All young people, especially those who are vulnerable, have a right to safe, humane mental health care. Moonridge Academy takes the safety of our students seriously. In fact, student safety is our top priority. Our team is committed to our student's care, safety and treatment. We respect and understand that treatment is difficult for students and their families.
While we are so lucky to continually hear from past students about the happiness and awesome lives they are now living, recently we've also seen an uptick in negative online reviews about residential treatment. This has been disheartening at times, given that anyone who works at Moonridge does so to truly try and help others, and to be a positive contributor to the lives of teens who are all working on challenging issues. So to occasionally hear that some prior students did not appreciate the help, or worst yet - claim that it was intentionally harmful can be so sad to the helper's heart. Being away from home is hard and healing is painful, no matter what. It makes sense that some students might look back and denounce their parents' efforts to help them. We guard the gates carefully to make sure the care and treatment at Moonridge Academy is compassionate, ethical and transparent, but we also know we can't control how a person opts to experience it or reflect back on it.
I’ve seen some negative press about treatment programs.
Why is that?
While out of home treatment settings have been a positive experience for most, there are some who have experienced abuse or neglect. In the 1980s and 90s many programs operated under an antiquated behavior modification approach, using consequences and rewards to shape behavior. Sometimes these interventions were implemented by inexperienced or untrained staff. Some programs had little or no traditional therapy. In these settings some young people were misunderstood, mistreated, or abused.
Recently the celebrity Paris Hilton, who was placed in a behavior modification program in the 1990s, joined other survivors to raise awareness of institutional abuse. This garnered media attention resulting in legislation passed in Utah and other states to increase regulation and oversight of therapeutic programs.
Have programs changed since the 1990's?
Yes. Like every other profession and practice, treatment programs have evolved over the past 30 years. Generally, treatment programs are now state licensed, evidence-based, overseen by medical professionals and licensed mental health clinicians, focus on compassionate care, and are accredited by national associations dedicated to safety, quality, and effectiveness.
Does abuse in institutional settings still exist?
Some young people continue to emerge from therapeutic settings having had negative experiences. Moonridge Academy believes programs unable to treat youth safely should be corrected or closed. All young people, especially those who are vulnerable, have a right to safe, humane mental health care.
Student Safety Is Critical
How does the State of Utah assure programs are safe?
Moonridge Academy, like therapeutic programs in Utah, is licensed by the State Office of Licensing, a division of the Department of Human Services. As a licensed program, Kolob Canyon follows stringent safety and effectiveness standards called Congregate Care Core and Categorical rules. Specially trained State licensors are assigned to inspect and oversee all Utah programs. These licensors inspect each program four times per year. Half of these inspections are planned, the other half are unannounced, assuring programs are evaluated as they “really are.” Additionally, programs are required to report safety related incidents to the Office of Licensing, which investigates all critical incidents. Programs that can’t maintain a track record of safety and effectiveness are sanctioned or shut down.
Is Moonridge Academy a Safe program?
Yes. Having witnessed the problems and limitations of programs in the 90s, the CERTS Group founders developed a treatment environment characterized by evidence-based best practices, clinical sophistication, and a philosophy that puts inspiring interpersonal relationships first. Moonridge Academy doesn’t have a complex system of punishments and rewards designed to shape behavior. Instead, students are treated with the utmost dignity and respect. As they learn more about themselves, students are invited and inspired to experiment with new beliefs and behaviors that support greater happiness. Cutting edge therapeutic modalities are used to teach skills and build competencies, always with the best interest of the students in mind.
Moonridge Academy staff are at the top of their profession. The clinicians, teachers, and administrators are professionally trained and fully licensed. Moonridge's mentoring staff are composed of paraprofessionals who are:
- Certified in CPR and 1stAid
- Cleared to work with youth by a national background check
- Trained in the latest de-escalation and safety techniques
- Enrolled in Clinical Deep Dive Training Levels 1, 2 and 3
- Engaged in ongoing weekly trainings on the 10 Pillars and Mentor Essentials
- Overseen by licensed clinicians
Moonridge Academy has Joint Commission Accreditation.
Does that improve the safety of our program for teens?
The simply answer is yes. The Joint Commission’s standards and emphasis on clinical practice guidelines help Kolob Canyon establish a consistent approach to care, reducing the risk of error. Certification standards help organize the management of the program. This helps to maintain a consistently high level of quality, using effective data-driven performance improvement. Consistent alignment with Joint Commission standards promotes an environment of continuous improvement in the care of the teens at Moonridge Academy.