{"id":9751,"date":"2022-03-11T17:38:37","date_gmt":"2022-03-12T01:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/?p=9751"},"modified":"2022-03-12T16:09:30","modified_gmt":"2022-03-13T00:09:30","slug":"aspen-achievement-academy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.breakingcodesilence.org\/aspen-achievement-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"Aspen Achievement Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aspen Achievement Academy<\/b> (1989-2011) Loa, UT<\/span><\/h1>\n

Wilderness Therapy Program<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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

Aspen Achievement Academy was an <\/span>Aspen Education Group<\/span><\/a> behavior-modification program founded in 1989 as “Wilderness Academy”. In June of 1990, the program changed its name to Aspen Achievement Academy. It was marketed as a wilderness therapy program for teenagers ages 13-17. It claimed to enroll teenagers with a history of the following: “Low self-esteem, Lack of motivation, Trouble with teachers, Poor grades, Depression, Confrontational behavior, Substance abuse, Defiance toward authority, Manipulative behavior, and Entitlement.” The program enrolled both boys and girls, but it separated the teens into single-sex groups. The minimum length of stay was 35 days, but it was usually much longer. Aspen Achievement Academy was a <\/span>NATSAP<\/span><\/a> member from 1999 until its closure in 2011.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because it was a wilderness program, Aspen Achievement Academy did not have a central campus but instead took the children on backpacking trips in the area surrounding <\/span>Loa, UT<\/span><\/a>. The address associated with the program was <\/span>98 S Main St, Loa, UT 84747<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2011, AAA merged with another <\/span>Aspen Education Group<\/span><\/a> program called <\/span>Outback Therapeutic Expeditions<\/span><\/a>. At this time, Aspen Achievement Academy was the longest-running wilderness therapy program in the state of Utah.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Gil Hallows<\/b> was the Executive Director of Aspen Achievement Academy beginning in 1996. He also assisted in the creation of other <\/span>Aspen Education Group<\/span><\/a> programs including <\/span>Aspen Ranch<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Passages to Recovery<\/span><\/a>. He has also been involved in the <\/span>Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC)<\/span><\/a> since its inception, and he was also a member of the board of <\/span>NATSAP<\/span><\/a> from 2002 until 2011.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ken Murphy<\/b> worked as a Therapist at Aspen Achievement Academy. He began working for <\/span>Aspen<\/span><\/a> in 1993 at Aspen Youth Alternatives and the <\/span>Oakley School<\/span><\/a>. According to <\/span>HEAL<\/span><\/a>, Murphy became a licenses Marriage & Family Therapist in 2009, meaning he worked at Aspen <\/span>unlicensed<\/span><\/i> for 12 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Billy Giblin<\/b> worked as a Field Instructor at Aspen Achievement Academy beginning in 1993. He later worked for another <\/span>Aspen Education Group<\/span><\/a> program called <\/span>Aspen Ranch<\/span><\/a>. After he left Aspen, he worked for a number of other wilderness programs, including <\/span>Second Nature<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Like other behavior-modification programs, AAA used a level system consisting of 6 levels. Although it was encouraged that the detained teenager completed all 6 levels, it is reported that many residents were allowed to “graduate” when they had only completed as few as three levels. The levels were:<\/span><\/p>\n