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 state investigation found no rule violations. But rather than get better, Laurie said, girls at Owens Cross Roads seemed to get worse. It's like this many-headed Hydra. Embattled Company to Close a Second Utah Treatment Center for Troubled Teens. TorHoerman Law was responsible for handling a medical case for our family. Responsible for providing leadership to the program. 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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. An SEC filing that year pegged Sequels value at an estimated $421 million. The company has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding and tens of millions more from private equity firms to expand to new locations, while deploying a sophisticated marketing strategy to convince state officials to send more children, despite government inspections flagging violations at Sequel locations in at least nine states, the records show. 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. Sequel declined to comment on Lauries and Tristans cases. A typical bedroom at Sequel's Courtland facility. Sequel settled a lawsuit from Fredricks family in December. 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. Since then, 17 of those centers . I guess we just lifted each other up.. 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. It's privately held, so details about its financials are hard to come across. Both of his eyes are black; one is swollen shut. Overall rating. Today, youth counselors at Sequel facilities start off making $12 to $15 per hour, depending on the location. The most common issue reported at youth residential treatment facilities is physical abuse, either at the hands of employees or other residents. Hindman had founded the Jiffy Lube chain of auto service centers, and Ripley worked for him. We're ready to be your ally. You can also sue facility staff members who are no longer working for Sequel. The level of abuse is staggering and very disturbing. 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. 80. 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. They severely underpay their staff! 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?. The Team Leader (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) CCBHC is a part of the managementSee this and similar jobs on LinkedIn. 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. For 72 hours, staff members left him in a small room outfitted with a thin mattress and a camera on the ceiling, he said. A National Alliance Of Sexual Abuse Lawyers, Proud Members Of The Following Trusted Organizations. Sequel declined to make any of its leaders available for interviews. 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. Information Request: Best Method to Contact You? To learn more about how our law firm helps the injured, check out our Frequently Asked Questions Page. Tommy James is an attorney representing a 16-year-old named Hunter who lived at a Sequel facility in Courtland for 10 months. 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%. 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. 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. 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. 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. Use the CB Insights Platform to explore Sequel Youth and Family Services's full profile. Our firm is about people. KRQE News 13 reached out may times to Sequel Youth and Family Services, which has seen similar closures and allegations in its other nationwide facilities recently. Since then, 17 of those centers have closed. Toys litter the floor at Sequel's Courtland facility. 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. 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. C-Suite Team Hired to Accelerate Growth of Industry Leading Behavioral Health Company. All consultations are completely confidential and discrete. 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 . Sequel to Close New Mexico Youth Facility amid More Abuse Allegations. We dont want anything like this to happen to any other kids. Then children began to talk. 97. Sequel disputes the findings and the facility remains open. Potential defendants in the Sequel Youth and Family Services abuse lawsuit may include one or more of the following parties: To best determine potential defendants, consult with an experienced attorney. In wooing states, Sequel has an advantage: It offers to take children with the most severe challenges, who are hardest to place. 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. 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 . Children at Sequels other facilities in Alabama Montgomery, Owens Cross Roads and Tuskegee also had stories to tell. Sequel Youth & Family Services: Second Lawsuit Settled in Death of Teen at Sequel Lakeside Facility January 12, 2022. 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. Do I qualify for the Sequel abuse lawsuit? Government regulators and the media took notice. "At Sequel Youth & Family Services, we have dedicated our careers to helping this nation's most vulnerable youth. Though their marketing and public statements espouse an aura of care and reverence for the well-being and progression of the residents they house, their company has been named in lawsuits that allege rampant physical, sexual, and mental/verbal abuse. He watched through a window as children made their way to class. No parent would ever want their child to spend even one hour in a Sequel facility.. In a statement, Sparkman wrote that the agency investigates allegations and that subsequent investigation records are confidential based on Alabama law.. 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 . In December 2021, Sequel closed both locations of its Forest Ridge Youth Services treatment program in Iowa. 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. Ohio recently revoked the license of a Sequel psychiatric facility in Columbus over multiple instances of violence. 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. The company has offered all-expenses-paid trips to state employees to tour the companys facilities. Officials at Sequel Youth & Family Services did not respond to requests for comment on the Oct. 14 report. 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. Ohio announced recently that it was forcing the Sequel Pomegranate location to relinquish its license to operate the treatment facility. My client lived in a house of horrors. lawsuits and interviews with former residents, staff . Our team is what has made TorHoerman Law a very special place since 2009. Sequel Youth & Family Services specializes in treating children with mental disorders, intellectual disabilities and trauma, which makes these findings disturbing. 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. 2. The facilities at the heart of the issue are run by Sequel Youth and Family Services. They come out worse than they were when they went in, said Patricia, whose last name is being withheld to protect her sons privacy. 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. 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. Sequel TSI in Owens Cross Roads emailed a statement reading "TSI . 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. For children who qualify . We encourage the following groups of people to step forward in confidence: An NBC News investigation sorted through more than 10,000 pages and records from 14 states, and interviews with former Sequel residents and parents showing how Sequel became one of the largest behavioral health youth facilities in the United States. 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 . He named his new business Sequel because it was his second foray into the industry. 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