Jersey Girl wrote:JAK wrote:The larger issue here is how is this “facility” held accountable by the laws of the federal or state government. If there is no oversight, no inspection, no subordination to the laws of the state or federal government, the “facility” is operating deliberately beyond the reach of the law.
JAK...what? West Ridge holds 4 separate licenses through the Utah Department of Human Services. It is regulated out the literal wazoo. Further, it is accredited by multiple organizations.
DHS performes regular announced and UNannounced site visits. They inspect the environment, files, professional credentialing.
For example, inspections of the environment are NOT a walk through bed check. The environment is inspected against licensing standards. A few examples: The square footages of rooms according to their uses and age of children. The temperature of the darn water in the kitchen, bathrooms and showers. Sorry...I work with this stuff every day and have done so for years. If folks here understood how regulated and inspected a licensed facility really is, they wouldn't be so quick to suspect one of chronic and/or hidden abuse.
I've been present for
unannounced visits more times than I care to mention. When DHS knocks on the door, you open it and stand aside. You open any file, cabinet, closet to any part of the facility they ask to inspect. You give them the master key if they ask for it. There is NO part of the facility that DHS doesn't have access to.
When DHS conducts a scheduled or unannouced visit, a list of violations is collected. They print out the list of the violations (could be a missing form from a child's file) before they leave and hand it to you with a 30-90 day response date. (Would depend on the violation) You correct whatever it is, send in your response letter and they often will make a return unannounced visit to verify that the violations have been corrected.
DHS is NOT going to close a program based on the 9 year old reports of one former resident. Unless a hidden and common grave of missing students is found under a building or something like that, it takes MULTIPLE reports. That is why some of us have repeatedly encouraged Eric to report what he has on himself, attempt to rally others to do the same and try to find out if there are any instances of unreported abuse going on at the present time.
This is also why I've suggested to marg to ask DHS what standing and/or reports of violations are on file for West Ridge.
by the way, Accreditation org's add yet another level of criteria to the mix of already in place standards.
You reveal that Utah is the state in which West Ridge is located.
The numerical count of “licenses” held by West Ridge does not establish that it complies with them. Perhaps it does. We have a story from GoodK regarding
his experience and treatment at that facility. If West Ridge is above reproach in every regard and if West Ridge is open to state inspection absent warning of such inspection, and if the state of Utah (those who investigate) is not looking the other way regarding treatment of individuals there, then GoodK’s story is false.
What motivation does GoodK have for telling a false story?
What motivation does the state of Utah have for turning a blind eye to conduct by those who run West Ridge?
What motivation does West Ridge have to conceal embracing details?
Those questions don’t preclude answers. They are questions.
However, one cannot have it both ways. If GoodK is telling basically an accurate story, the state of Utah is either approving the treatment of teens there or it is closing its eyes to the treatment of teens there.
Jersey Girl, are you one of the inspectors of West Ridge? That you “work with this stuff every day and have done so for years” does not tell us anything about West Ridge unless you are one of the
inspectors of West Ridge. Are you an inspector for the state of Utah? That you have “been present for
unannounced visits more times than I care to mention” does not tell us anything about West Ridge in Utah. That is, unless you are an inspector of West Ridge.
If the state of Utah is complicit in the treatment (as described by GoodK), the chance for what “reports of violations are on file for West Ridge” being known may be slim. This is not an accusation against Utah. But someone is lying here. Given the statements of GoodK and the apparent secrecy of activities at West Ridge, getting at facts is problematic.
As a previous member of board for the
North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, I am aware that the most investigative examination sometimes becomes a witting or unwitting accomplice in cover-up of failings in the very facilities we are asked to investigate. In short, accreditation and visits often fail to reveal administrative cover-ups which those in a position to
cover up are able to control. So a lengthy list of
memberships or “separate licenses” as you say West Ridge has does not preclude mis-conduct on the part of people running that “facility.”
No one in these discussions as offered an adequate explanation or defense of secrecy as appears to be the case for West Ridge.
Jersey Girl states:
“West Ridge holds 4 separate licenses through the Utah Department of Human Services. It is regulated out the literal wazoo. Further, it is accredited by multiple organizations.”
Even if this is the case, it does not preclude the possibility that West Ridge has engaged in child abuse as described by GoodK. Further, West Ridge would have every reason to demonstrate as much
credit as possible to divert criticism and questions about what happens behind its secrecy.
Secrecy and opaqueness generally is constructed to hide what someone or some group wants to keep from public view. In law enforcement, people who are generally relating an accurate account frequently mix up or make contradictory statement under interrogation. They mis-state a detail, a date, an incident as they are pressed by an interrogator to re-tell multiple times a story which they claim as fact.
On the other hand, people who are lying also get detail mixed up under pressure in an effort to keep their story straight. Hence, we have the possibility that GoodK is manufacturing a story which is basically false. But, we also have the possibility that West Ridge maintains secrecy, prohibits outside contacts, etc. in order to cover up what they do there.
The number of licenses which it holds is not necessarily indicative of its ethical treatment of youth. As a teacher, Jersey Girl, you know people who are licensed to teach yet who are poor or incompetent teachers. You also know people who are extremely well qualified, who are wonderful teachers yet who lack an advanced degree. How many degrees one holds or how many universities one has attended is
not necessarily a measure of them.
As a state, Utah (the officials) may favor treatment of youth which Vermont (or New Jersey) might not. The history of Utah is not that of a liberal state. What it approves in a place like West Ridge might not be approved elsewhere. Perhaps things happened to GoodK which rarely happen at West Ridge. Perhaps GoodK is lying.
West Ridge is far larger and more powerful than GoodK. If West Ridge has secrets to protect, the probability is good that they can do that regardless of what “reports of violation” exist (if any exist).
In any event, it would be most difficult for a young person, absent funding, to make a legal case against a state supported organization (as you say West Ridge is). Even if the truth were on the side of GoodK, it would be most formidable for him to expose what an organization wants kept from view.
If several people relate a similar story to that of GoodK, his story gains some credibility.
Abuse like
torture is a term which is open for interpretation. Discovering or confirming details of GoodK’s story becomes more difficult with the passing of time. If his story is basically accurate, delay is in the interest of West Ridge.
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