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

Midwest Academy: Ex-students say they were tortured - NY Post - program is shut-down Make no mistake, when parents reach their wit's end with their troubled teenager they can be vulnerable and believe just about anything when they are searching for help. I was there once. My story or should I say nightmare , seems to be repeating itself with the headlines coming out of Iowa -- with the alleged WWASPS affiliated program Midwest Academy  (now closed). According the the latest news report; Midwest Academy Is Accused of Locking Students in Tiny Isolation Boxes for Days or More This is not any different than we heard from students a decade earlier in their many other programs that are now closed. It's sad that we are now years later and this type of abusive behavior is still going on. This is why I created my organization to help educate parents about the big business of the teen help industry .   It's not about frightening you, as I firmly believe that p...

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...

WWASPS students were disciplined in this HOBBIT room in their U.S. program. The New York Times cover story today had the headline above! Over a decade later and these programs are still in operation.  Sure, some name changes - and shift around some people, but it is still the same from what I am reading. It's not a secret, my family was a victim of the teen help industry. We struggled with a teenager that was a good teen making some bad choices - we needed help.  But did that mean we needed to be duped?  Why do people prey on the weak?  I am not concerned about that right now. Fact is, yes, some teens and families need help and we believe in that - as does my daughter. Our story has been well documented both online and published by Health Communications, Inc (HCI).  What many can't comprehend is how the people and programs that harmed our family and my daughter - as well has hundreds (if not thousands of others) is still in operation? I...

Don't get scammed because you are desperate for help. You are searching for a program for your struggling teen.  You have reached your wit's end and bumped into websites that seem to promise to help you.  After being stunned by the sticker shock, you start surfing the web a bit and suddenly realize everything isn't want it seems. Yes, River View Academy (Utah), River River Academy, Youth Foundation, Cross Creek, and even those sales people. Sigh.... And who am I. Well, if you ask these teen help "sales reps" they will tell you that I am a disgruntled parent that attempted to manipulate their referral system.  Okay, funny a jury trial didn't find that.  There has been many lawsuits filed against this organization, though many have been settled quietly, mine was the only one to go to a jury trial - in Salt Lake City.  I was not taking this sitting down. The Internet is a very deceptive place.  You see, there is Internet fact and Interne...

After experiencing my good teen making some bad choices, I found myself surfing the Internet until I was so confused and stressed that I couldn’t make a decision. One group of specialty schools and behavior modification programs kept popping up wherever I clicked, and I figured they must be good. Then I received their beautiful glossy literature with a video that could make any parent weep. Once the initial sticker shock wore off, the cost was reasonable in comparison with other programs, or so I thought until I enrolled my child. The hidden costs added up like a grocery bill. I was totally misled by the sales rep and made a rash decision. Mistake number one: being clueless as to whom you are speaking with when reaching out to these toll-free numbers. This is a common mistake for parents in a desperate situation. A swift sales rep is there waiting for you; meeting questions with the answers you want to hear and making promises that convince you they can help your chi...

Searching online for help for your troubled teen? Maybe they are not troubled, they have always been a good kid, but now they are making some really bad choices - hanging with the less than positive influences - smoking some pot (not to mention the cigarettes) - drinking - and starting to fail in school. We have even watched our teen drift away from the things they used to love such as sports, dance, music, hobbies, etc. Defiance, lack of respect, underachieving, withdrawing from family activities, and simply a child you no longer recognize - where did your happy toddler go? This scenario is very common, it happened to me over a decade ago - and is the reason I created my organization - Parents' Universal Resource Experts . I don't want to rehash my story here, you can read it on www.aparentstruestory.com or in my books Wit's End! Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out of Control Teen . I want to help you a bit as you are searching the Internet for help for...

Not able to recognize your teen anymore? Are you considering residential therapy for your teen, and recognize those program names? Stop and read on.... You find yourself surfing the net.  Your once happy baby, turned toddler progressed into elementary school then suddenly hit adolescence and something changed.  But what was it? After all, your teen is smart, they are good looking, usually very athletic, capable of getting A's yet bringing home C's, you are getting reports that they are skipping classes, if they aren't skipping school all together - then you suddenly see a shift in their choice of friends.... what is going on? Some parents will think - typical teen - maybe it is.  However when do you know when it is time to intervene?  It always it!  It is a parent's responsibility to know when safety trumps privacy. Keeping the lines of communication open, even when your teen clams up.  It isn't easy, but talking is your road to finding out what ...

This is  big decision, take your time! Are you confused yet? Looking for teen help and realizing this is a BIG BUSINESS? So, your teen is driving your crazy.  You are at your wit's end . You have finally decided you need outside help. You have exhausted all your local resources.  Local therapy doesn't help, heck, you can't even get your teen to attend.  Your teen is failing in school, he/she is very smart yet doesn't want to attend school and believe they know it all.  Many say, " typical teen ", but as a parent, we know it is more than that. Where did our good kid go?  Good kids making bad choices - and they don't need to be placed in an environment that will make them worse in my opinion - learn from what happened to me! As a victim of the WWASPS organization - I am often called or receive many emails about our (my daughter and I) experiences with them.  Obviously not pleasant.  Though I am happy to say the program she wa...

Do your research when looking for help Since my story broke in 2001 - the stories have not stopped with allegations of abuse, neglect, fraud etc.   How many lawsuits have been settled with confidentiality statements and a check?  I have heard of many.  I have seen the settlement agreements.  I was not one of those parents - I was able to fight legally and defeated them at a jury trial!  In Salt Lake City - a city of their peers - no one condones child abuse. They couldn't defeat me legally - so they took to the Internet - helping to create and instigate slime, lies, defamation and more against myself and my family as well as my organization .  Although they weren't directly named in my lawsuit for Internet defamation and Invasion of Privacy, discovery proved their name came up more times than they wanted - I am sure.  Not to mention the defendant was given WWASPS attorney's to defend her.  Yes, the web of lies and deceit never ends.  ...

My experiences with WWASPS SCAMS? FRAUD? ABUSE?  If you read my Blogs, most know my story.  From the time my daughter turned 14 and started giving me a handful of troubles, to finding a so-called  teen-help program that make me a lot of promises.  Not only were the promises broken, my daughter endured abuse both physically (being placed in a box for 17 hours), sleeping in sewage and other indescribable things - forced me into starting a crusade (as some have put it) to let parents that are desperate know more about this big business of "teen help". Here we are - almost a decade later, and the program that harmed my daughter (did I mention I defeated them in a jury trial?) is finally closed.  Carolina Springs Academy also known recently as Magnolia Christian School (both affiliated with WWASPS) closed their doors.  Hopefully it is for good.  However, that didn't stop the owners, Lichfield brothers , from going abroad. The recent news from T...

It was reported back in early June 2010 that Magnolia Christian School or Academy (depending on what they call themselves that day formerly Carolina Springs Academy) was closed.  I received word from a parent that had a daughter there and was informed he had 24 hours to pick her up.  When he arrived, Elaine Davis (the same director that was there when my daughter was abused and neglected there) was on the porch with the kids waiting for the parents. Animals Abandoned According to this parent - all the other staff left. Then I received emails about the abuse of the animals there recently.  The fact the animals were left to fend for themselves and the video was horrifying to watch.  Animal activists as far as from Alaska were writing me for help on the background of this so-called teen help program.  According to one source , more than 70 carcasses have been found on the property and the Humane Society of Greenwood has removed dozens and dozens more...

Please note that Carolina Springs Academy , the program that harmed my daughter and defrauded us, has had their license revoked this month. They have recently changed their name to Magnolia Hills Christian . It is believed the staff will remain and I believe nothing will change except the name. Falling under a Christian/Religious umbrella may not require them to meet the same regulations a traditional accredited school or program would meet. The irony of this change is when my daughter asked for her Bible at Carolina Springs Academy, they took it from her – and she got demerits. They were not allowed Bible Study or to have any Bibles. She prayed every night that she wouldn’t wake up – it was that bad. She was cautious not to be caught praying since that would have been a demerit, too. Our story is published in Wit’s End (Health Communications, Inc. July 2008) or you can read A Parent’s True Story . The marketers (Teen Help, Lisa Irvin , Help My Teen, Jane Hawley, Teens in Crisis, Life ...

On this Mother’s Day - I am re-printing my experiences almost a decade ago. I wrote my story and published my book in hopes of helping other families that are struggling with their teens today. There is hope, you are not alone. Happily I can say my organization that was developed from this experience, Parents Universal Resource Experts , (P.U.R.E.) has grown tremendously - we have literally helped over 20,000 families in the past 9+ years! Many parents ask how my daughter is doing - she is happily married (wonderful son-in-law) and has two beautiful children and working at her dream job. Yes, I am very proud and I can’t help but think our horrific experiences were not in vain - since we have touched so many lives. A Parent’s True Story - A mother and daughter’s story of courage, strength and inspiration. This story is now published in detail, with my daughter speaking out for the first time about the horrors she endured at Carolina Springs Academy. Wit’s End! A Mother and Daughter’s...

Are you a parent struggling with a teen today? Are you at your wit's end? Troubled by the defiance and negative behavior your teen is displaying? Lack respect for authority - for YOU -the parent? Know you are not alone ! Almost a decade ago I went the very same feelings of isolation, hostage to my own home and watching my good teen turn into a person I hardly recognized! Read the online story of A Parent's True Story . I created P.U.R.E. ( Parents' Universal Resource Experts, Inc .) in hopes of helping other parents learn from my mistakes and gain from my knowledge . I was almost silenced when the massive organization ( WWASPS/Carolina Springs Academy ) sued me - but I fought back and the truth prevailed. I won all legal actions! When they lost on all counts including in the Supreme Court (I had a jury trial victory) my next hurdle was defeating the negative Internet Slander and Defamation. You see, when you can't defeat someone legally - the Internet has become the nex...

Are you considering any of the following programs for your child? Take a moment to read my experiences - http://www.aparentstruestory.com/ as well as my book where you can hear my daughter's experiences for the first time - order today at http://www.witsendbook.com/ . Choosing a program is not only a huge emotional decision, it is a major financial decision - do your homework! Learn from my mistakes - Gain from my knowledge! Academy of Ivy Ridge, NY (withdrew their affiliation with WWASPS) Ally Schools - Marketing Arm - Jane Hawley Canyon View Park, MT Camas Ranch, MT Carolina Springs Academy, SC Cross Creek Programs, UT (Cross Creek Center and Cross Creek Manor) Darrington Academy, GA Help My Teen, UT (Adolescent Services Adolescent Placement) Promotes and markets these programs. Gulf Coast Academy, MS Horizon Academy, NV Lisa Irvin (Helpmyteen) Lifelines Family Services, UT (Promotes and markets these programs) Jane Hawley Mark Peterson - Teen Help Marketing Arm Majestic Ranc...

For those of you that don't know my story - it all began when I was struggling with my daughter through her teenage years. After placing her in an abusive environment - from her experiences - ( Carolina Springs Academy ) - thinking I was going to get help - quite the opposite happened.Litigation followed - I won victoriously , not once but 3 times. I defeated WWASPS aka Carolina Springs Academy in August 2004 in a jury trial in their home state of Utah. I further defeated them in the Supreme Court of Appeals in June 2006. In September 2006 I won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages of $11.3M ! Teen Help Sales Reps, such as Mark Peterson , Lisa Irvin, Jane Hawley and many others (their marketing is second to none in my opinion) continues to attempt to discredit my victories as well as my experiences. I guess it is called Spin - Spin the story to fit your needs or make a sale! Several months ago - I was actually contacted by a former employee of Carolina Springs Academy - this ...

Here we are - years after my victories (both a jury trial I won and I won again in the Supreme Court of Appeals when WWASPS appealed the verdict) yet WWASPS still continues to tell some people I lost? Are you a parent that is at your wit's end - desperate and fall into the trap of urgency to place your child into a specialty school or program? Think twice - read " A Parent's True Story " - then visit my website at www.helpyourteens.com . My book - Wit's End ! will be released in July 2008 - you will get to hear my daugther's voice and her up close and personal experiences of Carolina Springs Academy . I assume I will always have the Internet Flamers - but thankfully I always have the truth on my side. The truth prevailed! After meeting with my Congresswoman this week as well as a Florida Senator several times, I am confident there will be positive changes to ensure the safety of children and an awareness for parents.