In the days before her death, Kirsta hadn't been sleeping in her room. Therapy strategies comprise: Cognitive/behavioral therapy. Kirsta Simons, 17, had been sent to West Ridge Academy in Utah by the Family Court under the care of the Department of Child and Family Services in 2019. Super irregular schedule makes it difficult to maintain a good sleep schedule. I just dont understand why she was sent there. After including caveats to keep public and private funding separate in the school's budgets and to ensure the safety of the new charter school's students, the Board of Education approved the application. Our team of professionals provide a wide variety of treatment methods aimed to help you feel better and get your life back on track. And even now, two years later, Im still feeling that loss.. But they failed her, her mother said. It didnt seem to matter what the teen treatment center did wrong. She had suicidal ideations. Kirsta had been on suicide watch in the days before her death, according to a police report, but she was allowed to have 10 minutes of privacy to shower. Child welfare officials from Bermuda flew the 17-year-old more than 2,600 miles to a youth treatment facility in Utah, where she died by suicide nearly two years ago. The investigation was a disappointing result for the girls mother, who asked not to be identified to protect the privacy of her younger children. With services available for adolescents and teens (ages 12-17), adults, and the senior population, Highland Ridge strives for excellence in short-term care with the goal of providing patients the tools they need to be successful in the recovery process. Phone. Treatment Center Details. Johnita Simons, the teenagers mother, told The Salt Lake Tribune she hoped her lawsuit would help protect other families from similar tragedies. If accommodation is required post-treatment, our male or female-only recovery homes provide the ideal transition. Feinga, a staff member of the school who was also in the classroom, removed the teen from the room by placing him in a wrist restraint also known as a "gooseneck hold" or an "escort hold," according to charging documents. Rediscover the person you were before trauma and addiction at Acqua Recovery. Care, concern, compassion, and competence are four words that guide staff in achieving that goal through the utilization of safe, proven, reliable, and evidenced-based treatment protocols. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Each and every day, we are guided by four very carefully chosen words - care, concern, compassion, and competence. They further stated that removing a child from their home and placing them in DCFS care, like Kirsta was, is only done as a last resort., Donate to the newsroom now. Questions/Comments. This archived news story is available The death of 17-year-old Taylor Goodridge at Diamond Ranch Academy is the latest test for Utah's will to regulate the "troubled teen industry" Donate to the newsroom now. Nestled in Utahs Wasatch Mountain Range, we specialize in providing gender-specific care to those struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs) and underlying mental health conditions. Our property includes two separate spacious housing campusesone for youth ages 9-12, and another for youth ages 13-18. Ken Allen, the academy's director, has stated that the missionaries' role is pivotal in the reformation of the boys and girls who attend West Ridge Academy. The last time it publicly took action against a youth facility was a year ago, when it threatened to yank the license for Red Rock Canyon School in the aftermath of a riot, child abuse allegations and sex abuse charges. We specialize in the treatment of trauma, military and first responders. The litigation, filed last month in a Salt Lake City courtroom, alleges West Ridge Academy owed a heightened duty of care to ensure kids are kept safe, but failed to protect Kirsta from herself. Therapy sessions can help you identify the behavioral, emotional, and social effects of addiction and provide an opportunity for our experienced counselors to teach you strategies to cope with urges to use in the future. The treatment team has experience helping individuals struggling with problems surrounding adoption, addiction, depression, anxiety, family problems, and other mental health disorders. And, we think, preventable.. It seeks to provide clinical services, education, and other programs for teens, both girls and boys, that are identified as at-risk. [11] In response to the allegations, the State Office of Education prepared a 60-page report providing more details for the Board on the issues raised. This alliance helps the client gain the necessary skills in life to lead a joyful, value-based, offense-free lifestyle. West Ridge Academy is a good place to work at, it's very rewarding to help the struggling kids and be a part of their healing process. [28] In 2006 West Ridge Academy started a girls' athletics program[citation needed] and has a girls' basketball team. For more than 12 years, Turning Point Centers has been treating individuals with alcohol, drug and mental health issues. Earlier this year, Gov. Schooling and counseling are some of the benefits that teens receive while enrolled at West Ridge Academy. Staying in one of our recovery homes while attending our PHP or IOP outpatient treatment is the ideal way to transition back to independent living. About Us ; Programs ; Admissions ; Testimonials ; Resources ; Donate ; Contact ; Proud Member of Utah Non-Profits Association ; I just dont understand why she was sent there. Residents receive a hot meal at breakfast, lunch, and dinner two snacks per day are also provided. Keep up with the latest by browsing live, upcoming and past games. They have exceptional staff from there teachers, to counselors, group home and administration, a loved one wrote in a representative review. The parents lawyers have tried to get records that might explain why Kirsta was there at all, but the lawsuit says the facility hasnt handed them over. [18] West Ridge is licensed by the Utah Department of Human Services. 5500 West Bagley Park Road West Jordan, UT 84081 801-282-1000 Search. She died by suicide at West Ridge Academy on Nov. 14, 2019. It seems to be a zero-sum game we live by. Away from friends, family, her culture. Our program and therapists treat maternal all perinatal mood and anxiety disorders related to childbirth. Located in Midvale, Utah, Highland Ridge Hospital is a behavioral health and substance abuse treatment center that is dedicated to providing superior service to adolescents, adults, and senior adults. Counsel for Kirstas family however argue that the facility was negligent, arguing that the teen was not properly supervised and the centre did not have proper procedures to gauge when a higher level of care was needed. The path to hope and healing at West Ridge Academy is possible, and proven by many families across the world. It offers outpatient programs, medication management, day treatment, and residential treatment to teens who are struggling with mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders. Prescription medication can keep you comfortable during treatment by reducing opioid cravings and other symptoms of withdrawal. While at West Ridge, Kirsta shared a room with three girls in one of the nearly dozen multicolored brick cottages scattered throughout the 50-acre West Jordan campus. (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) West Ridge Academy in West Jordan, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020. West Ridge is a residential treatment facility for at-risk youth. The treatment center has a gymnasium, a baseball field, and soccer field. Investigative documents say the handbook has been updated, and the state licensing worker expressed no other concerns in documents released to The Salt Lake Tribune. Residents participate in a variety of recreational activities along with service projects to help the community. In early 2005, it opened new, separate facilities for girls and changed its name to West Ridge Academy. Treatment Center, MD, APRN, LCSW, ACMHC, SUDC. New Beginnings Behavioral Treatment Agency, Depression Treatment | Highland Ridge Hospital, Addiction Treatment | Highland Ridge Hospital, Taylorsville Comprehensive Treatment Center, Wings Recovery for Men (Waves Treatment Center). Until 2005, the Utah Boys Ranch was male-only. (He) said he was in significant pain and could not move his wrist," according to the court documents. Our team can address situations in the moment and provide constant support, facilitating growth and change in a positive way. 3.3. Copyright 2021 West Ridge Academy. We use the full continuum of care to walk with you through every step of your personalized recovery journey. We provide immediate and lasting solutions in a caring and professional environment. West Ridge Academy offers an array of experiences designed to simulate real life challenges. SUBMIT. coed Grades: Ages 9-17 Students: 150 Faculty: N/A. The recording equipment for the security cameras had been unplugged since September, staff told police. News; Scores & Schedule; Stats; Roster; Scores & Schedules The legal action, filed in Salt Lake City last month, alleged that the facility owed a heightened duty of care to ensure that children in its care are kept safe. Police closed the case without taking action, and Utah regulators didnt discipline West Ridge Academy. The philosophy of New Beginnings is a multifaceted and collaborative approach based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Now her parents are suing West Ridge, alleging the treatment center should have done more to prevent their childs death. Editors note This story discusses suicide. Police closed the case without taking action, and Utah regulators didnt discipline West Ridge Academy. and places limits on their use of restraints, drugs and isolation rooms. Lawyers for Kirstas parents allege that West Ridge was negligent. West Ridge Academy is located in Utah. Bennion had twice during this initial period requested funding from LDS Church to support the Ranch, but in both instances the LDS Church refused. [32][9] The report was also critical of school's proposed financial structure. West Ridge Academy received nearly $850,000 from Bermuda officials. Those were known issues. Call or Email West Ridge Academy for a free consultation now - (801) 669-9115 x1124. 43. With a focus on treating the whole person, the caring, compassionate, and experienced team of clinicians at Highland Ridge stands by our goal of providing successful and nurturing treatment for individuals are struggling with chemical dependency issues and mental health concerns. 9.3. We are a fully licensed Outpatient Addiction Recovery Center that cares! [9], West Ridge also provides a day program called Sunshine Solutions for underprivileged local kids, age five and up which provides "summer activities, positive mentors and emotional growth to help them learn how to make good decisions". We provide EMDR, CBT, DBT and other treatment modalities. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. Connect with your inner- strength and take that first step toward healing. While at West Ridge, Kirsta shared a room with three girls in one of the nearly dozen multicolored brick cottages scattered throughout the 50-acre West Jordan campus. Child welfare officials from Bermuda flew the 17-year-old more than 2,600 miles to a youth treatment facility in Utah, where she died by suicide nearly two years ago. Call now and talk to one of our Admission Specialists. Thats when she hanged herself. 5500 West Bagley Park Road West Jordan, UT 84081 801-282-1000 Search. [9], West Ridge Academy offers a comprehensive sports program, believing it to be a positive treatment for some students because it offers a chance to form a bond with their teammates. Spacious facilities on 50-acres include living quarters, two schools, the cafeteria, religious buildings, a gymnasium, a medical office, and outdoor sport areas. The Bermuda government wrote in a public statement in December that sending a youth overseas is not a decision taken lightly and is only done after all other resources locally are exhausted. Local resources, they say, include family, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists and other family intervention programs. 5500 Bagley Park Rd, West Jordan, UT 84081. westridgeacademy.com TYPE: Therapeutic Schools. Her reporting has earned numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting in 2017. Students also enjoy a variety of off-campus experiences. During that time, Kirsta is the only teen to have died in a Utah center though other deaths were reported in similar facilities across the country, including in Michigan, where 16-year-old Cornelius Fredericks died while staff restrained him. Discover our comprehensive continuum of care programs and counseling sessions. Education is an important component of our treatment. Upon arriving at West Ridge, your family will be assigned a full-time therapist that will work with your son or daughter for the duration of their stay and after. Her mother, Johnita Simons, still doesnt know why island officials picked West Ridge Academy. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Comes from addressing the root of the addiction- not just the addiction itself. Outpatient gives you the opportunity to "put your mental armour back on everyday" and provide you with all the support you need in your recovery. 801-282-1000 Campus Map Schedule a Tour Meet The Staff Regulators did find the treatment center violated one rule that a staff member who was watching the girl should not have been outside the restroom when she attempted to end her life. Our fully licensed and credentialed clinical team includes addiction certified physicians, psychologists, psychotherapists, licensed addiction counselors, recreational therapists, interventionists, and dieticians. Kirsta, we know, was dealing with mental illness. The boy "was crying really hard" at the time and told Feinga "he probably broke it.". Call us with your questions and concerns and learn how your family can become whole again. Missed dearly: Kirsta with Johnita Simons (Photograph supplied) (Photograph supplied). When the boy began to resist, Feinga said he applied a "bent wrist procedure" that involved him bending the boy's wrist back and applying pressure, the charges state. According to West Ridge Academys website, treatment typically starts with a comprehensive mental health assessment. The kids there have complex issues and are sent there for help. 3rd Grade Teacher. We stand with Ukraine! Utah legislators passed a bill this year that enhances oversight of the states youth treatment industry and places limits on their use of restraints, drugs and isolation rooms. Why was that determined to be the best place for her to be?. Kirsta had been in the foster care system, and Bermudian child welfare officials made the choice. [30] On January 9, 2009, Salt Lake City radio station KRCL invited Buttars, current West Ridge staff, and the student to the talk show RadioActive! KUER is listener-supported public radio. At our core, West Ridge Academy is an all-encompassing program designed to heal families. It allows for the alcoholic/addict to deal and cope with life's challenges in the real world as they have clinical arms wrapped around them, are held to a healthy balance of accountability and take advantage of the support offered by others who are successfully recovering. All rights reserved. Located Read More Contact Who is West Ridge Academy Headquarters 5500 W Bagley Park Rd, West Jordan, Utah, 84081, United States Phone Number (801) 282-1000 Website Use of this website signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Translation Calculator Graph, 363rd Infantry Regiment Roster, Devin Stone Legal Eagle Wife, Singer Brilliance 6180 Error Codes, Did Doubling Down With The Derricos Get Cancelled, Articles W