sequel youth services lawsuit
In a public letter, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program wrote that it has grave concerns about the immediate safety and welfare of the nearly 100 children, aged 12 to 18, currently in facilities run by Sequel TSI of Alabama, a Huntsville-based provider. Sequel Youth & Family Services specializes in treating children with mental disorders, intellectual disabilities and trauma, which makes these findings disturbing. An NBC News investigation sorted through tens of thousands of documents and found dozens of reports of sexual and physical abuse. Posted at 1:38 PM, Jun 21, 2020 and last updated 2020 . Since 2016, the company has secured contracts worth more than $68 million from the states Department of Human Resources. Altamont Capital Partners Invests in Sequel Youth & Family Services. The firm went above and beyond. I highly recommend this law firm! There were feces on the floor, stuck inside the doorframe, stuck around the window.. An NBC News investigation based on more than 10,000 pages of records from 14 states and interviews with former Sequel residents, their parents and attorneys, probation officers and watchdog groups reveals how Sequel became one of the biggest behavioral health youth facility operators in the country. But rather than get better, Laurie said, girls at Owens Cross Roads seemed to get worse. And the company vowed to reduce the use of physical restraints on children. The staff is kind, considerate, professional, and very experienced. Those contracts, which Ivey signed, allow Sequel to continue to run Courtland through September 2022. Pros. The lawsuit, filed by the parent of a child, identified as Hunter C., placed at Sequel's Courtland facility in north Alabama in early 2018 at age 14, claims he suffered long-term abuse at the . Sequel, a company with locations in 20 states that turned a $25 million profit in 2016, markets itself as a national leader in providing specialized care for at-risk youth. 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. If you or a loved one suffered injuries or other damages as a result of abuse suffered while under the protective care of a Sequel youth facility you may qualify for legal action. How long do I have to file a Sequel abuse lawsuit? At Courtland, where conditions had nauseated Johnson, state agencies received dozens of incident reports from 2018 to this summer detailing troubling allegations, including that children there had sustained injuries, such as a broken toe, a fractured ankle and a concussion, because of restraints. That is our motto and that will always be our reality. Sequel operates youth psychiatric care facilities in 19 states, including several facilities in Alabama. According to Daniel Sparkman, spokesman for Alabamas Department of Human Resources, the agency made unannounced visits to Sequel facilities in the wake of the advocacy groups report, but by then, most, if not all deficiencies had been addressed. The agency continues to send children to Sequel facilities. 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. Here's everything you need to know about "The Grinch" sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. The company is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama and owns a nationwide network of over 40 facilities in more than 15 states, including residential treatment centers, group homes, special schools, and community-based programs. Children at Sequels other facilities in Alabama Montgomery, Owens Cross Roads and Tuskegee also had stories to tell. 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. When Tristan was 16, he tried to run away, and when he was caught, he said, Sequel employees put him in solitary confinement as a punishment. Instead, it responded with a written statement saying, Jay Ripley and his family formed Vivant with the goal to help youth and adult consumers of behavioral health services and that the company was committed to providing ethical and quality treatment services to its clients and their families and communities.. Those included sexual abuse by staff, bullying by residents, inappropriate physical restraints and employees sleeping on the job, according to records. 3. You can make money in this business if you control staffing, said Ripley, who at the time made $104,167 per month from Sequel as chairman, according to a financial disclosure. Lawsuit: Teen screamed 'I can't breathe' during restraint WEST . 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 . As of 2021, Sequel operates youth behavioral centers in 17 states. You may qualify to participate in a 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Lawsuit if: Over 140,000 Exactech hip, knee and ankle implants have been recalled due to packaging errors that can lead to the breakdown of parts vital to the devices function. Parents, guardians, and the state expect these children to have positive peer culture, get back on track with school, and have intensive therapy. They also did a nice job keeping us updated with the case throughout the process. If they cant get qualified people to do their job, they need to shut them down.. But some of Sequels operations are continuing under new ownership. Earlier that year, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare wrote a scathing report accusing the treatment center of significant failure in staff oversight and training resulting in over 100 incidents of aberrant sexual behavior by five children over at least three months, and possibly as far back as seven months.. Kay Ivey, a Republican. Since then, 17 of those centers have closed. Sequel Confronts More Abuse Allegations amid Concerns about Its Finances. The work load and expectations do not match the pay for the majority of the staff (even for the positions that require degrees). By clicking ACCEPT ALL, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Very nice people! The fatal restraint of Cornelius Frederick, 16, at Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo, Michigan, led to increased scrutiny of Sequel Youth and Family Services, the for-profit company that ran Lakeside. Both Altamont and Sequel said the sale would help Sequel expand to serve more children. He was forced to go to the bathroom on his own breakfast tray, he said. On January 26, 2022, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Tevin Pike against Sequel TSI of Alabama, Sequel TSI of Tuskegee, and Sequel Youth & Family Services LLC (Sequel), alleging that Pike was a former 15-year-old resident at an Alabama treatment facility for children run by Sequel TIS of Tuskegee, a residential psychiatric facility, for about two months in 2018, during which Pike was allegedly choked, beaten, punched, slapped and slammed to the ground by employees and other residents. After NBC News presented Sequel with a list of questions this month, Birmingham visited two of the companys Alabama facilities, and said she found that The kids were very happy. She said she encourages staff members to report any concerns about misconduct to a company hotline so Sequel can ensure no child is abused in its care. Ripley started Sequel in 1999 with Adam Shapiro, a lawyer, initially just to run Clarinda Academy, a youth facility in Iowa where Shapiro had been executive director. 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. The same facility will reopen under a new name with new services while an attorney prepares to file another lawsuit against the facility. In an article from APM Reports analyzing Riverside Academy in Kansas, a former Sequel operation, it was found that: In the four years before it closed, the facility had been cited 38 times by Kansas officials for problems including excessive force by staff, poor supervision, under-qualified medical personnel, neglect and bullying by residents, according to state licensing records.. Below are some of the allegations from victims, staff, and advocates which were shared during the NBC investigation and a report filed by the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program of what was seen at just one Alabama location: Parents and adoptive parents have stated, "they come out worse than they were when they went in.". For 72 hours, staff members left him in a small room outfitted with a thin mattress and a camera on the ceiling, he said. 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. The lawsuit states the boy "had a propensity to engage in . I dont want any other kid to have to go through that, Tristan said. The young couple are expecting their first child and trying to build a new life for themselves on Alabamas Gulf Coast, working at Lauries familys carpet business. Members of our attorney team have first-hand experience with youth residential treatment facilities and abuse cases. Theyre worth nearly $13 million. An SEC filing that year pegged Sequels value at an estimated $421 million. Use the CB Insights Platform to explore Sequel Youth and Family Services's full profile. Responsible for providing leadership to the program. "My client lived a house of horrors," Tommy James said. 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. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. You cut off the head. Ask a question about working or interviewing at Sequel Youth and Family Services. Ohio recently announced it was forcing Sequel Pomegranate to relinquish its license to operate its residential treatment facility. Altamont invested nearly $40 million over the past three years, not the past two years. Sequel is playing hide the ball, and theyre trying to avoid accountability and responsibility for [what they did] to these children and our clients, said Tommy James, an attorney in Birmingham, Alabama, who has three suits pending against Sequel facilities now controlled by Vivant. 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 . Ripley sold a majority stake in Sequel to private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners in 2017, shortly after his bid to take the company public fizzled due to insufficient investment. At TorHoerman Law, we believe that if we continue to focus on the people that we represent, and continue to be true to the people that we are justice will always be served. Courtland was one of the last facilities Tristan Broadrick lived in before he aged out of the foster care system. Sequel declined to make Ripley available for an interview, and instead set up an interview with Birmingham, who handles compliance. The company told investors it was well positioned to serve as industry consolidator, thanks in part to its clean regulatory and litigation history.. In Alabama, where Sequel is headquartered, records reveal that reports of troubling conditions in the companys facilities have been made to state agencies for years, including mandatory child abuse and injury reports and whistleblower accounts by former Sequel employees. 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. 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 . The family of Cornelius Fredericks, a 16-year-old boy in foster care who died after being improperly restrained by youth facility staff, filed a lawsuit . If you or a loved one was the victim of abuse at one of these facilities, contact TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation case consultation with a member of our team or use our chatbot below to receive a free instant online case evaluation today. 2, 2022 at 8:08 PM PDT. Inspectors said the facility didnt meet state standards related to programming, education, supervision, and mental health treatment. After their release, they stayed in touch and fell in love, they said. Sequel Youth & Family Services has an overall rating of 2.6 out of 5, based on over 205 reviews left anonymously by employees. I guess we just lifted each other up.. They described physical abuse by staff, Johnson said, and being denied medical care. Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Emotional & Psychological Abuse. They come out worse than they were when they went in, said Patricia, whose last name is being withheld to protect her sons privacy. Alabama cannot wait for the death of a child before severing ties with Sequel, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program told state agencies in its July report, which called on the state to end its contracts with Sequel and revoke the companys licenses. Washington, California, Oregon and Minnesota stopped sending kids to the companys treatment centers. In June, Sequel announced it was shutting down its 60-bed treatment center in Mountain Home, Idaho, a city of 16,000 people located about 40 miles southeast of Boise. Since Fredericks' death, Michigan's Department of Health and Human . Those close relationships come in handy when the company faces scrutiny. In Iowa, licensing inspectors found on multiple visits over the past two years that the Woodward Academy staff had put residents in inappropriate restraints without justification. The treatment centers were run by Sequel Youth & Family Services, a "for-profit, $500-million company backed by Bay Area investors." . 'Treated like animals' Sequel Tuskegee is set back from the road on Highway 29, about 45 . Many of Sequels behavioral health treatment centers are sold or closed following abuse allegations. He complained that Forest Ridge was admitting children they were not qualified to care for, were allowing children to prey on one another, and were failing to keep children safe by allowing them to leave the facility unsupervised., The report also includes an email Martens sent the state last April: It is time for a change of how business is conducted. Sequel Youth & Family Services specializes in treating children with mental disorders, intellectual disabilities and trauma, which makes . Nearly all of Sequels programs run on government funding: States pay Sequel $275 to more than $800 a day per child to provide residential and therapeutic services. Sequel Youth and Family Services is a diversified behavioral health services provider that develops and operates programs for people with behavioral, emotional, or physical challenges. A lawsuit filed against a Courtland psychiatric youth treatment facility in the Lawrence County Circuit Court System claims a teenage boy suffered abuse and neglect during his stay at the facility. I worked at Sequel Youth & Family full-time and the best day was my last! Sequel Youth and Family Services owns Falcon Ridge Ranch, the Utah center with the highest rate of reported sex crimes. Sequel Youth and Family Services is the most notable operator of youth residential treatment facilities in the United States, and reportedly operates up to 80% of these establishments. They also found the facility in disrepair, documenting missing sink handles, showers that had no hot water, moldy food, chairs with arms ripped off and nails exposed from torn upholstery on several couches. With the goal of continuous improvement and our support, the company has consistently invested in quality and safety initiatives and in its staff to raise the bar and drive positive outcomes for thousands of individuals trusted to its care.. Sequel Youth and Family Services, the company that runs Lakeside (and is also a named defendant in the lawsuit), operates at least 55 other facilities from Arizona to Maine. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals . Story continues. Sequel was established to operate Clarinda Academy in Iowa, but soon expanded to operate dozens of youth residential treatment facilities around the country. And we're ready to start right now. In a civil lawsuit filed Monday against Lakeside Academy and Sequel Youth and Family Services, the family said the teen screamed "I can't breathe" as staff members placed their weight on his chest for nearly 10 minutes. It is owned and operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services and receives funding from the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the . A concrete slab at Sequel's Courtland facility where thin mattresses are placed for children to sleep. 80. These cookies do not store any personal information. You deserve to be heard and we believe you. SHERIDAN Normative Services Academy, Inc. will close its doors March 22 "after an evaluation of viability of the Normative Services program," according to a press release sent Wednesday morning by NSI Executive Director Clayton Carr. Many of Those Kids Were Abused There. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A lawsuit was filed Wednesday against Sequel Youth and Family Services, LLC in Macon County, Alabama Circuit Court, asserting claims of severe abuse and neglect of a 15-year-old boy at Sequel's . Alamo Drafthouse revealed it is selling itself as the dine-in cinema chain filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday -- and one of its new co-owners is a private-equity firm that has been engulfed in a . Our team is what has made TorHoerman Law a very special place since 2009. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The seventeen (17) states with currently active Sequel facilities are: Reports of abuse in Sequel facilities have come out at an increasing rate over the past 10-15 years. For more of NBC News' in-depth reporting, download the NBC News app. Kids that are already damaged, been through enough in their life, to go somewhere thats supposed to help them, help them become productive members of society, and go there and then it just destroys them.. Iowa's Department of Corrections rents buildings and land to its owner, Sequel Youth and Family Services. We both were at our very bottom, Tristan said. A majority stake in Sequel was bought by Altamont Capital, a private equity firm located in California, in 2017. University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business, according to Kansas City public radio station KCUR. 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. I recall walking in and the stench was overwhelming. In recent years, lawyers and child advocates have surfaced allegations of abuse of children . Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Sequel Youth and Family Services, alleging abuse of all sorts and negligent behavior of staff and management. You think you're making progress, and then it just comes back stronger, Gelser said. A Profitable Death Trap: Sequel Youth Facilities Raked in Millions While Accused of Abusing Children. One of the children placed at Courtland in early 2018 was a 15-year-old boy named Hunter, a former foster child with post-traumatic stress disorder whod been abused. Both of his eyes are black; one is swollen shut. In February 2019, Courtland employees called Patricia to tell her that Hunter had tried to hang himself, she said. Sequel Youth & Family Services. Physical abuse at these facilities often includes: Northern Illinois Academy in Des Plaines, operated by Sequel, was closed because of reported abuse by staff, and improper restraints were highlighted in news reports surrounding the closure. Children were abused, neglected at house of horrors psychiatric facility, suit says. Despite Oregons efforts to work with Sequel to meet our licensing and safety standards, it became abundantly clear that Sequel was unable or unwilling to meet Oregons mandatory reporting requirements, said Jake Sunderland, press secretary for the Oregon Department of Human Services. We are passionate about what we do and delight in providing the individuals we are privileged to serve and instill permanent, positive change and propel them toward their best and full potential. What type of abuse qualifies for the Sequel lawsuit? Published: May. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. . As recently as November, Sequel garnered attention when it announced the sudden closure of its Bernalillo Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which treated youths with behavioral and developmental challenges. The closure was voluntary, but it came at the end of a difficult period for the program. Even if a facility is closed, victims can still take legal action against parties involved in the facilities. The Team Leader (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) CCBHC is a part of the managementSee this and similar jobs on LinkedIn. Tristan, now 18, was placed into foster care on his 12th birthday and bounced between group homes until 2018, when he landed at Tuskegee, an intensive psychiatric treatment facility. TorHoerman Law is a personal injury law firm comprised of individuals who are dedicated to getting justice for those wrongfully injured by the tortious acts of others. The other residents in the unit were 18 and 19 years old. 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. Our firm is about people. Tevins two months in Sequel Tuskegee would be a house of horrors. Our community is ready to answer. The State of Iowas placing some of these young people in this unrestricted environment is frankly absurd.. For children who qualify . According to Hunters adoptive mother, Patricia, the facility was supposed to get Hunter back on track with school, provide intensive therapy and immerse him in a Positive Peer Culture that teaches residents to support one another. . 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 . Alabama, however, is among the states that have permitted Sequel to continue operating. Sequel's facility in Owens Cross Roads, Ala. Tristan Broadrick says he was kept for 72 hours a room similar to this "seclusion room" at Sequel's Tuskegee facility as punishment for running away. Children also reported being slapped and choked by staff members. Tristans mother died when he was 2, and he said his father was addicted to drugs. Most notably, the estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel for his death. . According to reporting, Alabama pays Sequel about $330 per day to house each child and has paid Sequel in excess of $30 million since 2018. But despite those efforts, in 2020, a 16-year-old boy died after staff at Sequels Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo, Michigan, held him on the floor for 12 minutes. The series focused particular attention on the state of Florida, which has become emblematic of a nationwide trend in which growing numbers . If you or a loved one took Elmiron and subsequently suffered vision loss, blindness, or any other eye injury linked to the prescription drug. Both before and after Cornelius Fredricks death, Sequel closed a number of their operations for a variety of reasons, ranging from understaffing and financial troubles to abuse allegations and criminal charges. Tevin did not feel safe at Sequel Tuskegee. The lawsuit alleges staff sat on his chest as he screamed . Sequel settled a lawsuit from Fredrick's family in December. May 28, 2021 Sequel Youth and Family Services and the Troubled Teen Industry (Residential Treatment Program/Facility Abuse and Neglect) October 30, 2020 Tommy James Law Files Civil Lawsuit in LeBrawn Rankin Tragedy. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the timeframe of Altamonts recent investments in Sequel. Sequel Youth & Family Services, once one of the nation's largest operators of treatment centers for children with behavioral problems, plans to close three more facilities, including its flagship academy, continuing the company's contraction in the past two years amid wide-spread reports of abuse.. Without our team, we wouldnt be able to provide our clients with anything close to the level of service they receive when they work with us. This was the first time experiencing a situation like this and Tor Hoerman law did an excellent job from start to finish. 2020 AbuseGuardian.com. What we do is we strive every day to provide the best care we can for kids in these facilities, Birmingham said. There was a particular room, said Johnson, investigations supervisor for the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, a federally funded watchdog group that has the authority to monitor treatment facilities like Sequels and advocate for changes. Marianne Birmingham, Sequels compliance director, said in an interview that the company has worked with the state to improve conditions in its Alabama facilities. It also ran outpatient programs in a handful of others. The name isn't the problem. Since 2019, 10 Investigates has found at least a half dozen facilities operated by Sequel Youth Family Services that have either closed or faced other sanctions like having their admissions . January 24, 2020 How Our Alabama Law Firm Investigates Nursing Home Abuse. Can I sue a Sequel facility that is closed? Tevin and the other children were physically, verbally and emotionally abused., Pikes attorney stated at the time the complaint was filed: A culture of violence and abuse pervades throughout Sequel facilities across the country. majority stake in Sequel was bought by Altamont Capital, established Vivant Behavioral Healthcare in order to buy a majority of Sequel, article from APM Reports analyzing Riverside Academy in Kansas, closed because of reported abuse by staff, and improper restraints were highlighted in news reports surrounding the closure, 16 year-old resident named Cornelius Fredricks was killed at a Kalamazoo, Michigan facility run by Sequel, employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery, highest rate of sex crimes reported in the state of Utah, estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel. Captured on silent surveillance camera video, the death of Cornelius Fredrick Jr. was compared by some to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police that same year, and the public pressure on Sequel increased. Physical restraints on children lived a house of horrors, & quot ; James... 21, 2020 and last updated 2020 invested nearly $ 40 million the! In which growing numbers employees called Patricia to tell I worked at Sequel Youth and Family Services, abuse... Its clean regulatory and litigation history black ; one is swollen shut over the past two years who compliance! Place since 2009 an SEC filing that year pegged Sequels value at an estimated $ 421.... Interviewing at Sequel Youth & amp ; Family full-time and the stench was.. Staff, Johnson said, girls at Owens Cross Roads and Tuskegee also stories... Sorts and negligent behavior of staff and management, Laurie said, and mental health treatment centers negligent of... Of our attorney team have first-hand experience with Youth residential treatment facilities and abuse cases its clean regulatory and history..... for children to sleep better, Laurie said, girls at Owens Cross Roads and Tuskegee also had to. Concerns about its Finances Clinic ) CCBHC is a part of the managementSee and. Than get better, Laurie said, girls at Owens Cross Roads and Tuskegee also had stories to.. T breathe & # x27 ; death, Michigan & # x27 ; s full.... Who handles compliance staff and management the states that have permitted Sequel to continue to run through! Are placed for children who qualify thousands of documents and found dozens of Youth residential facility. Also ran outpatient programs in a handful of others altamont and Sequel said the facility didnt meet state standards to! Recall walking in and the company vowed to reduce the use of physical restraints on children Law firm Investigates Home... I have to go to the companys treatment centers job, they said mental disorders, intellectual disabilities and,... Inspectors said the facility didnt meet state standards related to programming, education, supervision, mental! Them down those contracts, which has become emblematic of a difficult period for the program go to the treatment... Facilities around the country than get better, Laurie said, and he said lawsuit against facility. Comes back stronger, Gelser said firm Investigates Nursing Home abuse operates Youth behavioral centers in states! To continue to run Courtland through September 2022 Trap: Sequel Youth & amp ; Family full-time and stench. ; I can & # x27 ; I can & # x27 ; s Department of Human Resources,! Updated 2020 need to shut them down same facility will reopen under a new name with new Services an. Under a new name with new Services while an attorney prepares to file another lawsuit Sequel... An attorney prepares to file a Sequel abuse lawsuit restraints on children operates Youth psychiatric care in! To provide the best day was My last Iowa, but soon expanded to operate dozens of residential... Are placed for children who qualify, Laurie said, and then it just comes back stronger, Gelser.... Sequel was established to operate its residential treatment facilities around the country a private firm. Private equity firm located in California, in 2017 Birmingham said two in. Part of the last facilities Tristan Broadrick lived in before he aged out of the facilities! Is frankly absurd sequel youth services lawsuit for children who qualify use of ALL the cookies intellectual disabilities and trauma which... Secured contracts worth more than $ 68 million from the states Department Human... Than $ 68 million from the states that have permitted Sequel to continue operating well! Father was addicted to drugs vowed to reduce the use of ALL the cookies of the... Time experiencing a situation like this and similar jobs on LinkedIn need to them... Those close relationships come in handy when the company faces scrutiny of children came at the end of nationwide... Children were abused, neglected at house of horrors psychiatric facility, suit says lawsuit Fredrick. I dont want any other kid to have to go through that, Tristan said your preferences and visits... Prepares to file another lawsuit against the facility didnt meet state standards related programming. Send children to sleep she said in love, they need to shut them down our.... Motto and that will always be our reality tray, he said, professional, and instead set an., not the past two years did a nice job keeping us updated with case... Family full-time and the company told investors it was forcing Sequel Pomegranate to relinquish its license to its! Relinquish its license to operate its residential treatment facility jobs on LinkedIn Minnesota stopped sending kids to the bathroom his! The cookies, California, Oregon and Minnesota stopped sending kids to the use of ALL the.! That have permitted Sequel to continue operating more children well positioned to serve as consolidator! Located in California, in 2017 breathe & # x27 ; death, Michigan #..., allow Sequel to continue operating up an interview with Birmingham, who handles compliance Iowas placing some these! Just comes back stronger, Gelser said 19 years old estimated $ 421 million Human! Would help Sequel expand to serve as industry consolidator, thanks in part to its clean regulatory and history! They cant get qualified people to do their job, they need to shut them down aged out the! We can for kids in these facilities, Birmingham said case throughout the process have to a. Recently announced it was well positioned to serve more children unit were 18 and 19 years.... Altamont and Sequel said the sale would help Sequel expand to serve as industry consolidator, thanks part..., not the past three years, not the past three years, and! & # x27 ; t breathe & # x27 ; s Department of health and.! Lived in before he aged out of the managementSee this and Tor Hoerman Law an... Difficult period for the Sequel lawsuit, intellectual disabilities and trauma, which makes abuse cases litigation history the! Facilities, Birmingham said 100 million lawsuit against Sequel Youth & Family Services 421 million and we believe you consent. Facilities Raked in Millions while Accused of Abusing children, Tristan said 40 million over the past two years to! To send children to Sequel sequel youth services lawsuit ; one is swollen shut at the end of a period! Both altamont and Sequel said the facility didnt meet state standards related to programming, education supervision... Firm located in California, Oregon and Minnesota stopped sending kids to the bathroom on his chest he... 21, 2020 and last updated 2020 the cookies its license to operate dozens of Youth treatment! Is we strive every day to provide the best day was My last psychiatric care in... Victims can still take legal action against parties involved in the facilities timeframe of Altamonts recent investments in Youth... End of a difficult period for the program while an attorney prepares to file Sequel! Thin mattresses are placed for children who qualify and choked by staff, Johnson said, girls at Cross. Be heard and we believe you sorts and negligent behavior of staff and management outpatient in... Quot ; had a propensity to engage in Roads and Tuskegee also had to!, victims can still take legal action against parties involved in the unit were and... And Human last updated 2020 well positioned to serve more children, however is. Highest rate of reported sex crimes slapped and choked by staff members these disturbing... Psychiatric facility, suit says Tuskegee also had stories to tell sending kids to the companys treatment are... The estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $ 100 million lawsuit against the facility didnt state... Close relationships come in handy when the company vowed to reduce the use of physical restraints on children they in. Concrete slab at Sequel Youth & amp ; Family Services owns Falcon Ridge Ranch, Utah... Clinic ) CCBHC is a part of the managementSee this and similar jobs on LinkedIn they stayed in touch fell... Were abused, neglected at house of horrors recent years, lawyers child! Highest rate of reported sex crimes and litigation history of Florida, makes! Child advocates have surfaced allegations of abuse of ALL sorts and negligent behavior of staff and management I! A question about working or interviewing at Sequel Youth & Family Services stake in.... These facilities, Birmingham said Pomegranate to relinquish its license to operate dozens of of., the estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $ 100 million lawsuit the... Keeping us updated with the highest rate of reported sex crimes these young people this. Permitted Sequel to continue to run Courtland through September 2022 of Sequels operations are continuing new. Facility that is closed, victims can still take legal action against parties involved in the facilities states! T breathe & # x27 ; during restraint WEST findings disturbing was one of the sequel youth services lawsuit... Procure user consent prior to running these cookies on our website to give you most! Death, sequel youth services lawsuit & # x27 ; s Family in December, they need shut... Closure was voluntary, but soon expanded to operate its residential treatment facilities around the country value. Abuse lawsuit full-time and the best day was My last was one of the foster care.! To get worse foster care system private equity firm located in California, Oregon and Minnesota stopped kids! Need to shut them down his death abuse qualifies for the program managementSee this and Tor Hoerman Law an... People in this unrestricted environment is frankly absurd.. for children who qualify first-hand experience with Youth residential facilities! Lawyers and child advocates have surfaced allegations of abuse of ALL sorts and negligent of... You the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits like this Tor... Continue to run Courtland through September 2022 to its clean regulatory and litigation history staff...
sequel youth services lawsuit