{"id":9633,"date":"2022-03-11T16:01:24","date_gmt":"2022-03-12T00:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/?p=9633"},"modified":"2022-03-13T17:38:15","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T00:38:15","slug":"provo-canyon-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/provo-canyon-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Provo Canyon School"},"content":{"rendered":"

Provo Canyon School<\/b> (1971-present) Provo, UT<\/span><\/h1>\n

Residential Treatment Center<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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

Provo Canyon School is a <\/span>Universal Health Services<\/span><\/a> behavior-modification program that was founded in 1971. It was initially opened in Provo, UT as an all-boys facility by Robert Crist and Jack Williams, but PCS opened two girls’ program in the nearby town of Orem, UT and in 2005, Springville, UT. It is marketed as a Residential Treatment Center for teenagers aged 11-17. PCS states that it enrolls teenagers with a history of the following: Substance Abuse Behavior, Attention-Deficit\/Hyperactivity, Anxiety & Trauma Disorders, Social Developmental Disorders, Conduct & Impulsive Behavior, Mood Disorders, Including Bipolar & Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Personality Disorders (Including: Borderline, Dependent, Histrionic, and Obsessive-Compulsive), Reactive Attachment Disorder, and more. The average length of stay is reported to be between 8 and 12 months but it is often substantially longer, especially if the teenager is deemed resistant. Provo Canyon School’s tuition is reported to be over $12,500 per month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Provo Canyon School operates in a number of campuses. The original all-boys program is located at <\/span>4501 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84604<\/span><\/a>. The all-girls program was originally located at <\/span>1350 E 750 N St, Orem, UT 84097<\/span><\/a>. However, in 2005 PCS built a new campus for the girls program, which is currently located at <\/span>763 N 1650 W, Springville, UT 84663<\/span><\/a>. The former location of the Girl Campus is now the location of Provo Canyon Behavioral Hospital which is another all-girls program (with a small program for prepubescent boys on the first floor). Between these campuses, Provo Canyon School can enroll a maximum of 248 teenagers. These campuses are each divided between younger teenagers (aged 13-18) and older teenagers (aged 11-14). There is also an Elementary School program for children aged 8-13.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1986, PCS was bought by Charter Behavioral Health Systems. This company, once the nation\u2019s largest operator of psychiatric hospitals and treatment centers, would own PCS for the next 14 years. Around 1999, Provo Canyon School\u2019s parent company came under intense scrutiny, facing allegations of Medicaid fraud and media reports of inappropriate treatment and inadequate care at Charter-owned facilities across the country. Charter Behavioral Health Systems filed for bankruptcy in 2000, and several months later sold a dozen of their programs \u2014 including Provo Canyon School \u2014 to <\/span>Universal Health Services<\/span><\/a>. Universal Health Services continues to own PCS to this day. Universal Health Services also purchased and continued to operate many of the notoriously abusive <\/span>CEDU<\/span><\/a> schools after CEDU collapsed in 2005.<\/span><\/p>\n

Provo Canyon School was a member of <\/span>NATSAP<\/span><\/a> and had been since 2005. It appears that the school is no longer a member of NATSAP. It is accredited by the <\/span>Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS)<\/span><\/a>, however, it is important to note that neither the United States Department of Education nor the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognizes the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools as an accrediting agency for institutions of higher education. In fact, NAAS is most well-known in the public for the State of New York not accepting the diplomas given by the <\/span>Academy at Ivy Ridge<\/span><\/a>, which was a confirmedly abusive <\/span>WWASP<\/span><\/a> program which was also accredited by NAAS. NAAS has “accredited” many notoriously abusive behavior-modification programs, including <\/span>many<\/span><\/i> WWASP programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Provo Canyon School is considered something of a “hub” in the Troubled Teen Industry. Many of the individuals who work in the industry either began their careers or spent a number of years working at Provo Canyon School. Provo Canyon School is considered to be the birthplace of the <\/span><\/i>WWASP<\/span><\/i><\/a> organization, as WWASP’s founders and many of its staff members came from PCS.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Robert H. Crist<\/b> is one of the Founders of Provo Canyon School. He also worked at PCS for many years as the Medical Director. In 2000, Crist left PCS to create his own behavior-modification program, <\/span>Logan River Academy<\/span><\/a>, with another PCS staff, Larry Carter. He was also involved in creating <\/span>Silverado Academy<\/span><\/a> with former Provo Canyon School CEO Kreg Gillan, which was shut down in 2016 following reported instances of sexual abuse.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack Williams<\/b> is one of the Founders of Provo Canyon School.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert B. Lichfield<\/b> worked at Provo Canyon School for many years in numerous positions (<\/span>source<\/span><\/a>). He began working at PCS as a “dorm parent” in 1977 (<\/span>source<\/span><\/a>) and fulfilled various roles at the school until he left to create <\/span>Cross Creek<\/span><\/a>, the first of Lichfield’s <\/span>WWASP<\/span><\/a> programs. WWASP was a notoriously abusive organization created by Lichfield in 1998. WWASP owned <\/span>many<\/span><\/i> behavior-modification programs across the world which were shut down due to countless instances of extreme abuse and neglect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Karr Fransworth<\/b> is reported to have worked at Provo Canyon School with Robert Lichfield. The two worked together for many years, before Lichfield decided to create his own chain of behavior-modification programs called <\/span>WWASP<\/span><\/a>. He later went on to work in various roles at WWASP, even serving as the organization’s President. WWASP is a notoriously abusive organization which owned <\/span>many<\/span><\/i> behavior-modification programs which were shut down due to countless instances of extreme abuse and neglect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kreg Gillman<\/b> was the CEO of Provo Canyon School from 2003 until 2006. He had previously worked as the Chief Executive\/Managing Director of Aspen Healthcare Services from 1998 until 2003. In 2006, he helped PCS Co-Founder Robert Crist create <\/span>Silverado Academy<\/span><\/a>, which was shut down in 2016 following reported instances of sexual abuse. From 2011 until 2013, he worked as the Clinical Director of <\/span>Redcliff Ascent<\/span><\/a>. He currently works as the CEO of Universal Health Services – Salt Lake Behavioral Health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Larry Carter<\/b> is reported to have worked as a Therapist at Provo Canyon School for 13 years. In 2000, he and Robert Crist left PCS to create their own behavior-modification program, <\/span>Logan River Academy<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam McClain<\/b> is the current Group Director and CEO of Provo Canyon School. He is reported to have worked at various other confirmedly abusive programs, including as the Clinical Director of <\/span>Peninsula Village<\/span><\/a> from 2003-2008, and the Executive Director of <\/span>Northwest Academy<\/span><\/a>, which was a <\/span>WWASP<\/span><\/a> program.<\/span><\/p>\n

Barry Woodward<\/b> was the CEO of the Provo Canyon School. He was appointed to this position in 2000. He is also reported to have worked at <\/span>Olympus View Hospital<\/span><\/a>, prior to working at Provo Canyon School. He later worked as the CEO of <\/span>Copper Hills Youth Center<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dennis Eugene Thorne<\/b> was the Co-Owner of Provo Canyon School from 1978 until 1986. In 1989, he and left PCS to create <\/span>Discovery Academy<\/span><\/a> along with fellow PCS employees Robert Crist and Brent Hall. He passed away unexpectedly on December 19, 2018, at the age of 84. The <\/span>link<\/span><\/a> to his obituary is provided.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ron S. Tuinei<\/b> worked at Provo Canyon School from 2016 until 2020 as the Program Director, and later, the Executive Director. He began his career in the TTI working as a Program Supervisor at the reportedly abusive <\/span>Heritage RTC<\/span><\/a> from 1993 until 2010. He also worked as a Counselor at <\/span>Slate Canyon Youth Center<\/span><\/a> from 2002 until 2003. He then went on to work as the Program Director and Risk Management Director at <\/span>Cottonwood Treatment Center<\/span><\/a> from 2010 until 2013. He then worked as the Program Director of the <\/span>Oakley School<\/span><\/a>, a reportedly abusive <\/span>Aspen Education Group<\/span><\/a> program. He then went on to work as the CEO of <\/span>Copper Hills Youth Center<\/span><\/a> in January of 2020, where he currently still works.<\/span><\/p>\n

Megan L. Hamblin<\/b> worked at Provo Canyon School in the 1990’s. In 1985, her license as a Registered Nurse was <\/span>suspended<\/span><\/a> for 3 years by the Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing due to abuse of controlled substances. It was reinstated in 1987.<\/span><\/p>\n

Katie Jochum<\/b> worked as Provo Canyon School’s Director of Business Development. She formerly worked at the <\/span>CEDU<\/span><\/a> schools, headquarted in Sandpoint, ID. She later worked as the Director of Outreach and Business Development at <\/span>Boulder Creek Academy<\/span><\/a> (a CEDU school) from 2018-2019. She currently works for InnerChange, a division of <\/span>Embark Behavioral Health<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brent Esplin<\/b> worked at Provo Canyon School as a Therapist and the Admissions Director from 2007 until 2012. Before coming to PCS, he had worked as a Therapist and later as the Clinical Director of <\/span>Red Rock Canyon School<\/span><\/a>. From 2012 until 2016 he worked as the Director of Intake at Provo Canyon Behavioral Hospital in Orem, UT. He has also worked as a Therapist at <\/span>Telos RTC<\/span><\/a>. He currently works as the Executive Director of Embark at Hobble Creek, which is an <\/span>Embark Behavioral Health<\/span><\/a> program.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam Hill<\/b> worked as the Program Director of the Girls program from 1990 until 2012. He then went on to work at <\/span>Youth Care<\/span><\/a> as a Therapist from 2012 until 2015. He currently works as a Therapist at <\/span>Daniels Academy<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jennifer Morgan Smith<\/b> has worked at Provo Canyon School since 1998 in various roles, including Therapist, Executive Clinical Director, Director of Admissions, and Executive Director. She currently works as the Executive Director of Provo Canyon Behavioral Hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wade Taylor<\/b> has worked as a Therapist at Provo Canyon School’s boys program since 2001. Before coming to PCS, he worked as a Therapist at <\/span>Aspen Ranch<\/span><\/a>, a reportedly abusive <\/span>Aspen Education Group<\/span><\/a> program. In 2015, he was named in a <\/span>lawsuit<\/span><\/a> against both Provo Canyon School and <\/span>Island View RTC<\/span><\/a> alleging negligence and breach of fiduciary duties.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marcie Remington<\/b> worked as a Therapist at Provo Canyon School. She has also worked as a Therapist at <\/span>Utah Boys Ranch<\/span><\/a> and for the Utah Department of Corrections.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

PCS utilizes an \u201cAcuity Based Care\u201d (ABC) model that “identifies and re-assesses the strengths and needs of individual students.” The school’s methods are considered to be a “tough love” approach: enrollees are challenged to “acknowledge self destructive behaviors and grow beyond them”, and this process may require constant supervision and intervention. Upon entering the program, residents are stripped of their identites and given a number. They are referred to by their numbers in the program, and are not allowed to use their names. All communication with parents is heavily restricted and monitored. Incoming and outgoing mail is read by staff and censored, and phone calls with parents are all closely monitored by staff.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like other behavior-modification programs, Provo Canyon School uses a level system consisting of eight levels. The levels are reported to be:<\/span><\/p>\n