Alabama Sequel Facility a House of Horrors for Foster Child, Lawsuit Claims. Most of the former Sequel treatment centers that remain open are now controlled by Vivant Behavioral Healthcare, which was founded in 2021 by Jay Ripley, one of three people who founded Sequel in 1999. Former Students at Utah Troubled-Teen Centers Say Their Reports of Sex Abuse Were Ignored. We focused on public pay because we figured kids are always going to have issues and they're always going to get in trouble, and again, the government has to figure out a way to take care of them, Ripley explained, according to a video recording. Rappleyeis a reporter with the Investigative Unit at NBC News, with a focus on criminal justice, social issues and the environment. Sequel shut down treatment centers where alleged abuse surfaced. The most common issue reported at youth residential treatment facilities is physical abuse, either at the hands of employees or other residents. The lawsuit alleges: Tevin did not receive the necessary mental health treatment he needed but was instead physically abused and emotionally traumatized at Sequel Tuskegee. Nearly all of Sequel's programs run on government funding: States pay Sequel $275 to more than $800 a day per child to provide residential and therapeutic services. Tommy James, an attorney representing the boy identified only as Hunter C., said his client lived at Sequel TSI of Courtland in 2018 and 2019, where . Here's everything you need to know about "The Grinch" sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. The company dreamed of dominating Americas $220 billion behavioral health care industry. The attorneys at THL were extremely helpful with the legal aspects of setting up my small business. In a statement, Sparkman wrote that the agency investigates allegations and that subsequent investigation records are confidential based on Alabama law.. In a court filing last week in Alabama, it argued that the lawsuit should be moved out of state court because the Ripley family is based in Virginia and an intricate series of business entities that comprise and control Vivant are incorporated in Virginia and Delaware. "These are places that are supposed to provide a safe, homelike, therapeutic environment, Johnson said. At that point, I was so depressed I didnt know what to do, Laurie said. An employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery and showing pornography to minors. The Team Leader (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) CCBHC is a part of the managementSee this and similar jobs on LinkedIn. Use the CB Insights Platform to explore Sequel Youth and Family Services's full profile. You can still file a Sequel abuse lawsuit against facilities that are closed. Fredricks' family filed lawsuits after his death against Lakeside Academy, school owner Sequel Youth & Family Services and employees. The defendants, Lakeside Academy and Sequel Youth and Family Services the company that supplied the academy with management services and staff members declined to comment on the lawsuit . The statute of limitations for each state determines the amount of time that a victim has to file an abuse lawsuit. Many of the children served by Sequel are victims with traumatic histories. Laurie stayed at Owens Cross Roads twice before she reunited with her family. He has a bulging, bloody laceration on his forehead. The lawsuit alleges that Pike was placed in isolation as punishment, sometimes for days, during which he had no access to food and water and was forced to urinate in the corner of the segregation room. Sequel declined to make any of its leaders available for interviews. I guess we just lifted each other up.. To find out what the statute of limitations is in your state, contact TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation legal consultation today. When you think about the amount of money that these facilities and Sequel are receiving, he said, it makes you wonder: Where exactly is that money going?. Today the Sequel brand has been removed from almost all its former treatment centers web sites. Do I qualify for the Sequel abuse lawsuit? All rights reserved. Contact TorHoerman Law for a free, legal consultation today. Since Fredericks' death, Michigan's Department of Health and Human . In response to a list of questions laying out the findings of the APM Reports investigation, the company issued a lengthy written statement. The company told investors it was well positioned to serve as industry consolidator, thanks in part to its clean regulatory and litigation history.. In 2017, when a private equity firm bought a controlling stake in Sequel Youth & Family Services, it had 35 residential treatment centers in 16 states. In the two years since the incident, Sequel shut down 11 of those centers, which followed six closures in 2019. While much of the abuse in Sequel facilities allegedly went undocumented, many other instances were well reported and even noticed by state officials responsible for ensuring the safety of youth residents. Responsible for providing leadership to the program. He watched through a window as children made their way to class. Sequel Youth and Family Services Lawsuit: Reports of Abuse, Independent Fundamental Baptist Resources, Disclaimer / Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy, 24/7 support with a caring legal staff dedicated to protecting your confidentiality, employees or "whistleblowers" of the facilities, Multiple children report being slammed to the ground and held facedown, One boy described his head being caught on a nail in the wall during a violent restraint, Reports of being called names, threatened, and comments such as "you gonna go to jail", Report of being in solitary confinement for 72 hours, with no access to a bathroom, Report of lack of access to medical treatment, dental treatment or eye care, Report of lack of access to clean drinking water, Lack of education, school work and career training, Filthy conditions and hazardous living conditions, Residents in inappropriate restraints without justification, and even the death of one resident at a Michigan facility. Websites for three former Sequel facilities in Utah and Tennessee indicate that they are now run by Rite of Passage, a company based in Nevada. Then children began to talk. Birmingham said that seclusion which the company refers to as controlled observation and physical restraints are supposed to be last resorts and are not meant to be punitive. They are supported by a dedicated team of staff that are as equally friendly and helpful. 4. She said that most allegations made by children, staff and advocates end up being unsubstantiated, but that the company has zero tolerance for abuse and immediately reports allegations of wrongdoing to state oversight agencies. The State of Iowas placing some of these young people in this unrestricted environment is frankly absurd.. The same facility will reopen under a new name with new services while an attorney prepares to file another lawsuit against the facility. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and damages. You deserve to be heard and we believe you. 2, 2022 at 8:08 PM PDT. We've recovered over $4 Billion in verdicts & settlements, 16 Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Diseases & Symptoms, Sequel Youth and Family Services Abuse Lawsuit. The work load and expectations do not match the pay for the majority of the staff (even for the positions that require degrees). KALAMAZOO, MI -- A federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the family of Cornelius Fredricks, the 16-year-old who died after being restrained at a Kalamazoo youth facility, seeks more than $50 million. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The Training Manager is responsible for directing, planning and implementing the training program.Also, takes the lead with staff training and personnel development. What type of abuse qualifies for the Sequel lawsuit? Many states have reportedly revoked contracts with Sequel (but not Alabama). Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Emotional & Psychological AbuseFebruary 22, 2022Personal Injury Sequel Youth and Family Services Abuse LawsuitSequel Youth and Family Services is the most notable operator of youth residential treatment facilities in the United States, and reportedly operates up to 80%. The teen's family suit against the school and the company that owns it, Sequel Youth Services, seeks $100 million, alleging negligence. In September 2019, Sondra Landers, director of the departments office in Lawrence County, where Courtland is, sent an alarming email to several top agency staff members. Ask a question about working or interviewing at Sequel Youth and Family Services. . 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. The lawsuits reinforce the findings of a recent Huffington Post investigation that revealed more than two decades of abuse and neglect inside private prisons operated by Youth Services International and other companies run by its founder, James Slattery. If you have been abused at a Sequel Youth and Family Services facility, or a similar facility, contact our experienced team of attorneys today to learn more about your legal rights. Marianne Birmingham, Sequels compliance director, said in an interview that the company has worked with the state to improve conditions in its Alabama facilities. A residential school operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services is set to permanently shutdown its operations. For what theyve done, and what theyre not doing. However, advocacy groups say that Sequels track record should be a red flag to states that send Sequel their most troubled children along with millions in taxpayer dollars. KRQE News 13 reached out may times to Sequel Youth and Family Services, which has seen similar closures and allegations in its other nationwide facilities recently. Sequel Youth & Family Services has an overall rating of 2.6 out of 5, based on over 205 reviews left anonymously by employees. The staff is kind, considerate, professional, and very experienced. Northern Illinois Academy (NIA), located in Aurora, Illinois, is an 87-bed facility that receives funding from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), and the . A 16-year-old, Cornelius Frederick, died this year after several staff members restrained him at a Sequel facility in Michigan, prompting disability rights proponents, legislators and child advocacy groups in at least six states to question whether the company focuses more on profit than rehabilitating the children in its care. 2.8 out of 5 stars for Work/Life Balance. Those treatment programs were also shut down in recent years. Most notably, the estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel for his death. After acquiring a new facility, Sequel uses its marketing arm to increase capacity and occupancy, as Ripley put it in a 2017 call to investors. How long do I have to file a Sequel abuse lawsuit? Sequel cares for more than 9,000 clients across the U.S., including foster children, children whose parents are unable to handle their behavior and children in the states juvenile justice system. A walkway to enter the school at the Courtland facility. Sequel Youth & Family Services is now in the national spotlight after NBC Nightly News ran an investigative report on the company Wednesday night. Run by Sequel Youth & Family Services a for-profit, $450 million company backed by Bay Area investors Lakeside had promised to put the boys "on a pathway to lead healthy and successful . 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