This is the History of and Reporting Guide for Devereux Glenholme in Washington, Connecticut

(aka The Glenholme School)

 

On this page you will find incomplete staff and complaint histories with sources cited (i.e. Progress Report), the general advisory against segregated congregate care with sources cited, and a reporting guide for those unlawfully harmed or firsthand witnesses to unlawful harm by or at this location to report violations of the law to the proper authorities/law enforcement.  The staff list itself will not be updated with additional names out of a sense of fairness where those providing the names ask for anonymity or confidentiality.  And, this program will remain eligible for merciful release if all criteria are met and no guest sermon is provided by a qualifying sponsor by that time.  In the meantime, it can graduate the COPE Conversion Program by meeting the Honesty In Marketing Standards (HIMS) or permanently close to be removed from the watch-list/released from the COPE Conversion Program.  If permanently closed prior to graduation or merciful release, it will be buried in the virtual graveyard.   

 

Name

Unit/Position

 Additional Information
Maryann Campbell Executive Director No other information is posted regarding the staff or qualifications of staff at Devereux Glenholme aka The Glenholme School.  Campbell is not a licensed mental health, social work, nor medical professional in CT.  Source: https://www.elicense.ct.gov/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx
Sharon Murphy Dean of Students Survivor reported the following on these staff on October 19th, 2009:

"These people are the ones who are the most brutal with the students. They have physically assaulted students, but brain washed the kids to believe it's because they are being non-compliant with the program. This "program" brain washes everyone outside of the compound, mainly parents and Connecticut's Department of children and family services. I also found out that they receive their funding from DCF as well as New England Association of schools and colleges. I'm pretty sure the states that the students come from is who pays the tuition, as well as unsuspected parents."

Murphy is not a licensed mental health, social work, nor medical professional in CT.  Source: https://www.elicense.ct.gov/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx

Tuttle is not a licensed mental health, social work, nor medical professional in CT.  Source: https://www.elicense.ct.gov/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx

HEAL requires Cooper's full name (first, middle, and last) in order to perform a staff background check.
 
David Tuttle Staff
Judith Cooper Staff
Kathi Fitzherbert Admissions Director Fitzherbert is not a licensed mental health, social work, nor medical professional in CT.  Source: https://www.elicense.ct.gov/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx

SURVIVOR ACCOUNT #1 (Feedback)

 

Everything in my statement is true. I give HEAL permission to use my statement. I was sent to Devereux-Glenholme in March of 1993. It is disguised as a boarding school, with children from well to do families residing there and some children from the ward of the state. They section of the children that are ward of the state and place them in a smaller sized setting with about 12 other children with various problems ranging from Obsessive compulsive disorder to seizures. The children whose parents are paying money directly from pocket get this luxurious  12 bedroom house further down the campus with a horse farm included. They eat different foods and receive privledges seperate from the rest of the campus. Thye do not have to do the following, as would the rest of the foundation: Stand behind a chair and wait to eat for up to 20 minutes (this was called proper etiqutte), standing in a corner facing the wall for hours (called a "quiet setting"), if deemed "appropriate", sent to a "time out setting", which consisted of a very dark room that had a camera installed. It constantly smelled of urine because you weren't permited to use the rest room until they allowed. There was no specific criteria for this room, but if you were mouthy you were sent there. I can honestly say I never saw any of the children out of line or abusive towards the adults that such a measure of intervention was needed. No time limit is given, and the staff are fed this propaganda as so to lighten the affects of the screaming and crying of the child inside. You could hear them begging to use the bathroom, and were completely ignored. This can be proven.Until this day I still have bad dreams and I cannot stop them. I left there by attempting suicide and given a psychiatric evaluation. When I got to the hospital, the director of the program, Dr.Fitzgerald, had his circle of close associates escort me. They threatened to have me arrested for the attempt, claiming it was against the law at it was just like murder. I was told that when I got to the hospital, the staff members escorting me would do the talking, and I would be returning to the campus, sent to the "quiet room", and be put in a "training setting", which involved you being humilated and put with the kindergarden children and made to walk throughout the hallways with them.You could not speak for a maximum of 3 days. Through the  theraputic language, they are able to entice the parents and states attention. It attracts the rich because they see the lucious hills and beautiful EXTERIOR of the campus. They use rich language and have the prestigious supervisors answering calls and acting as tourists. For the state, they see it as an oppourtunity for the poor children of fostercare to have a better chance at life.All they do with the poorer child is abuse and demise them. The african american children, as I remember, weren't allowed to listen to any form of jazz, rhythm and blues, or rap. Braids or any other afro-centric hairstyle was not allowed. When it was time for clothing allowances to be given for the fostercare children, they were taken to a basement that was filled with donated clothing! I now know the state gives about $260.00 every season for clothing. I believe this money is used elsewhere to possibly "beautify" the campus,. I would truly want to see this foundation exposed for who they really are. I am currently a student and seek to become an investigative social worker. I have high hopes that one day people will come forth and expose them.

 

Submitted by survivor:

 

Debra Jiminez

SURVIVOR ACCOUNT #2 (Feedback)

 

DECLARATION UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY

PURSUANT TO 28 USCA 1746

 

 

            I, [PRIVATE], declare and state as follows:

1.   The Devereux Glenholme School

2.   [PRIVATE]

            3.   June, 1998-August, 2000

            4.   There isn't a day that goes by that I fear what I might do if I am to meet a select group of supervisors from this facility who have taken pleasure in the active torture of children and adolescents and have made my life a living hell since I rotted in this pit for over two years.

 

If there is anything good about this universe, someone will investigate the criminal acts against children and teenagers perpetrated in this abomination.  This was over a decade ago:  I still am haunted almost every night by dreams of the torture endured at this institution.

 

I don't wish to name names, but I hope they have cleaned up their act significantly.  There are some things in this world that destroy us as a society and I see this "school"; a place where I have the unfortunate truth of having witnessed the physical embodiment of evil, to be an entity responsible for tearing apart the lives of young human beings that must be held accountable for its actions.  Please, someone, help prevent the further destruction of human lives made possible by Devereux Glenholme.

 - [PRIVATE]

 

            I give HEAL permission to use this statement.  I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.  February 19th 2009.

 

 

                                                                        ________________________________

                                                                         PRIVATE

                                                                         PRIVATE

 

SPECIAL NOTE:  Please leave all information pertaining to me anonymous.  I am still fearful that those who tortured me will somehow receive this information and find me.  It is this fear; illogical as it might be, that seems too much of a reality to this day to speak openly about the things that were done to me and other children and adolescents at this institution.
AHCA report cites kicking, spitting on teens, other reported abuses at Devereux House--July 29th, 2009--A Tallahassee group home for troubled teens currently under criminal investigation by law-enforcement officials was shut down by state health-care regulators in May following troubling reports of physical and verbal abuse of residents by center employees. 
Sexual assault victim sues Connecticut school The Devereux Glenholme School in Washington, Connecticut. Facebook photo By The Associated Press and Staff Reports Posted: 07/09/14, 1:52 PM EDT | Updated: 3 days ago # Comments A Litchfield County school has been accused in a lawsuit of failing to prevent a female staff member from sexually abusing an emotionally disturbed 16-year-old boy. The suit was filed Wednesday in Stamford Superior Court on behalf of the former student, now 19, against Devereux Glenholme School, a therapeutic boarding school in Washington. The staff member, Brittany Larson, was sentenced to nine months in prison last year after she pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault under the Alford doctrine in which a defendant doesn’t agree with the allegations but concedes the state has enough evidence to convict. Larson no longer works for the school. The lawsuit alleges the school and the Devereux Foundation, which runs a national network of schools and treatment facilities including Glenholme, failed to take reasonable steps to supervise its staff and the student. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, saying the student suffered serious emotional and psychological injuries as a result. The school had no immediate comment Wednesday. Messages left with the foundation and with an attorney for Larson also were not immediately returned. The Associated Press generally does not identify victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly. Attorney Paul Slager, who filed the lawsuit, said it is “an accurate summary of the sad events that led to this young man’s injuries.” Slager declined further comment. The student and his family sought out Glenholme because he suffered from emotional disturbance and the school offered a therapeutic educational setting with 24-hour supervision, according to the lawsuit. The school was aware of the teen’s disabilities and need for strict supervision, the suit says. When he was 15, the student met Larson, who was assigned to provide one-on-one supervision, and he exchanged numerous inappropriate computer messages with her using a school computer, the suit says. The exchange should have alerted the school to an inappropriate sexual relationship between the boy and Larson, who was 27 at the time, the lawsuit says. Eventually, the complaint alleges, Larson and the teenager had sexual contact, followed by numerous incidents of sexual contact in different places on the Glenholme School campus over several months in 2011. Those incidents constituted sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or sexual assault, the lawsuit says. According to an arrest affidavit, staff members at the school for 10- to 18-year-olds became suspicious of an inappropriate relationship after discovering racy online interactions with on the victim’s Facebook page. The school reported the matter to authorities and terminated Larson’s employment. A New Milford resident, Larson turned herself in to Connecticut State Police during the week of Columbus Day 2011 after an investigation into the assault. In May 2013, Judge James Ginocchio in Litchfield Superior Court sentenced Larson to 10 years in prison, suspended after she served nine months. According to a website for the Sabbaday Lane school, “The Glenholme School is a therapeutic boarding school for young people, ages 10 to 18, diagnosed with Asperger’s, ADHD, PDD, OCD, Tourette’s, depression, anxiety, and various learning differences. The program provides a treatment milieu designed to build competence socially and academically. Glenholme’s learning environment supports and enhances the success of special needs students.”  Source: http://www.middletownpress.com/general-news/20140709/sexual-assault-victim-sues-connecticut-school
Morristown group home complaints bring action Story Comments ShareShare Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Related Documents Letter from Devereaux to Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty This letter was sent to Morristown Mayor Timothy Dougherty by the Devereaux Foundation on Nov. 6 addressing issues involving the group Home on Headley Road in Morristown. Posted: Thursday, November 13, 2014 12:15 am Morristown group home complaints bring action 0 comments MORRISTOWN – Although the Morristown Council has taken the step to ask the state to revoke the license of the Devereux Foundation’s group home for teens on Headley Road, additional steps are being taken by both sides to make changes to how the house is run. The Council on Tuesday, Oct. 21, passed a resolution to ask the state to rescind the group home’s license following months of complaints from residents the nonprofit Devereux Foundation is letting poorly supervised teenage boys roam the street where they harass and intimidate neighbors. Although the vote was unanimous, Councilwoman Alison Deeb, the lone Republican on the governing body, complained she was being left out of the loop regarding the council’s decision-making process. “I hate to think it’s political,” Deeb said Friday, “but the Devereux house is in my (Fourth) ward.” Nevertheless she said she felt progress has been made in the time since the council passed the resolution. She noted a private meeting was held between the neighborhood and Devereux representatives last Friday in which Devereux was to have discussed remedial steps it plans to make. “I do think the situation is moving in the right direction,” Deeb said. “It is apparent now that Devereux wants to make productive changes, which is a positive thing. The mayor’s office is engaged which is good.” Among the steps the council is taking, besides asking the state to rescind the license, is having town attorney Vij Pawar look into whether the town can charge for “excessive” calls out to town authorities. “It has been observed that Devereux lacks the appropriate level of security and should be held accountable,” Deeb said. “Since we require bar owners to provide extra security a precedent has been set. Why can’t Devereux provide their own security? If not, why shouldn’t they pay for ours?” She added if the town charged for services, it would mean “we hold Devereux accountable and reduce taxpayer burden since Devereux does not pay any taxes yet has exorbitant demand for our municipal services.” Joanne Farrell, who has lived next door to the group home for 20 years, said for the first 18 years there was no issue. “They were fine,” she said. “It has only been in the last two years things have gotten out of hand.” Farrell said the issue is not of being unwelcoming to the teens, all of whom are mentally disabled in some way. “We’re not unwelcoming. I’m a teacher. I understand and am sympathetic to their needs. It’s the lack of supervision and the physical deterioration of the building that is the issue.” She noted one of the boys had smashed all the windows in the front of the house. “There was a time all the windows were boarded up,” she said. She also noted the porch step railings had been torn out. “One boy was found wandering all alone,” she said. Farrell said she attended the Friday meeting and said the residents and Devereux had discussed where things stand now. “No one seems to know,” Farrell said. “We know the council wants the license revoked but the two sides seem to be talking with each other.” Devereaux supplied a letter Chief Executive Director Robert Krieder sent to Mayor Timothy Dougherty on Nov. 6 addressing the group home. It is attached to this article. Krieder notes the teens have behavioral issues but criticizes the community for not being welcoming t the teens. Farrell commented that because Krieder is not experiencing the issues doesn't really understand them. "Devereux may be a fine organization but the CEO is not here to see what is happening," she said. On its website it describes itself as “one of the oldest and largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare in the country. Across its national network, Devereux partners with families, schools and communities in order to help some of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals achieve happiness and personal fulfillment. We provide a continuum of care for children, adolescents and adults faced with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and mental health challenges, including psychiatric hospitals, residential and day treatment programs, community-based group homes, respite care programs, supervised apartments, foster care homes, special education day schools, and vocational and pre-vocational training. These programs and services positively impact the lives of thousands of individuals, and their families, each year.”  Source: http://newjerseyhills.com/morris_news_bee/news/morristown-group-home-complaints-bring-action/article_84aa6d5d-430b-596b-903c-c24bd83da380.html
Former student files lawsuit against Kent School, alleges sexual abuse By Register Citizen Staff Posted: 05/17/17, 1:47 PM EDT | Updated: 1 day ago # Comments KENT >> A former student from Kent School filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the school, alleging she was sexually abused by a married teacher. The plaintiff attended Kent School from 1987 to 1990, where she alleges the former teacher used his authority and influence to gain her trust and later exploited that trust to sexually abuse her. The woman claims the sexual abuse took place from 1987 through 1988 and occurred at numerous locations on and around the school’s campus, including in the teacher’s on-campus housing, his car and various off-campus locations in town. This newspaper is withholding the woman’s name, because it is our policy not to name victims of sexual assault. The complaint also alleges at least one other teacher knew about the sexual abuse while it was happening and failed to report the information to the appropriate authorities — a violation of Connecticut’s mandatory reporting law. Advertisement After the administration knew about the sexual abuse, the teacher left to teach at different institution and Kent School supposedly provided no support to the student, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff asserts the school subjected her to punishing criticism, verbal reprimands and hostile treatment from staff and students who were aware of the sexual misconduct. The lawsuit claims the plaintiff has been seriously psychologically and emotionally injured, as a result of the sexual abuse and the treatment by staff and students during the aftermath. The complaint contends the sexual abuse has negatively impacted most parts of her life. She is seeking damages against the school in an amount greater than $15,000, according to the lawsuit. Kent school officials did not return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday afternoon. The plaintiff is represented by Paul Slager and Jennifer Goldstein of Silver Golub & Teitell in Stamford and Paul Mones of Los Angeles. “Our client hopes that by coming forward she will help give comfort and a voice to other boarding and private school students who have been sexually abused to let them know that they are not alone,” said Mones in a statement. “The recent numerous news accounts suggest that the problem of sexual abuse at private boarding schools has been widespread.” While this is the first known filed case of sexual abuse at Kent, the case comes on the heels of several other lawsuits issued in recent years against private schools in Litchfield County. Since 2014, three former students have filed separate federal lawsuits against Indian Mountain School, a private boarding school in Lakeville, claiming sexual abuse and molestation during their years as students. As of 2015, two different lawsuits were filed by former students against The Glenholme School, a therapeutic boarding school in Washington, asserting they were sexually assaulted as students. In 2015, another student filed a federal lawsuit was filed against The Hotchkiss School, a different private boarding school in Lakeville, alleging he was raped by a teacher and sexually assaulted by multiple students. And just weeks ago, an investigation found that students from Choate Rosemary Hall, a prestigious boarding school in Wallingford, were subjected to decades of sexual abuse by staff members. Slager and Mones encourage any witnesses or individuals, including former Kent students, to contact them with any knowledge of the allegations in the lawsuit. Source: http://www.registercitizen.com/general-news/20170517/former-student-files-lawsuit-against-kent-school-alleges-sexual-abuse
Man Sues Boarding School Over Sexual Assault as Teen ROBERT STORACE, The Connecticut Law Tribune August 24, 2017    | The lawsuit, which seeks millions in damages, claims the Devereux Glenholme School should have known about the sexual abuse and stopped it.  Source: http://www.ctlawtribune.com/id=1202796404319/Man-Sues-Boarding-School-Over-Sexual-Assault-as-Teen?mcode=0&curindex=0
Worker accused of sexually abusing three teen girls at Phoenix group home azfamily.com News Staff azfamily.com News Staff Posted 4 hrs ago 3 Facebook Twitter SMS Email Rodrigo Flores faces multiple charges of aggravated assault, sexual abuse, and sexual conduct with a minor. Facebook Twitter SMS Email Print Save PHOENIX, AZ (3TV/CBS5) -- An employee at a behavioral health group home in Phoenix is accused of sexually abusing three female teenage patients. Police say 23-year-old Rodrigo Omar Flores was arrested at his Glendale home on May 7. Flores is accused of abusing three teen girls at the Devereux Behavioral Health group home in Phoenix. Police say the girls were 13, 14 and 15 years old. According to the police report, the 14-year-old patient came forward in March, telling a staffer about four alleged incidents during which she claims Flores touched her in a sexual manner. The girl said the alleged incidents happened in her room and the laundry room, according to the police report. Once the staff was alerted, Flores was placed on leave and was later fired. Police later learned of two more teen patients at the group home who claimed that Flores had sexually touched them, also in their rooms and the laundry room. In one case, the victim told police Flores "woke her up and asked her to do laundry." When she went into the laundry room, he "grabbed her and started kissing her." Flores told at least one of the teens "not to tell anyone," according to the police report. In all, victims reported 12 incidents allegedly involving Flores. The alleged incidents happened between Oct. 2018 and March 2019. Flores later admitted to police that he kissed two of the victims and that he used "poor judgment." Flores faces multiple charges of sexual abuse, sexual conduct with a minor and aggravated assault. [CONTINUING COVERAGE: Arizona's Family investigation in Hacienda HealthCare] It was just last year the public learned that a patient at another Phoenix health care facility had been sexually assaulted. The Hacienda Healthcare investigation prompted outrage nationwide after Arizona’s Family revealed a 29-year-old Native American woman living in a years-long vegetative state had been impregnated at the facility. [ORIGINAL STORY: Woman in vegetative state gives birth at Hacienda HealthCare in Phoenix]   And in March, we learned of another worker at a medical center accused of sexually assaulting a woman while she was sedated. This time it allegedly happened in Scottsdale. [RELATED: PD: Scottsdale medical worker arrested for sexually assaulting sedated patient] The incident reportedly happened on June 25, 2018, at Integrated Pain Consultants, near 96th Street and Shea Boulevard.  According to police, a 48-year-old woman was sedated for back pain treatment. As she was regaining consciousness in the recovery room, she said 38-year-old Xavier Perez sexually assaulted her. Police say Perez worked as a transporter and was taking the patient to a recovery room when the assault happened.   The investigation lasted for months and the arrest was made on Wednesday. Officers said DNA evidence linked him to the crime.   Source: https://www.azfamily.com/news/worker-accused-of-sexually-abusing-three-teen-girls-at-phoenix/article_6fd11aa6-7674-11e9-bf0b-2732664875ae.html
13 Former Devereux Clients File Lawsuit Claiming They Were Sexually Assaulted At Center For Children, Teens By Trang DoOctober 5, 2020 at 6:15 pm Filed Under:Local, Local TV, Philadelphia News PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — More than a dozen people say they were sexually assaulted at a center for children. In August, a Philadelphia Inquirer investigation extensively reported on allegations of sexual abuse at the residential treatment facilities for children and teens. That led the City of Philadelphia to remove 53 children from Devereux’s care last month and on Monday, a lawsuit. Thirteen former Devereux clients — 12 female and one male — have jointly filed a lawsuit alleging they were sexually assaulted as children by staff members while they lived and received treatment at Devereux Behavioral Health Facilities in Pennsylvania. The victims allege the assaults happened between 2004 and 2014 and one of the victims was just 8 years old at the time. Attorney Kristen Feden of Saltz, Mongeluzzi and Bendesky, who is representing the complainants, along with Helm Law Group, says some of the victims were given sedatives before they were assaulted. “They were sexually assaulted ranging from indecent assault all the way to penetrative assault, so they were sexually abused by the very people who were supposed to protect them,” she said. Feden argues that Devereux recognized abuse was happening and did not do enough to stop and prevent it. “These were red flags that Devereux has, we allege, has known about and should have put some safeguards in place to prevent what happened to our survivors as well as many, many other survivors of sexual assault at Devereux,” she said. “This could have been prevented.” Several attempts to get a response from Devereux on the lawsuit Monday were unsuccessful. But in testimony before the Pennsylvania House Human Services Committee on Sept. 29, Devereux President and CEO Carl Clark apologized for past abuse that happened under the foundation’s care. “Words will never adequately express our sorrow and remorse, but today I want to reaffirm our profound apologies for the abusive acts committed by former employees and the pain inflicted upon these children and their families,” Clark said. “They had a right to expect better from us and we remain deeply sorry for what happened to them.” Clark went on to say that all Devereux facilities in Pennsylvania and nationwide are fully licensed and continue to operate while undergoing hundreds of random and thorough inspections within the past two months.  Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2020/10/05/13-former-devereux-clients-file-lawsuit-claiming-they-were-sexually-assaulted-at-center-for-children-teens/
12/9/20: CONVERSION PROGRAM PROGRESS REPORT: Devereux Foundation/Devereux Glenholme/The Glenholme School.

THE TRUTH:

All segregated congregate care providers, including those on our watch-list, are welcome to contact us to correct any information or provide additional data that may assist with delivering the whole truth to the public.  The HEAL Mission of COPE (HEAL) found in many cases where this offer has been abused or resulted in revealing additional basis for our concerns. For some examples see feedback.  Now, we are willing to look at the facts and may have questions or require documentation backing up any claims.  We do verify licensing, academic backgrounds, and other qualifications when investigating and researching programs on our watch-lis/enrolled in the Conversion Program to assist consumers seeking additional information on such programs or victims requiring assistance with getting corroborating evidence of their claims.  We do that in order to make sure the information we provide is accurate and verified and cite our sources.  In the event any information we've posted is in error, we're happy to make a correction. 

HEAL does not support segregated congregate care for many reasons which include that many such facilities are abusive, exploitative, fraudulent, and lack effective oversight often as a result of fraudulent misrepresentation coupled with the ignorance of those seeking to enroll loved ones in such facilities, programs, schools, or centers without a valid court order and involuntarily.  In the United States such involuntary placements done without a court order are apparently illegal as they either violate the Americans with Disabilities Act community integration requirement or due process rights of those involuntarily placed.  Now, in regards to parents, in the United States parents have the right to waive their own rights, but, not the rights of their minor children.  See https://www.cope.church/legalarguments.htm for more information.  Now, most facilities on our watch list include waivers, indemnity clauses, and sworn statements legal guardians must sign assuring the program that the parents/legal guardians have the right to make the placement involuntarily and without due process in a segregated congregate care environment, however, California and federal prosecutors as well as settled law appears to suggest that is not the case.  In fact, in the David Taylor case found at https://www.cope.church/provocases.htm , Taylor sued Provo Canyon School and his mother as co-defendants.  His mother was found liable for 75% of the damages awarded to Taylor as a result of multiple complaints including false imprisonment, while the program was found only 25% liable because the mother owed a duty of due diligence to investigate anyone to which she would entrust care of her child and she failed to do so. 

Now, HEAL opposes segregated congregate care and we find most placements are happening illegally in the USA which if the youth understood their rights would result in unfortunate outcomes for the parents, particularly when they don't exercise good judgment and support the fraud and abuse rather than their own children when they need remedy and justice.  And, HEAL supports all victims of fraud and abuse in seeking remedies at law for any crimes or torts committed against them.  And, that's true whether or not the program or victims are in the USA. 

HEAL has a 5 point argument against segregated congregate care we'd like you to consider:

a.  Segregated care is unconstitutional and a civil rights violation.  It is only permissible if a person is unable to survive independent of an institutional environment.  For more on this, watch the HEAL Report at  https://youtu.be/C4NzhZc4P0A.  Or, see:   http://www.ada.gov/olmstead/  which includes in part:    "United States v. Florida – 1:12-cv-60460 – (S.D. Fla.) – On April 7, 2016, the United States filed an Opposition to the State of Florida’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment.  In the Motion, the State had asked the Court to rule, on a variety of grounds, that the United States could not recover damages for unnecessarily institutionalized children to whom the State had been deliberately indifferent."

b.  Institutionalization is always dehumanizing and coercive.  Institutionalization always harms the institutionalized and deprives them of protected civil rights.  Dr. David Straker, Psychiatry Professor at Columbia University's School of Medicine (Ivy League) explains this in detail at http://changingminds.org/disciplines/sociology/articles/institutionalization.htm.  "Many institutions, from prisons to monasteries to asylums, deliberately want to control and manage their inmates such that they conform and do not cause problems. Even in less harsh environments, many of the institutionalization methods may be found, albeit in more moderated form (although the psychological effect can be equally devastating)."  (See website linked in this paragraph for more info.)

c.  Institutionalization is not in the best interest of children.  Institutions are not ever better for a child than living with a loving family.  Source:   http://www.unicef.org/cambodia/12681_23295.html       

d.  Reform schools, residential treatment programs, and other segregated congregate care settings have been shown to be ineffective and harmful.  Best source on this currently is:     https://www.acgov.org/probation/documents/EndoftheReformSchoolbyVinny.doc

e. Boarding Schools, even the "good ones", result in a form of social death, isolation, and cause both anxiety and depression.  Therefore, it is clearly not in the best interest of the youth subjected to those environments.  Sources: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/08/boarding-school-syndrome-joy-schaverien-review and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/secondaryeducation/11662001/The-truth-about-boarding-school-syndrome.html

Beyond the above arguments against segregated congregate care, we have reports from the NIH, Surgeon General, Yale University Studies, and much more showing the methodologies of behavior modification are damaging, harmful, and ineffective.  You can request these documents via e-mail.  In addition, for such programs offering academic services or claiming to offer diplomas, certifications, or the like, it is important to check to see if it is a diploma mill with no accredited academic services.  Please see article: "Avoiding Scams: What You Need To Know"  for important information on how to avoid education/training scams.

If you'd like to see what HEAL suggests rather than segregated congregate care (i.e. committing a crime or tort against your child if done against their will without a court order), please see articles: "Fix Your Family, Help Your Teen" and "Emancipation Guide".

REPORTING GUIDE FOR VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, AND WHISTLEBLOWERS:
 
In Connecticut, the criminal statutes of limitation are 1 year on misdemeanors, 5 years on most felonies, and no statute of limitations on more serious felonies including rape, murder and kidnapping.  For civil suits in Connecticut, the statute of limitations is 2 years.  Here are your options:
 
1.  Report crimes such as fraud, assault, battery, false imprisonment, labor trafficking, and child abuse to law enforcement in Connecticut.  You can call the Washington Police at (860) 868-2100  to inquire about filing an official complaint which may provide the probable cause needed to get a warrant for investigation and/or prosecution. 
 
2.  File a consumer complaint with your home state's attorney general against The Glenholme School/Devereux Glenholme and include your request for compensation for any harm done to you.  If your home state is Connecticut or you'd like to file with the Connecticut State Attorney General as a non-resident, here is that link:  https://portal.ct.gov/DCP/Complaint-Center/Consumers---Complaint-Center
 
3.  If you do not wish to file a consumer complaint, you can contact a private personal injury attorney and look into suing in tort/civil court.  However, if you can't afford the retainer, you should expect to settle out of court with a non-disclosure agreement which may bar you from speaking publicly about the incident because you've agreed (even if with a grumbling assent) to the terms of the settlement. 
 
4.  You may send a new e-mail to rev@cope.church with subject "Post My Feedback" and we will post your feedback (e-mail printed to .pdf disclosing your name and e-mail address and any information in your e-mail with that subject) to https://www.cope.church/feedback.htm  and add a direct link to those .pdf files to this page . 

 5. You may also wish to provide a guest sermon.  Guest sermons are posted at https://www.cope.church/sermons.htm , under Progress Reports/Guest Sermons at https://www.cope.church/conversion.htm where appropriate, and on program info pages when applicable.  So, one provided by you on your program would also be placed on this page .  Guest sermons should be written into the body of an e-mail and sent to rev@cope.church . Your first and last name will be disclosed (contact info will not be unless you expressly request disclosure).  For sermons available on our site see https://www.cope.church/sermons.htm  (and sermon archives linked on that page).  If you have questions about this option, please contact rev@cope.church. Please see https://www.cope.church/givetoday.pdf  to get an idea what your sermon may be worth.
New lawsuit alleges Devereux failed to protect at least six children from abuse by Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman, Posted: January 27, 2021- 6:45 PM JOSE F. MORENO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER A federal class action lawsuit was filed against Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health this week, claiming the nonprofit was negligent and did not protect at least six children from being abused by staffers. According to the lawsuit, the six children, who ranged in age from 8 to 17 at the time, allegedly were abused between 2003 and 2019 at a Devereux campus — three in Chester County, two in Florida, and one in California. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, does not name individual staffers alleged to be responsible for physical, sexual, and verbal abuse. RELATED STORIES ‘Don’t tell’: Twenty Devereux staffers allegedly harmed children — or kept quiet about the abuse — since 2018 Ways to detect, deter, and stop abuse at licensed childcare facilities An additional 13 allege they were sexually assaulted as children by Devereux staff Devereux, headquartered in Villanova, specializes in treating children with intellectual disabilities, mental disorders, and trauma at 15 residential campuses in nine states. Devereux has come under increasing public scrutiny on the heels of two Inquirer investigations, one in August and another Wednesday, that detail allegations of sexual and physical abuse of children by Devereux staff. » READ MORE: In Chester County alone, 20 Devereux staffers charged in child abuse cases Devereux did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit sent by email and by phone Wednesday. Devereux leaders previously said that since late 2019 they have taken strong measures to prevent sexual abuse as part of a reorganization under chief executive officer Carl Clark II, who took the helm in January 2018. They said they have reduced opportunities for staff to be alone with children, trained employees to detect grooming and potential abuse, added video technology to better monitor employees, increased pay to attract more-qualified staffers, and will use a new psychological test to screen job applicants. I“These incidents are heartbreaking and unacceptable,” the company said in a recent statement. “ … Every provider in the field must deal with the issue of employees who, despite thorough training, support, and supervision, do the wrong thing in complicated situations.” The lawsuit details multiple alleged incidents of sexual and physical assault, failures to report child abuse, negligent hiring of unsuitable personnel, and woeful supervision: Among the claims: * Katherine Jines, the only named plaintiff, was 13 years old in 2013 when she was abused at Devereux’s residential treatment center in Santa Barbara, Cal. Devereux staff allowed the girl’s roommate to physically assault her. Katherine told staffers, but they did nothing. A male staffer sat on a couch and watched her and other children as they walked naked in and out of the showers. » READ MORE: At the nation’s leading behavioral health nonprofit for youth, Devereux staff abused children in their care for years — while red flags were dismissed * Beginning in 2003, “Jane Doe 1,″ at age 14, was physically, sexually, and emotionally abused at the Mapleton campus in Malvern. When the girl’s roommate sought a physical relationship with her and she refused, her roommate sexually assaulted her by making unwanted sexual advances. When Jane Doe 1 reported the abuse to a Devereux staffer, she was punished for “complaining” and placed in solitary confinement, according to the lawsuit. While there, a Devereux staffer allegedly raped her and then she was placed back in the room with the abusive roommate. On several occasions, Devereux staffers withheld meals from her because she “cried too much,” according to the court papers. * In 2019, at age 11, “John Doe 2,” who was suffering from “aggression and suicidality,” told his mom that staffers at Devereux’s campus in Glenmoore pinned him against a wall, holding their arms across his throat and pressing their knees into his chest. During a visit, his mom noticed that “his wrist was so swollen” that she considered taking him to the hospital. He appeared to suffer a “panic attack” when he told his mom what happened. The boy’s mom and therapist reported the alleged abuse to ChildLine, the state’s hotline for reporting suspected child abuse cases. An investigator, however, could not substantiate the allegations in part because there was no available security video or audio. * An 8-year-old boy from Abington, Pa., lived at the Mapleton campus in Malvern for two weeks in 2018 before his parents were allowed to speak with him. When his mother did talk with him on the phone, he was distraught, she said in an interview Wednesday. “He was crying, begging to come home,” she said. When she saw her son, who has autism, ADHD, and bipolar disorder, she said he was disheveled, extremely agitated, and “really scared, upset, and afraid.” Then he told her that a staffer had put him in a choke hold, and threw him on his bed where he hit his head on its hard frame, she said. The mother, who requested anonymity, said she spoke to a supervisor at the time, who told her that the staffer had been moved to another building. She said the supervisor told her Devereux did report the incident to the state Department of Human Services, but the mom said she called and the state told her it hadn’t received such a report. “It was not a place of healing for him,” she said in an interview. “It was place of trauma and pain.” Her son, now 10, lives at home. His Devereux stay lasted three weeks. The lawsuit alleges that children often complained to a Devereux staffer or social worker, but their cries for help were often ignored and, in some cases, the abuse continued. A class action is a type of lawsuit that permits one or more plaintiffs to file and prosecute a case on behalf of a larger group, or “class.” “Given not just the breadth and severity of the allegations against Devereux, but also the sheer number of children still residing under Devereux’s control and supervision, we are committed to moving this case forward and getting protection and justice for our clients and the larger class as quickly as possible,” said Joseph Sauder, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages. The suit also asks the court to require Devereux to “implement and enforce policies and practices to prevent future incidents of abuse.” In addition to Devereux, the lawsuit names as a defendant QualityHealth Staffing, a Devereux subsidiary formed in 2018 to recruit staffers to work with special needs children. Posted: January 27, 2021 - 6:45 PM Barbara Laker | @barbaralaker | blaker@inquirer.com  Source: https://www.inquirer.com/news/devereux-pennsylvania-lawsuit-class-action-abuse-victims-20210127.html

 

 

Last Updated: February 26th, 2023

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