schools says. Period. But the female employees I've seen speak are on point.

[@thomaskonradyjr1142]

*can't TRUST. Edited second time. ***Can't trust male employees*** YT only lets you edit once

[@Heavy_Distortion]

Many "troubled teens" are not troubled. Some parents fail to accept responsibilty and connect with their child. They fail to provide a nurturing path forward. Any teenage rebellion is blown out of proportion.

[@frenchvanilla7109]

I'm a psychiatrist and majority of the time the parents are the problem in these teens lives. It's sad how people bring children into the world and they don't want to nurture. It's detrimental to the child's growth.

[@mr.nozzles9121]

People only have kids for selfish reasons.

[@BeGioBijoux]

That is soooo true! I was ADHD, my father never got me neurological medication I desperately needed instead punched me and beat me and kicked me on a daily

[@MsRizz100]

Yeah

[@Marika50]

Proper therapy can do so much good. However, most parents don't have time or patience to work with their kids. Parents are busy working and living their lives, but when a kid is being a kid and acts out, instead of looking at whats going on and how they can reconnect with the kid they just dump them off for others to deal with a problem.

[@Flocherryblossom]

one of the worst parts is that they train the parents to ignore what the child is saying. They intentionally harm the parent-child relationship and trick the parents just for the purpose of money.

[@markoni2536]

yes but a lot of childrends are lost i was good and i wasnt for this thanx god that i have good parents and i found good rexab centar in vrsac near romania and i was from serbia.but now im on methadone

[@lovesallanimals9948]

The parents are mindless robots and most shouldn't have kids

[@pdp2160]

@@lovesallanimals9948 good answer

[@juliannnha]

@Jo man the amount of logic you lack is mind blowing 😅

[@vice88]

@Jo ????????

[@marckye1]

I blame on "Dr." Phil. He's the one who keeps on encouraging families to send teens on this kind of camps.

[@spa-peggymeatballs4861]

And ultimately, one of the effects of him sending kids to these camps is normalizing them in our heads. And unfortunately I think we’ve been trained(?)/taught to trust authority figures, so when we see someone with the title Dr., we may not ask as many questions as we should.

[@marie_84]

Bc Dr Phil has an agreement with this 'institutions': He gets half of this insurance money!!! He made millions with this!!!!

[@robertcrusher1972]

If you want to learn about why Dr. Phil became a public figure that is actually really a lying grifter, listen to the podcast Behind The Bastards. He has a 2 part episode dedicated to him. The comedy is satire but they cover some serious ground.

[@Somebrero]

Yeah that’s true, he had deals with that turnabout ranch that he must’ve made millions with

[@marie_84]

@@Somebrero His net worth is $ 460 million. 😳😒😤🤬

[@mariakesk2641]

How is this not illegal and classified as child abuse?

[@uninterested6741]

because they make too much money, money talks

[@caoimhinbyrne]

when sending your child to these camps you basically sign your rights to them away to the people in charge of it. the camp owns them so it's "technically not kidnapping"

[@Babe-vi6cv]

in most states it is. it's why utah specifically has so many of these places, they have really lax child protection laws. some of them also operate in different countries, to add an extra layer of culture shock and as an added security against escape, including after the person turns 18.

[@DesGardius-me7gf]

@@caoimhinbyrne Sucks, but it’s the truth.

[@phoenixrising4573]

Because "christians" and "love"

[@volgg]

Treating a young kid with mental health issues: "Let's throw more traumatic experiences at them! that'll fix em! "

[@volgg]

and it's disgusting to see some comments defending the system that abuses young adults and kids just to "straighten them out". Have some humanity and empathy

[@mikebanks3168]

Straight up! Like yea lets give em a lil PTSD while we are at it. No joke some of these kids probably have PTSD because of these programs

[@trippsmclovin]

Silence for 21 1/2 hours a day or else you write a 1500 word essay. Its called a 308: BLATANT RULE VIOLATION.

[@martinakula8421]

That never works.

[@newmessiah6599]

@@mikebanks3168 That's exactly what happens. Speaking from similar personal experiences. Nothing like a happy helping of abuse and ptsd, to instill a lifelong hatred of authority and society in general.

[@pnut8377]

Utah won’t shut them down because they create jobs!? WTF kind of excuse is that.

[@goathead5073]

Utah is infamous for supporting massive cults on a government scale. Entire towns are completely run by cults. Police, hospitals, social workers, etc. It's exactly like Far Cry 5.

[@sourgreendolly7685]

Same excuse they use for the energy production that is killing the planet. Profits over people. Sickening.

[@SuperSlimshady1]

@@sourgreendolly7685 the world Is horrible hopefully the corona will wipe all these bad people out

[@aggressivelyamicable5987]

This is actually a very common situation. It's just choosing the benefit for the majority over the minority, usually at the cost of marginalized parties.

[@girlofanimation]

@@SuperSlimshady1, unfortunately, the worst ppl always survive & the most vulnerable suffer.

[@Armistead_MacSkye]

My mother, who has never liked me, tried to send me to one of those places. My Father told her "over my dead body will you send my kid away." RIP, daddy, I miss you.

[@killacram7150]

Sounds like a great man and father!!!

[@Armistead_MacSkye]

@@killacram7150 One of a kind. Thanks for replying.

[@Ok-qj6fg]

May he rest peacefully 🙏

[@benlee7947]

So did you end up going? Sorry but I had to ask

[@lalaland5332]

😢 SIP TO YOUR Dad!! The real MVP

[@schan9547]

The whole "r*pe" relive thing is utterly sick. How can such disturbed adults produce anything but damaged and broken babies. There are a lot of unpunished pedophilic; child abusing; sick adults amongst us.

[@catherinehume9193]

It is a very normal occurrence in the French legal system. If this really did happen, then why have no court cases ever been won? With all the witnesses and staff witnesses etc? Why did the young folk all go along with it? They could have refused and suffered the consequences but at least they would not have gone along with it and allowed it to happen. So all the witnesses are complicit.

[@schan9547]

@@catherinehume9193 Are you somehow blaming the victims?

[@raylielume]

@@catherinehume9193 I'm guessing that if they had tried to help, they would have been subjected to a similarly harsh punishment. Besides, the program was manipulative and probably conditioned them to think that the abuse was normal. The student witnesses are victims too.

[@rustym.shackelford5546]

@@schan9547 Yes he is.

[@ISa-jy8ol]

Many of them in global leadership roles/in positions of power.

[@rockerfaerie2]

I can’t stand these parents (mine included) who act like their kid was fine until one day, then they became awful. What lead up to your son sleeping on others’ couches? Kids in safe homes don’t do that. I know from first hand experience. A lot of parents need some internal reflection and therapy.

[@kevinchavez6226]

The least parents do is take the blame ... is just the kid or other situations

[@MrTypicalPlayer]

You ever think your parents may have their own mental problems? The issue goes both ways. Not saying this whole program isn’t fucked..

[@thewildcardperson]

Kids suffer because parents are pathetic they should be executed and the kids put in foster care

[@courier7]

sometimes they're right though, things like brain tumors, head trauma, and other accidents could cause changes in behavior not caused by nurture.

[@nyleen]

Parent education is non-existant around the world. My mother was the same. Always blamed me for her life choices and mistakes. I managed to escape at 16. Despite heavy debt I feel much safer.

[@freddiewhite9656]

Having a complete stranger (MALE!) “supervise” a 13 year old girls shower absolutely disgusts me.

[@TIOLIOfficial]

A grown adult supervising any 13 year-old's shower is disturbing. It has nothing to do with what you have between your legs.

[@ob1934]

@@TIOLIOfficial that's true that it's weird reguardless but it's definitely a lot more weird for a man to supervise a 13 year old female

[@TheICEgirl6100]

Obviously but in this context it was a girl hence why they said girl

[@reizayin]

@@TIOLIOfficial Gender DOES matter in this situation. It'd still be weird if a woman was supervising it, but much less so

[@nomad7196]

@@reizayin why? Would it also be less bad if a woman raped a kid. Is that what you’re saying? Women just get away with it more often

[@sabinajoh]

If a school says ”tough love” that’s a biiiiiig red flag

[@slevinchannel7589]

4:10. WOW.

[@rodojama7991]

Lol

[@Nightriser271828]

"Tough love" is a euphemism.

[@NOOBCRASTINATOR69]

Well...I'm an asian child...soo.

[@szilvaa22]

❤

[@Jequetepeq]

Not all parents deserve children But all children deserve parents

[@Adorable2854]

Not all parents deserve children Not all children deserve parents

[@ezeeproproperties8352]

You cannot taste the fruit of that which you don't deserve (have gathered the necessary ingredients for)

[@magda_lena_0_0]

So the kid had depression, suicidal thoughts, abused drugs, harmed himself and they sent him to a facility for "troubled teens" ? Is this how you treat mental issues? With being tough and imposing strict rules? Interesting...

[@rosej2895]

Always threatened me to send me to one. But I literally just had PTSD and didn't know how to handle it because I was so severely depressed

[@alkaliaurange]

If you saw the extra, the mother talks about her choice-- he was basically never home and they offered him therapy but he refused. Out of fear of his life, his mother sent him to that facility. Considering her options, I understand why she did it.

[@kuywasaamazikeen8048]

It is for alot of parents, especially religious ones. My "parents" don't believe in mental illness.

[@loturzelrestaurant]

@@rosej2895 Hate-Preacher KENT HOVIND would probably agree with such Camps and Places though. He has all the wrong Opinions you can ever imagine. God, his Channel is literally Report-worthy, tbh, and i dont say this Lightly. If you wanna go there and flag him for Hate-Speech or Evolution-Denial or any-whatever-thing, then feel free to.

[@AlienPain]

What was their choice? He refused councilling. He is still a whiner. Lives with Mom and she looked terrified talking in front of him. He stared hard at her as if he would attack if she spoke a wrong word. Sometimes people really are what they seem. Entitled brats that can't act reasonably as Adults. An excuse a day is invented for any actions anyone takes, except accountability for their own actions. Js

[@vxskud]

Adults in actual jails have more rights and protections than these poor kids.

[@WellBehavedForeigner]

These kids get insulin

[@BLu3RayDiskRang3]

Which proves how much adults look down on children.

[@tmillz120]

It’s very true

[@lisamariealaniz7538]

I know and It's fucked up laws need to change and start protecting these kids not the evil perpetrators perverts monsters that abuse prey on wemen and children.

[@theodorerobert6774]

Having been through both, jail is so much more free as insane as that sounds.

[@darcybhaiwala7057]

My cousin was a "troubled teen" and basically the biggest thing that really caused a shift in his life was an English teacher who asked him if he wanted to eat lunch with her and talk one day. (It's always the English teacher.) Love an compassion reaches far deeper than fear

[@Emma.S.]

Always the English teachers... so true! They only teachers that I really appreciated were the English ones, and I’ve moved around a lot! Something about them...

[@ethanstang9941]

How is your cousin doing if you don't mind me asking?

[@tybo8873]

For me it was my science Teacher. She saved me from insanity

[@joulupukki1607]

Your cousin was not troubled teen if it was fixed during lunch.. troubled teen is someone with no parents doing heroine being homeless

[@amandaallen5038]

Always the english teachers! Mine gave me a journal and said, if you can't talk to anyone else, talk in this book. Get it out of your head.

[@tonyamell23]

The fact that she had a male staff member watching her is disgusting, parents need to learn how to treat their kids and stop shipping them off to places with random people

[@formoftherapy]

They had WHAT reenactments?! How do these places actually exist? Good fucking grief.

[@Horologica]

And I thought the supervised showers were bad enough

[@rachels3823]

They exist because they're good at hiding what they are and there is very little regulation surrounding them. When you're making bank off of torturing kids, you do everything that you can to hide that torture.

[@juliasouza2210]

@@rachels3823 and the government and society in the towns they’re located in are biased towards these beliefs, so they basically turn a blind eye

[@rachels3823]

@@juliasouza2210 People are willing to ignore a lot when it means money. These places tend to operate in rural areas with little options for jobs and the local governments are more than happy to welcome them. It also doesn't help that so many people in the US have this idea that in order to be sent away, you had to have committed a crime. You might have to be convicted of one to go to prison as an adult but no such standard exists for children and it's really fucked up.

[@rachels3823]

@Robbie Sarris It's easy to just start over when you're making a massive amount of money off of imprisoning and torturing children.

[@worrell30]

On todays episode of: Parent's still cannot accept that they are the source of much of their kids trauma and developmental issues

[@greylove2064]

Exactly.

[@slevinchannel7589]

@@greylove2064 Fascinating how these Programs remind me of Religion as a Whole, thanks to people leaving Christianity or the Muslims have literal PTSD and see themselves as 'Survivors'. Those 2 Religions literally Teach that you cant survive outside of them, which causes an Extra-Layer above their questionable Mental-Health-Treatment; I'm not kidding when i said PTSD... Taking the Risk of going off-topic, but i suggest any Reader of this comment to look at this Link here: kzbin.info/door/ebiWixaYYDEpQF4wIs1M_wabout I wanna be brutally honest for a moment: Such people are reportworthy. The flag-system is meant for them. Even ignoring that one username literally has the R-Word in it... but theyre just problematic. I found him in the first place because they simply wander around and harass people all around the Internet. Please look at one's username and then... report them please, so future Harassment is prevented. Please do some Prevention here.

[@sunflower8227]

accept*

[@greylove2064]

@@slevinchannel7589 Thank you for this comment it opened my eyes or should I say eye👁

[@slevinchannel7589]

@@greylove2064 Oh, really? Thats sure nice and warm to hear.

[@realgoodmind]

My best friend growing up was sent to one of these in Western Samoa and it made him into a maniac. He wasn't troubled at all. His parents never loved him or gave him love the way he deserved. He was taught fear by his dad and his parents worried more about themselves than they did him. He left on his 18th birthday because they couldn't keep him anymore. He came back and was dead within 2 years. Someone literally shot him in their own front yard. Claimed self defense. The preacher at his funeral had the nerve to apologize for him on behalf of his parents at his funeral after he was killed by someone else. No investigation nothing. I left after his whole existence on earth was apologized for in front of a whole church. Bunch of Mfers. He was worth more than any of them.

[@leeannatweed8811]

I am so sorry for your loss. That’s horrible.

[@LR-jl3sv]

So sorry to hear this 💔

[@ceaseless246]

christopher sutton spent years at the camp in samoa, he actually turned 18 but the administrators talked his father into letting them keep him another year and he had no recourse to get his passport or any other documents. he was convicted for hiring someone to kill his parents a few years after he got out, and i honeslty can’t blame him at all. his dad was an ambulance chasing scumbag who refused to admit that his child was essentially tortured by these people.

[@realgoodmind]

@@ceaseless246 Sorry about your friend Jack. The torture all the kids there endured is something no one, much less a child under 18, should have to experience. I have seen lots of videos from adults that made it through these programs and they all have the same torturous stories. The monsters that start these "schools' should be put in state jail in gen pop because that's basically what they created for all the kids lives they destroyed.

[@Natasha___.]

Poor kid, its sad to imagine what the outcome would be if his situation at home was better. I alway wonder how many of the lost souls like the dude in question were destined to be someone special, or important. Yet people who really shouldn't have kids keep pushing them out and the cycle continues. My grandmother was a promiscuous, drug addict, alcoholic, criminal who had 4 sons. One was sent to live with an aunt, he's doing amazing til this very day. The other 3 were in and out of boys homes, reform schools (borstal) young offenders units and prison. First my dad got murdered due to some street stuff, only 25 years old. One uncle was shot in the head and survived but was heavily disabled afterwards. The other uncle died of a heroin and valium overdose alone. This was caused by problems that started generations ago, way before my grandmother and this has affected me which in turn affects my child. These things haunt families for decades, the traumas will still be felt way down the line. Its like some of us are cursed by someone else's actions

[@lilithpowers9686]

I am a survivor of a troubled teen program. I was the first girl at a place called teen challenge in Lakeland Florida. I was 14 and pregnant and sent away almost 2 years and forced to adopt out my baby. I cannot put into words how badly that place messed me up and how much trauma it caused me. I was taken from everything and everyone I loved and had zero contact with the father of my child or anyone else that wasn't in my immediate family. We were forced to do manual labor and we were paraded around like show ponies and forced to share our "testimonies" at church so we could raise money for the program. We were abused, neglected, denied medical care, denied medications, etc. I remover being 8 or 9 months pregnant and I had a double ear infection that was so bad my eardrums bursted and fluid spilled from my ears down my neck...I was in so much pain before they finally got me help. I have so many stories I could share, but I'm just glad I made it out alive...Many, many kids weren't so lucky.

[@EEsYouTubeChanel]

That’s the part we really need to talk about- the number of people who died. Facebook killed me (someone there decided they could if people report you as dead) and one of my first thoughts was “I better tell people I’m alive so they aren’t upset at me being another statistic even if they never even cared about me.”

[@catvergueiro8905]

I am so sorry to hear your story :(

[@audrey99yearsago7]

thats so terrible i am so sorry you had to go through that

[@comosellama5287]

💛🧡 I'm sorry that happened to you. I hope you're doing better these days.

[@sganet_]

Ah, Teen Challenge. I’m sorry to hear that. I survived CEDU, sorry for what you went through.

[@lars7935]

If any of this happened to adult prisoners of war you'd call it torture, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

[@rachels3823]

Not even POWs. Just regular prisoners. They still have rights and avenues for complaint if those rights are violated, at least in the western world. Children do not. They're viewed as property, with the "owners" being whoever happens to have custody.

[@lars7935]

@@rachels3823 Well let's be real. Conditions in US prisons would count as human rights violations in many countries. But this is several steps above even that.

[@rachels3823]

@@lars7935 Oh, I agree that they would but as bad as they can be, at least they're regulated and there are rules in place regarding the treatment of prisoners. Violations occur, of course, but the protections are there... These facilities? You're very lucky if basic level safety measures are in place. Montana, for example, has a loophole that allows these places to get away with not even doing a background check on the people that they hire.

[@lars7935]

@@rachels3823 Ok that's super fucked up even for US standards.

[@rachels3823]

​@@lars7935 Yeah, it's really disgusting. I've had to jump through more hoops to adopt a pet than many of these people have to jump through to get a job working with vulnerable children. I required personal references to adopt a cat recently AND they called the vet that I use for my other pets to make sure that I kept up with their medical care... But a background check for these people? Pfft, who needs that?

[@Cam-pb2ns]

I was at Cross Creek... I was there with the girl in this episode with the brown hair, Sarah. It was utterly awful. I was 14-16 when there. Now I’m 35. I have nightmares all the time. You never get over it. Watching this, as soon as they showed the school I burst into tears. I can’t even begin to explain the lasting effects. I’ll live with it till the day I die.

[@brebeauty4967]

This is so sad 😭

[@Cam-pb2ns]

@@brebeauty4967 I just hope that more and more people, and more importantly parents, become aware of this industry and what really goes ont here. Maybe we can make government shut them down but we can put them out of business but ensuring parents of the reality of these “schools”

[@zacharykonopa2718]

I'm extraordinarily sorry to hear you had to endure this horrendous abuse. I know that because the trauma impacts you severely on a daily basis it can feel difficult to overcome, but as somebody who has PTSD from childhood trauma, I want you to know it does get better. Personally, I wouldn't be as mentally secure as I am now if it weren't for successive MDMA therapy sessions that help me access and overcome my trauma. I'm not suggesting you should just take mdma and will fix your problems because obviously you need to test it, take the right amount, do it in a safe environment with a trained professional or a close friend you feel safe with but it can really help. But even without that option, I want you to know that you're brave for making it this far and even though our trauma may never fully leave, it can be DRAMATICALLY reduced and I hope you're able to experience that reduction yourself. Nobody deserves to go through this bullshit that's imposed upon us and although I can't imagine what you've been through, I hope somebody you're able to find peace despite it. Much love man

[@Cam-pb2ns]

@@zacharykonopa2718 funny you mention that Bc I actually have taken mdma but it wasn’t intended as therapy rather socially and in music settings but what I didn’t know and what ended up happening is a huge awareness of myself and what I’ve been through and also the courage to talk about it with my friends. I wouldn’t say it was the solution but it did 100% help along my journey. It’s easier now... to talk about, think about, remember. But every so often there are triggers which is likely normal but I’ve learned a huge part of overcoming them is just the ability to share them. Even reading your story. Knowing that we have that in common. We all as humans are so much more alike than we sometimes think. I too hope for nothing but good days ahead for you and in the hard times just know you’re not alone.

[@zacharykonopa2718]

@@Cam-pb2ns Haha wow, I’m glad you were able to have that experience it even if it wasn’t for therapeutic intentions. If you’re not averse to taking the substance then I suggest taking it again with the intention of dealing with some more of your mental baggage. The first time I took it, I didn’t get that much done in terms of overcoming my trauma but it just showed me that I could feel happy instead of emotionally numb. Even just knowing I was capable of feeling emotions really helped me deal with the depression I had at that time. The more times I take it the less my trauma impacts me, it’s a gradual process and like you say, I’m sure my trauma won’t fully leave but I would’ve never imagined I could be where I am currently at mentally before taking it. Thank you for the well wishes, and regardless of the methods you use to overcome your trauma I hope you’re able to get the help you deserve. I’m glad sharing my experience was able to help you a little bit, you’re incredibly strong for having gotten through that terrible place, and I’m confident that strength will eventually carry you past the ramifications of having experienced it

[@daisypasos2348]

I just can’t imagine being a sexual abuse survivor and yet have to relive the abuse while others yell stuff at you. Being an abuse survivor hurts so much and it fucks you up in ways we can’t even understand now I can’t imagine adding that trauma to the abuse... I hope all the victims get justice and may they heal from this horrible experiences.

[@haydenfaulk4739]

I went to (CAPU) outpatient with a boy who was raped, he broke down over and over emotionally and physically. He alongside the rest of us were forced to talk about things in a "trust circle" of complete strangers.

[@elpapisaint]

That’s how they get you. To make you what they want. They break you and program you to be a silent obedient person. Obedient maybe but 100000% broken

[@wizzotizzo]

@@elpapisaint Those places were horrible.

[@jeffshackleford3152]

The more disturbing thing is that the staff went along with it. There have been numerous instances in my employee days when my boss told me to do something, I said ok, then proceeded to not do it. I have never really understood people that just blindly do things their boss tells them.

[@Finn-wl7vl]

They fully break half broken people to build someone new.

[@kylajohnson9848]

One thing that should be brought up more is how difficult it is to receive effective therapy after experiencing abuse in these programs. My abusers were “therapists”, psychologists, and psychiatrists and they gave me life-altering CPTSD. One of the most devastating effects PTSD from of systemic abuse in mental healthcare settings is that it’s almost impossible to treat, as I can’t trust anyone and being in a therapeutic environment brings the memories flooding back. It’s like giving someone an illness and making sure the treatment can never work. Evil

[@zoerosicki]

I understand this. My therapist did covert conversion therapy on me, as well as attack therapy and other forms of abuse. I literally have never been able to trust another therapist again.

[@jody5661]

I understand that very much. I was in copper hills youth center. I don't know how to get help. I want to talk to someone.

[@nicholasbogosian5420]

I hear you.

[@LilyBecca]

At the very end of the Netflix Documentary, The Program, there is a number you can call if you need someone to talk to. ❤ You are not alone.

[@Moonlight_Tide]

Took me forever to seek help as a result.

[@spiralpython1989]

I am in my 50s. I was a “troubled teen”, and my parents sent me to similar programs in Australia. I could never understand what I was doing so wrong, and I tried so hard to be what I thought my parents wanted. I still hurt because of my parents’ atrocious parenting. I cut them out of my life. As an adult I was diagnosed as autistic; my ‘behaviours’ were actually pretty typically autistic. I am a parent of three teenagers, who are all very like me. I love them for that. These facilities exist across the world, and they are perpetuating child abuse.

[@rachels3823]

As someone that was in these places in the US, I hope that you're doing better now. I know so many people that came out broken and defeated.

[@misterbig9025]

Whereabout in oz?

[@フライドチキン-g4m]

In Indonesia we call it "Pesantren"

[@ANamaky-o6s]

@Ruby Gee They unfortunately can be masked as any type of “health center”. The so-called-myths about psychiatric wards and medical facilities about bad treatment and scary ass practices, are very much real. They always have been, they are brushed under the table when discovered, because funding is top priority for these places. Money the funnels into medical facilities in your local areas should be looked into first. Ask where the money is spent, and the ratio of that on medical supplies used on patients actively, in an annual period. I can guarantee any places numbers don’t match up, not even on the number of people supposed to be there as a patient. When I complete my degree I promise to dedicate work into this. I hope you all stay safe and keep your future kids safe too. There will be a new name for it, by the time our teenagers give us problems. Remember that forever. Same with nursing homes too. Different name, same funding, same game plan. Stay vigilant parents & kids.

[@whyhihigh]

@@Mkvs68 can you tell how you’ve been treated? (only if you’re comfortable, if not, please don’t!)

[@peanutmansemporiumofrandom7472]

So it took a Paris Hilton for the state to listen while unknown victims are irrelevant. Good to know

[@Loui3626]

Ppl w/ power and money only listen to other ppl with power and money.

[@jd7634]

Welcome to America.

[@joeandjoe2]

This is the way.

[@moderatemexicanamericanpat4904]

@@jd7634 yea like Mexico is better lol

[@moderatemexicanamericanpat4904]

Theyr all in on it that’s why ,

[@amandawages4773]

Only abusers demand you remain silent. If what’s being done is so “helpful”, why keep it a secret?

[@cherismith6366]

Exactly. I say this everyday to myself.

[@forgotten6946]

@@cherismith6366 As they stated this industry is still a thing and unfortunately it doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon I mean I’m 14 years old and when I snooped through my dads phone finding out he is looking into Shepard’s hill academy or even worse reform schools in Utah it scared me and still does the fact I might be in a similar situation and there is nothing I can do about it is heartbreaking I encourage everyone to help completely outlaw the industry how many more sexual assaults malnourished children and even homicide in these place do you people need to say enough is enough!

[@void-mu6ns]

@@forgotten6946 wait try to show him the real reviews or videos with proof i really hope it helps, and that must be scary seeing that

[@Primatenate88]

The fact that this is being done by ADULTS with fucking LICENSING in a state that already has a trophy or two in abusive family-based organizations, all while making a PROFIT is incomprehensibly abhorrent. Hello, Utah state reps? Please do the bare fucking minimum of your tax-funded jobs and remove these societal CANCERS from our state.

[@sadgorl]

This.

[@marquis101]

Wow. This really resonates with me. As soon as he said he got gooned (2 big people showed up and said we can do this the easy way or the hard way) my heart immediately dropped and the flashbacks came back of when I went through the same situation. It was 6 am and I was naked asleep in my bed. And next thing I know there are 2 giant strangers in my room with handcuffs telling me to get up and get dressed and go with them. They said the same thing " we can do this the easy way or the hard way" may parents were standing at the door way of my room refusing to make eye contact with me. I had 2 choice. Try to fight past these people and jump out a 2 story window and run. Or comply. I started crying and just made it easier on myself and everyone around me. I went peacefully. I remember getting in the strangers car and my mom said "I know you hate me right now, but I love you" and as much as I did hate her in that moment. I couldn't have those be my last words to her in that moment. So I just said " I love you too". After getting to Utah (discovery academy in provo utah) I was put on suicide watch for the first 48 hours. I realized how drastically my life had just changed in a matter of hours. No phone. No personal clothes. No wallet. No ID. I got assigned a therapist. Went to classes, went to group therapy. For 3 months I didn't take my weekly phone call to my parents. After 9 months my parents couldn't afford to keep me there. So I was finally sent home. My 18th birthday was in that facility. I had the option to "walk". Which is where you sign a paper that you're leaving with the clothes on your back and that's it. They ship your phone and wallet and everything you came with back to your parents and put you on the street. It was either stay or be homeless in a state I don't know anything about. I stayed. It was awful. They shut the place down years later. Thank God.

[@mowl]

Hope you are ok 🥺

[@corpserepairservice501]

I would have walked, and come back a day later with a gas can and matches. You're a better man than me.

[@alexathemis305]

I hope you never forgive your parents for such a cruel act, I wouldn’t, especially when they spew out trash “I loves you” ‘s at me

[@keemwilldoit1835]

What were you doing to get sent there ?🤔

[@stupidsloth8386]

might ve because you are made by breeders

[@rosiejl2798]

Dr Phil has a lot to answer for with his promotion of these "troubled teen" facilities that have resulted in so many deaths (including from overdose and suicide as a result of trauma), destroyed lives and ruined relationships.

[@janaekelis]

the girl from the famous "cash me outside" meme spoke up. he ignored. thank god she has money to defend her fellow victims. imagine the quiet, poor victims

[@SHurd-rc2go]

Thank you.

[@pluto8404]

@@janaekelis what about her victims? She tormented and bullied other people. She is no angel.

[@boogityhoo7452]

@@pluto8404 where did you hear about her bullying and tormenting anyone? Did you actually listen to her explain her experience on Dr. Phils show?

[@pluto8404]

@@boogityhoo7452 I heard her yell and threaten to fight people outside.

[@laceduplolita]

I like how quick that guy said NO when she asked him if he would send HIS kids to one of those facilities

[@haydenfaulk4739]

NEVER do it, don't let anyone you care about send their kids here!

[@jedikaren8112]

I live in Utah. Hes a piece of...

[@crizzm3lm863]

@@jedikaren8112 ?

[@bigmoniesponge]

@@jedikaren8112 ?

[@ThePeacePlant]

@@jedikaren8112 Please elaborate. Name a few things why you say that

[@JH-kw8zy]

These kids needed therapy, meds, and better parents. You don't EVER let someone you don't know take your child at ANY age.

[@ayyitskat]

Parents teach their kids not to get in a car with a stranger. It amazes me how these "parents" could possibly send their children off with strangers to be "corrected" for days or even years. What did they think would happen?

[@cedric-johnson4094]

Maby just a normal childhood

[@seannoble8948]

And keep the meds out of it as well

[@paddington1670]

@@seannoble8948 quiet you, let the medical professionals decide such things. I would bet many of these kids were never cared about and have never even had the opportunity to be diagnosed and given the correct medication for their diagnosis if it exists. Doctors have done more education than you and I combined, that's obvious, because an educated person would not have said that - so let the medical professionals make that decision, not the parents not you, not me.

[@seannoble8948]

@@paddington1670 Unfortunately medications seems to do more harm than good these day....profits over care

[@manonmarijs7659]

The parents are in no way 'victims', Theo's mom is completely refusing to acknowledge her WILLING part in his abuse. These schools did not condition the parents, the schools just reinforce the parent's pre-existing negative conceptions of their children. The 'adult good - child bad' way of thinking. If parents did not already think this badly of their children, they would not have sent them to this institution. What adult in their right mind thinks when their child asks them for help that he is manipulating them?!

[@carolinazamora3205]

Exactly my thoughts. I am getting so furious seeing her take NO accountability whatsoever. She was the fkn adult there. The adult that was supposed to PROTECT HER child. And still she has the AUDACITY to not ever take accountability, not even once!

[@JenniferNocera-ms2xd]

I was in a horrible place like this and I do feel like my parents were victims. They spent so much money for me to be abused and were completely lied to about the conditions there. They are still regretful about sending me there. I was 14 when I got there and I'm 37 now. It wasn't my parents fault. They were manipulated.

[@yesvember11]

It’s so disgusting that parents would be okay with the kidnapping part in and of itself. How can you be okay with your kid going to that “school” after standing by and witnessing that (and doing nothing)? The parents who send these kids to these programs are also abusers.

[@ajrwilde14]

@@JenniferNocera-ms2xd sorry but you sound in denial, loving parents don't send their children away to get 'fixed', your parents are not victims, they need to take responsibility and apologise to you

[@mowsey321]

@@carolinazamora3205that a parent wouldn’t immediately see red flags when they say letters home were reviewed first speaks volumes. Some parents unfortunately never advocate for their children or believe them over other adults.

[@pandamusic8373]

I begged for an interview about SUWS 9 years ago. No one cared. What me and others were put through in that desert in Idaho was beyond comprehension. My center got closed down for child abuse and a 30 million dollar lawsuit. If you want a story vice, come talk to me. I’ve messaged the feds the state authorities before. It’s hell my family didn’t believe me making it all the worse. I was catatonic for months after I got home. I was at the program where the kid escaped - the kid with an article on cracked.

[@ivanramirez9928]

Blow this up

[@surieljaguar1267]

I was also at suws it was fucking hell

[@calebballantine3402]

I have read some of the stories online. People are learning the truth. The truth will always come out.

[@emmyquartz3009]

+

[@nikstar1313]

@@surieljaguar1267 your parents should be ashamed

[@Drageisha]

Had my parents sent me to one of these places, I’d remember it when choosing their nursing home.

[@SgtJoeSmith]

My dad did to me I ain't seen or talked to him in years. I don't even know if he's still alive

[@ceaseless246]

the place that bojack horseman put his mom in seems fitting

[@oasisflame]

Lol fax

[@Shanoyu19271]

@@nc4125 are u still fine man

[@Miked1332]

Lmao. Never forget.

[@cameroncalzone8860]

parents forcing their children into being the parents idealized versions of themselves because of their own failures literally never ends well

[@ytb8361]

Those parents are destroying their children to make them the worst versions of themselves and of humans and animals possible, they are not trying to make them idealized versions of themselves at all

[@gabbym333]

Damn. I have an emotionally abusive mother who I no longer talk to. I never realized, until I read your comment right now, that that is exactly what she tried to do. Dang.

[@happyllama1160]

I can understand how desperate some parents would be. The mum in the video was right to be worried with her suicidal son running off all the time but she went to the wrong people when she should have sought mental help. Not wanting your son to kill himself or run off when he is threatening to kill himself isn’t idealised.

[@terrorgaming459]

c@nsintration c@mps if they did this in uk im p@trol b@ming it

[@slevinchannel7589]

@Jam D Fascinating how these Programs remind me of Religion as a Whole, thanks to people leaving Christianity or the Muslims have literal PTSD and see themselves as 'Survivors'. Those 2 Religions literally Teach that you cant survive outside of them, which causes an Extra-Layer above their questionable Mental-Health-Treatment; I'm not kidding when i said PTSD... Taking the Risk of going off-topic, but i suggest any Reader of this comment to look at this Link here: kzbin.info/door/ebiWixaYYDEpQF4wIs1M_wabout I wanna be brutally honest for a moment: Such people are reportworthy. The flag-system is meant for them. Even ignoring that one username literally has the R-Word in it... but theyre just problematic. I found him in the first place because they simply wander around and harass people all around the Internet.

[@vixikie]

Children should never be sent away against their own will. Instead of sending them away to let others deal with them parents should try to listen and understand them. There are too many bad parents out there that can't take care of their own children, it is scary.

[@sunnyshealthcoaching]

Also, these places operate like cults. They brainwash the parents 1st and tell them their kids are liars so don't believe what they say about the program. Then, they use food, water, sleep and toilet deprivation to control the children. Since it's a multi billion $$ industry and there's no government oversight, abuse is inevitable. Counseling for PTSD & trauma, support groups, being an advocate and Ketamine for PTSD have helped me.

[@trexasaurus5322]

There’s also many troubled kids. Yes 90% of them are fine, but 10% of them are maniacs. Some people are just born evil

[@sunnyshealthcoaching]

@trexassouras No child deserves to be tortured! Convicted murderers have more rights. Your comment is inappropriate here.

[@missyjo2475]

Many parents have children because "it's what you do" Society sucks. Don't have kids if you don't want them. And if you do, don't abandon them just because YOU didn't want to raise and teach a human life you decided to bring into this world. You being a general term here.

[@sailingmohican2767]

So public schools are a no then?

[@EmilyKayTV]

my parents threatened to “send me away” multiple times for being a “troubled teen” (aka undiagnosed autism and ignored depression). seeing these stories sends a shiver down my spine

[@coocoodog1232]

I was raised by my grandma. She regularly threatened to have people break down my bedroom door and kidnap me in the middle of the night to take me away to one of these camps. Even not knowing what would happen if she were to go through with it, the threat of having my live uprooted and put somewhere unfamiliar against my will was very scary and likely caused some level of trauma as well. for me, seeing these stories makes me want to get on my bike and ride until I cant anymore. because that is what I used to do when my grandma threatened me with these camps.

[@yunobog7525]

Ger diagnosed bruh

[@duckyduck6563]

@@coocoodog1232 wtf-

[@kingjames4886]

what kinda pushover just lets themself get kidnapped without defending themself?

[@jordanjose6475]

"self diagnosed"

[@Alikeablepeach]

It bothers me that the blonde mum in this is using words like “our experience” when In reality this facility had all the red flags (openly telling her mail was being read, never being alone with her son), and she had the option to pull her son out. She is not a victim in this her son is. I don’t think she is necessarily a bad person for doing this to her son. Just seems like she isn’t very apologetic about it...

[@MissIllLil]

I know her " what we went through" annoyed me

[@melanieyu894]

I feel like she's probably bitter about something... and my best guess is that she's mad she paid all this money for her son to be abused and come out with trauma. I don't think she's a bad person either, but definitely a bad mom.

[@MissIllLil]

@@melanieyu894 I could see that, what a shame these parents didn't care enough to research what these places actually do to kids in the first place though.

[@leionarose]

Totally agree. I feel like her guilt was making her want to feel victimized because she can't handle it.

[@NahMan-Gaijin]

It’s easy to blame her. I want to a school similar to this. These schools mislead and flat out lie to parents. They will take the two most brain washed kids who have been there the longest and set up a lunch or phone call with the prospective parents to chat about the school. Once they sign the papers, and the school has authority over the child, and they communications are censored it’s extremely tough for a parent to ever understand what is going on. Many parents will never understand. Anyways. Obviously students are most affected psychologically by the law programs. But they would not exist without the VICTIMIZATION of very desperate parents. Parents who have lost control of their kids. It’s so easy to blame parents for bad kids, but at a certain point my parents did not have control over me. So they looked for help, and got scammed.

[@krich451]

The parents should be held just as responsible as the facilities. How can you go along with the whole "don't believe your own kid, he's going to manipulate you into thinking we're abusing him" when the first thing they did when showed up at your house was attack your kid right in front of you? You can't claim manipulation at that point, it happened right in front of your face.

[@davidhoran7116]

They didn’t care in the first place

[@xoxoPilar]

I mean Theo said that he put a smile on and hid the reality. So to her, it looked like everything was going well and there was no need for concern. And if theo did say something, maybe she thought that he was just trying to get out of it. She was scared and helpless. She though these were experts. Most of the parents were probably just as blinded as the kids.

[@VS-ic2kv]

You have to be the worst kind of parent to do this.

[@VS-ic2kv]

@@xoxoPilar She was negligent - its it HER responsibilty to protect her kid - instead she delivered him directly into the hands of abusers.

[@dboone7670]

@@xoxoPilar She watched her son get assaulted and kidnapped by strangers. She said during her interview that she believed it "was good for the entire family". That to me screams she was more concerned about getting a break from dealing with her kid. The fact that she watched two men assault her child and just allowed them to take him kinda backs that up.

[@shannonstewart1225]

If a kid is giving you a hard time… it’s because your kid is having a hard time. Compassion goes a long way….

[@thekawaiicripple]

Kids don’t act out for zero reason, it’s usually a cry for help and parents are responsible to address, help, support and validate their pain. But instead of handling the situation they send them away to be broken down because you don’t want to deal with your main responsibility as a parent. I’m so glad people are speaking out

[@davidhoran7116]

It’s in the name, acting out. Acting out of pain, generally. But instead we blame this kids.

[@cameerkat]

Exactly. A lot of the time it can be treated with a diagnosis, medication, and **ACTUAL** therapy. But these parents don't understand that.

[@avery7895]

I went to a residential treatment center in Utah which is much much much different than this program. However, I had a lot of issues & nothing my parents were doing to help me helped. In and out of the hospital, so they sent me there. And parts were awful but in the end, I became a better person and I don’t think anything else would have saved me. I think possibly some parents think it will help and don’t realize that it’s hurtful or don’t realize what they were really doing there.

[@thewildcardperson]

You really shouldn't be allowed to do this and if you kid is hurt you as a parents should be exuded for being so stupid and lazy

[@snowbrry]

Yep. I have PTSD because of my mother and she wouldn’t get me proper help.. she just would parent me through the police and mental hospitals who only misdiagnosed me. It was torture. I didn’t want to live in rage.. but no one listened to me.

[@lyndsaypope3560]

I was at cross creek from 94-96. This came on my survivor page 2 mornings ago and it sent me into a world of pain. Seeing the building made me physically ill. Hearing that man got a job from the papers made me cry. I was 14 and use to have to shower in front of those men. They medically abused us all as well. Your parents sign custody of you over to them blindly. I’ll never forget the girls I met there and the bonds we created to survive. I’ll also never forget any of the staffs faces. Ever.

[@kenyettaready]

I'm glad you overcame this. And honestly I hope the staff members all suffer a worst fate.

[@Mizz.Person]

I'm so, so sorry you had to deal with this. :(

[@qpSubZeroqp]

Thank you for sharing your experience to expose this tragedy of a ”treatment.” It is literally psychological torture

[@danielsander9997]

I was at casa by the sea and midwest academy they let the owner go free after only 3 months in jail

[@Amy_The_unbearded]

I was at Cross Creek from 2000 to 2001 and then sent to high impact for about 8 months in 2001. Everything mentioned is accurate. From the over medication, to showering in front of people (especially if you were on some sort of "watch")

[@41052]

I’d never forgive my parents for that. They can beg and cry for me to talk to them and all I would say is cry harder.

[@slevinchannel7589]

Please share such Videos; heck, you may even wanna just drop the URL inside a comment in some Christian Comment-Section and leave. No kidding; maybe that helps 'some'. The 'maybe' is enough chance for me, at least.

[@vampirexion]

Yeah, same here. I've blocked out people for less. This is a HUGE offense.

[@Khulismonica]

@@slevinchannel7589 What has Christinity done to you. Parents are responsible for their children's upbringing and protection. Why do liberals seek to enforce their warped views onto others as if it's the absolute truth

[@nenmaster5218]

@@Khulismonica What dumb questions, starting with the first question. Are you pretend that christianity has no issues whatsoever WHILE UNDER A VIDEO TALKING ABOUT ISSUES WITH THEM? Though it should be mentioned THIS IS JUST 1 OF 1 BILLION VIDEOS. Man, what a cringe-comment did i just read from you??

[@nenmaster5218]

@@Khulismonica You literally are so naive you ask 'What has Christianity done to you' in a world full of damage done by It. AND you have the audacity to call youre single branch of a single religion "absolute truth". How old are you? Are you actually an indoctrinted little Child? Thats how you sound?

[@Jenny010132]

I was depressed and angry because I was 12 and watched my beloved daddy die of cancer. I’m 44 and STILL depressed and angry because you lied to me, yelled at me, and locked me up instead of helping me.

[@k9officerft434]

No person deserves to have this happen to them. I’m sorry that this happened to you.

[@AbigailMilamProductions]

I was sent to a “mental rehabilitation” for young teens and preteens after a suicide attempt at 16. I remember one of the members dragging a kid down the hall. I remember one kid was screaming and crying in pain and they put him in an “isolation room” for hours and we could just hear him screaming to death in the background. A girl was administered a sedative and she slept for at least 20 hours. Maybe a full 24 hours, I’m not sure. I was immediately prescribed drugs after talking to a psychiatrist for less than 3 mins. And they even administered the wrong drug to me on “accident”. That’s incredibly dangerous and it made feel dizzy and delusional. It was traumatizing and I was only there for LESS THAN A WEEK. I can’t imagine any longer. Some of those kids were in there for 6-8 months.

[@kyahart5537]

I was sent to one of these too because my parents didn't like my boyfriend and I had depression. I was stripped searched and put in a ward with kids who were in gangs and were court ordered to be there because they were actually violent and dangerous. I also saw a psychiatrist for maybe 3 minutes like you did, who put me on antipsychotics and diagnosed me with bipolar disorder even though I have never had a manic episode. A manic or hypomanic episode is a requirement for this diagnosis. A teenager being irritable in a crappy home environment does not equal a manic episode. I was also asked if I heard voices because I refused to make eye contact. No, eye contact just makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. I'm now studying to be a psychologist so that I can actually make things better and actually help people with my insight and experience. Lots of healing and hugs to you. May we all find some semblance of peace, happiness, and healing.

[@charliec.3518]

Lmao i remember sitting in one of those rooms yelling "i wanna go to jail. Take me to jail" over and over because they wouldnt let me out and the only thing theyd say to me was that if i kept talking theyd get the swat team in there to deal with me. Well i wouldve rather gone to prison than there and the next place, they turned a depressed kid into a monster lol

[@bethanybadillo1762]

Same thing happened at mine except it was an adult unit with men and women together and the workers would have sex with patients too. So much gang in there who can’t get out of their situation and try to end their life it’s so sad. I stayed almost a month and was threatened constantly by females because the guys they met in there looked at me in a way that disgusted me. I hated it and they didn’t help anyone.

[@thecringeistoostrong]

i was sent to one of these facilities too when i was 10 i was counted as a adult and i was with other adults that were above 20 and 30 that would abuse me for 1 and a half year and i always called it a jail because every window even my tiny room with only a bed has like jail like bars on them so you cant escape and i have severe ptsd

[@Jess-rl7sf]

i was sent to one of these and they purposely gave me meds that would make me tired in the morning to ware me down. it was also my first week and it took a full month of misery and begging to finally be taken seriously. i was there for 10 months.

[@burbanpoison2494]

A mother whose letter begin with "you hate me" and end with "I love you" ....healthy.

[@smoot9069]

That letter is probably what made me watch all 16 minutes because that's the type of language that my mother uses all the time

[@jaybek7707]

My mom does the same thing. What element of that exactly is the red flag?

[@smoot9069]

@@jaybek7707 they're basically guilty tripping you, claiming you have a certain emotion but they still love you anyways. It's pretty toxic

[@Sentient_Blob]

@@jaybek7707 I’m pretty sure it’s called gaslighting

[@jaybek7707]

Smoot ahhh ok

[@SHENDOH]

When you become a parent. That's it. You signed up for life. You can't send them away to be better. It's up to YOU!

[@morvieous]

Boom...

[@Stoney-Jacksman]

There are sadly a lot of parents with personality problems. Mothers with borderline personality is something that is never talked about. Thats why I love the Sopranos so much, for shedding light on that.

[@genxnomad1978]

@22CARLOCO22 I am assuming you do not have children😫Most of the time, these children are 'sent away' as parents' last ditch effort to help our children. When the government and society tells you that basically any form of discipline that you give your child is abuse, parenting can be very frightening, possibly leading our children to being 'raised by the streets.' Of course, this is not what good parents want. When presented with an opportunity to get help for the child you brought into the world you may be easily convinced that these certain facilities will help you get your child and parental relationship back on track. Most of us want the best for our children. It is not always about passing off responsibility😭

[@SkyyPiano]

For life? No, legally your responsibilities are until they are 18. I'm not saying to kick them out the day they turn 18, but once you're a certain age, you should be responsible for yourself and stop relying on your parents so much.

[@jfm14]

There's a few issues with this viewpoint. For one, inpatient treatment is life-saving for a lot of kids. A severe eating disorder, for example, cannot and should not be treated by family members. It's not going to work. Same goes for a lot of kids dealing with unaddressed trauma, unmanaged behavioral issues, substance abuse/addiction, etc. And in most families in this society, most parents truly don't have the time to dedicate themselves to healing their child anyway. Most people work at least one full-time job. People go into debt trying to find ways to help their kids, and sending them away is almost always a last resort. They have little to no guidance, they're stressed, and they're vulnerable to being taken in by greedy charlatans. The problem with the situations described in this video is not that the parents sent their kids away or even that they sent them against their will, but that the programs in which they placed their trust were/are not therapeutic in any way and were/are run by criminally unqualified people. Instead of using evidence-based methods, they used "old school", abusive tactics from the moment they showed up to take the kids away.

[@gabrielarodrigues3958]

I would never be able to forgive my parents if they have done it to me. It's cruel, selfish, and stupid to think that punishment and torture work better than affection, adapted therapy and love. Some people are just not ready for the responsibility of raising and educating a human being that parenthood requires.

[@strugglingcollegestudent]

I don’t forgive them but I am financially dependent on them. So I have to play happy family charades.

[@lggr2261]

My mom thinks parents were brainwashed why would parnets want to harm the child i said knowing your child was going to kidnapped against his or her will is a crime itself she always thinks parents are always nice reason she sacrificed a lot to rasie me and my sister i told her some parents just dont take any responsiblity

[@acaityy]

I forgive my parents because they didn't know better

[@AmberH-ku2xr]

I forgave my parents because they did not know what was going behind closed doors.

[@LoreeBrown-fd2us]

​@@strugglingcollegestudentI'm thinking of you and praying for you to have a better future away from them! Just bide your time and quietly make a plan.. I'm old enough to be your grandparent and I'm pulling for you❤

[@taylorhayes3393]

Cross Creek “closed” and they opened Horizon. It was still the same program just under a different name. I attended Horizon in January of 2013. The fact that the way they operated the same way 10+ years later is alarming

[@atree9284]

You don’t have to answer this, but what was your experience with it? Was your experience the same as these people’s?

[@ryangeorge3982]

I was in Spring Creek in 2002

[@angeldroidcs4962]

@@ryangeorge3982 May i ask what happened

[@ryangeorge3982]

@@angeldroidcs4962 what happened with what? I was supposed to go to the state juvenile detention and put a plea in at court to go to spring creek. It was the right choice. I finished school and was able to come home and be off paper once i turned 18. In jail i wouldve caught more charges and ended up in prison

[@digitazz9879]

There are SO many of these. A lot in southern Utah. I haven’t seen one that wasn’t corrupt in some way. I had friends that worked at them that always quit quickly because they were scarred by what was going on themselves. Horrible places designed to take thousands from parents and make sure the kids never got out

[@wiseass2149]

I never believed in the whole scared straight nonsense. They don't work, they often harden the kids they're supposed to help, and more often than not it's more damaging than nurturing.

[@htdtr]

I'm pretty sure scared straight programs and troubled teen reform schools are American things, it's such a fucked up idea

[@Anonymous_________]

My mom took me with my older brother. And they yeld at him, not knowing I was the one beating him up. It's a joke.

[@Julianna.Domina]

@@markopugne2092 It's more of a salty knife to plunge into kids' mental health issues

[@railroadforest30]

Fr

[@Swnsasy]

It's not the scared straight, that's not what this does.. This is torment, punishment, taking away self esteem, self worth.. Scared straight isn't great but it's not abuse.. The scared straight shows them where you can end up but with that, there isn't a high percentage that it helps at all.. If only 22% changes, that's ridiculous..

[@KarmaCifer]

The staff member interviewed was at the edge of crying, you can see the regret and pain for participating in that.

[@WarguyPlayz]

@@misschicka2831 Honestly I don't know how the guy is standing next to his mother acting like there wasn't a wedge between the two. If my parents would have sent me through a camp like this I would never want to talk to them again. Brainwashed or not.

[@goodname9371]

Ikr just that amount of pain that you can hear in his voice

[@Osirus1156]

It honestly sounds like he's lying to me/fake "crying". Like he knows he should be sad about it but doesn't know why.

[@cloudoftime]

That wasn't convincing to me. If he didn't appear to be upset by it, he would look bad, because he obviously didn't do anything about it. And there were no tears, or watery eyes. It seemed fake.

[@cynsational7225]

@@WarguyPlayz he seemed to have done a lot of internal work with proper therapy and you can tell there is a wedge, as there was no physical contact and very little eye contact between the two

[@themusicianmelody]

This is blatant child abuse. How is this legal?

[@LuxuryBeatsMusic]

parents sell their kids off

[@soioioioioioio34]

Merica

[@thetruthhurts3318]

It’s clear they ARE ALLOWING it … sadly but it’s the truth

[@michaelmorse4444]

Money

[@Guy96477]

This is America

[@zacharykonopa2718]

What broke me was how that former worker was mentally tormented by his submission to the system. You can tell his guilt haunts him and having a good-intentioned person bear the weight of this tragic circumstance emphasizes how this can traumatize the workers in these facilities as well. Devastatingly emotional peice.

[@spacetimeworm]

So you watched this whole little short documentary, and your concern is with the employees mental health? K... ☝️

[@josec1538]

@@spacetimeworm You sound toxic dude and clearly unaware of your response. Everyone can clearly see the trauma the kids experience but most people weren’t expecting how some of the workers actually felt shame, guilt and trauma developed within them as well. They were also manipulated to think they were helping these kids. This person probably cares about everyone not just one side

[@spacetimeworm]

@@josec1538 How is my response toxic in anyway?

[@spacetimeworm]

@@josec1538 I pointed out that I think, in my opinion, somebody was focused on the wrong thing, and that makes me a toxic person? You must either be the best judge of personality in the whole world, or psychic.

[@josec1538]

@@spacetimeworm nah, It’s literally just how you replied to the person who posted. You’re making even further assumptions still. If he is able to see the trauma the worker went through. You think he can’t see the trauma the kids went through too? Do you understand or need further explanation? If toxic offends you than let’s just say you are creating assumptions and ignoring that the person was capable of seeing two sides of trauma. While you’re here lowkey bashing with your condescending “opinion”. I’ll go ahead and say you’re not a toxic person but just your response was.

[@chadjazeera9960]

My best friend was sent to a similar place when we were teens. He was abused in several different ways and was never the same after returning. He committed suicide 8 years ago. I think about him every day.

[@centralstar7168]

Where was he sent ?

[@glorycloudwatch]

I am so, so sorry for your loss. That's horrible.

[@chadjazeera9960]

@@centralstar7168 A place in Oregon. It is no longer there. As far as I know, the owner faced litigation for things that happened. The stories he told me were awful.

[@chadjazeera9960]

@@glorycloudwatch it is terrible. I take some comfort in the idea that he is at peace at least. Thank you. 💜

[@centralstar7168]

@@chadjazeera9960 can you tell me one of the stories

[@joememphis1571]

They need to do a Vice news report about kids who went through the “Scared Straight” programs. I had a friend of mine who went through one of those programs when he was 13 years old and he was physically and sexually assaulted by two correctional officers and six inmates. He has lived with full blown AIDS for over 20 years. He works as a guidance counselor for troubled and abused children in Seattle nowadays.

[@jacob.a795]

Jesus, that’s horrible for him! I always found that “Scared Straight” programs were ethically undefendable, but this is just another level of fucked up. Perhaps your friend could seek compensation by taking his story to court. I wish your friend the best🙏

[@joememphis1571]

@@jacob.a795 He was awarded a five figure settlement in court about a decade ago and he used that to travel for three years. He was 84 pounds and 4’ 10” at 14 years old and he’s now more than six feet tall and weighs over 200 pounds.

[@dirkferguson7353]

Not to be pedantic but you can’t live 20 years with “full blown AIDS”. He has HIV

[@joememphis1571]

@@dirkferguson7353 Yes you can as HIV becomes AIDS. The life expectancy for those with HIV and AIDS is near the national average. He left it untreated for about a decade as he did not have proper treatment due to being itinerant.

[@vinyasa748]

Wait whattttt

[@tnasty1081]

I went to one of these places. It was a truly terrible 7 months of my life in which I felt the darkest I’ve ever felt. Although I came out sober and healthier, I’m truly traumatized by the acts that went on in that place. The staff were corrupt, I had five minutes a week to call my parents. The staff governed everything we did. There was one staff who didn’t like me and she did everything to make my stay miserable. I was so truly broken by that place. They stripped me down to my core. They called me pathetic for not abiding to their rules. They shamed me and degraded me for talking back (standing up for myself). I’m traumatized and my parents still don’t believe me. To all those who have been through these places, I hear you ❤

[@StarScream10hut]

Was it btr? Kauffman, TX?

[@catherinehume9193]

Sounds like people said some nasty things to you… which is most people’s experiences of life. You were a drug user. That was your choice. Your parents must have been worried sick but you still chose to keep doing what you were doing. Take responsibility for your own actions.

[@DukeOnkled]

@@catherinehume9193 MULTIPLE cases of victim blaming from you. Are you an advocate for these organizations? Are you an abuser?

[@micahlevine8080]

I've been in 3 of these programs, and have been waiting years for VICE to do a real story on this. Thanks for this. Not enough people know about these programs and the harm they cause.

[@CultivatedLaser]

Same. What part of the US were you in? I was in Louisiana.

[@micahlevine8080]

@@CultivatedLaser North Carolina(wilderness program), South Carolina, and New Hampshire

[@kodiak6198]

@@micahlevine8080 teen challenge and Bethel boys academy myself

[@leedeimos3343]

Rite of Passage, Remote Training Center, Nevada.

[@tiedyedowl8367]

I was in one in Virginia. New Lifestyles.

[@johnfarmakis8518]

Theo’s mom is unreal. He’s gaslit into thinking they took advantage of his mom too. Bull I say, she wasn’t willing to put in the work that he needed from a parent. DONT SEND YOUR KIDS AWAY TO DO YOUR JOB!

[@cris-pz4un]

couldn't have said it better 🙌

[@kellylyons1038]

I loved how the mom rattled off basically a list of red flags, and then the interviewer asked if there were any red flags. There were SO MANY wtf. I cant believe they let that go on, if I couldnt have uncensored communication with my child i would be very concerned.

[@crystaledwards9878]

Where is his father?

[@mifune141]

No accountability on her part, he is amazing for even maintaining contact with her.

[@FirstLast-dz7jc]

No father, typical story. A single mother that just can't control a young man regardless of her parenting skills. Once they hit a certain age you literally can not stop them. That pretty much leaves the police and places like this unfortunately.

[@mortimerjames218]

I was 16 & sent away to 1 of these places. It was beyond traumatizing. 3 years later, AFTER I'd already told my mom what happened there, she gets the mail, sighs, & says to me "I'm STILL paying for your time at ___". So am I mom, so am I. 23 later & I'm still paying....

[@ctrlaltdank]

Remember that whenever you start looking for a home for her

[@rachels3823]

Your poor mom, still having to pay for sending you away to be abused. You, on the other hand, are still paying for her decision to send you away. You didn't have a choice. She did. They're not even close to being equal.

[@mortimerjames218]

@@rachels3823 😭😭 thank you. I really appreciate that 💜

[@rachels3823]

@@mortimerjames218 I hope that your life has gotten better since then. Just remember that at the end of the day, the only victim was you. Your mother was an accomplice, at best.

[@mortimerjames218]

@@rachels3823 thank you, im trying 1 day at a time. If I said the reason why she sent me there, it would make her look so much worse, & I don't want to do that to her. This was 20 years ago & im STILL trying to navigate my trauma & relationship w her. You truly made me cry, just seeing a strangers compassion can make all the difference 💜

[@sarahhm741]

This isn't just them 'saying' what happened inside. This IS what happened inside

[@catherinehume9193]

Yet no court case has been won. Why is that? No evidence despite all the witnesses that can be made to testify and no cctv. Amazing if these multiple locations were actually full of abuse.

[@HIFATS]

Big up to the former staff who agreed to be interviewed. Being able to recognise and face your wrongdoings is so difficult

[@tomatosalad4878]

Not as difficult as having to go through those programs and live with the repercussions for the rest of their lives, I’ll bet!

[@leionarose]

Yeah at least he seemed remorseful

[@loturzelrestaurant]

Hate-Preacher KENT HOVIND would probably agree with such Camps and Places though. He has all the wrong Opinions you can ever imagine. God, his Channel is literally Report-worthy, tbh, and i dont say this Lightly. If you wanna go there and flag him for Hate-Speech or Evolution-Denial or any-whatever-thing, then feel free to.

[@DetroitFettyghost]

@@loturzelrestaurant People have made reports on him actually. Lots of them! Just look it up!

[@wilsonwijaya.design]

@@tomatosalad4878 it's a different kind of pain. Ur told to get kids to do haneous things and psychologically torture them. I've been in both places and I really don't know which is better. Because even as a former coach, ur basically have to live the rest of your life hoping people don't see you as a monster and hoping you don't get to meet your former students. Because you know deep down, deep ducking down in their hearts, they want to kill you if they are given the opportunity to for running their lives. Granted not all will act like that but most will.

[@j_mokusei]

If my parents did this to me, they won't be seeing me ever again lmao.

[@TheFemSniper]

@@motherhoodsbeauty9279 you're joking right? Most of these kids had serious mental issues by the looks of it. Then again just by your comment you'd probably send your kids to one of these just to "teach them a lesson". These places manipulate both the kids and parents but I guess you're not ready to talk about that.

[@armandasstasiunaitis703]

@@motherhoodsbeauty9279 using the same logic, the kids SHOULD send the parents to a psychiatric ward for elderly people when they get older because they "behave like nut case" by sending their kids off to a place to be abused and molded into something the parents wish for.

[@jesterchester8428]

My mom did this to me but got me put in jail lol

[@nerdgeekcosplay909]

@@motherhoodsbeauty9279 have you lost your mind because I will help you find it.

[@Flancc]

@@nerdgeekcosplay909 what is she comment? She already delete the comment so idk. Can you type back what she comment only if you remember

[@brenol2306]

Kudos to Paris Hilton for bringing awareness to these types of “schools.” I look at her in a whole knew way after she told her story. 🙏🏽

[@DetroitFettyghost]

Same. I love Paris Hilton even tho I'm a homeless heroin addicted American citizen. She obviously has a heart even tho she was born into great wealth- she didn't ask for that, I can't be jealous or hate because of it. She's a great person it seems. I wish she'd date better men who don't hurt her tho. She repeats that cycle of abusive men, I hate seeing that. My sister does the same. I choose abusive women. I'm the same. We all deserve better. Sorry to vent- much love 💕

[@robertlawler1387]

@@DetroitFettyghost she recently got married she is doing well

[@collinkeyser6827]

Found Out Whenever She Discusses This Around Her Mom, Her Mom Changes The Subject.

[@melina1745]

@@DetroitFettyghost I hope you are doing better soon!

[@DetroitFettyghost]

@@melina1745 Bless you Melina. I'm struggling but trying. Thank you so much for thinking of me 💕

[@danrussell_official]

Wow, first off: terrifying that these businesses exist. Second off: what parent would think this is a good solution? Sending your kid off to be abused…despicable.

[@johnfarmakis8518]

I can’t believe Theo’s mom, “hurtful project that they put US through”. You sent him there when he was transient and not under your care.

[@rerikm]

the nerve of that woman

[@dazanii]

She’s still abusing him by not taking responsibility for what she did to him, or the parenting that led to him couch surfing in the first place. He needs to go no contact with her delusional self.

[@zivamayne]

She will die not taking responsibility. Also there is no father in the household.

[@wiktoriagwozdowska5484]

She is weird ,I don't like they way she behaves here it's like she does all this talk and behavior so she would be treated like a victim and poor person too but all I see is poor acting and maybe mental problems 🤔😒 who knows ,wouldn't trust her at all

[@aaaqwert486]

Exact my thought

[@renegade637]

I notice some of the survivors in the documentary are keeping some styles that they would have had in high school: the black earing, the leather coat, the purple hair coloring. Obviously, a style is just a style. But, you gotta wonder if they're still holding onto a little bit of their childhood because they got robbed of it.

[@QuestionQuestionMark]

Or their stylistic choices are just stunted, because of the trauma they never really grew out of that stage of their lives.

[@summ_gerl]

Traumas can "freeze" people at the age they occur, this might be a symptom of that.

[@renegade637]

@4one14 Hm. I had a traumatic experience in high school myself and lost connecting with everyone I knew. When I found Facebook and started connecting with everyone I knew in high school, at one point, I asked myself, "I found everyone; but, why don't I find closure?" So, it always bothered me. I'm not sure I even had any real friends back there. Now, I adopted a dog and I'm working on getting all the STAR WARS vehicles for the 4 inch figurines purchased. For our weapon display, I have our AR-15 and the Legend of Zelda Master Sword on the same display. I suppose, for some of us, that little kid is too hurt for us to easily be able to move on completely.

[@k.e.m4731]

I see this too. Most people become mentally & emotionally stunted at the age they experienced trauma. They can’t mentally move on from that “era” so it’s like a monotonous cycle.

[@hannahbg1852]

I noticed that, actually. Very interesting.

[@JB-pe2yn]

I'm now grateful we grew up in poverty. My parents didn't have the money to send me to this prison.

[@lunix3259]

That's one way of looking at it

[@ultrasound914]

True

[@ritamariekelley4077]

Keep talking, Kids. Keep telling the truth. Keep exposing these predators. Best wishes for maximum healing.

[@tero2444]

Theo's mother is victimizing herself there, which is absurd. Yes, she lost a lot of money, but it was her son, that was abused. By portraying herself as a victim she competes with her son's actual abuse. This is a red flag. The son goes along with it in order not to cause any disagreement, but it is clear, why the son got into a situation, where the only way out seemed outside help. The mother is simply a bad mother, to this day. Still equaling her being tricked out of money to her son being mentally and physically abused thanks to her failure. Theo's actual abuse needs to be recognized, so he has a better way of working through it. Something that Theo's mother is absolutely incapable of. It's easier for her to spin a narrative of her also being a victim than to admit, that she sent him to the abusers (even if unknowingly)

[@MrCmon113]

The mother is an accomplice in just the same way as all of the German staff and soliders that helped to put people into concentration camps. That they didn't know precisely what was going on doesn't even matter. Actually it makes it worse, because even worse things could have been going on.

[@gassenweg]

yeah, just words "put US through" say a lot about her

[@mikkurzhal7390]

I love at 10:24 when it cuts back to the interviewer you can see her just *squint* and that tells you all you need to know about how little she's buying this bullshit

[@thisbeem2714]

I wonder how she thought they had "grown together" when she was never allowed to talk to him alone. And what was it that helped HER grow? Being rid of her son? He needed actual help. She is playing the victim.... My heart hurts for him.

[@zivamayne]

@@gassenweg I was like us? You mean your son!

[@theguy1580]

More than anything , y'all need to ask that Dr. Phil , why he willingly sent those children to such facilities , without actually knowing what happens inside. Imagine the torment of a kid being manhandled at a young age , and forcefully taking them to a facility and locking them up

[@deargodwhy9718]

He knows exactly everything that goes on. He doesn't care.

[@johnathonmarquez5016]

69th like, nice

[@AE-wi3zb]

I’m pretty sure there was a deal where he gets some type of compensation for filling spots at those places

[@marie_84]

He knows it! He is Part of it!! He has an agreement with the facility he sends them kids & they share the insurance money with him!!!!!!😡🤮🤮

[@theguy1580]

@@marie_84 thats just so sad to hear, just hurts even to think what they might have gone through at such a young age and to not be able to confide in their parents, T^T

[@ReclusiveEagle]

First of all wtf. Second of all what kind of Parent sends a sexually abused or a child that has been rap*ed to a troubled teen program???? Actual neglect. They should have had their children taken away from them and be sent to prison wtf.

[@biggestgooner1]

“rap*ed” task failed

[@destroymalefeminists]

third of all i can't believe vice actually believes wearing 2 masks will make you extra safe from the virus lmao

[@JakeContr99]

@@destroymalefeminists it’s called cdc guidelines and wearing two masks actually help but you probably can’t understand

[@AlexRamirez-vz1vj]

@@JakeContr99 masks are great and work.. That is why we defeated the virus and are now living normal lives again... Always listen to what the government tells you because they know what is best for you...

[@JakeContr99]

@@AlexRamirez-vz1vj or actually go to school and learn basic biology so you don’t have to question everything

[@centerfold8]

I have a hard time with people trying to abdicate their parenting to others. Because often time that isn’t parenting or therapy it’s abuse

[@madelinemae2748]

I was in one of these programs in Oklahoma. My mom still believes it was good. They lied, told her I would make things up to go home. They mentally fucked me up. They would give us disciplines and at one point I couldn’t talk to anyone. Girls were starving and I remember one crying on the floor begging for more food. I wouldn’t send my worst enemy there

[@madibrown9609]

I lost 80 pounds at my placement for these exact reasons.

[@gangsterkermit1506]

Would this happen to be the teen challenge In Oklahoma?

[@madelinemae2748]

@@gangsterkermit1506 uhh yeah it was😂

[@gangsterkermit1506]

@@madelinemae2748 I’m sorry if that was weird my boyfriend went there a few years back and always tells me abt the stories there. It makes me incredibly sad they treat people like that

[@madelinemae2748]

@@gangsterkermit1506 they were absolutely awful. The boys had it so much worse. I might know him I was there in 2018

[@cz7103]

hearing theos mother say "put US through" is so upsetting and i understand she probably cant bear taking responsibility for it but she did not go through the abuse that her son did as a result of her decision making. it probably hurts her to no end to know what happened to him but to act like shes an equal victim is so sad and invalidating to his experience.

[@Shirumoon]

I believe the mother that she has changed and I'm ahppy for them but you can't change this type of parent completely. They aaallways make it about themselves. My son cuts himself? How can he do that to ME? Etc. I know this behavior too damn well.

[@Aster_Risk]

She just doesn't want to accept responsibility.

[@MrCmon113]

Like the Germans after WW2. "I had no idea what was going on" - yeah makes it worse that you helped, then.

[@thisbeem2714]

Yeah. She didn't go through much of anything.

[@zivamayne]

She knows this. Just look at her face and her son’s face. She looks extremely stressed out because something is plaguing her mind.

[@vitortonera]

Honestly, I blame the parents. "Oh they didn't know". Really? You send off your child to some "school" that has to abduct them and you didn't know there was something wrong with it? C'mon now...

[@Youcanttouchmyhandle]

Good point

[@dandelion9369]

My point exactly. Thank you !

[@unicornlover101.]

they probably didnt know about everything that wentno there

[@faithkeyes]

It’s a form of grooming towards the parents as well. Many thought this was the break where people could finally help. Not all parents were like that but it is sad.

[@joyostlund4447]

Yeah and imagine not doing actual fucking research about these kinds of places????? Like, the original website can look and sound good but i would 100% look around for reviews from actual individuals and not some corporation that only wants to make money

[@mayp.3233]

As a 17 year old who’s had mental health problems for half a decade and who’s been in a lot of treatment programs for it, hearing about how these people were treated made me feel physically sick. I’ve experienced a few of the things mentioned here (forced sedation, being strip searched at 13- luckily they let me keep my underwear on when I started crying, isolation in a white windowless room- again, luckily for only a couple hours, and being yelled at and lied to by staff with little to no knowledge on mental illness), and they still impacted me, so I can’t even begin to fathom the lasting emotional trauma that people in “troubled teen” programs have endured. I think the parents and former employees need to take way more responsibility, and that if they aren’t crushed by the guilt of what they put vulnerable children through, then something is seriously wrong with them

[@Youcanttouchmyhandle]

Well said. Lying staff is a great point . Staff can also manipulate the system and have control issues, get kicks out of manipulating and playing mind tricks on sedated children/patients

[@simisimisimisimi3552]

Even prisoners and mental health patients have more rights than this f🤬🤬🤬 place "trouble teen" industry

[@foreverchained9070]

I was sent to 5 abusive facilities throughout my adolescence, one of which was shut down by the FBI 6 months after I ran away on a home visit. I'm 29 now and still suffer from severe ptsd that has destroyed my life completely. Majority of my friends from those places are dead and they are the lucky ones...

[@alixtheprofessionalcatherd6850]

I hope you can find happiness in the future my friend

[@foreverchained9070]

@@alixtheprofessionalcatherd6850 Thank you. I very much hope I do too, along with all the other survivors who had to go thru this and still are. I pray these places get shut down for good and Spring Ridge Academy needs to be next.

[@tiernanwearen8096]

@@foreverchained9070 they sound like contreation camps

[@bootylatuttes1607]

Not a day goes by I don’t wake up thinking “the easy way, or the the hard way” those words forever haunt my sleep. It took me 18 months to get out of these facilities. The most horrible time of my life.

[@NYPATRIOTBX]

I grew up in the NYC foster care system in the 80’s and 90’s, I can totally relate, but if I can offer a word of advise, don’t let it define who you are, I’m 39, I have a home, a good woman in my life and it all took more work than someone who had a normal childhood. Keep your head up and don’t let anyone bring you down.

[@usmcchrisg]

I was raised in the mormon cult. Many parents are more concerned with their reputations in the cult than outcomes for their children.

[@FernandoTorrera]

That’s a lot of white suburban parents

[@meltedsandwich6716]

Tends to be a trend I’ve met three people with Mormon parents that disowned their child for choosing to make their own decisions instead of the parents and most of the time it was because of reputation issues my stepmom isn’t mormon but grew up Mormon treated me with contempt when nobody’s around verbal and mental abuse and then threats to put me back into an even worse situation so I do as she said we grew stronger they can only hurt you so long before you make a change

[@thetruthfrmtx]

Sounds like damn near every religious person.

[@Wthele]

@@thetruthfrmtx yeah

[@guccivanilla3691]

Chris Gray FLDS, RLDS, or the more common LDS?

[@laurenj432]

It’s sad, because if parents could have afforded this expensive ‘camp’ they could have also easily afforded therapy for their children and their family instead of shipping their child off to strangers

[@Jenny010132]

PREACH IT!

[@eko9554]

Yeah they could easily contact a therapist from a hospital.

[@showmeyrkitties2335]

There are therapists at these places!

[@Jenny010132]

@@showmeyrkitties2335 Not good ones.

[@pierceskateboardlolz]

@@showmeyrkitties2335 not Real ones

[@mariahpalmer663]

They completely retraumatized these kids! Disgusting and heartbreaking

[@soioioioioioio34]

American parents are no good they use their kids are bargaining chips

[@oOo-dj7pt]

Its not right for children to become adults through trauma. Like, yeah we can be proud of the hardships we've overcome, what doesnt kill you makes you stronger, but life does that on it's own. Being traumatized by people takes years away from your life, years spent healing and looking over your shoulder. Trauma steals life from people, never doubt it.

[@loturzelrestaurant]

Hate-Preacher KENT HOVIND would probably agree with such Camps and Places though. He has all the wrong Opinions you can ever imagine. God, his Channel is literally Report-worthy, tbh, and i dont say this Lightly. If you wanna go there and flag him for Hate-Speech or Evolution-Denial or any-whatever-thing, then feel free to.

[@cherismith6366]

So very true. I am still struggling with this now at 33.

[@MrCmon113]

It's not true at all that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. If there was a gun that was completely non-lethal, it would be the most effective and sought after weapon in the world. You'd weaken your enemies much more than by simply killing people.

[@WorldWalker128]

Any fool that says "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" should go speak to a war veteran that lost a limb.

[@EEsYouTubeChanel]

Kids who go to these places commit suicide or overdose at alarming rates!

[@jessicamullen1365]

As a survivor of cross creek every word they said was true... and we were teenagers who were always suffering

[@onism8906]

Im so proud of you! you are amazing and so brave.! Never let anyone silence you. You are valid And loved. Im so proud Of you and i hope you keep getting better

[@sapphicalix]

I’ve had this video saved to my watch later for months and finally clicked on it today. I’m also a survivor and I have been worried about how triggering it would be. When I was 15 I woke up to 3 strangers in my bedroom who woke me up, ripped my out of my bed, dragged me down the stairs, out the front door and into their van. My adoptive parents were no where to be found. I was kidnapped. Just because it was legal doesn’t make it any less traumatizing. I didn’t know that they were allowed to be there or that my adoptive parents had hired them. Even if I had I don’t think it would have been any easier. They brought me to a wilderness program in another state 10 hours away where I was abused for months. I have severe PTSD to this day and it’s been 15 years since I went through it. There are so many of us. I see you survivor.

[@heatherlindsey971]

I’ve always felt that the hardest part afterwards was that nobody else could relate. Most of the time you can find other kids that were abused or homeless or dealing with addiction. Nobody else seemed to understand “search and rescue” (kidnappings) or being abandoned in another state with strangers & no information. The type of abuse we endured or the helplessness that comes with this. The state doesn’t care, the parents don’t care, leaders don’t care. It’s just a handful of kids that try to band together, but eventually go back to their own state. My camp was small. One committed suicide right after leaving and another became addicted to meth for 8 years following. I’m not sure about the others. It just seemed like it was “us against everyone else.” But the “us” dissolved & I had to sort the rest out on my own. It Made it lonelier & more confusing. For me anyways.

[@erinaa9486]

I'm so sorry 💙😔

[@hollyhayes9640]

How did you get out? Something similar happened to me, except I was in a hospital, and then ended up having to pull the fire alarm just to get out.

[@Somebodysomewheresometime]

I see you too♥️

[@natebessette273]

So crazy how many other adopted children i met in these places

[@thegarrettfamily2018]

I honestly feel so bad for these people. My mother would talk about these reform schools sometimes. And my best friend almost got sent to one by her mom. Now as an adult and a Christian myself, I actually visited a Christian reform school, I was going there to teach Bible lessons to the kids. Everything seemed somewhat okay on the surface but I always got a bad feeling about it, every time we left. A matter of months later allegations of sexual abuse and neglect were brought against the owners of the school. All of the girls were taken away, sent back home and the school was shut down! The problem I see with these reform schools is that they do not create real positive changes in the children, they simply abuse and force the children to comply. It honestly damages the parent-child relationship more than anything.

[@barryjones9362]

"The problem I see with these reform schools is that they do not create real positive changes in the children, they simply abuse and force the children to comply." -----------------You nailed it perfectly. The strictness of these programs cannot claim the least bit of track record of setting any troubled teen straight, while on the other hand I think the liberals have a decent argument that compassion and friendship have a better chance at achieving reform than screaming and abuse. One problem that cannot be solved easily is the troubled teen that doesn't socialize. Throwing them into a program where they have to interact with other juvenile delinquents sounds like intended failure.

[@bryanevan6941]

I was in Cross Creek for 23 months, between 2005 - 2007; at the ages of 15-17. What we went through in there is hard to put into words; it was so psychologically brutal. I am 30 years old now, and I still struggle with what happened in that facility. I hope the state of Utah finds a way to regulate this industry. There are more intelligent solutions to helping troubled youth. My name is Bryan Berkley, and I am a survivor.

[@Surya-jz6te]

I'm sorry for what you had to go through Brian. Hope you are doing well now.

[@melissalanger9508]

Hi, Brian. My sister was also sent to Cross Creek around the same time. I know it's a long shot, but did you ever meet Jessica Langer? I want to know what she went through and who was responsible for it. I'm very sorry that you went through that. I hope that your story and others like it reach a greater audience. And yes, you absolutely are a survivor.

[@okay5488]

Hugs to you Bryan.

[@binatitagain]

Thank you for sharing your experience and for being brave.💜

[@prestonzefereo4576]

Bryan Berkley I have to know at a personal... level has anyone that survived become a high functioning adult...or how many were forever broken in ways that when they got out they couldn't preform in the real world

[@ironeleven]

An online friend group I was in back in high school had someone get shipped off to one of those places. He was only able to contact us a couple times after that, telling us how miserable he was through a website one of us set up that looked like a search engine, and months later we did some digging and found an obituary. Hope you're in a better place now, Ross.

[@Flavia_Lancieri]

I’m sorry for your loss.

[@Preppygirloli]

Wait what happened to him

[@ironeleven]

@@Preppygirloli We never found anything more specific than a date of death.

[@Preppygirloli]

So he died there? I’m sorry for ur loss

[@SN-vn6wb]

Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[@bresams2917]

I have a 17y/o giving me hell but I would never send him to a place I have no idea what is going on. This is heartbreaking

[@LastbutNotFirst]

most of these people sent to these places are not eating well. hormones are all off-kilter.. parents are at fault. my brother was in one of these places a long long time ago. it really is your diet and what you put into your body... notice its already around the hormonal ages? hormones get out of whack by a poor diet. fix the diet, solve the issues. some of these kids had good grades, no drug issues, no criminal records.. yet parents sent them off to these places. that just goes to show you how much bad food can have an impact upon teenagers.

[@alexw9923]

@@LastbutNotFirst how does all this have to do with bad food? I can't take you seriously

[@rhi4288]

Most of the families featured on this video seem upper middle class, the parents were probably too "busy" and would rather stick their kids in facilities instead of having to deal with the uncomfortable conversation as to why their children are acting up.

[@LastbutNotFirst]

@@rhi4288 but did you notice none of them told why they were put into these places... or what brought them to this point. i found it kind of funny.. i would have liked to know a little back story, but that wasnt the agenda of this video.

[@babygirl-nl4im]

@@LastbutNotFirst diet has a play in health i agree, to the point of affecting behavior i also agree. but puberty exists at those ages and imo it’s wrong to attribute behavioral issues to diet around that age besides maybe depressive behavior? behavioral issues arent just hormonal though i think it’s reductionist to think that

[@chrisrosenberger7744]

I was a “troubled teen” strung out on drugs and I’m so grateful that my parents didn’t put me in one of those programs. Had several friends that ended up going to these type of programs and they haven’t been the same since. They’re still a shell of their former selves and that was over 10 years ago.. thankfully, I ended up in a great rehab program and got clean with the support of my family, great therapists/counselors and my sponsor. A good support system and proper treatment is way more effective than sending kids to some shady, unregulated “therapy” camp. I’m sure some parents really did think these camps were the answer but I know there’s a lot of shitty parents that didn’t wanna do their job as a parent and decided sending the kid away was the best answer. That’s a damn shame

[@tatielaine2]

Random side note: Cross Creek is now a creepy AF hotel. I stayed one night and you could feel all the bad juju. Just makes my skin crawl to remember that feeling. Now I understand why.

[@tatielaine2]

I should have watched to the end. Haha

[@misterosas727]

@@tatielaine2 haha

[@deirdre9746]

"You have children, would you send your children to one of these places?" .. "No.".... SHUT IT DOWN.

[@jordinometry1589]

“Troubled teens” simply need counselling and parents who are willing to listen and put time into their child...

[@smokeymcpot69]

And medications

[@dejacavu6259]

Utah seems to be Quantity vs Quality. Lack of family planning, education & birth control leave facilities like this all over UT making lots of $$$ I worked in one of these and what I saw broke my heart. Too many teens to count ! #cycles repeat

[@22noash]

exactly

[@jlbeeen]

I think the parents also need counselling. A lot of kids I know who acted out, did so because their parents were abusive, absent or mentally unstable. I also believe schools should do more to test for neurodivergence and learning disabilities. If I had ADHD medication in high school, or even knew I had it and that I wasn't a failure, that would have saved a lot of pain. Same with some of my friends who have to wait years for a diagnosis as an adult, or had to drop out of school until they got meds figured out and access to a therapist. Just knowing that some things aren't as easy for you can help too. I have dyscalculia as well, a math related learning disability, and when I found out, I was able to get tutoring, or stay inside during recess to get help with the teacher, which made a huge difference for my mental health as well as my grades. If you're struggling and don't know why, you end up feeling like your worthless, you'll never succeed, and that can lead to some bad behaviour, as well as life long issues, which are totally preventable.

[@katie-st8nx]

Many of these kids refused voluntary therapy though

[@vrcmf3172]

Theos mother is the-exact definition of why America has so many issues.

[@DrewElGringasho]

Parents are EXTREMELY TO BLAME. Bad, bad parenting. Blame these parents and hold them accountable. Love with conditions is not love at all. Repulsive

[@Victor-pu4hs]

It’s not entirely the parents fault. They’re looking for some way to help their kids. These facilities prey on their fears of their kids ending up in jail or dead. These places are fucking evil and yes some blame lays on the parents but the program is disgustingly evil.

[@jukle89]

It’s always been the step dad David and my uncle Jim

[@rustym.shackelford5546]

@@Victor-pu4hs Well, however, the parents should've gotten more information on what they were considering. Maybe they should not have considered sending their children to be monitored by literal "closeted pæderasts"...

[@valeriekinder]

I went to cross creek from 2006-2008. They force you on medications. I was forced on unknown medications that caused me to have a full black out seizure. Staff didn’t want to transport me to the hospital, I guess because they didn’t want to get sued. Who knows. I remember laying in a dark room for hours, my brain feeling completely fucked. I couldn’t remember where I was at, why I was there, and who anyone was. Finally after my head being stuck to my shoulder and not being able to move it, I was transported to the hospital. I was told when I returned to cross creek to not speak about my incident to anyone, or I’d be in trouble and strongly disciplined. I couldn’t talk about it to my parents either. All phone calls are monitored. I now suffer from epilepsy, something I’ve never had or dealt with prior to cross creek. Thank you cross creek for ruining my health.

[@grandstarstudiosFORMER-YT]

File a lawsuit NOW

[@alvasalva6500]

@@grandstarstudiosFORMER-YT they have already closed

[@grandstarstudiosFORMER-YT]

FUCKN GOOD AND NEVER REOPEAN SATAN SPAWN (CHURCH CREEK OR WHETEVER)

[@valeriekinder]

@@grandstarstudiosFORMER-YT My dad attempted to sue back in 09 when the place was still open and according to HIM he won in a small claim’s court.. and he got a little bit of money.. but I never saw any of it. And at the time my father and I had an estranged, rocky and still very fragile relationship because of the whole thing. Not like any dollar amount would help re-wire or fix my head. Thankfully cannabis and other medications helped prevent me from having seizures.

[@wesandrews4094]

I was a victim of scotts valley school in yoncalla oregon. They made me sleep under lights my first week because i was a runaway risk. They put me on the wall where i had to stare at a dot on the wall for hours. Wasnt allowed to look out windows. Jad, the head supervisor would scream at us telling us we were pussies. Told me i didnt love my murdered grandpa. I have so many stories and nightmares still 10 years later. Im 26 now. Waz 16 then. It was the worst 7 months of my life. Thank you for covering this topic. For survivors it gives us hope that people will listen and that future kids wont have the damage we have from those places. Oregon DHS shut down Scotts Valley School in Oregon. I want to someday go back to the property just for closure. To know that i out lived that wretched school.

[@debraflowers4318]

I'm glad to hear it was shut down all the best to you

[@ianbell9166]

I was sent to two of these places i was 15, im 29 now ive never forgiven my family i still sleep with protection because of the experience of being kidnapped in the middle of the night

[@cameroncalzone8860]

an overarching theme here is that the only troubled people are the parents who see their children as troubled themselves because the alternative would be for the parents to admit that they themselves are deeply troubled

[@hectorgonzalez3512]

Wtf solitary confinment is inhuman it can break a grown up man. Ican not imagine having to deal with that as a kid or teen.

[@CultivatedLaser]

I did 3 months in solitary as a 15 year old. Started hallucinating after about a week. No human contact what so ever. All for skipping school.

[@NonyaSmith]

@@CultivatedLaser That's fucking sick. I'm really sorry that happened to you.

[@CultivatedLaser]

@@NonyaSmith It is, and I appreciate the sentiment. The stories I could tell from that time in my life. In the state run Juvenile justice system in Louisiana, they are just prepping the kids for jail. And what these people explained in this video is mild compared to the things I saw and went through.

[@tiedyedowl8367]

I was in several mental hospitals as a teen and this was the first thing they used with us. Solitary confinement. It was believed we were either faking it or all our mental problems were actually behavioral. It’s sick, and I left more fucked up then when I went inside. I still have PTSD from it.

[@trippsmclovin]

They put my son at red river academy in solitary for 3 fucking months! They updated me once a month saying my son was being held for running away, next call he is under suicide watch 3rd month he is going back to class finally... Didn't find out until after our first unsupervised conversation that THE ENTIRE TIME HE WAS IN A SUPERVISED SILENT, SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. The "Therapist" made it seem like he just kept getting in trouble. But my son just tried to run away .. and got 3 months of confinement.... HE HAD TO WRITE 8,000 PAGES OF THE RULES IN "STUDY HALL" BEFORE HE WAS ALLOWED OUT.... so stupid. It ruined my son.

[@weareorigin]

Paris Hilton, the celebrity, went to a troubled school in Utah. She said it traumatized her for life. These schools have too much potential to make children mentally ill for life.

[@glcmranger421]

Consider the source: VICE & PARIS HILTON! Not a whole lot of credibility in those two. I grew up watching that spoiled brat act the fool on TV and the news/tabloids. If anything, being institutionalized save that misfit.

[@iqbalsandu8182]

@@glcmranger421 i second you, vice is somewhat credible, paris hilton is literally THE ATTENTION WHR OF OUR GENERATION.

[@thejason755]

I was in a canadian version of one, there is nothing these places do that is even casually beneficial for their clients. To this day i have a hard time trusting, my parents deny how bad the place was for me. I’ve since talked to former staffers and therapists, and they’ve all said that instead of helping people (which they all started out believing thats what it would do) all it succeeded in doing was brain washing people.

[@glcmranger421]

@@ne241 No.

[@Amy_The_unbearded]

@glcmranger, you seriously just need to get out of here with your ignorant opinions. Clearly you have no clue what it's really like on a program. I was at the same program as Theo and Sarah. I didn't do what staff wanted me to do so I got shipped to another program in mexico. Both programs were insanely inhumane and failed to meet even the most basic of human needs. I was forced to sit in a 6 ft by 6ft chain link dog cage for 6 months, forced to eat nothing but beans and rice and oatmeal with no salt pepper sugar or milk, forced to eat EVERYTHING, if you vomit, you had to eat that too (yes, force fed vomit) for some reason you seem to think that people are exaggerating or that things are being said just to get attention. I can assure you that is not the case. I suggest you educate yourself and stop with your clueless and ignorant comments. The comments you are making are so damaging and dismissive towards ALL the survivors.