She said she regularly witnessed staff members putting girls into violent restraints, to the point where they struggled to breathe, allegations also documented by the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program and in NBC News interviews with other former residents. And we either make drastic improvements at the facility, or we may choose not to operate that facility anymore.. Altamont invested nearly $40 million over the past three years, not the past two years. 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. It's privately held, so details about its financials are hard to come across. Today, Sequel has all but vanished. Tevins two months in Sequel Tuskegee would be a house of horrors. The state investigation found no rule violations. The Training Manager is responsible for directing, planning and implementing the training program.Also, takes the lead with staff training and personnel development. That means sending out marketing agents to get more states to send children to its facilities. Contact us today to see if you qualify for the Paraquat Parkinsons Disease Lawsuit! Sequel Youth and Family Services is a private for-profit operator of behavioral healthcare facilities for children and youth in the United States. In Alabama alone, Sequel received nearly $25 million in Medicaid payments from 2018 to this August. No information will be shared unless you, as a client, first approve. Can I represent a loved one or family member in a Sequel abuse lawsuit? An employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery and showing pornography to minors. The Alabama Department of Youth Services contracts with the facility as a private provider, placing boys there for a maximum stay of 120 days. 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.. 2. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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 cares for over 9,000 clients across the United States, including foster children, children in the state juvenile justice system, and children whose parents are unable to handle their behavior. Responsible for the recommendation of all admissions, transfers, and discharges of . 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.. Glenda Marshall, a program coordinator for Oregons state child welfare agency, wrote in a 2016 email to Shoemaker that the state had been struggling to find placements for foster youth. We dont want anything like this to happen to any other kids. Sequel treatment centers closed since 2017. KALAMAZOO, MI -- A federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the family of Cornelius Fredricks, the 16-year-old who died after being restrained at a Kalamazoo youth facility, seeks more than $50 million. Contact the Elmiron Lawyers from TorHoerman Law. 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. Red Rock Canyon School, another Sequel-ran facility, closed in 2019 after reports of abuse surfaced and a riot among residents ensued, resulting in area SWAT teams responding. Altamont Capital Partners Invests in Sequel Youth & Family Services. Courtland was one of the last facilities Tristan Broadrick lived in before he aged out of the foster care system. We were both in a really bad place, Laurie said. Both options are completely confidential and completely discrete. A 16-year-old Michigan boy went into cardiac arrest and died after several staff members of the residential treatment facility he stayed at restrained him, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. 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. Five years ago, Sequel Youth & Family Services ran a chain of treatment programs that took in and tried to help troubled kids from all over the United States. . Sequel TSI in Owens Cross Roads emailed a statement reading "TSI . Contact TorHoerman Law for a free, legal consultation today. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Lawrence County Circuit Court claims Sequel TSI of Alabama has a history of staff physically abusing children at its facilities, encouraging fights among children and . A walkway to enter the school at the Courtland facility. Three employees of the facility were charged criminally in . Washington, California, Oregon and Minnesota stopped sending kids to the companys treatment centers. Instead, these children are suffering from abuse, and from the reports, Sequel isn't taking responsibility. Responsibilities of Executive Director: Manages 5 - 10 subordinate supervisors who supervise a total of 50 - 55 employees. 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. Last August, Sequels Pompano Youth Treatment Center failed a state inspection that found a range of deficiencies at the 24-bed Florida treatment center. 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. 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. A Profitable Death Trap: Sequel Youth Facilities Raked in Millions While Accused of Abusing Children. We both were at our very bottom, Tristan said. The level of abuse is staggering and very disturbing. As of 2021, Sequel operates youth behavioral centers in 17 states. Visit our website or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959 to find local attorneys in you state who may assist you with your claim against Sequel. All rights reserved. Since Fredericks' death, Michigan's Department of Health and Human . Ask a Question. A 16 year-old resident named Cornelius Fredricks was killed at a Kalamazoo, Michigan facility run by Sequel. Our team of attorneys include: Continue reading to learn more about the Sequel Youth & Family Services investigation. Sequel declined to make any of its leaders available for interviews. All consultations are completely confidential and discrete. Before they got out, the two crossed paths at a psychiatric hospital, where they were sent after trying to harm themselves. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Hindman had founded the Jiffy Lube chain of auto service centers, and Ripley worked for him. Birmingham said Sequels marketing agents play a key role in receiving feedback from state officials and in helping the facilitys staffers get what they need to care for their residents. She said that most allegations made by children, staff and advocates end up being unsubstantiated, but that the company has zero tolerance for abuse and immediately reports allegations of wrongdoing to state oversight agencies. Records show that the problems at Sequel facilities go beyond Alabama. Jay Ripley speaks at the Merrick School of Business in Baltimore in 2015. Patricia took photos during a visit showing Hunter, a thin, slight child, sitting on a couch at the facility in a Spider-Man T-shirt. After helping launch YSI, Ripley became the chief executive of Precision Tune Auto Care. In 2017 Sequel operated 35 residential treatment centers in 16 states. 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. Thank you TorHoerman Law! You can still file a Sequel abuse lawsuit against facilities that are closed. Those contracts, which Ivey signed, allow Sequel to continue to run Courtland through September 2022. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and damages. Fredricks' family filed lawsuits after his death against Lakeside Academy, school owner Sequel Youth & Family Services and employees. He said the attorney for the Sequel Youth Services of Michigan has refused to provide the Fredericks family the video of the incident that resulted in the teen's death. For 72 hours, staff members left him in a small room outfitted with a thin mattress and a camera on the ceiling, he said. Program, pp. In December 2021, Sequel closed both locations of its Forest Ridge Youth Services treatment program in Iowa. 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. 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. The latest Sequel treatment centers to close are in Idaho, Florida, and Iowa, all of which had been under government scrutiny in recent years. Cornelius tragic death has been a watershed moment for the fight against abuse in these facilities. Pros. To learn more about how our law firm helps the injured, check out our Frequently Asked Questions Page. TorHoerman Law is an extraordinary law firm a firm that truly makes the clients best interests the primary concern. Ratings by category. In response to questions about allegations of abuse and negligence at Sequel facilities, Altamont said in a statement: We conducted significant due diligence prior to our initial investment and are confident that Sequel Youth and Family Services is one of the best operators in the industry. A 14-year-old boy with a bloody gash just beneath his hairline told her that staff members had shoved him headfirst into a wall, Johnson said. 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. At Kingston Academy in Tennessee, state inspectors found mold infestations, overflowing toilets and children sleeping on mattresses on the floor. They may be trying to drum up business, but ultimately, Birmingham said, Sequel employees care about the children. The name isn't the problem. He mentioned how "you can make money in this . Sequel Youth & Family Services provides a broad spectrum of treatment programs to people of all ages with behavioral, emotional, and physical challenges. They also did a nice job keeping us updated with the case throughout the process. Sequel Youth & Family Services has also faced criticisms. 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. (Sequel said the free trips are not standard practice.). 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. One firm, Altamont Capital Partners, which has investments in health care companies, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and clothing brands like Billabong, purchased a majority stake in Sequel for an undisclosed amount in 2017. He has a bulging, bloody laceration on his forehead. IE 11 is not supported. 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. TorHoerman Law was responsible for handling a medical case for our family. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Violence, Often Instigated by Staff, Has Become Common at Red Rock Canyon School in St. George for Troubled Children. The attorneys at THL were extremely helpful with the legal aspects of setting up my small business. 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. The company told investors it was well positioned to serve as industry consolidator, thanks in part to its clean regulatory and litigation history.. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of the facility. There is poor supervision, staff bullying and intimidation of the children. 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 . Oregon state Senator Sara Gelser has spent years demanding accountability for Sequel, and she is continuing the crusade against Vivant. Since 2016, the company has secured contracts worth more than $68 million from the states Department of Human Resources. Many of the children served by Sequel are victims with traumatic histories. 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. 80. 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 . That's not what we saw.". Nobody joins our industry, you know, unless they're actually here for the kids, she said. Mr. Roussos brings nearly two decades of experience building and leading healthcare organizations with vibrant service-oriented . To find out what the statute of limitations is in your state, contact TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation legal consultation today. I worked at Sequel Youth & Family full-time and the best day was my last! 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. Officials at Sequel Youth & Family Services did not respond to requests for comment on the Oct. 14 report. 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. Forms of abuse that qualify for the Sequel lawsuit are: If you have suffered the loss of a loved one due to abuse at a Sequel facility, or you represent the estate of a victim, or you are the legal guardian of an underaged victim, you may be able to represent the victim in a lawsuit. In 2020, Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens contacted the state to complain about the burden Forest Ridge was placing on his department. 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