Sequel cares for more than 9,000 clients across the U.S., including foster children, children whose parents are unable to handle their behavior and children in the states juvenile justice system. An employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery and showing pornography to minors. After Cornelius death, Sequel was forced to shut down facilities in 18 states and earmarked for further criminal investigations and civil lawsuits. What we do is we strive every day to provide the best care we can for kids in these facilities, Birmingham said. You may qualify to take legal action, to seek compensation for the damages that you incurred from the abuse in a Sequel facility, if you or a loved one suffered: This applies to, both, currently operational facilities and closed facilities. The closure was voluntary, but it came at the end of a difficult period for the program. Those included sexual abuse by staff, bullying by residents, inappropriate physical restraints and employees sleeping on the job, according to records. They may be trying to drum up business, but ultimately, Birmingham said, Sequel employees care about the children. TorHoerman Law is a personal injury law firm comprised of individuals who are dedicated to getting justice for those wrongfully injured by the tortious acts of others. If you or a loved one suffered harm while in a Sequel facility in Alabama or in another state, you should promptly seek the advice of an Alabama lawyer, or a lawyer in your state, who may investigate your Sequel claim for you and represent you or your loved one in a lawsuit against Sequel, if appropriate. Contact the Elmiron Lawyers from TorHoerman Law. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. A 14-year-old boy with a bloody gash just beneath his hairline told her that staff members had shoved him headfirst into a wall, Johnson said. 3. If you are representing a victim who is under the age of 18 and falls under your legal care, you may qualify to file a lawsuit. What type of abuse qualifies for the Sequel lawsuit? But despite those efforts, in 2020, a 16-year-old boy died after staff at Sequels Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo, Michigan, held him on the floor for 12 minutes. In July 2020, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program sent a letter to DHR leaders, which stated Sequel's . It's privately held, so details about its financials are hard to come across. KRQE News 13 reached out may times to Sequel Youth and Family Services, which has seen similar closures and allegations in its other nationwide facilities recently. It's a hard industry.. Laurie stayed at Owens Cross Roads twice before she reunited with her family. A National Alliance Of Sexual Abuse Lawyers, Proud Members Of The Following Trusted Organizations. The company later said in an email that in cases where a child's safety is threatened, "we take all necessary actions from employee termination, to policy and process changes, to staff-wide retraining to ensure we live up to our high standards of care for the youth we serve.". We took the feedback from the report, we identified areas for improvement, we worked with the state to come up with a manageable plan to make those areas of improvement, Birmingham said. Violence, Often Instigated by Staff, Has Become Common at Red Rock Canyon School in St. George for Troubled Children. IE 11 is not supported. Alabama, however, is among the states that have permitted Sequel to continue operating. Sequel staff members shared the companys side of the issue and discussed how to deal with concerns among state lawmakers. Instead, it responded with a written statement saying, Jay Ripley and his family formed Vivant with the goal to help youth and adult consumers of behavioral health services and that the company was committed to providing ethical and quality treatment services to its clients and their families and communities.. Sequel Youth & Family Services. The Alabama Department of Youth Services contracts with the facility as a private provider, placing boys there for a maximum stay of 120 days. Tyler Kingkade is a national reporter for NBC News, based in Los Angeles. Sequel treatment centers closed since 2017. Following a barrage of abuse scandals and media attention, including a 2020 investigation by APM Reports, the company has shut down close to half of its treatment centers and sold most of the rest to a new company called Vivant Behavioral Healthcare. Neither side disclosed the terms of the settlement. In an article from APM Reports analyzing Riverside Academy in Kansas, a former Sequel operation, it was found that: In the four years before it closed, the facility had been cited 38 times by Kansas officials for problems including excessive force by staff, poor supervision, under-qualified medical personnel, neglect and bullying by residents, according to state licensing records.. Our firm is about people. According to reporting, Alabama pays Sequel about $330 per day to house each child and has paid Sequel in excess of $30 million since 2018. (866) 577-2786. Ask a question about working or interviewing at Sequel Youth and Family Services. For children who qualify, Medicaid reimburses Sequel for medical and mental health treatment. They did not return our calls . Ripley sold a majority stake in Sequel to private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners in 2017, shortly after his bid to take the company public fizzled due to insufficient investment. Video Shows Fatal Restraint of Cornelius Frederick, 16, in Michigan Foster Facility. You may be eligible to file a Hair Straightener Cancer Lawsuit if you or a loved one used chemical hair straighteners, hair relaxers, or other similar hair products, and subsequently were diagnosed with: Over one million people, who were present at Camp Lejeune (North Carolina) between 1953 and 1987, may have been exposed to toxic substances in the water. If you or a loved one suffered from abuse at a Sequel facility, camp, boarding school, or treatment center, consider contacting TorHoerman Law for legal help. Vivant hasnt bought all of Sequels remaining assets. It was valued by investors at more than $400 million. Tommy James is an attorney representing a 16-year-old named Hunter who lived at a Sequel facility in Courtland for 10 months. Multiple lawsuits have been filed in Alabama, alleging rampant abuse in Sequel's . Sequel Youth and Family Services is a diversified behavioral health services provider that develops and operates programs for people with behavioral, emotional, or physical challenges. Oregon state Senator Sara Gelser has spent years demanding accountability for Sequel, and she is continuing the crusade against Vivant. Local investigators found that the facility failed to . The state did not end its relationship with Sequel. Sequel's facility in Owens Cross Roads, Ala. Tristan Broadrick says he was kept for 72 hours a room similar to this "seclusion room" at Sequel's Tuskegee facility as punishment for running away. In February 2019, Courtland employees called Patricia to tell her that Hunter had tried to hang himself, she said. . The attorneys and staff at THL worked hard, communicated every step of the process, kept me well informed at all times, and exceeded all expectations! Lawsuit: Teen screamed 'I can't breathe' during restraint WEST . Tristan, now 18, was placed into foster care on his 12th birthday and bounced between group homes until 2018, when he landed at Tuskegee, an intensive psychiatric treatment facility. Despite Oregons efforts to work with Sequel to meet our licensing and safety standards, it became abundantly clear that Sequel was unable or unwilling to meet Oregons mandatory reporting requirements, said Jake Sunderland, press secretary for the Oregon Department of Human Services. I dont want any other kid to have to go through that, Tristan said. A woman who answered the phone at Capital Academy and asked not to be identified said it was not part of Vivant. According to Hunters adoptive mother, Patricia, the facility was supposed to get Hunter back on track with school, provide intensive therapy and immerse him in a Positive Peer Culture that teaches residents to support one another. Washington, California, Oregon and Minnesota stopped sending kids to the companys treatment centers. lawsuits and interviews with former residents, staff . If you or a loved one suffered injuries or other damages as a result of abuse suffered while under the protective care of a Sequel youth facility you may qualify for legal action. However, advocacy groups say that Sequels track record should be a red flag to states that send Sequel their most troubled children along with millions in taxpayer dollars. The company has offered all-expenses-paid trips to state employees to tour the companys facilities. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Fredricks' family filed lawsuits after his death against Lakeside Academy, school owner Sequel Youth & Family Services and employees. She said that most allegations made by children, staff and advocates end up being unsubstantiated, but that the company has zero tolerance for abuse and immediately reports allegations of wrongdoing to state oversight agencies. Sequel declined to make Ripley available for an interview, and instead set up an interview with Birmingham, who handles compliance. Attorney for Cornelius Fredericks Files Civil Lawsuit against Youth Facility Where He Died. Falcon Ridge Academy had the highest rate of sex crimes reported in the state of Utah. 1. . Two years later, Marshall sent cookies to other Sequel employees as a gift, emails show. You may be eligible to file a Tylenol Autism ADHD Lawsuit / Acetaminophen Autism ADHD Claim if you or a loved one used Tylenol and/ or Acetaminophen during pregnancy, and your child was subsequently diagnosed with ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder. We've recovered over $4 Billion in verdicts & settlements, 16 Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Diseases & Symptoms, Sequel Youth and Family Services Abuse Lawsuit. Sequel disputes the findings and the facility remains open. Sequel Youth and Family Services is a private for-profit operator of behavioral healthcare facilities for children and youth in the United States. Jay Ripley speaks at the Merrick School of Business in Baltimore in 2015. On January 26, 2022, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Tevin Pike against Sequel TSI of Alabama, Sequel TSI of Tuskegee, and Sequel Youth & Family Services LLC ("Sequel"), alleging that Pike was a former 15-year-old resident at an Alabama treatment facility for children run by Sequel TIS of Tuskegee, a residential psychiatric facility, for about two months in 2018, during which Pike was . And we're ready to start right now. "These are places that are supposed to provide a safe, homelike, therapeutic environment, Johnson said. On January 26, 2022, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Tevin Pike against Sequel TSI of Alabama, Sequel TSI of Tuskegee, and Sequel Youth & Family Services LLC (Sequel), alleging that Pike was a former 15-year-old resident at an Alabama treatment facility for children run by Sequel TIS of Tuskegee, a residential psychiatric facility, for about two months in 2018, during which Pike was allegedly choked, beaten, punched, slapped and slammed to the ground by employees and other residents. A concrete slab at Sequel's Courtland facility where thin mattresses are placed for children to sleep. In a public letter, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program wrote that it has grave concerns about the immediate safety and welfare of the nearly 100 children, aged 12 to 18, currently in facilities run by Sequel TSI of Alabama, a Huntsville-based provider. Sequel to Close New Mexico Youth Facility amid More Abuse Allegations. All rights reserved. In a civil lawsuit filed Monday against Lakeside Academy and Sequel Youth and Family Services, the family said the teen screamed "I can't breathe" as staff members placed their weight on his chest for nearly 10 minutes. Turn to us when you dont know where to turn. He watched through a window as children made their way to class. I worked at Sequel Youth & Family full-time and the best day was my last! Can I sue a Sequel facility that is closed? Responsible for the recommendation of all admissions, transfers, and discharges of . And when we identify circumstances in which we are not providing care to the par that we expect it to be provided, we intervene with it. Marianne Birmingham, Sequels compliance director, said in an interview that the company has worked with the state to improve conditions in its Alabama facilities. An NBC News investigation sorted through tens of thousands of documents and found dozens of reports of sexual and physical abuse. Nearly all of Sequel's programs run on government funding: States pay Sequel $275 to more than $800 a day per child to provide residential and therapeutic services. Kay Ivey, a Republican. How can the same people continue to be trusted with what they say are the most vulnerable kids that we have? In Iowa, licensing inspectors found on multiple visits over the past two years that the Woodward Academy staff had put residents in inappropriate restraints without justification. In the past three weeks, Sequel announced plans to shutter Clarinda Academy in Clarinda . Sequel, she said, has also invested millions in improving care, staff training and oversight of its programs, doubling the size of its corporate compliance team. I recall walking in and the stench was overwhelming. He and the other children at Sequel Tuskegee were treated like animals by staff. California, Maryland, Oregon and Washington have also stopped placing children in programs run by the company. Alabama Sequel Facility a House of Horrors for Foster Child, Lawsuit Claims. Sequel Youth & Family Services: Second Lawsuit Settled in Death of Teen at Sequel Lakeside Facility January 12, 2022. Kate Snow is a national correspondent for NBC News. Visit our website or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959 to find local attorneys in you state who may assist you with your claim against Sequel. You can make money in this business if you control staffing, said Ripley, who at the time made $104,167 per month from Sequel as chairman, according to a financial disclosure. Plus, you will join a work environment where collaboration and support come naturally. In Alabama, where Sequel is headquartered, records reveal that reports of troubling conditions in the companys facilities have been made to state agencies for years, including mandatory child abuse and injury reports and whistleblower accounts by former Sequel employees. Children at Sequels other facilities in Alabama Montgomery, Owens Cross Roads and Tuskegee also had stories to tell. Contact TorHoerman Law for a free, legal consultation today. 38% of employees would recommend working at Sequel Youth & Family Services to a friend and 28% have a positive outlook for the business. Responsibilities of Executive Director: Manages 5 - 10 subordinate supervisors who supervise a total of 50 - 55 employees. Edwardsville Daycare Injury & Abuse Cases, You were previously (or are currently) a U.S. military service member who used standard issue 3M Combat Arms earplugs; and, Physical abuse (including unnecessary restraint), Mingus Mountain Academy (Prescott Valley), Palm Beach Youth Academy (West Palm Beach), Pompano Youth Treatment Center (Pompano Beach), SequelCare of Florida (Pinellas Park, Port Richey, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, and Vero Beach), North Shore Pediatric Therapy (Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Lincolnwood, and Naperville), Woodward Community Based Services (Urbandale), SequelCare of Maine (Bangor, Rockland, Searsport, and Yarmouth), SequelCare of Oklahoma (Antlers, Broken Bow, Durant, Hugo, Poteau, and Tulsa), Pine Cone Therapies (Keller, Missouri City, and Southlake), Auldern Academy, Siler City, North Carolina (2009 2021), Clarinda Academy, Clarinda, Iowa (1999 2021), Kingston Academy, Kingston, Tennessee (2009 2019), Lakeside Academy, Kalamazoo, Michigan (2007 2020), Lexington Academy, Lexington, Indiana (1996 2017), Mount Pleasant Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (2016 2019), Normative Services Academy, Sheridan, Wyoming (2003 2021), Northern Illinois Academy, Aurora, Illinois (2021), Red Rock Canyon School, St. George, Utah (2016 2019), Riverside Academy, Wichita, Kansas (2011 2019), Rose Rock Academy, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (2011 2016), Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems, Columbus, Ohio (2016 2021), Sequel TSI Madison, Madison, Alabama (2009 2019), Sequel TSI North Carolina, Pittsboro, North Carolina (2009 2010), Sequel TSI of Kissimmee, Kissimmee, Florida (2009 2016), Sequel TSI Paint Rock Valley, Trenton, Alabama (2009 2011), Sequel TSI Sierra Vista, Hereford, Arizona (2009 2011), Starr Albion Prep, Albion, Michigan (2014 2020), Union Juvenile Residential Facility, Raiford, Florida (2009 2019), Other losses as a result of abuse in a Sequel facility, Sequel Youth Facility and Family Services, Staff members who held management positions and failed to report abuse, Overseeing government agencies or representatives. Posted at 1:38 PM, Jun 21, 2020 and last updated 2020 . The Alabama Department of Human . Last year, Tennessee, which had paid Sequel up to $608 a day per child, suspended admissions to Kingston and the states Medicaid agency terminated its contract with Sequel. They also found the facility in disrepair, documenting missing sink handles, showers that had no hot water, moldy food, chairs with arms ripped off and nails exposed from torn upholstery on several couches. majority stake in Sequel was bought by Altamont Capital, established Vivant Behavioral Healthcare in order to buy a majority of Sequel, article from APM Reports analyzing Riverside Academy in Kansas, closed because of reported abuse by staff, and improper restraints were highlighted in news reports surrounding the closure, 16 year-old resident named Cornelius Fredricks was killed at a Kalamazoo, Michigan facility run by Sequel, employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery, highest rate of sex crimes reported in the state of Utah, estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel. 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