This is the History of and Reporting Guide for Heartlight Ministries in Hallsville, TX
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 |
| Mark and Jan Gregston | Executive Directors/Founders | Mark Gregston is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in Texas. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=332dea5.0 Jan Gregston is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in Texas. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=332dea5.0. Mark Gregston and Jan Gregston are not certified educators. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp |
| Melissa Gregston-Nelson | Admissions | Gregston-Nelson is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Gregston-Nelson is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/selSearchTypeTXRAS.do |
| Courtney Goswick | Admissions | Goswick is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Goswick is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Blake Nelson | COO | Nelson is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Nelson is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Pam Mitchell | Admin. Director | HEAL requires Pam Mitchell's full name (including middle name) and/or license type and number in order to verify whether Mitchell holds any educator certifications or professional licenses in TX. |
| Mary Hopkins | Financial Secretary | HEAL does not perform professional licensing/background checks on office, maintenance, nor food service staff unless they have direct contact with and authority over program participants. |
| Alison Hill | Receptionist | HEAL does not perform professional licensing/background checks on office, maintenance, nor food service staff unless they have direct contact with and authority over program participants. |
| Dave Fetherlin | Director of Development | Fetherlin is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Fetherlin is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Sam Sheeley | Marketing | HEAL does not perform professional licensing/background checks on office, maintenance, nor food service staff unless they have direct contact with and authority over program participants. |
| Hope Hilbish | Staff | Hilbish is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Hilbish is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Amber Horton | Staff | HEAL requires Horton's full name (including middle name) in order to verify whether or not Horton holds any educator certifications in TX. Horton is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Tony Michael | Counselor | Anthony A. Michael is a licensed counselor in TX. His license # is 62605 and he has been licensed since June of 2008. To file complaints about this licensed professional, click here: http://www.dshs.texas.gov/plc/plc_complain.shtm |
| Ashley MacMahen | Counselor | MacMahen is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Susan Lewis | Counselor | Lewis is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Ashley Michael | Counselor | Michael is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Melissa LeCraw | Counselor | LeCraw is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Lindsey Miersma | Academic | Miersma is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp |
| Debra Fetherlin | Academic Asst. | Fetherlin is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp |
| Jane Fidler | Teacher | Fidler is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp |
| Tamryn Weber | Teacher | Tamryn L. Weber, may be a different person, is licensed to teach 8th-12th grade level Math in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp |
| Roni Mills | Teacher | Roni B. Mills, may be a different person, is licensed to teach 6th-12th grade level Math in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp |
| Ben Weinert | Program Director | Weinert is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Weinert is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Meredith Grausam | Residential Director | Grausam is licensed solely as a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. Her license # is 72572. To file complaints about this licensed professional, click here: http://www.dshs.texas.gov/plc/plc_complain.shtm |
| Meg Jasper | Residential Director | Jasper is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Jasper is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Corry Boatright | Residential Director | Boatright is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Boatright is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Blair Hawley | New Lodge Director | Hawley is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Hawley is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Peter Magner | Main House Director | Magner is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Magner is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Mark Kozitka | East House Director | Kozitka is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Kozitka is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Courtney Craft | South House Director | Craft is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Craft is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Rachael Mulder | Old Lodge Director | Mulder is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Mulder is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Katherine Scofield | Staff | Scofield is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Scofield is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Annie Bush | Staff | Annie Mae Bush, may be a different person, is a licensed educator in TX and is licensed to teach 6th-12th grade English and Social Studies. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Bush is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Nef Aguilar | Staff | Aguilar is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Aguilar is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Ruth Pocock | Staff | Pocock is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Pocock is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Karissa Roy | Staff | Roy is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Roy is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Luke Ijams | Staff | Ijams is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Ijams is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Lucas Haley | Staff | Haley is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Haley is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Hopie Feek | Staff | Feek is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Feek is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Allison Conway | Staff | Conway is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Conway is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Jon DePue | Staff | DePue is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp DePue is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Andy Phillips | Staff | HEAL requires Phillips' full name (including middle name) and/or license type and number in order to verify whether Phillips holds any education or professional licenses in TX. |
| Lisa Loniewsky | Staff | Loniewsky is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Loniewsky is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Krystle Renfrow | Staff | Renfrow is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Renfrow is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Katie Rider | Staff | HEAL requires Rider's full name (including middle name) and/or license type and number in order to verify whether Rider holds any education or professional licenses in TX. |
| Jessica Creeden | Staff | Creeden is not a certified educator in TX. Source: https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECONLINE/virtcert.asp Creeden is not a licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, nor social worker in TX. Source: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/searchByNameTXRAS.do?anchor=357ed93.0 |
| Mitch Jones | Staff | HEAL requires Jones' full name (including middle name) and/or license type and number in order to verify whether Jones holds any education or professional licenses in TX. |
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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". |
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REPORTING GUIDE FOR VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, AND WHISTLEBLOWERS: In Texas, the statute of limitations does not apply to crimes against children that include sex offenses and human trafficking. There is no statutes of limitation on murder in Texas. Other felonies have statutes of limitation ranging from three years to 10 years. Most misdemeanors in the state have a 2-year time limit. For civil suits in Texas, the statute of limitations is 2 years depending on cause of action. Options for you to take action and/or seek redress/justice today are listed below: 1. Report crimes such as assault, fraud, battery, labor trafficking, and child abuse to law enforcement in Texas. You can call the Hallsville, TX Police at (903) 668-2400 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 Heartlight Ministries and include your request for compensation for any harm done to you. If you live in Texas and/or would like to file consumer complaint as a non-resident with the Attorney General of Texas, visit: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/file-consumer-complaint . 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. |
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| February 9th, 2022: COPE Conversion Program Progress Report: Heartlight Ministries | ||
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HEAL UPDATE: September 28th, 2016: Heartlight Ministries is not a licensed residential facility in TX. It is also not listed among the registered and exempt faith-based facilities registered with DSHS in TX. Sources: Registered Exempt Faith-Based Programs (PDF) and https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us/datamart/selSearchTypeTXRAS.do. The Texas State Department of Education "does not have oversight of private schools or vocational schools in Texas." Source: http://tea.texas.gov/accredstatus/. Their site recommends we check with the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission. We attempted multiple times on September 28th, 2016 to get the site at http://www.tepsac.org/#/search/schools to load so we could check to see if Heartlight is listed among the accredited private schools in Texas. We were unable to get that page to load. We will try again as soon as possible. At this point, Heartlight is not a licensed nor registered residential program in Texas. And, this alone is grounds for choosing an alternative. |
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Return to https://www.cope.church/conversion.htm