The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

Do you have a good teen making bad choices? Have they changed their peer group? Withdrawn from family activities? Underachieving in school? Dropping out of their favorite sport groups or clubs? Are they obsessed or addicted to their devices ? Do you suspect drug use ? Have you exhausted your local resources, therapy isn't working - have you tried a hospital stay, they won't take the medication. Out-patient therapy failed..... Residential therapy has been very successful for many family's - but it can be very scary if you are online reading the haunting stories that some former students (with a chip on their shoulder) or otherwise have written. I frequently educate parents - that they need to do their due diligence - the 'teen-help' industry is a big business, you need to know who you're talking to and what's their motivation. Since 2001, we've helped educate parents on this industry. I was that parent that was scammed and duped by 'sale...

UPDATED NEWS REPORT (01/03/2023): Teen Dies at Diamond Ranch Academy, Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed NBC Report (01/26/2023): Boarding School Ignores Sick Student (this leads to Diamond Ranch third death of a student). After we have continued to receive  negative review s on Diamond Ranch, as a national parent advocacy organization, we have received thousands of intakes and reviews from parents since 2001. They are obviously feeling the pressure, as they are attempting to use our good name in their marketing . Is this the type of program you would entrust your child to? Stooping to this level of advertising? Why can't they use their own good merit? Remember, this is your child. This is a major financial and emotional decision. If a program has to stoop to this level to "sell" you - what else are they doing? Buyer beware. This is why I founded Parents Universal Resource Experts.  We help educate parents on this type of marketing. Read what happened to me at A P...

As a  parent advocate  I am always receiving emails and phone calls on a variety of schools and programs from parents and students that have first hand experiences. My personal experiences are with  Carolina Springs Academy  that is now closed -- I have heard it is reopened as  Seneca Ranch .  WWASPS  (Worldwide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools) is the umbrella  organization that runs these programs.They also have others in the United States - at last glance there was Red River Academy (now US Youth Services ), LA, Second Chances, River View, UT and you never know when more will pop-up in different names. Although the like to claim they have no affiliation  -- when people dig deeper, the roots can get exposed as it did last summer with Midwest Academy (which was shutdown). Diamond Ranch Academy , sadly, though I don't have first hand experiences, I continue to receive negative feedback about the program .  I wrote abo...

The holidays are over, school is back in session and your teen is still driving you mad! So many parents hope and pray, with each day - week - month - maybe after the holidays, after this or after that, things will get better.... Sometimes they do - however most of the time, the behavior seems to escalate. As a parent you will go back to trying local therapy, if you can convince your teen to attend - maybe find peer support groups.  Then maybe out-patient, in-patient - maybe they think a few meds will do the trick..... Yes, I am being a bit facetious.  I am not someone that is against medication when it is needed, but I see too often that teens are given mood stabilizers or anti-depressants so quickly.  (This happened with my own child) - when in reality we are dealing with kids today that have spoiled rotten brats - entitlement issues - and teens today that simple act-out when they don't get their own way? After parents have exhausted all their local resources,...

The stress parenting combined with Internet confusion. As a parent advocate I am always receiving emails and phone calls on a variety of schools and programs from parents and students that have first hand experiences. My personal experiences are with Carolina Springs Academy that is now closed -- I have heard it is reopened as Seneca Ranch . WWASPS (Worldwide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools) is the umbrella  organization that runs these programs.They also have others in the United States - at last glance there was Red River Academy, LA, Cross Creek, UT, River View, UT, Midwest Academy, IA, and you never know when more will pop-up in different names. Diamond Ranch Academy , sadly, though I don't have first hand experiences, I am receiving more negative feedback about them.  I wrote about them in June 2012 - and since then it is not getting much better. After speaking with several parents, that are looking for placement for their struggling teenag...

Stressed out about your at-risk teen? As a parent advocate I am always receiving emails and phone calls on a variety of schools and programs from parents and students that have first hand experiences. My personal experiences are with Carolina Springs Academy that is now closed, however was under the WWASPS umbrella that still has programs operating in the United States such as Cross Creek, Red River Academy, Horizon Academy and most recently I am hearing about River View located in La Verkin, Utah. Diamond Ranch Academy , sadly, though I don't have first hand experiences, I am receiving more negative feedback about them. This week I receive another negative call.  Usually after 3 complaints, that run similar, I raise a red flag.   They asked me to listen to Bipolar Nation Radio . It reminds me of the days when we were fighting against WWASPS - and I can hear the frustrations and the pain in the mother and know the pain the parents are going through when you fee...