Community Update

Do not think about sending your kid to an enviroment like this if you plan on taking them out before they graduate high school, because if you put them there and try to have them graduate from a public school after it will be nearly impossible especially if they've been there for a year or more. I was there for 2 years and 2 months and when I left I was 17 about 5 months from being 18 and wanted to finish my senior year in another state and found out that even though they supposedly gave me the correct ammount of credits, I was taught virtually nothing someone would need to graduate from a public high school. According to my transcript I am missing 2 years of math, 2 years of english, 1 year of science and 2 years of physical education. If I stayed I would be forced to wait to graduate untill I'm almost 20, so the only option for me to move on in life is getting my GED. Another reason for that though is because the majority of the girls there including myself are taught virtually no useful life skills or are but are not taught them long enough. I am 18 in 2 months and I have never driven a car, never had an actual job, never was taught how to manage money. I know nothing about bank accounts, taxes, bills, how to get an appartment. I have been taught nothing that I need to survive. To think that they claim they prepare girls for life in the real world, which is one of the first things the director of the school Liz Carrigan told me. They say that giving kids small portions of unhealthy overcooked food is healthy for them even if they know how to handle your own portion sizes. Even if you struggle with an eating disorder you will need a request from either your guardian or doctor or both to be able to eat more than one portion and even then its a hassle. There is no group therapy where you are allowed to speak about actual issues. There is no treatment for substance abuse or eating disorders, so if they try to tell you that they aren't being honest. They lost a lot of my belongings and refused or forgot to reimburse me. Most of your time there is room time except for school. I have seen staff make fun of autistic girls right outside their rooms, and right to their faces even. I am willing to admit that I've made my mistakes that have also contribited to making my life harder for me and I take complete responsibility for it but they never took responsibility for their mistakes. Also if you have a child who runs you should not send them there because their security is terrible. They are considered a good program and I don't doubt at all thar enviroments like these do help a lot of kids but it didn't help me and doesn't help a lot of other kids too. I have seen kids leave and be homeless not to long after leaving these places. And the scary thing is is that there are programs even worse than this I know because I went to them. Seriously consider your child's education and mental well being beforw sending them here or to any other program. The mental health system is still extremely flawed to this day. I just wanted to say that places like this made me worse than I already was. If I had the money to sue I would. Not to be a sterotypical American, but seriously.