Yet, at these facilities, children have been sexually and physically assaulted by staff members. Sequel Youth & Family Services: Second Lawsuit Settled in Death of Teen at Sequel Lakeside Facility January 12, 2022. 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 . In wooing states, Sequel has an advantage: It offers to take children with the most severe challenges, who are hardest to place. 2.9. 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. Hindman had founded the Jiffy Lube chain of auto service centers, and Ripley worked for him. Sara E. Teller, Alabama father brings lawsuit against Sequel facility alleging staff abused his son, LegalReader.com, Jan. 1, 2021 (available at https: . 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. 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. All rights reserved. This was the first time experiencing a situation like this and Tor Hoerman law did an excellent job from start to finish. Former Students at Utah Troubled-Teen Centers Say Their Reports of Sex Abuse Were Ignored. Hunter is now receiving psychiatric treatment at a hospital, she said. And the company vowed to reduce the use of physical restraints on children. Sequel Youth & Family Services has also faced criticisms. Contact us today to see if you qualify for the Paraquat Parkinsons Disease Lawsuit! Sequel Youth & Family Services. And we're ready to start right now. Iowa's Department of Corrections rents buildings and land to its owner, Sequel Youth and Family Services. 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. Do I qualify for the Sequel abuse lawsuit? Instead, these children are suffering from abuse, and from the reports, Sequel isn't taking responsibility. Officials at Sequel Youth & Family Services did not respond to requests for comment on the Oct. 14 report. 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. This rating has decreased by -5% over the last 12 months. Last year Sequel officials defended their treatment programs, stating through a crisis management firm that the company had increased staff training and oversight and was working on "phasing out the practice of physically restraining . Toys litter the floor at Sequel's Courtland facility. An employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery and showing pornography to minors. 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.. The state investigation found no rule violations. Responses to the Youth Risk Behavior survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention biannually, showed that over 40% of high school students reported feeling so sad or . Laurie Broadrick, 19, arrived at Owens Cross Roads, a residential treatment facility for girls in northeast Alabama, in 2016. The work load and expectations do not match the pay for the majority of the staff (even for the positions that require degrees). Today, Sequel has all but vanished. 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. TorHoerman Law is an extraordinary law firm a firm that truly makes the clients best interests the primary concern. She was taken to a psychiatric hospital, where, she said, you get emotional help that you would actually need, rather than just four walls and people screaming at you and a very hostile environment.. Sequel was established to operate Clarinda Academy in Iowa, but soon expanded to operate dozens of youth residential treatment facilities around the country. Ohio recently revoked the license of a Sequel psychiatric facility in Columbus over multiple instances of violence. In 2020, Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens contacted the state to complain about the burden Forest Ridge was placing on his department. 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. But rather than get better, Laurie said, girls at Owens Cross Roads seemed to get worse. 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. We dont want anything like this to happen to any other kids. 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 . Sequel TSI in Owens Cross Roads emailed a statement reading "TSI . The company is more dysfunctional than the clients they try to serve. You may be eligible to file a Tylenol Autism ADHD Lawsuit / Acetaminophen Autism ADHD Claim if you or a loved one used Tylenol and/ or Acetaminophen during pregnancy, and your child was subsequently diagnosed with ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sequel marketing agents contacted state officials in Oregon before and after a story aired on NBCs Nightly News last year detailing allegations of sexual and physical abuse at Clarinda Academy. 97. 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. For more information about potential legal action, you can contact an experienced Sequel abuse lawyer at TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation case consultation. At Kingston Academy in Tennessee, state inspectors found mold infestations, overflowing toilets and children sleeping on mattresses on the floor. An Altamont press release said Ripley would "remain involved with the business as chairman of the board through its next phases of growth." It's privately held, so details about its financials are hard to come across. We're ready to be your ally. Christy Johnsons heart dropped in February when she first stepped into a facility for children with serious mental and behavioral health issues in Courtland, a few miles from the Tennessee River in northern Alabama, run by Sequel Youth & Family Services. A residential school operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services is set to permanently shutdown its operations. I worked at Sequel Youth & Family full-time and the best day was my last! But some facilities might have new life under a different name and one of the original founders. 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. Learn more about hospital sexual abuse lawsuits from our team of attorneys. Sequel, she said, has also invested millions in improving care, staff training and oversight of its programs, doubling the size of its corporate compliance team. Sequel shut down treatment centers where alleged abuse surfaced. I just want people to be held accountable, Patricia said. . Tyler Kingkade is a national reporter for NBC News, based in Los Angeles. If you have been exposed to Paraquat and diagnosed with Parkinsons disease may be eligible to pursue compensation, and entitled to participate in the paraquat lawsuit. Employee at Teen Behavior Facility Arrested for Sexual Battery, Showing Porn to Minors. 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. The attorneys at THL were extremely helpful with the legal aspects of setting up my small business. In the two years since the incident, Sequel shut down 11 of those centers, which followed six closures in 2019. Sparkman, the Alabama Department of Human Resources spokesman, said the agency could not comment on individual cases. Vivant is using the change of ownership to fight litigation against the treatment centers formerly owned by Sequel. The company collected over $200 million in annual revenue at the time, he said, and turned about $30 million in profit, which he attributed to keeping staffing costs low. Members of our attorney team have first-hand experience with youth residential treatment facilities and abuse cases. Illuminating Journalism from American Public Media. 4. 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%. Sequel declined to comment on Hunters case and his familys lawsuit. The facility, which Sequel operated under a contract with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, shut down the following month. That's not what we saw.". 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. Alabama, however, is among the states that have permitted Sequel to continue operating. Sequel often receives government funding to take in youth residents from both the foster care system and juvenile justice system. Most notably, the estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel for his death. Our team is what has made TorHoerman Law a very special place since 2009. Sequel received little public attention before Altamont took control of it in 2017, but state regulators reported serious problems at its facilities before the private equity firm took control. 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, 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 . The name isn't the problem. Following a barrage of abuse scandals and media attention, including a 2020 investigation by APM Reports, the company has shut down close to half of its treatment centers and sold most of the rest to a new company called Vivant Behavioral Healthcare. Neither side disclosed the terms of the settlement. He has a bulging, bloody laceration on his forehead. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, the company currently operates youth behavioral centers in 17 states, totaling 34 establishments. 1. 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. The Team Leader (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) CCBHC is a part of the managementSee this and similar jobs on LinkedIn. 'Treated like animals' Sequel Tuskegee is set back from the road on Highway 29, about 45 . lawsuits and interviews with former residents, staff . Sequel staff members shared the companys side of the issue and discussed how to deal with concerns among state lawmakers. 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. In a statement, Sparkman wrote that the agency investigates allegations and that subsequent investigation records are confidential based on Alabama law.. A 16 year-old resident named Cornelius Fredricks was killed at a Kalamazoo, Michigan facility run by Sequel. 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. 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 state did not end its relationship with Sequel. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Children were abused, neglected at house of horrors psychiatric facility, suit says. Both Altamont and Sequel said the sale would help Sequel expand to serve more children. 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. 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 . The company has offered all-expenses-paid trips to state employees to tour the companys facilities. Sequel formerly ran the following facilities: Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Sequel Youth and Family Services, alleging abuse of all sorts and negligent behavior of staff and management. If you or a loved one took Elmiron and subsequently suffered vision loss, blindness, or any other eye injury linked to the prescription drug. Youth Counselor Supervisor (Former Employee) - Courtland, AL - August 17, 2022. At that point, I was so depressed I didnt know what to do, Laurie said. But nobody came. 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 . Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Sequel Youth and Family Services, alleging abuse of all sorts and negligent behavior of staff and management. Pros. An NBC News investigation sorted through tens of thousands of documents and found dozens of reports of sexual and physical abuse. Today, youth counselors at Sequel facilities start off making $12 to $15 per hour, depending on the location. . A majority stake in Sequel was bought by Altamont Capital, a private equity firm located in California, in 2017. Today the Sequel brand has been removed from almost all its former treatment centers web sites. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. If you or a loved one suffered harm while in a Sequel facility in Alabama or in another state, you should promptly seek the advice of an Alabama lawyer, or a lawyer in your state, who may investigate your Sequel claim for you and represent you or your loved one in a lawsuit against Sequel, if appropriate. A civil rights lawsuit has been filed against a Kalamazoo youth home after a 16-year-old boy was restrained and later died earlier this year. Vivant, which does not have a website or any listed phone numbers, sent APM Reports an email asking for questions in writing, but it did not answer them. They also did a nice job keeping us updated with the case throughout the process. Attorney Tommy James has a record of helping individuals file lawsuits for compensation against those who have harmed them. The series focused particular attention on the state of Florida, which has become emblematic of a nationwide trend in which growing numbers . We're ready to fight for you. Posted at 1:38 PM, Jun 21, 2020 and last updated 2020 . The company later said in an email that in cases where a child's safety is threatened, "we take all necessary actions from employee termination, to policy and process changes, to staff-wide retraining to ensure we live up to our high standards of care for the youth we serve.". John Jay Ripley, one of Sequels founders, established Vivant Behavioral Healthcare in order to buy a majority of Sequel and eventually rebrand the company. Those close relationships come in handy when the company faces scrutiny. 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. Kay Ivey, a Republican. The Training Manager is responsible for directing, planning and implementing the training program.Also, takes the lead with staff training and personnel development. Sequel Youth & Family Services specializes in treating children with mental disorders, intellectual disabilities and trauma, which makes . In 2020, a lawsuit filed on behalf of a 14-year-old against the Sequel facility in north Alabama alleged that the teenager suffered long-term abuse at the hands of staff and other children residing at the facility. Responsibilities of Executive Director: Manages 5 - 10 subordinate supervisors who supervise a total of 50 - 55 employees. (866) 577-2786. Information Request: Best Method to Contact You? The firm went above and beyond. The records revealed reports of child abuse and injury reports had been made to state agencies in Alabama, yet the facilities would still pass inspections. IE 11 is not supported. I was extremely impressed with their professionalism and ability to react quickly. Dont' waste time, contact our law offices today. Oregon state Senator Sara Gelser has spent years demanding accountability for Sequel, and she is continuing the crusade against Vivant. All consultations are completely confidential and discrete. You may be eligible to file a Hair Straightener Cancer Lawsuit if you or a loved one used chemical hair straighteners, hair relaxers, or other similar hair products, and subsequently were diagnosed with: Over one million people, who were present at Camp Lejeune (North Carolina) between 1953 and 1987, may have been exposed to toxic substances in the water. Many of Sequels behavioral health treatment centers are sold or closed following abuse allegations. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. In Alabama alone, Sequel received nearly $25 million in Medicaid payments from 2018 to this August. 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.. I was banging and kicking on the door, trying to get someones attention, he said. 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