The closure was voluntary, but it came at the end of a difficult period for the program. Red Rock Canyon School, another Sequel-ran facility, closed in 2019 after reports of abuse surfaced and a riot among residents ensued, resulting in area SWAT teams responding. Multiple lawsuits have been filed in Alabama, alleging rampant abuse in Sequels Courtland and Tuskegee facilities. No information shared in consultations is shared unless first approved by our clients. Clockwise from top, the latest operations to close: Mountain Home Academy in Idaho, Forest Ridge Youth Services in Iowa, Pompano Youth Treatment Center in Florida. Kay Ivey, a Republican. They described physical abuse by staff, Johnson said, and being denied medical care. (866) 577-2786. Toxic chemicals in Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF Firefighting Foam) have been linked to numerous types of cancer, including: AFFF Firefighting Foam lawsuits aim to hold manufacturers accountable for putting peoples health at risk. According to Daniel Sparkman, spokesman for Alabamas Department of Human Resources, the agency made unannounced visits to Sequel facilities in the wake of the advocacy groups report, but by then, most, if not all deficiencies had been addressed. The agency continues to send children to Sequel facilities. I was banging and kicking on the door, trying to get someones attention, he said. Story continues. Based on 511 reviews. Sequel declined to comment on Hunters case and his familys lawsuit. Its part of what we do, Jarrett Shoemaker, a Sequel marketing agent, wrote to a Washington state child welfare official in 2014. Ratings by category. Most notably, the estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel for his death. She said she could not speak in detail about the companys finances, but argued that Altamonts support including nearly $40 million invested over the past three years has allowed Sequel to provide extra training for its employees, upgrade infrastructure and install additional security cameras at its facilities. He and the other children at Sequel Tuskegee were treated like animals by staff. Tristan, now 18, was placed into foster care on his 12th birthday and bounced between group homes until 2018, when he landed at Tuskegee, an intensive psychiatric treatment facility. There was a particular room, said Johnson, investigations supervisor for the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, a federally funded watchdog group that has the authority to monitor treatment facilities like Sequels and advocate for changes. Sequel Youth & Family Services provides a broad spectrum of treatment programs to people of all ages with behavioral, emotional, and physical challenges. Sequel Youth & Family Services has an overall rating of 2.6 out of 5, based on over 205 reviews left anonymously by employees. A Profitable Death Trap: Sequel Youth Facilities Raked in Millions While Accused of Abusing Children. MOUNT PLEASANT, Utah (AP) A company that runs treatment centers for troubled youth is closing a second Utah facility as officials investigate claims of sexual abuse, violence and several other . Those close relationships come in handy when the company faces scrutiny. By clicking ACCEPT ALL, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. TorHoerman Law was responsible for handling a medical case for our family. In Iowa, licensing inspectors found on multiple visits over the past two years that the Woodward Academy staff had put residents in inappropriate restraints without justification. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. If you are representing the estate of a loved one who has died as a result of abuse, or as a result of self-harm from abuse, you may qualify to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Sequel or at-fault parties. Despite Oregons efforts to work with Sequel to meet our licensing and safety standards, it became abundantly clear that Sequel was unable or unwilling to meet Oregons mandatory reporting requirements, said Jake Sunderland, press secretary for the Oregon Department of Human Services. Multiple state departments have urged their respective states to cut ties with Sequel Youth and Family Services while some states have recently signed contracts, one in Alabama worth almost $13 million. You may qualify to participate in a 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Lawsuit if: Over 140,000 Exactech hip, knee and ankle implants have been recalled due to packaging errors that can lead to the breakdown of parts vital to the devices function. Sequel Youth and Family Services is the most notable operator of youth residential treatment facilities in the United States, and reportedly operates up to 80% of these establishments. Ask a Question. They helped me when I needed expert legal representation! Sequel settled a lawsuit from Fredricks family in December. 2.8. In Alabama, where Sequel is headquartered, records reveal that reports of troubling conditions in the companys facilities have been made to state agencies for years, including mandatory child abuse and injury reports and whistleblower accounts by former Sequel employees. Look no further, call now! More than 40 States Have Sent Their Most Vulnerable Kids to Facilities Run by a for-Profit Company Named Sequel. Sequel Youth & Family Services has also faced criticisms. But the next year, advocates for people with disabilities started to raise alarm about the way Sequel allegedly treated children. Last August, Sequels Pompano Youth Treatment Center failed a state inspection that found a range of deficiencies at the 24-bed Florida treatment center. In June, Sequel announced it was shutting down its 60-bed treatment center in Mountain Home, Idaho, a city of 16,000 people located about 40 miles southeast of Boise. On January 26, 2022, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Tevin Pike against Sequel TSI of Alabama, Sequel TSI of Tuskegee, and Sequel Youth & Family Services LLC ("Sequel"), alleging that Pike was a former 15-year-old resident at an Alabama treatment facility for children run by Sequel TIS of Tuskegee, a residential psychiatric facility, for about two months in 2018, during which Pike was . Today, youth counselors at Sequel facilities start off making $12 to $15 per hour, depending on the location. In 2020, 16-year-old Cornelius Frederick died after he was reportedly smothered to death by Sequel employees in Michigan after he threw a sandwich. A number of new lawsuits are currently being filed nationwide against both currently operational and closed Sequel facilities. The records revealed reports of child abuse and injury reports had been made to state agencies in Alabama, yet the facilities would still pass inspections. In Alabama Vivants application for a business registration was signed by Ripleys daughter, Christine Aron, who previously served as Sequels vice president of business development. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, the company currently operates youth behavioral centers in 17 states, totaling 34 establishments. Following a barrage of abuse scandals and media attention, including a 2020 investigation by APM Reports, the company has shut down close to half of its treatment centers and sold most of the rest to a new company called Vivant Behavioral Healthcare. He complained that Forest Ridge was admitting children they were not qualified to care for, were allowing children to prey on one another, and were failing to keep children safe by allowing them to leave the facility unsupervised., The report also includes an email Martens sent the state last April: It is time for a change of how business is conducted. At TorHoerman Law, we believe that if we continue to focus on the people that we represent, and continue to be true to the people that we are justice will always be served. 2, 2022 at 8:08 PM PDT. Our team is what has made TorHoerman Law a very special place since 2009. Can I represent a loved one or family member in a Sequel abuse lawsuit? The first morning he woke up in the room, Tristan said, he waved his arms at the camera, pounded on the door and shouted for the staff to let him out to use the bathroom. They are supported by a dedicated team of staff that are as equally friendly and helpful. Jun 27, 2019, 15:09 ET. But rather than get better, Laurie said, girls at Owens Cross Roads seemed to get worse. Lawsuit: Teen screamed 'I can't breathe' during restraint WEST . If you or a loved one suffered from abuse at a Sequel facility, camp, boarding school, or treatment center, consider contacting TorHoerman Law for legal help. Records show that about two weeks later, Department of Human Resources Commissioner Nancy Buckner forwarded two new contracts with Sequel to Alabama Gov. A lawsuit was filed Wednesday against Sequel Youth and Family Services, LLC in Macon County, Alabama Circuit Court, asserting claims of severe abuse and neglect of a 15-year-old boy at Sequel's . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Tax dollars are being used ultimately to abuse and mistreat children who are in need of serious therapeutic services, and weve sent them to these services for that, said K. Ricky Watson Jr., head of the National Juvenile Justice Network, which has advocated against for-profit juvenile detention. He has a bulging, bloody laceration on his forehead. You can also sue facility staff members who are no longer working for Sequel. The company told investors it was well positioned to serve as industry consolidator, thanks in part to its clean regulatory and litigation history.. Video Shows Fatal Restraint of Cornelius Frederick, 16, in Michigan Foster Facility. The state investigation found no rule violations. A 16-year-old Michigan boy went into cardiac arrest and died after several staff members of the residential treatment facility he stayed at restrained him, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. Begin Your Path To Healing & Justice. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In a civil lawsuit filed Monday against Lakeside Academy and Sequel Youth and Family Services, the family said the teen screamed "I can't breathe" as staff members . John Jay Ripley, one of Sequels founders, established Vivant Behavioral Healthcare in order to buy a majority of Sequel and eventually rebrand the company. Officials at Sequel Youth & Family Services did not respond to requests for comment on the Oct. 14 report. Marshall also traded messages with Sequels marketing staff monitoring Gelsers social media activity when the lawmaker toured Sequel facilities that year.