Green Valley Academy - still in the spotlight - Sage Quotes concerning Residential Therapeutic Treatment For Youth

Guest comments promoted to the front page   By Danna

The following have been quoted from various sources concerning "Residential Therapeutic Treatment for youth".

Glen Zaugg - NATSAP President:
"In the last two years, the economic downturn in this country has hit many of our members particularly hard. Parents have had fewer options regarding funding sources, and consequently, more than a handful of programs have closed." (i.e. Mount Bachelor Academy)

Treatment Magazine:
"CRC's Youth Therapeutic boarding school leader Aspen Education has been hit by the credit crunch as parents are unable to access second mortgages and tuition loans to finance the huge cost of helping their children. CRC has admitted it has had major difficulty filling beds."

Tom Crote - Family Light:
"recommends against referring to or enrolling in any Aspen program due to what the closing of New Leaf of North Carolina says about the value system of the company."

Dr. Rod Hoevet - Clinical Psychologist:
"Illicit substance Abuse is an enormous problem in American mental health. On a daily basis I review patient records from large well respected mental health agencies. These records often will outline a heavy substance abuse and then, in the very same record diagnosis Bipolar or any number of other disorders. This is a no brainer. The DSM is explicit: you cannot diagnose any mental illness if it is otherwise explained by drug intoxication or WITHDRAWAL. This is reckless and unethical, which leads to unnecessary and potentially harmful treatments."

Alison Barkoff - Senior staff attorney at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law: (i.e. Mount Bachelor)
"We feel very strongly that for-profit residential facilities are completely inappropriate for special education. They have been shown to be ineffective and commonly employ practices that do harm. But because the programs are privately run, what happens within their walls is largely a mystery. No one knows whether the programs succeed or fail."

Last summer when the OVPC conducted their work meeting at Oakley School, it was noted that their enrollment was not to full capacity plus every student had to be drug free for at least 3 months. I also heard Dr. Balmer declare the students of the Green Valley Academy would be the "Forest Gumps" of the world. Subsequently, I discovered in the Syracuse City minutes, that when Island View Residential Treatment Center first started there were over 10 calls a month to law enforcement. In 2010 the Chief of Police stated in a letter that they had received NO CALLS.

In my opinion from the information presented here, there are two major questions:
1. If the kids can't call the police, who is watching out for their rights?
2. What is to be done with a large building in the middle of a residential neighborhood with its massive sewer system and water company, when the business fails?

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Citizen's Report From Last Night's Board of Adjustments Meeting

Guest Post by Fred Smullin

I am saddened to report that after a couple of hours of private debate, the Weber County Board of Adjustment announced that they voted 4-1 to deny the appeal of the current land owners and neighbors to the proposed Green Valley Academy (GVA) site.  I have since learned that the vote was actually 3-2 and the minutes will be adjusted to reflect that.  They ruled that, as currently defined, the GVA "application language" met the requirements of the AV-3 school definition.  It's important to note the distinction that only what GVA put on their application was allowed to be considered, not what the true intent of the facility was, or what their previous contradictory application said.  They used the words necessary to get the prize, not what GVA was really about.  All for a group that doesn't apparently own the property yet.

I feel for those impacted directly and wish them luck in however they choose to continue their battle.  I would encourage everyone to offer them your support as this was a tough loss for them and everyone in the valley.

I'll let the Ogden Valley Protection Counsel (OVPC) advise us on how to best support them next.  What we citizens can do is continue to recommend changes to our zoning to limit the impact of these institutions.  I'm somewhat skeptical after watching the proceedings.  There are too many angles that can be picked apart legally.  But, I am not ready to give up.  It just shows we have a lot of work to do and rushing changes through may create more gaps than are filled.

If GVA is built, we as citizens can be watchful.  The community can be the watch dog and if enough incidents and complaints are documented publicly, licenses can be revoked and facilities closed.  It takes a paper trail to reach that decision.

Likewise, parents research the internet leading up to the decision to contract GVA to modify the behavior of their child.  If public records exist online citing factual issues with GVA, it will have an influence on their recruiting efforts.  The greatest factor to their success is keeping hidden what parents don't want to hear.  So, it's up to the community to be diligent, hold them accountable, and report, report, report.

Please use the Valley Forum to voice your opinion and support for the residents that are impacted.

Meeting on the proposed Green Valley Academy

On Wednesday June 9th at 7pm, there will be a meeting

at the Huntsville Library regarding the plans to establish

a facility on residential property near the Monastery in

Huntsville.

If you are concerned and have signed the petition regarding

this facility, you may consider attending this meeting.

Read Below a Guest Post from area resident Laurel Kirkham:

As a Huntsville resident, and someone who could be very affected by the proposed Green Valley Academy, I would like to comment on why the folks on this side of the valley have so many concerns about this commercial business wanting to establish in our neighborhood. First, it must be addressed that we as a whole are not against this academy or the service that it provides. Many people over here are actually employed in this field. We have social workers, therapists, teachers and doctors who live here and support this type of facility. These children do need help and support and we applaud the fact that this group of doctors are trying to make a difference. The issues involved here are really about the bad fit of this facility into the middle of a rural neighborhood here in the valley.

It must also be mentioned that this is a private, for profit school with a $9500.00 per month tuition required. Times that by 36 students and you have $342,000.00 per month, or $4.1 million dollars a year. The boys that will be attending this school will not be from Utah but will be flown in from different parts of the country. They are children of the very wealthy, including celebrities and high profile people. This is not going to benefit Ogden Valley or Weber County in any way, except for the taxes that Weber County can garner from this commercial business. Ogden Valley residents pay an inordinate amount of property tax with very little to show for it, but now we will have the privilege of paying our heavy, heavy property tax, and have our property values depreciate at the same time. Sound fair? I don't think so!

At the recent meeting in the Huntsville library with the directors of this proposed business, there were two women who live by the Oakley school which is being used as a comparitive to the proposed Green Valley Academy, (Oakley was started by these same directors,as was the Island View facility, and both were later sold). The Oakley residents both stated that their property values had not declined. One is an employee at the Oakley school and neither one of them have tried to sell their property or had it appraised. It would be difficult to comprehend that the average person with a family would want to buy a home near a commercial facility when there are so many other properties available.

There is great concern about the traffic this would bring. The road leading to this property is one of the most narrow, winding roads in the entire valley. It is actually a private lane with 90 degree turns where cars often go off the road in the winter. This road will not sustain an extra 20 or 30 cars coming and going daily. The students would also need to be transported to the various activies that this facility proports to provide for its residents, via bus or van, many times during the week, adding to the problem.

The parents of these boys are required to visit once a month (remember, they are from all parts of the country). Adequate parking would be required by law for this business and the mandatory lighting would take away our dark sky at night. No more stars!! A side note here, the grid on this end of the valley is ancient, and our power goes out 2 to 3 times a month, sometimes for 8 to 10 hours at a time. What will the academy do for this problem?

We are worried about the fact that we all live on wells and septic tanks here. This business would need a massive septic system and larger well to accomodate the number of students and staff. We are situated directly above the aquaphor and have a very high water table. The river runs directly behind the proposed facility, so there are concerns of pollution to the river and seepage into fields and other homes.

This business is asking for a conditional use permit that would forever change the FV3 zoning and would "open up a can of worms" for Weber County. FV3 does allow for a school or lodge, but this is a 24 hour 7 day a week facility. No one goes home at 3:00 on the bus, and no weekends or holidays off. The directors of this academy are looking at properties throughout the valley, so it could end up in your neighborhood as well. In fact, if this zoning passed, several of these facilities could open in the valley, and we would have no say in any of it.

Lastly, people are concerned about the safety and privacy of their families. Residential Treatment Facilities often have "runners" and other issues such as suicides , etc. Most of these problems are taken care of "in house" so that the public is never made aware. Oakley has a good record and so does Island View. But, it is known that issues do arise, and things do happen.

For most of us, it has been a big sacrifice to have the privilige of living in this unincorporated part of Ogden Valley. We were required by the county to purchase 3 acres of land, whether we wanted that much or not. We are taxed beyond reason, and have no services to show for it (other than snowplowing). Everytime we want to go somewhere it is at least half an hour away! Why do we do this? Because we love the peace and quiet, the views, the stars at night, no traffic and just plain wonderful country living.

As you can see, we as a group of Valley residents, are just fighting for the quality of life that we have sacrificed greatly for, and have come to love. I suspect if your quality of life was threatened, you would feel the same way. And if you live anywhere in the valley, be warned, it is coming your way.

Stop The Green Valley Academy in Ogden Valley Utah Petition Available For Signing

Huntsville residents concerned about a school for troubled teens have started a petition drive and could use your help.  The proposed school would be located in Southeast Huntsville although we hear the directors of the academy have a couple of backup locations just in case the Huntsville site doesn't pan out.  It could be coming to your neighborhood next, so pay close attention.

We have placed the petition over in the Petition Center which is located on the right sidebar.  You can also click here to sign the petition and support the cause.