{"id":9611,"date":"2022-03-11T15:44:13","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T23:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/?p=9611"},"modified":"2022-03-13T17:39:30","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T00:39:30","slug":"sundance-canyon-academy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/sundance-canyon-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"Sundance Canyon Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sundance Canyon Academy<\/b> (2006-present) Herriman\/Draper, UT<\/span><\/h1>\n

History and Background Information<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sundance Canyon Academy is a behavior-modification program that opened in 2006. It is marketed as a Residential Treatment Center for teenage boys (13-17) who primarily struggle with substance abuse\/addictions and other co-occurring emotional\/behavioral disorders such as depression, anxiety, executive functioning, family discord, social skills, low self-esteem, and academic or developmental difficulties. The program has a maximum enrollment of 16 boys, and the average length of stay is reported to be between 6 and 9 months. The program’s cost of tuition is presently unknown.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sundance Canyon Academy is located at <\/span>6948 Dusty Rose Cir, Herriman, UT 84096<\/span><\/a>. The campus is situated about 30 miles South of Salt Lake City in a suburban area. The boys stay in rooms of between 2 and 4 residents each, depending on the enrollment of the program at the time. The program also operates another campus called Sundance Canyon East which is located at <\/span>11457 S 700 W, Draper, UT 84020<\/span><\/a>. This campus also houses 16 boys.<\/span><\/p>\n

Founders and Notable Staff<\/b><\/h2>\n

Simon Timms<\/b> is one of the Founders and the current Executive Director\/Clinical Director\/President of Sundance Canyon Academy. His prior employment is not listed on his <\/span>LinkedIn profile<\/span><\/a>, but he reportedly has over 20 years consulting and operations for behavioral health programs and schools as well as experience as a wilderness and outdoor Education Director. According to a 1999 <\/span>article<\/span><\/a>, Timms previously worked as the Wilderness Director of the reportedly abusive <\/span>Aspen Youth Alternatives<\/span><\/a>, a program owned by the notorious <\/span>Aspen Education Group<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boyd Hooper<\/b> is one of the Founders and the current Intervention Specialist of Sundance Canyon Academy. He also previously worked as Sundance Canyon’s Admissions Director. Prior to this, he was the original founder of the reportedly abusive <\/span>Sunrise RTC<\/span><\/a> in Hurricane, UT. He was also involved in recruiting families to send their children to <\/span>Focal Point Academy<\/span><\/a>, and was named as a defendent in a <\/span>lawsuit<\/span><\/a> brought forth against Focal Point by the family of a former resident.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nate Stoddard<\/b> is one of the Founders and the Vice President of Business Development at Sundance Canyon Academy. He has worked as the program in this role since 2011. Prior to this, he worked in numerous roles at <\/span>Prosper Marketplace<\/span><\/a>, a peer-to-peer lending company, from 2004 until 2011.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gerald Hooper<\/b> is one of the Founders of Sundance Canyon Academy. It is unknown whether or not he still is employed by the program. His prior\/current employment is unknown.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bruce Roden<\/b> works as the Program Director of Sundance Canyon Academy. He has worked at the program since 2013. Prior to this, he worked as a Print Consultant at Liberty Press LLC.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reynie Sandoval<\/b> appears to have worked as the Clinical Director and a Therapist at Sundance Canyon Academy. It is unknown whether he is still employed by SCA. He previously worked in various adult outpatient programs, as well as an adolescent\/adult rehab program called The Gathering Place, according to one <\/span>2004 article<\/span><\/a>. He began working at Sundance Canyon in 2006.<\/span><\/p>\n

Julia M. Ortiz<\/b> works as a Youth Specialist\/Coach at Sundance Canyon Academy. According to her <\/span>LinkedIn profile<\/span><\/a>, she began her career as a Mental Health Specialist at the <\/span>confirmedly abusive<\/b> Copper Hills Youth Center<\/span><\/a> from 2018 until 2020. She then worked as a Youth Mentor at the <\/span>confirmedly abusive<\/b> West Ridge Academy<\/span><\/a> from February through November of 2020, when she began working at Sundance Canyon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Darin Hansen<\/b> works as a Therapist at Sundance Canyon Academy. His prior employment is presently unknown, as it is not listed on his <\/span>LinkedIn profile<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

It has been reported that in order to be hired by Sundance Canyon, the staff do not need any specific degree or training beyond CPR certification and a food handlers permit, which the staff are to obtain upon hire and do not need to have one to be considered.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Program Structure<\/b><\/h2>\n

Like other behavior modification programs, Sundance Canyon Academy uses a level system consisting of 6 levels. For students to progress through the program, they need to meet expectations set within the program as well as meet expectations they have set with their therapists\/parents. This means the requirements of each level are not necessarily the same for each teen. The levels are reported to be:<\/span><\/p>\n