{"id":9672,"date":"2022-03-11T16:29:20","date_gmt":"2022-03-12T00:29:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/?p=9672"},"modified":"2022-03-12T23:35:39","modified_gmt":"2022-03-13T07:35:39","slug":"lifeline-for-youth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/lifeline-for-youth\/","title":{"rendered":"LifeLine for Youth"},"content":{"rendered":"

LifeLine for Youth<\/b> (1990-present) North Salt Lake, UT<\/span><\/h1>\n

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

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

LifeLine for Youth (also called “Life-Line, Inc.” and “LifeLine RTC”) is a behavior-modification program which was founded in 1990. This program is confirmed to be the re-brand of the confirmedly abusive <\/span>KIDS Centers of America<\/span><\/a> program, “KIDS of Greater Salt Lake”, which was a direct spin-off of <\/span>Straight Inc<\/span><\/a>. KIDS of Greater Salt Lake’s license was revoked amid allegations of abuse, negligence, and fraud, and the program closed in 1990. However, it was immediately reopened on the same day as Life-line, Inc. By reviewing LifeLine’s <\/span>business license<\/span><\/a> and LifeLine’s <\/span>1990 Annual Report<\/span><\/a>, it is <\/span>confirmed that LifeLine is, in fact, the re-branding of the notoriously abusive KIDS<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

LifeLine for Youth is marketed as a Residential Treatment Center for troubled teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18. The program states that it enrolls teens with a wide variety of challenges, including Substance Abuse, Addictions, Depression or Dysthymia, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, ADHD, Pornography (??), Bi-Polar Disorder, Suicidal, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Family Conflict, Legal Involvement, Anxiety Disorders, Victims of Sexual Abuse and Trauma, Grief and Bereavement, Declining School, Low Self-Esteem, Body Image Issues, Manipulation, Hopelessness, Compulsive Lying, Peer Problems, and Adoption Issues. The average length of stay is reported to be between 12 and 18 months, and the program has a maximum enrollment of about 95.<\/span><\/p>\n

The program is located at <\/span>1130 W Center St, North Salt Lake, UT 84054<\/span><\/a>. This is only 11 miles away from the former location of KIDS of Greater Salt Lake. LineLine was a <\/span>NATSAP<\/span><\/a> member from 2003 until about 2009.<\/span><\/p>\n

LifeLine for Youth operates a number of different program options. There is a residential program in which the residents receive 24-hour supervision. There is also a day program, and an after-school program.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Shane Petersen<\/b> is one of the Founders of LifeLine. He worked as works as the Program Manager and Director of Operations of LifeLine, Inc. He is currently the President, CEO, and Executive Director of LifeLine for Youth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vern C. Utley<\/b> is one of the Founders of LifeLine, and he worked as LifeLine’s Executive Director from 1990 until 2009. He had previously worked at the <\/span>Utah Boys Ranch<\/span><\/a> from 1986 until 1990, when he left to co-found LifeLine. He currently works in private practice at Utley Counselling & Consulting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dan Scholz<\/b> currently works as the Clinical Director of LifeLine for Youth.<\/span><\/p>\n

James K. Smith<\/b> worked as the Clinical Director of LifeLine. He began working at LifeLine when it opened in 1990.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jamie Palmer<\/b> worked as a Family Clinician at LifeLine from 2005 until 2008. She then went on to work as a Therapist at <\/span>Cottonwood Treatment Center<\/span><\/a> from 2010 until 2013. She then began working as a Therapist at <\/span>Solstice RTC<\/span><\/a>, where she currently still works as Solstice’s Clinical Director.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kami Black<\/b> worked as Staff Supervisor at LifeLine from 1998 until 2007. She then began working as a Therapist at LifeLine from 2007 until 2009. She left LifeLine in 2009 to begin working as a Therapist at <\/span>Solstice RTC<\/span><\/a>. She was later promoted to Executive Clinical Director of Solstice. She continued to work at Solstice until April of 2020, when she left to create her own program called ROOTs Transitions, which is set to open in Park City, UT sometime in early 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jordan Larsen<\/b> spent five years working at LifeLine. He then went on to work at <\/span>Gateway Academy<\/span><\/a> in Salt Lake City for five years, where he served as a member of the Clinical Team. He then helped to establish the <\/span>Academy at Canyon Creek<\/span><\/a>, and assisted in the development of the program’s additional site in Draper, Utah. In 2007, he founded <\/span>Catalyst RTC<\/span><\/a>, and continues to work there as a Therapist and the program’s Admissions Director and Owner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert B. Hansen<\/b> was the Registered Agent and board member for Life-Line, inc. from 1990-1999. It appears that Hansen then had a falling out with LifeLine, and he <\/span>sued them<\/span><\/a> over some kind of pay dispute, but he appears to have lost. Robert B. Hansen was also the former Attorney General of Utah, which comes with all sorts of deep political ties, connections, and friendships. After all, it is certainly quite hard for any sort of law enforcement or attorney to go after something the Former Attorney General of the State is involved in.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Like other behavior-modification programs, LifeLine uses a level-system consisting of 5 levels. These levels are almost <\/span>identical<\/b> to the level systems used by both <\/span>Straight Inc.<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>KIDS Centers of America<\/span><\/a>. The levels are reported to be:<\/span><\/p>\n