Zehnder Report #1
February 26, 2005
Isabelle Zehnder
Investigative Reporter
Executive Summary
Contents
Affidavits
E-Mails
News Stories
Contact:
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Utah Media
-- Utah
Officials
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Majestic Ranch:
A Living Nightmare for Kids
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News Stories |
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Licensing for 'therapeutic' schools?
Salt Lake Tribune
February 5, 2005
A Senate
committee hesitantly endorsed a bill on Friday that seeks to provide more
oversight of Utah's thriving teen-help industry.
Some lawmakers voiced concern that the measure could be construed to
apply to boarding schools and not just live-in behavioral modification
programs.
Senate Bill 176 would create a new licensing category of troubled-teen
programs dubbed "therapeutic schools." The measure defines these schools as
residential treatment facilities catering to students "who have a history of
failing to function at home and in school," private schools that offer
room-and-board and "specialized supervision," or treatment programs for
emotionally and behaviorally disabled youths.
There are currently no state licensing requirements for such schools,
said sponsoring Sen. Chris Buttars.
"There is no oversight, no standardized mechanism to address complaints,"
he said.
The West Jordan Republican carried similar legislation last year, but was
criticized for having a conflict of interest as head of a residential
treatment facility, the Utah Boys Ranch.
Buttars has since retired, but says he is no
less committed to keeping kids safe. He has made one concession - excluding
boarding schools from this year's version of the bill - in an attempt to
avoid a run-in with Robert Lichfield, founder of
a chain of controversial boarding schools who has dumped tens of thousands
of dollars into key Republican campaigns.
Nevertheless, the director of one of Lichfield's
programs, Majestic Ranch, testified at Friday's hearing in opposition to
Buttars' bill.
The definition of therapeutic school "is so muddy that any school like
us would be drawn in," said Tommy Johnson, director of the facility near
Randolph.
Johnson said the 60 students who live and attend class at the ranch are
there voluntarily and primarily for an education. The school offers private
psychological counseling, but not routine or mandatory behavioral treatment.
"We don't cater to kids with severe disabilities or psychological
disorders," said Johnson, who fears the ranch would have to expand its
services and charge more tuition if required to be licensed as a therapeutic
center.
Johnson said she isn't opposed to regulation and stresses she endorses
another oversight bill sponsored by Panguitch
Republican Sen. Tom Hatch. Senate Bill 107 focuses on giving state
regulators more leeway to crack down on unsafe group homes. It has passed
the Senate and is expected to come before a House committee soon.
Buttars admitted his proposed regulations
would apply to the Majestic Ranch, but said, "they should come under these
rules."
The school has been investigated three separate times for alleged abuse,
resulting in one criminal charge and conviction.
Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, expressed a desire to give schools like
the ranch some regulatory relief, but said "Let's pass [Buttars'
bill] out and debate it on the floor."
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