Facility profile South Dakota

Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center/Falls Academy

Formerly Sequel Transition Academy

Also known as Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center, Brighter Transition Youth Academy

Open Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center/Falls Academy is a program in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, operated by Vivant Behavioral Health. It has operated since 2013.

About Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center/Falls Academy

Sequel Youth and Family Services opened Sequel Transition Academy on the former West Farm campus west of Sioux Falls in 2013; after Sequel's 2021-2022 sale to Vivant Behavioral Healthcare it was renamed Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center, licensed by South Dakota with Falls Academy as 'Brighter Transition Youth Center/Falls Academy'.source 1, source 2, source 3, source 4

Also drawn on: Global Partner Acquisition Corp., preliminary proxy statement (PREM14A) for the Sequel business combination, 'Information about Sequel' (residential treatment center table, capacity as of 9/30/16).

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.

201320172021202220132022

  1. 2013

    1. Ownership

      Sequel Youth and Family Services began running it

      It ran the program until 2022.

    2. Opened

      Opened in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

  2. 2017

    1. OwnershipSeptember 1, 2017

      Sequel TSI: Sold a majority stake to Altamont Capital Partners

      Sequel Youth and Family Services ran Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center/Falls Academy at the time.

      Sequel TSI: Sold a majority stake to Altamont Capital Partners September 1, 2017

      Altamont Capital Partners announced a majority equity investment in Sequel through a holding company, SYFS Parent; terms were not disclosed. At the time Sequel ran 44 programs in 19 states, and APM Reports counted 35 residential treatment centers in 16 states. CEO John Stupak stayed on and co-founder Jay Ripley remained board chairman. Altamont's portfolio page lists the investment as active and says SYFS Parent later acquired Rebecca & Aaron Schools (2017) and Pine Cone Therapies (2020).

      source 1, source 2, source 3

  3. 2021

    1. Ownership

      Vivant Behavioral Health: Founded by Sequel co-founder Jay Ripley and bought most of Sequel's remaining centers

      Sequel Youth and Family Services and Vivant Behavioral Health ran Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center/Falls Academy on either side of the deal.

      Vivant Behavioral Health: Founded by Sequel co-founder Jay Ripley and bought most of Sequel's remaining centers

      Jay Ripley, one of Sequel's three founders, founded Vivant Behavioral Healthcare in 2021. Sequel sold most of its centers that had not closed to Vivant, which now controls most former Sequel treatment centers still open.

      source 1, source 2

  4. 2022

    1. Ownership

      Vivant Behavioral Healthcare took it over from Sequel Youth and Family Services (see the deal above)

News coverage

  • KELOLAND General

    Brighter Transition YTC prepares youth for the next step

    Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center, serving individuals aged 13 to 21 transitioning from the South Dakota Department of Corrections and Social Services, provides counseling, education, and community work opportunities. The center emphasizes trauma‑informed care and offers amenities such as a sensory room and weight room, with staff focusing on structure, hygiene, and individualized counseling.

Licensing and inspections

Licensed as
Falls Academy/Brighter Transition
Program
SD-79405
License category
Group Care
Licensed capacity
62
Licensing action
Operational
Phone on file
(605) 528-3550
Licensed address
46560 264th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57107

8 inspection reports on file. Search all South Dakota reports

Every report, by date: 1 finding in 1 report
  1. Jun 8, 2026 Licensing study: no problems noted Open report
  2. Jun 8, 2026 Fire and health inspection: 4 items not met Open report
  3. Aug 5, 2025 Licensing study: 3 sections with a problem noted Open report
  4. Aug 5, 2025 Fire and health inspection: 5 items not met Open report
  5. Jul 31, 2025 Compliance plan: 2 findings Open report
  6. Jul 22, 2025 Corrective action plan: 1 finding Open report
    1 finding

    • Non-compliance finding, corrective action plan : ARSD 67:42:07:24 A facility may not place a child in seclusion or restraint unless the child placement agency has given the facility permission and the use of ...

      Treatment plans reviewed during the license renewal review did not have the use of seclusion and restraint incorporated into the child's treatment plan.

  7. Jun 25, 2024 Licensing study: no problems noted Open report
  8. Jun 25, 2024 Fire and health inspection (scanned form) Open report

Connections on the network map

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

Ownership

  • Sequel Youth and Family Services operated 2013-2022
  • Vivant Behavioral Healthcare operated (2022)

Acquisitions

  • Vivant Behavioral Healthcare Acquired this program (acquired (2022))

Documents

Research that mentions this program

The whole research library

From the Unsilenced archive

15 documents about Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center/Falls Academy that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their folders: Brighter Transition Youth Treatment Center-Falls Academy, Sequel Transition Academy.

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