Facility profile

Aspen Education Group

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Aspen Education Group is a program, operated by Acadia HealthCare. It has operated since 1997.

As Aspen Youth Services

until 2001

Nothing on record is dated to these years yet.

As Aspen Education Group

from 2001

Incidents on record

  1. Reported August 2025 Incident

    HEAL states that children have died and been severely injured in Aspen Education Group wilderness and residential programs.source

Staff

Administration

  • Mark Hobbins

    Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer (2007), leftsource

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • FamilyIQ (2007) [founded 2007 Founder
    • joined 2007-06-14]

  • Elliot Sainer

    CEO and co-founder, President, Founder and CEO (2006-2007), leftsource

    Elsewhere in the industry

  • Jim Dredge

    President, Acting Vice President, Eastern Division (2007-2009), leftsource

    Elsewhere in the industry

  • Susan Cambria

    Vice President, Eastern Division (2010)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

  • Philip Herschman

    President (2009)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • CRC Health Group President, Healthy Living Division, 2009

  • Patti Evans

    Chief Marketing Officer/Senior Vice President of Sales (2007)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • Charter Medical Corporation Staff, 1987

  • Karen E. Fitzhugh

    NATSAP Board member, Senior Vice President - Northeast Division, Vice President (2008-2009)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • Sovereign Journey Executive Director, 2013
    • King George School Head of School, before 2013

  • Mark Dorenfeld

    Senior Vice President of Operations, Western Division (2009)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • Pacific Child & Family Associates, LLC Chief Executive Officer, 2011

  • Tim Brace

    Executive Director of Educational Services (2025, r/troubledteens wiki)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • CEDU High School Headmaster, 1980
    • Mount Bachelor Academy (1993) [joined 1993 Executive Director/Headmaster, Executive Director
    • founded 1993]
    • Rocky Mountain Academy Counselor, Family Head, Assistant Director and Director, before 1993
    • Academy at Swift River (1997) [founded 1997 Founder and Executive Director, Executive Director
    • founded 1997
    • Natsap Vice President, 1999
    • Carlbrook School (2001-2014) [joined 2002 Headmaster
    • retired 2014-06]
    • Academy at Swift River Founder and Executive Director, Executive Director (1997)
    • Carlbrook School Headmaster (2001-2014), left
    • Mount Bachelor Academy executive director
    • Aspen Youth Services educational services director

  • Tim Duppell

    Former CFO and Executive Vice President (before 2025, r/troubledteens wiki)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

  • Larry Carter

    Former Senior Vice-President of In-Patient Services (before 2025, r/troubledteens wiki)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • Logan River Academy (2000-2012) [founded 2000 Co-Founder and Executive Director, Executive Director, CEO
    • founded 2000]
    • Provo Canyon School Therapist, before 2000
    • Logan River Academy Executive Director, CEO (2006-2012)

  • Tim Dupell

    Executive Vice President and CFO, CFO and Vice President (1999, r/troubledteens wiki)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • Wingate Wilderness Therapy Founding Capital Partner, 2008
    • Family Help & Wellness (2008-2025) [founded 2008 Founder, former CEO, Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Board, Founder and CEO
    • founded 2025]
    • Sunwest Management Services Staff, before 2026
    • Family Help & Wellness founder

  • Michael Wellons

    Senior Vice President of Development (1998, r/troubledteens wiki)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

  • James M. Dredge

    Former President and Chief Operating Officer (before 2022, HEAL)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • The Meadows CEO, 2011
    • Saving Teens board member

  • Don Vardell Jr.

    Executive Director (2004, r/troubledteens wiki)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • Academy at Swift River (2004-2007) [left 2004 Executive Director, Ran the program
    • left 2007-02-19]
    • Village Behavioral Health Treatment Center Administrator, before 2004
    • UHS, Inc. Divisional Director of Business Development, Behavioral Health Division, 2007
    • Excel Academy (2007-2025) [joined 2007-08-15 Executive Director, Ran the program
    • joined 2007-08
    • left 2025
    • joined 2025]
    • Island View RTC (2009-2021) [joined 2009-01 Executive Director
    • left 2021]
    • The Ridge New Hampshire (2010-2025) [joined 2010-08 Executive Director, Admissions and Marketing, Headmaster
    • joined 2010
    • Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment Executive Director, before 2010
    • Baker Valley Treatment Center Executive Director, 2013
    • Mountain Valley Treatment Center Executive Director, Executive Director and Director of External Affairs, 2020-2025
    • Viewpoint Center Executive Director, 2021
    • Casa by the Sea Staff, before 2025
    • Island View RTC Executive Director (2009)
    • Excel Academy Executive Director (2007-2008)
    • Academy at Swift River Executive Director (2007), left
    • Shortridge Academy executive director

  • Dan Kemp

    Division director

    Elsewhere in the industry

Notable staff

Connections on the network map

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

Ownership

Names

  • Aspen Youth Services Earlier name

Documents

Documents on file (157)
Academy at Swift River (45)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (17)
Adirondack Leadership Expeditions (21)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (20)
Aspen Achievement Academy (28)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (19)
Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment (3)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (2)
Island View (4)
Oakley School (17)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (8)
Stone Mountain School (6)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (6)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (27)

Research that mentions this program

The whole research library

Research notes

  • Cost: offered combined discounted pricing for an Aspen wilderness program plus an Aspen therapeutic boarding school, promotion through Aug 31, 2009
  • Note: grown from its 1998 inception to 32 programs in 12 states
  • Accreditation: network of schools earned CITA (Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation) accreditation
  • Operator: CRC Health Group (source)
  • Note: released outcome study: 86 percent of parents who used its wilderness program would refer it to other parents in need
  • Note: Reorganized into a Western Division (17 schools/programs) and an Eastern Division (12 schools, programs and camps)
  • Note: operates thirty programs in eleven states
  • Note: closed its first multi-million dollar sale/leaseback real-estate transaction with Spirit Finance Corporation
  • Acquired: acquired by CRC; deal reported hit by the 2008 credit crunch
  • Owner: Bain Capital Partners, LLC owns CRC Health/Aspen Education Group (HEAL, HEAL RESPONDS TO THE ENVOY GROUP MARKETING EXECUTIVE DAVID BOLTHOUSE'S ANTI-HEAL WEBSITE (HEALONLINE... (archived 2025-07-11))
  • Accreditation: accredited by CARF (HEAL, Quick Links | Warning! Do not place your child in any facility that denies you one on one contact wi... (archived 2025-07-11))
  • Membership: approved by NATSAP (HEAL, Quick Links | Warning! Do not place your child in any facility that denies you one on one contact wi... (archived 2025-07-11))
  • Corrected from outside sources (data audit): Aspen Education Group (Wikipedia, lead), n.d., source

Wiki entries

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