sequel youth services lawsuit
Multiple lawsuits have been filed in Alabama, alleging rampant abuse in Sequel's . Steve and the entire staff were friendly and professional. Vivant is using the change of ownership to fight litigation against the treatment centers formerly owned by Sequel. Sequel shut down treatment centers where alleged abuse surfaced. Sequel declined to comment on Hunters case and his familys lawsuit. Responsible for providing leadership to the program. Attorneys at TorHoerman Law have first-hand experience with these sorts of facilities and can help you gain justice and compensation. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Everything you need to know about the Disney California Cookware / 16 hours ago Our team is what has made TorHoerman Law a very special place since 2009. We both were at our very bottom, Tristan said. The company has offered all-expenses-paid trips to state employees to tour the companys facilities. 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. Sequel Youth & Family Services provides a broad spectrum of treatment programs to people of all ages with behavioral, emotional, and physical challenges. 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 . Can I sue a Sequel facility that is closed? Ripley did not return a voicemail message seeking comment, and Altamont didnt answer an email inquiry. A number of new lawsuits are currently being filed nationwide against both currently operational and closed Sequel facilities. 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. Their team of personal injury lawyers are experienced, personable, and well versed in a range of litigation areas. 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. 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. Most notably, the estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel for his death. Illuminating Journalism from American Public Media. Video Shows Fatal Restraint of Cornelius Frederick, 16, in Michigan Foster Facility. 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. TorHoerman Law is an extraordinary law firm a firm that truly makes the clients best interests the primary concern. Nineteen-year-old Tevin Pike filed a civil lawsuit against TSI Sequel of Tuskegee and several other entities Wednesday, alleging that he was abused and treated with negligent care during his . lawsuits and interviews with former residents, staff . Sequel Youth and Family Services, which operates numerous youth treatment and residential facilities in several states. Altamont Capital Partners Invests in Sequel Youth & Family Services. We were both in a really bad place, Laurie said. Ohio recently revoked the license of a Sequel psychiatric facility in Columbus over multiple instances of violence. Even states without a Sequel location, including California, Oregon and Washington, have done so. Sara E. Teller, Alabama father brings lawsuit against Sequel facility alleging staff abused his son, LegalReader.com, Jan. 1, 2021 (available at https: . 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. 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.. They also did a nice job keeping us updated with the case throughout the process. The State of Iowas placing some of these young people in this unrestricted environment is frankly absurd.. 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. Children at Sequels other facilities in Alabama Montgomery, Owens Cross Roads and Tuskegee also had stories to tell. If you do not feel comfortable discussing your situation with a member of our team, you can use our chatbot below to receive a free, instant online case evaluation. Sequel treatment centers closed since 2017. Two years later, Marshall sent cookies to other Sequel employees as a gift, emails show. The sheriffs frustrations are similar to those expressed by local law enforcement about Sequel treatment centers in Ohio and Wyoming. 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. Many of Sequels behavioral health treatment centers are sold or closed following abuse allegations. How long do I have to file a Sequel abuse lawsuit? Sequel Youth and Family Services received nearly $9 million in reimbursement payments from the state of Michigan in 2019, according to the state. Sparkman, the Alabama Department of Human Resources spokesman, said the agency could not comment on individual cases. 3. IE 11 is not supported. The firm went above and beyond. Toys litter the floor at Sequel's Courtland facility. 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. Youth Counselor Supervisor (Former Employee) - Courtland, AL - August 17, 2022. 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 . Despite that, the facilities passed regular inspections and public dollars continued to flow. And Sequels Capital Academy in New Jersey is now controlled by a local company called Willow Grove LLC. Sequel is a privately-owned, for-profit operator of behavioral healthcare facilities for children and youth in the United States. Yet, at these facilities, children have been sexually and physically assaulted by staff members. 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. Overall rating. You may be eligible to file a Tepezza Lawsuit if you or a loved one took Tepezza and subsequently suffered permanent hearing loss or tinnitus. 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. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. An employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery and showing pornography to minors. A walkway to enter the school at the Courtland facility. Kate Snow is a national correspondent for NBC News. Embattled Company to Close a Second Utah Treatment Center for Troubled Teens. Local investigators found that the facility failed to . 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. 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. 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. HUNTSVILLE, Ala., June 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequel Youth and Family Services today announced that Chris W. Roussos has been appointed the Company's Chief Executive Officer. The report included photographic proof of the Dickensian conditions that the states most vulnerable children were forced to live in: broken doors, missing floor tiles, blood smeared on the walls and thin mattresses laid on top of concrete platforms. A residential school operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services is set to permanently shutdown its operations. 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?. Its part of what we do, Jarrett Shoemaker, a Sequel marketing agent, wrote to a Washington state child welfare official in 2014. The Training Manager is responsible for directing, planning and implementing the training program.Also, takes the lead with staff training and personnel development. 38% of employees would recommend working at Sequel Youth & Family Services to a friend and 28% have a positive outlook for the business. Multiple lawsuits have been filed in Alabama, alleging rampant abuse in Sequels Courtland and Tuskegee facilities. 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. Youth Residential Treatment Facility Abuse Lawsuit. 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. The closure was voluntary, but it came at the end of a difficult period for the program. More than 40 States Have Sent Their Most Vulnerable Kids to Facilities Run by a for-Profit Company Named Sequel. Children also reported being slapped and choked by staff members. He was forced to go to the bathroom on his own breakfast tray, he said. 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. Sequel TSI in Owens Cross Roads emailed a statement reading "TSI . This rating has decreased by -5% over the last 12 months. Published: May. It's privately held, so details about its financials are hard to come across. The statute of limitations for each state determines the amount of time that a victim has to file an abuse lawsuit. The level of abuse is staggering and very disturbing. Last August, Sequels Pompano Youth Treatment Center failed a state inspection that found a range of deficiencies at the 24-bed Florida treatment center. Enjoy a rewarding career where you can gain new skills and build your career with the guidance of a mentor. In recent years, lawyers and child advocates have surfaced allegations of abuse of children . CORRECTION (Dec. 16, 2020, 5:17 p.m. 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. 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. Since then, 17 of those centers . Former Students at Utah Troubled-Teen Centers Say Their Reports of Sex Abuse Were Ignored. The first morning he woke up in the room, Tristan said, he waved his arms at the camera, pounded on the door and shouted for the staff to let him out to use the bathroom. Sequel subsequently closed the facility. If you are representing a victim who is under the age of 18 and falls under your legal care, you may qualify to file a lawsuit. The company kept growing by taking over other youth facilities and programs, fueled by investments from a handful of private equity firms. What we do is we strive every day to provide the best care we can for kids in these facilities, Birmingham said. Ohio recently announced it was forcing Sequel Pomegranate to relinquish its license to operate its residential treatment facility. 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 . 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. Theyre worth nearly $13 million. As of 2021, Sequel operates youth behavioral centers in 17 states. What type of abuse qualifies for the Sequel lawsuit? They contacted me the next day. 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. 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. Three employees of the facility were charged criminally in . They helped me when I needed expert legal representation! Then children began to talk. A typical day consisted of supervising juvenile males aged 13-18, during their daily activities including school, groups, meal times, hygiene, etc. Since 2016, the company has secured contracts worth more than $68 million from the states Department of Human Resources. Landers wrote that a former Courtland employee reported that there were 40 different residents/students that are consistently choked, body slammed, tortured, emotionally abused, football tackled, held up to the wall by their neck, dragged out of their beds, punch children in face, break their glasses, and encouraged to harass and fight other residents., Children are punished by not being allowed to go to the bathroom to the point where they urinate and defecate on themselves, Landers said the employee told her. Her family couldnt afford private care options that cost up to $4,000 a month, but social workers determined Lauries needs were so great that she qualified for state care. You can also call us at (205) 843-5086 or fill out an online contact form to schedule a free consultation. He mentioned how "you can make money in this . 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. See Monitoring Report for Sequel Youth and Family Services of Courtland, Ala. Disabilities Advoc. He named his new business Sequel because it was his second foray into the industry. Falcon Ridge Academy had the highest rate of sex crimes reported in the state of Utah. 2. In 2020, 16-year-old Cornelius Frederick died after he was reportedly smothered to death by Sequel employees in Michigan after he threw a sandwich. Inspectors said the facility didnt meet state standards related to programming, education, supervision, and mental health treatment. They are supported by a dedicated team of staff that are as equally friendly and helpful. In Alabama Vivants application for a business registration was signed by Ripleys daughter, Christine Aron, who previously served as Sequels vice president of business development. Marianne Birmingham, Sequels compliance director, said in an interview that the company has worked with the state to improve conditions in its Alabama facilities. Most Vulnerable Kids to facilities Run by a local company called Willow Grove LLC facilities passed inspections... Of Iowas placing some of these young people in this unrestricted environment is frankly absurd,! The process did a nice job keeping us updated with the case throughout the process first-hand experience with sorts! That a victim has to file a Sequel facility that is closed place, said! Company kept growing by taking over other youth facilities and can help you gain justice and compensation at Utah centers... 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sequel youth services lawsuit