Ascent Inc.

Incidents on record

1. 1999 Injury

   A survivor told HEAL that at Ascent in 1999 a lithium blood level of 3.4 (target 1.0) led to ICU admission after staff said they would not let them see a doctor.source

2. Reported July 2025 Restraint

   A survivor told HEAL that at Ascent they were restrained for over 12 hours for talking back to a staff member.source

3. Reported July 2025 Abuse

   A survivor told HEAL that on arrival at Ascent they were strip searched and made to bend over while staff laughed.source

Staff

Administration

• Chris Ankney

  Interim Executive Director, Executive Director (2008)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Ascent Wilderness Program Executive Director, 2008
  • Ascent Intervention Interim Executive Director, 2009

Notable staff

• Paul Clark

  Developer/Key Architect (2007)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Mountain Meadow Youth Ranch Director, 2007
  • Galena Ridge (2007-2009) [founded 2007 Co-Founder, Founder
  • founded 2009]
  • 20 Peaks (2007) [founded 2007 Co-Founder, Founder
  • founded 2007-11-13]

• Janice Pannell

  Admissions Director, Communications Director (2006-2008)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Boulder Creek Academy Marketing and Communications Manager, 2007-2008
  • Northwest Academy Marketing and Communications Manager, 2008

• John H. Ashby

  Clinical Director (2007)source

• Diana Boyer

  Community Liaison (2007)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Auldern Academy Former Director of Admissions (2025)
  • CEDU Middle School Admissions

• Ramon Palacios

  Staff (2006)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Heart Cry Recovery Executive Director, Founder, 2009
  • Ascent Outdoor Wilderness Program Program Director, before 2009
  • Passages to Recovery Staff, before 2009
  • Four Circles Recovery Center Founding team member, before 2009
  • Wilderness Quest Staff, before 2009
  • HeartCry Recovery Owner, 2009
  • Northwest Academy Staff, 2010
  • Ascent Wilderness Program Program Director (2025), left
  • Ascent Wilderness Therapy program director
  • Boulder Creek Academy Chemical Dependency Counselor

• Trilby Hoover

  Staff (2006)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Passages to Recovery Executive Director, before 2007
  • Sheep Gate Services Founder, 2007
  • Shadow Mountain Academy Admissions Director, Admissions, 2008-2009
  • Ascent Wilderness Program Executive Director (2025), left
  • Ascent Wilderness Therapy executive director
  • Northwest Academy

• Guy Hardcastle

  Director of Business Development (2009)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Ascent Wilderness Program Director of Business Development, 2008
  • West Ridge Academy (2009-2010) [joined 2009-04-13 Director of Business Development, Director of Admissions
  • joined 2010-05]
  • Wilderness Quest Director of Operations, before 2009
  • West Ridge Academy Director of Business Development, Director of Admissions (2009-2010)

• Claudia Peterson

  Admissions Director (2006)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Milestones for Young Adults Admissions Director, 2009
  • Rocky Mountain Academy

• Jamie Navarro

  Staff (1999, HEAL)source

• Daniel Sanderson

  Clinical Director (1994, r/troubledteens wiki)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • RedCliff Ascent Staff, 2012
  • STAR Guides Wilderness Program Clinical Director, 2013
  • Star Guides Wilderness Therapy Clinical Director, 2025
  • Abundant Life Academy Contracted Psychologist, before 2025
  • White River Academy Clinical Director, 2025

Research notes

• Accreditation: received JCAHO accreditation
• Operator: division of UHS (Universal Health Services) (source)
• Acquired: survivor understood Ascent was bought by another company and re-opened (HEAL, Quick Links | cedu family of programs (archived 2025-07-16))
• Note: division of Northwest Academy (HEAL, THE CASES AGAINST CEDU FAMILY OF PROGRAMS (archived 2025-07-13))
• Note: named as a defendant with CEDU Educational Services, Inc. in a 1998 Idaho lawsuit; part of the CEDU family (HEAL, Quick Links | cedu family of programs (archived 2025-07-16))
• Accreditation: accredited by NAATP (HEAL, Quick Links | Warning! Do not place your child in any facility that denies you one on one contact wi... (archived 2025-07-11))
• Closed in 2010 (sets status Closed, end year 2010) (HEAL, Boulder Creek Academy Application Review (archived 2015-10-17), source)
• Type: Wilderness Therapy (HEAL, Quick Links | cedu family of programs (archived 2025-07-16), source)