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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Spring Ridge Academy
34°35′46″N 112°28′05″W / 34.5959797°N 112.4681734°W / 34.5959797; -112.4681734 Spring Ridge Academy, was a behavioral health residential facility for female adolescents 13-17 years old. In 2023, Spring Ridge Academy announced on their website they had permanently closed.

Background

The campus was originally a house with a barn attached and only had one student. By the end, it was capable of housing up to 76 girls with a facility that included classrooms, medical areas, labs, and athletic fields and courts. Spring Ridge Academy was operated by Suzanne Courtney (Executive Director) at its time of closure.

Programming

Spring Ridge Academy described itself as a "clinical therapeutic program with a college preparatory academic curriculum".

The program included four phases that each student completed at their own pace. The program's average length of stay was 14 to 18 months.


Parents or guardians who had their child admitted to Spring Ridge paid tuition and fees. Medical insurance may have covered part of the costs.

Controversy

In 2021, the parent of a former resident filed a lawsuit against Spring Ridge Academy, alleging causes of action for negligence and fraud, amongst other things. The mother claims that the troubled teen program used non-evidence-based treatment practices on her daughter and misrepresented the tactics the program used before she enrolled her child there. In a large group awareness training workshop, for example, girls at Spring Ridge Academy were allegedly instructed to beat their chairs with rolled-up towels containing their anger while other students screamed at them.

In 2024, Spring ridge academy lost the fraud court case in Phoenix federal court, with the Jury awarding $2.5 million in punitive damages.

Other former students have claimed that the workshops at the center of the lawsuit are "abusive" and "shame-based." Former students say they had to participate in attack therapy as well.

Spring Ridge Academy has also been accused of using conversion therapy.

Other alumni have come forward alleging abuse as part of the Breaking Code Silence movement, describing the academy as a cult and as being exploitative of families. One Spring Ridge Academy alumnus was also featured in a Lifetime movie special Beyond the Headlines: Cruel Instruction, talking about the allegations of abuse in the troubled teen industry and the PTSD and anxiety that many survivors continue to live with. Spring Ridge Academy issued several in response to the lifeline movie.

References

  1. ^ "Search for Public Schools - Spring Ridge Academy (A0900156)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "Cognia – Institution Summary". advanc-ed.org/. Cognia. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  3. ^ Sweidy v. Spring Ridge Academy et al (United States District Court, Arizona January 21, 2021), Text, archived from the original.
  4. ^ "Spring Ridge Academy - Learn, Heal, Grow, Connect". Spring Ridge Academy. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "Spring Ridge Academy". usboardingschools.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  6. ^ "Our Team". Spring Ridge Academy. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "Enrollment Terms and Agreement" (PDF). Spring Ridge Academy. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Lawsuit Complaint Against Spring Ridge Academy For Negligence, Fraud, and RICO Violations | PDF | Evidence Based Medicine | Schools". Scribd. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  9. ^ Gulino, Elizabeth (June 29, 2021). ""I Was Forced To Sculpt My Rape": What Is Happening Inside The Troubled Teen Industry?". REFINERY29. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  10. ^ MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod (July 15, 2024). "'It was a cult': Traumatizing troubled teens". Arizona Mirror. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  11. ^ Sugiuchi, Deirdre (December 17, 2020). ""Conversion Therapy" is Abuse". Dame Magazine. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  12. ^ Jennifer. "Jennifer's Story -- Breaking Code Silence". breakingcodesilence.net. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  13. ^ Cain, Brooke (March 12, 2022). "What to Watch Saturday: Lifetime movie has ripped-from-the-headlines story of abuse". The News&Observer. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  14. ^ Smith, Erin (March 25, 2022). "Cruel Instruction: The Problem with Comparing Programs". Spring Ridge Academy. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  15. ^ Smith, Erin (April 2, 2022). "7 Ways Spring Ridge Is Nothing Like Cruel Instruction". Spring Ridge Academy. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  16. ^ Smith, Erin (April 6, 2022). "7 More Ways Spring Ridge Is Nothing Like Cruel Instruction". Spring Ridge Academy. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
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