Samuel at Anchor Academy

This testimony was found on Topix. All rights goes to the original author

I have not even thought about the Anchor Academy for a looong time. My wife asked me today what the name of the school was cause one of her friends new someone that was attending a boys home in Montana. It was obviously not the same school since its not in Montana anymore. Anyway I ended up doing a many hour search on the Anchor Academy and found this along the way......

THE TRUTH....

First of to Ronnie. You are ignorant. Thats all I have to say to you..

I want to start out by saying that I used the system of the Academy to best keep myself out of trouble and to be in a leadership role so I didnt have to listen to the leaders who I felt were not near as smart as me. That may sound arrogant, but its true.

I hurt many people while I was at the Academy and I fell terrible when I think about the stuff that I was involved in. During the time that I was there I witnessed with my own eyes what went on behind the curtain of what parents saw. Jordan and Adam and Id rather not say are right and true. Any counselor that was there during the the times I was (Dec. 2002 to June 2004) and says there was no abuse is not telling the truth. I dont know how it is ran now 6 years down the road. But I know it cant be 100% abuse free from what I witnessed in the past.

The punishments of the Anchor when I was there were not meant to be helpful, but to tear the person down. They would tear to the point that you were so low you had nothing else to do but 'improve'. Their goal was to inflict pain on those who were involved.

PT (physical training) was designed to hurt you beyond what you thought your body could handle and then add 100 rockets on top that(people who were there know what a rocket is, they would make people cry at there mention). Or duck walk until literally cant even stand straight for awhile. Some people who were there were in PT for 30 minutes every morning before the rest of the boys got up and for a few hours on weekends. Remember what I just described Anchor PT as. It was not constructive. On top of this the kids that were living on Peanut Butter sandwiches for 3 meals a day topped of with a nice glass of water could not have been properly Nourished for the amount of physical activities they were going through.

Abuse. To say that there was no Abuse is like saying there is no such thing as the Anchor Academy. I will say briefly some of the stuff I saw. I saw the Foxy . A group of 5 kids who cheated in school made to go through a week of German style punishment. They were made to look like fools in front of everyone. People made fun of them and critizised them (me being one. They were made to sing a song written by one of the counselors and dance to it. This was done to "entertain the rest of the students and counselors while we were eating out huge dinner (they were eating peanut butter sandwiches, when they did eat). Late at night you could here them screaming because of the PT that they were doing ( my bunk was on the back wall, where on the other side they were caring out their punishments). Josh Deery was mentioned by Jordan. Who he said was bent over digging a whole with a spoon. This was the toned down version. He was Bent over, digging hole"s" with an eating spoon, under an old barracks buildin( in the foundation) for many many days. I remember hanging sheatrock in the serving area and him having to do PT based around his spoon while I watched him..This is just what little I saw him do during the 2 weeks or so he was punished. God only know what else he had to go through. If any of you PARENTS can tell me that will not have a lasting effect on Josh's life you are ignorant, and have no clue what it is like to go through such emotional pain. Ill continue on next post.....

K that last post was a test post.... I wrote a few posts that took up the whole 4000 characters each. I posted them yesterday. Was wondering why they havent posted. That one I just posted showed up in 2 sec. Any answers would be helpful. I went to the Anchor and thats the reason for my post.

Im running long so I will give a short overview of things I witnessed. Keep in mind these are kids. Your kids.

Kids made to do push ups in the snow in freezing weather. Pushed over or sometimes tackled if they were not keeping up the PT pace that was set. People slammed or thrown around to get a point across to them. Kids made to eat peanut butter sandwiches, while standing in the the front of the eating hall, to humiliate them. The Foxy 5. Dream Team (another version of Foxy, just as brutal). I Stood over a student (Cody Beeles) and held him down while this guy (not a student or counselor kind of in between) poured a gallon of water over his face military style. Kids would have to stand in the eating hall on Sat. nights if they didnt memorize their 3 verses of scripture a day for each week. They would stand and read the bible for the duration of a movie. I saw kids (foxy 5) made to do squats with cinder blocks held over their head for very long periods of time. If they ever put it down they had to start over again. These cinder blocks were carried around with them for a day or 2. These kids were dressed up in torn, ratty cloths of types of colors and dumb hats that made them look ridiculous to everyone around them (back to the foxy five again). Students would be made to bend over in as uncomfortable of a position as you could get them in, and put there nose on whatever object you would tell them(wall,water fountains, toilets, whatever was not easy to do) If students would not do this or would not do it properly they would get written up or slammed. Depending on student usually. And all of this being done in the name of God at a Christian boys home. This makes me think of James Halford who was beat, humiliated, criticized, and looked down on the whole time I was there. He was ugly by set standards. He was different, he was not a normal kid. When I think about the way he was treated in pains my heart. It was terrible what was done to him and will probably have lasting effects on his life. I don't know how Dennis sleeps at night knowing what he did to this kid and many others. I can go on an on with names and things that were done. There is no excuse.

Students are a big part of the abuse at the school. Leaders were subtly encouraged to do things to subordinates that were inhumane. I cant stress how terrible I feel for what I did and saw there. I don't know how the people in authority don't feel the same. Like Pastor Spencer, Trevor. How can he preach know what he know about what happened to these kids. Its wrong in so many ways.

I wont say that it is all bad by any means. It didn't ruin my life in anyway. I am successful for a 24 year old. I have my own construction business, just build my first house, have a beautiful wife. I still attend church regularly. I'm not at all trying to say that if you go here it will ruin your life. But I just don't see this as the best option for a kid. Ask the Anchor what the percentage of students that are doing well. Its not high. Of the 15 or so people I graduated with, I only know of 4 that are doing really well. Most went back to exactly what they loved and lived for. I would not trust any profession of faith that is made at this school because it is shoved down the students throats, and ones you accept Christ its like part of become a "good kid" at the school. Its not done for the right reasons. I also think that the school will stress most kids relationship with their parents once they are out of the school.

I'm going to stop now, but don't just believe the shiny crap you see when you, as a parent, loot at the school and when they are singing in your churches. I was there giving my perfect, trimmed, and well thought out testimony. Take it from people who have been there and arnt blind.(me, Adam, Jordan, and the other people who wouldn't list there name.

If you have questions please ask.

email: xxxxxxxx(a)xxxxx.xxx

Sorry if this is scattered.Wrote very fast


Sources:

• The original testimony on Topix.com
• Factsheet about the Academy (Fornits Wiki)

J at Gatehouse Academy

I went to a mentally abusive treatment facility though they later explained it was neither a treatment center nor a medical center.

As I would come to learn GHA was on heals watch list for years. I was at risk of seizures and dt's from substance abuse. They denied me medical care for the first three months and denied outside communication for six weeks. All phone calls had to be closely monitored and would be immediately ended if you complained about abuse. I spoke up every day for the first three weeks to the staff while at Gatehouse Academy about fraud and medical malpractice. This place tried to purposely misdiagnose me and my friend with a serious mental illness as a form of punishment. Their main psyche nurse was operating with out any type of actual mental health training as a psych nurse. Place was closed down after the CEO was busted for wire fraud, money laundering drug charges and gun charges. He convinced family members to donate money to a park and instead kept the money for drugs. Place had five campuses shut down for non compliance with licensing standards and they instead just moved one state over and started up their operations.

The new campus closed after 9 months because staff started havering sex with underage clients and handing out illegal drugs to minors. I tried to bring to light the fact that the company was committing fraud and not conducting regular narc counts only to face threats and consequences of all day work crew and dc'd family communication. This place denied the seriously mentally Ill basic medical treatment for months on end. I could go on and on about the straight up fraud, waste and mental abuse but I do not have time. What we need to know is their should be more oversight and regulations when it comes to these therapeutic boarding schools or centers. They say they can work with almost any mental illness or disorder. It took years just to get people to start believing that the fraud was actually taking place.

Still to this day the old clients justify the abuse they went through. There are no laws on the books to make many of these places follow basic guidelines that every other sector in mental health treatment follows like having strict finger print clearance policies. Make sure to see how the place is regulated. Get all promises and policies in writing. Do a sight visit. If detoxification is part of treatment make sure the place is licensed to provide such care. Make sure to see if their are any documented state violations or concerning state evaluations. See how they train the majority of the lower paid staff. With more regulations comes better allocation of resources better training and better pay for the same jobs. Affective professional help is available to low income individuals in licensed and regulated facilities around America. You can get long term evidenced based treatment at an affordable cost with well trained and well paid staff.

Finally Gatehouse Academy closed in 2012 but it had taken years of advocating just to get the state to close most of the campuses. The sad fact is GHA had dozens of chances to regulate their extended campuses and they chose money over proper training and treatment. If you got diagnosed with a mi while at the ranch I beg you to speak with an actual trained mental health professional that has experience in the field. Abuse in healthcare has so many definitions other then actual physical abuse. GHA ranch and Idaho staff got off extremely light. Every single staff member that worked at the ranch in 2010 was involved or either complacent in abuse and fraud.

Sources:

• The original testimony on Reddit
• Staff list for Gatehouse Academy (Heal-online)

Savannah at Unita Academy

This testimony was found on Yelp. All rights goes to the original author

I attended Uinta Academy in 08 and six years later let me just say it was by far the most negative experience of my life.

I felt like a prisoner. Not only is the staff run by brainwashing Mormans. Before I came to Uinta I was a confident and headstrong individual and when I left I stuggled and still do to this day with depression and anxiety. They over medicated me for things that I never struggled with to begin with I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder with no reason. I am one of the most level headed and independent young woman that I know, so far away from being bi polar.

Uinta ripped me away from my family and friends. To this day it has put a strain on my relationship with my family. Because of uinta I will need have a high school experience, I have never had a prom or a happy rewarding high school graduation. Despite the cruel and brainwashing staff that caused me horrible anxiety and made me feel like everything I did was wrong and I was never good enough I was able to rebound from it. I had to have therapy for years after and fell into codependent controlling relationships and I completely blame Uinta.

How can you tell young girls there bad kids, yes I made my fair share of mistakes but I am not a bad person. Uinta broke me down and I had to completely rebuild my self-esteem. If there is anything I can say it is to please think twice before sending your daughter here. I went to a wilderness program as well and i was a much more benifical and positive experience. If anyone wants to personally contact me I will post my e mail below. I am doing this because I would have pleaded for someone to do this for me while I attended this program. I realize that some girls may benefit from programs like these but to others it can be a devastating experience.



Sources:

• The original testimony found on Yelp.com
• Factsheet about the program (Fornits Wiki)