Spring Ridge Academy: Difference between revisions
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== Background == |
== Background == |
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Spring Ridge Academy has a prominent and pronounced philosophy: “We address issues through the utilization of a thorough, multifaceted therapeutic program. In addition, we create a challenging but supportive academic environment with our fully accredited college preparatory staff.” |
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Jean ("Jeannie") Courtney founded Spring Ridge Academy in or around 1996.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Lawsuit Complaint Against Spring Ridge Academy For Negligence, Fraud, and RICO Violations {{!}} Evidence Based Medicine {{!}} Schools|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/491778233/Lawsuit-Complaint-Against-Spring-Ridge-Academy-for-Negligence-Fraud-and-RICO-Violations|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Scribd|language=en}}</ref> Jean Courtney was previously involved with the [[World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools|World Wide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP)]], wherein she and her husband at the time, David Gilcrease contracted with WWASP schools to conduct indoctrination workshops with students and parents.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=WWASP Seminars|url=http://wwaspsurvivors.com/about-wwasp/seminars/|access-date=2021-07-07|website=WWASP Survivors|language=en-US}}</ref> WWASP and its schools have been the subject of lawsuits alleging horrible abuse (physical, mental, and psychological) and torture of students.<ref name=":0" /> <ref>{{Cite news|last=Williams|first=Timothy|date=2013-07-24|title=Students Recall Special Schools Run Like Jails|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/24/us/students-recall-a-school-run-like-a-prison.html|access-date=2021-07-07|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> |
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SRA’s multifaceted therapeutic program involves therapy, arts, academics, self-care/nutrition, culture, recreation and athletics. SRA is licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services and its academic program is accredited by Cognia. |
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Jean Courtney founded Spring Ridge Academy in 1997. At that time, residential facilities were operated with less oversight, academically and from a regulatory standpoint. Jean Courtney wanted to create a healing environment that embraced all facets of a young person and their family's well-being, emotionally, physically, spiritually, intellectually and relationally, with high standards of excellence. |
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Spring Ridge Academy's 26-acre campus offers dormitories, a cafeteria, academic buildings, art and dance studios, athletic field and lots of open space. |
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Spring Ridge Academy is currently owned and operated by Suzie and Brandon Courtney following Jean's retirement in 2016. Spring Ridge Academy has been and continues to be dedicated to high standards of excellence, growth and evolution offering high quality care. |
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Spring Ridge Academy is currently owned and operated by Jeannie Courtney's son and daughter-in-law, Brandon and Suzanne ("Suzie") Courtney. Neither Brandon, nor Suzanne Courtney have any education in psychology. |
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== Programming == |
== Programming == |
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Spring Ridge Academy is |
Spring Ridge Academy is renowned for its clinical therapeutic program with a college preparatory academic curriculum and encompassing recreational activities. |
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Phase One, known as Orientation, focuses on getting the student and family acquainted to the philosophy and structure of Spring Ridge Academy while getting to know the people who will be a part of their treatment team. Phase Two, known as Consistency, focuses on dealing with the student’s core issues that lead to non-working patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Students build skills to apply in their daily lives, on campus and with their family. Phase Three, known as Integration, has a large family focus as the students may now start visits at home to begin using their new skill set in the home environment. Phase Four, known as Transition, adds in more demands of adolescent life outside of Spring Ridge like friends and social media. |
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Family work is an essential part of the process during all phases as the family addresses their patterns of behaviors. Parents participate in weekly therapy, parent and family workshops and monthly visits in Arizona and at home. Families are encouraged to spend time on campus at all stages of the program. |
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As a girl progresses in the phase system, she accrues certain privileges as well as shifts her focus in the program. Phase One, known as Orientation, focuses are getting the girl compliant and submissive to the program's ideology. Phase Two, consistency, has a large focus on showing consistency in following SRA rules. Phase Three, integration, has a large family focus as the girls may now start attending visits at home. Phase Four, transition, adds in friends and social media. Upon graduation from the SRA program, parents are advised to continue their child's education in another structured setting, usually another boarding school, private school, or college, depending on the child's education level at that time. |
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The SRA environment is built on a foundation of learning and connection, allowing academy staff to work effectively with students and their families. SRA’s unique approach tends to the emotional, relational, spiritual, intellectual and physical needs of each student who joins the academy. |
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Spring Ridge Academy's program “addresses” five areas: emotional, relational, spiritual, intellectual, and physical. Spring Ridge works closely with the student's family. Parents are required to participate in family therapy with their daughter, attend occasional workshops, have monthly visits (after an initial period of restricted access so they can gain control of the girls and scare them from revealing abuse), and have communication through letters and phone calls. These letters and phone calls are typically monitored so that the kids cannot complain about treatment and abuse from the staff. Additionally, in the SRA parent handbook, parents are preemptively instructed not to acknowledge their child’s concern about “any of the horrendous circumstances and events that she will undoubtedly describe” |
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Upon graduation from the SRA program, parents are advised to continue their child's education in another structured setting, usually another private school or college, depending on the child's education level at that time. |
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== Controversy and Violations == |
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In 2021, the parent of a former resident filed a lawsuit against Spring Ridge Academy, alleging causes of action for negligence and fraud, amongst other things. The mother claims that the troubled teen program used non-evidence-based treatment practices on her daughter and misrepresented the tactics the program used before she enrolled her child there.<ref name=":0" /> In a workshop, for example, girls at Spring Ridge Academy were allegedly instructed to beat their chair with rolled up towels containing their anger while other students screamed at them.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Parents or guardians who have their child admitted to SRA pay tuition. Medical insurance may cover part of the costs. |
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Spring Ridge Academy has also been accused of using conversion therapy.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2020-12-17|title=“Conversion Therapy” Is Abuse|url=https://www.damemagazine.com/2020/12/17/conversion-therapy-is-abuse/|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Dame Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> According to a former resident, girls at Spring Ridge Academy who do not identify as females are given femininity assignments, where they are forced to wear dresses and makeup and curl their hair as therapy.<ref name=":1" /> The trans teen reported that students were coerced to dress up as assigned characters during seminars, and he was made to wear a red lace dress and “a ton of makeup,” and curl his hair.<ref name=":1" /> |
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== Documentation == |
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Other alumni have come forward alleging abuse as part of the Breaking Code Silence movement, describing the Academy as a cult and as being exploitative of families.<ref>{{Cite web|title=JENNIFER’S STORY|url=https://www.breakingcodesilence.net/testimonial/jennifersstorysra|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Breaking Code Silence|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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In an interview for SRA’s website in 2021, graduate Molly Casson credited Spring Ridge Academy with her successes in life. “It was very meaningful for me,” she said of her time at SRA. “And the experience got me to a place where I was able to have the skills to move to the next phase of my life.” |
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Casson used those skills to receive a Bachelors and Masters degree in Special Education. |
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The Arizona Department of Health Services has given Spring Ridge Academy fourteen documented citations that include: |
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“I think being there made me realize I wanted to be a voice for people that couldn’t have a voice for themselves,” she said. |
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* 2 administration violations; |
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* 2 medication service violations; |
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* 2 emergency and safety standards violations; |
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* 1 opioid prescribing and treatment violation |
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* 2 quality management violations; |
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* 1 admissions/assessment violation; |
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* 2 environmental standards violations |
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* 2 behavioral health services violations.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Licensing Facilities and Providers|url=https://hsapps.azdhs.gov/ls/sod/Provider.aspx?ProviderName=Spring+Ridge+Academy|access-date=2021-07-07|website=hsapps.azdhs.gov}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 00:47, 7 July 2021
| Spring Ridge Academy | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
13690 S Burton Rd , , 86333 | |
| Information | |
| School type | For-profit program, Behavioral Health Residential Facility |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founders | Jeannie Courtney |
| Gender | Girls |
| Age range | 13-17 |
| Accreditations | Cognia (education)[1] |
| Tuition | $126,000 to $162,000[2] |
| Website | https://springridgeacademy.com/ |
34°20′45″N 112°10′06″W / 34.345825°N 112.168385°W Spring Ridge Academy is a behavioral health residential facility for teenage girls ages 13 to 17 in Spring Valley, Arizona, US.[3][4]
Background
Spring Ridge Academy has a prominent and pronounced philosophy: “We address issues through the utilization of a thorough, multifaceted therapeutic program. In addition, we create a challenging but supportive academic environment with our fully accredited college preparatory staff.”
SRA’s multifaceted therapeutic program involves therapy, arts, academics, self-care/nutrition, culture, recreation and athletics. SRA is licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services and its academic program is accredited by Cognia.
Jean Courtney founded Spring Ridge Academy in 1997. At that time, residential facilities were operated with less oversight, academically and from a regulatory standpoint. Jean Courtney wanted to create a healing environment that embraced all facets of a young person and their family's well-being, emotionally, physically, spiritually, intellectually and relationally, with high standards of excellence.
Spring Ridge Academy's 26-acre campus offers dormitories, a cafeteria, academic buildings, art and dance studios, athletic field and lots of open space.
Spring Ridge Academy is currently owned and operated by Suzie and Brandon Courtney following Jean's retirement in 2016. Spring Ridge Academy has been and continues to be dedicated to high standards of excellence, growth and evolution offering high quality care.
Programming
Spring Ridge Academy is renowned for its clinical therapeutic program with a college preparatory academic curriculum and encompassing recreational activities.
The program includes four phases that each student is expected to complete at their own pace. Each phase has visits that correspond ranging from Arizona visits to home visits monthly.
Phase One, known as Orientation, focuses on getting the student and family acquainted to the philosophy and structure of Spring Ridge Academy while getting to know the people who will be a part of their treatment team. Phase Two, known as Consistency, focuses on dealing with the student’s core issues that lead to non-working patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Students build skills to apply in their daily lives, on campus and with their family. Phase Three, known as Integration, has a large family focus as the students may now start visits at home to begin using their new skill set in the home environment. Phase Four, known as Transition, adds in more demands of adolescent life outside of Spring Ridge like friends and social media.
Family work is an essential part of the process during all phases as the family addresses their patterns of behaviors. Parents participate in weekly therapy, parent and family workshops and monthly visits in Arizona and at home. Families are encouraged to spend time on campus at all stages of the program.
The SRA environment is built on a foundation of learning and connection, allowing academy staff to work effectively with students and their families. SRA’s unique approach tends to the emotional, relational, spiritual, intellectual and physical needs of each student who joins the academy.
Upon graduation from the SRA program, parents are advised to continue their child's education in another structured setting, usually another private school or college, depending on the child's education level at that time.
Parents or guardians who have their child admitted to SRA pay tuition. Medical insurance may cover part of the costs.
Documentation
In an interview for SRA’s website in 2021, graduate Molly Casson credited Spring Ridge Academy with her successes in life. “It was very meaningful for me,” she said of her time at SRA. “And the experience got me to a place where I was able to have the skills to move to the next phase of my life.”
Casson used those skills to receive a Bachelors and Masters degree in Special Education.
“I think being there made me realize I wanted to be a voice for people that couldn’t have a voice for themselves,” she said.
References
- ^ "Cognia – Institution Summary". advanc-ed.org/. Cognia. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ Sweidy v. Spring Ridge Academy et al (United States District Court, Arizona January 21, 2021), Text.
- ^ "Enrollment Terms and Agreement" (PDF). Spring Ridge Academy. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "Residential List" (PDF). Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona Department of Health Services. Retrieved 14 April 2021.