Facility profile Utah

Ashcreek Ranch Academy

Closed Toquerville, Utah

Ashcreek Ranch Academy was a residential treatment center in Toquerville, Utah. It operated from 2012 to 2021.

About Ashcreek Ranch Academy

It opened received official license and began enrolling students.source WWASP-affiliated, not owned by WWASP.source It was owned by Darren Prince and his sister Tammy (Berhmann).source

It uses the Seven Challenges program.source It cost about $10,000 per month.source Its address was 652 Shady Ln, Toquerville, UT 84774.source It was also called Ashcreek Academy.source Stays lasted 10-12 months average, longer if deemed resistant.source It employs many former Cross Creek staff and therapists; WWASP-style program model.source

It was licensed by the Utah Department of Human Services, Office of Licensing, as a Residential Treatment Center.source It was licensed with the Department of Human Services Division of Licensure; JCAHO; accredited by Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and Colleges (NWASC) and Utah State Board of Education.source It earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval (JCAHO) for behavioral health care quality and safety standards.source It recommended to the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) as a candidate for full accreditation.source

Survivor testimony

What people who lived or worked here say happened. Survivors' own words are published with their permission; forum accounts are what was posted publicly and are reported as claims, not findings.

Reported on survivor forums

Timeline

From the records: who ran it and the deals that moved it, its names, and the deaths, incidents, inspection findings, lawsuits and news stories on file. Point at an event, or tap "More about this", for the details.

2012201520172020202120122021

  1. 2012

    1. Opened

      Opened in Toquerville, Utah

  2. 2015

    1. Incident

      Abuse

      A survivor who attended in 2015 reports staff told him his sexuality was wrong and ridiculed him for it.

      Abuse

      source

    2. Incident

      Investigation

      A survivor reported in 2015 that the Utah licensing board was investigating the program over complaints of abuse, mistreatment, discrimination and negligence.

      Investigation

      source

    3. Incident

      Restraint

      Survivors report that staff broke a boy's wrist during a restraint around 2015 and no staff were disciplined; another account says he was not taken to hospital for days.

      Restraint

      source

  3. 2017

    1. Incident

      Abuse

      A 2017 survivor review alleges residential director Dave Saldana called gay students sexual predators.

      Abuse

      source

  4. 2020

    1. IncidentJanuary 2020

      Abuse

      A January 2020 complaint by a parent alleges a staff member punched a resident in the head and threw him to the ground.

      Abuse January 2020

      source

    2. IncidentJuly 2020

      Restraint

      A former staff member reports that on July 9, 2020 an administrative assistant restrained a student on the floor for nearly an hour for not complying.

      Restraint July 2020

      source

  5. 2021

    1. Closed

      Closed

Incidents on record

  1. 2015 Abuse

    A survivor who attended in 2015 reports staff told him his sexuality was wrong and ridiculed him for it.source

  2. 2015 Investigation

    A survivor reported in 2015 that the Utah licensing board was investigating the program over complaints of abuse, mistreatment, discrimination and negligence.source

  3. 2015 Restraint

    Survivors report that staff broke a boy's wrist during a restraint around 2015 and no staff were disciplined; another account says he was not taken to hospital for days.source

  4. 2017 Abuse

    A 2017 survivor review alleges residential director Dave Saldana called gay students sexual predators.source

  5. January 2020 Abuse

    A January 2020 complaint by a parent alleges a staff member punched a resident in the head and threw him to the ground.source

  6. July 2020 Restraint

    A former staff member reports that on July 9, 2020 an administrative assistant restrained a student on the floor for nearly an hour for not complying.source

  7. Restraint

    A survivor reports that residents who refused instructions could be physically escorted or restrained even when not a danger to anyone.source

  8. Restraint

    A survivor reports staff restrained him with excessive force when none was necessary.source

  9. Incident

    A survivor reports a 21-year-old staff member made sexual remarks about a student's 15-year-old sister and sexually harassed female staff.source

  10. Abuse

    Boys on the punitive Caution Level are reportedly locked in a basement, sometimes for weeks.source

  11. Abuse

    A survivor reports a boy was locked in a basement room for a week as punishment for trying to give himself a tattoo.source

  12. Abuse

    A survivor reports a ranch staff member pushed him into a window that shattered; the staff member was suspended for two weeks and returned.source

  13. Abuse

    Survivors allege physical and verbal abuse, animal abuse, forced labor, violent restraints and solitary confinement at Ashcreek Ranch Academy.source

Staff

Administration

Notable staff

  • Darren L. Prince

    Former Admissions Director (2012-2013)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • Co-Founder Co-founder, Admissions Director
    • Admissions Director
    • Sedona Sky Academy Program Developer, Co-founder, 2014
    • Natsap Board of Directors member, Board member, 2025
    • founded 1998

  • Dave Saldana

    Former Residential Directorsource

    Elsewhere in the industry

  • Dave Archer

    Former Clinical Directorsource

    Elsewhere in the industry

Connections on the network map

The companies, people and programs our research map ties to this program. Open it on the network map.

Documents

Documents on file (9)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (7)

From the Unsilenced archive

75 documents about Ashcreek Ranch Academy that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their whole folder: Ashcreek Ranch Academy.

Documents (75)

Wiki entries

Materials and links

Survivor posts and discussion

Staff listing or directory

Reference and research

1 of these from SCIAD NET.

Other links

Record updated . Generated from the Kids Over Profits facility database. Suggest a correction