Arizona lawmaker calls for investigation after ABC15 reports into facility for troubled teens
Author: Jennifer Kovaleski
Survivor quoted: Melissa Catalano
Arizona State Senator T.J. Shope is calling for an investigation into Mingus Mountain Academy after ABC15 uncovered allegations of widespread abuse. A lawsuit filed by 13 former residents includes claims of sexual assault by staff between 2011 and 2022. The facility has also been cited 40 times since 2022 for policy violations, including improper restraint. Mingus and its management company, Vivant Behavioral Healthcare, were also named in a 2024 U.S. Senate investigation into systemic abuse at youth facilities.