Facility profile Iowa
Forest Ridge Youth Services
Forest Ridge Youth Services was a program in Estherville, Iowa, operated by Sequel TSI. It operated from 1983 to 2021.
About Forest Ridge Youth Services
It was founded in 1983, Forest Ridge was bought by Youth Services International in February 1993 (YSI website, 1997) and by Sequel on December 1, 2014 (Sequel's 2017 SEC proxy); Sequel closed both Forest Ridge locations in December 2021.source 1, source 2
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.
1983
Opened in Estherville, Iowa
1993
Correctional Services Corporation began running it
It ran the program until 1999.
1995
Mystie Kreimeyer, 15, died here
Pulmonary embolism after staff delayed medical and emergency care; the state later cited the facility for inadequate emergency care
Mystie Kreimeyer, 15, died here
1999
Correctional Services Corporation stopped running it
2014
Sequel Youth and Family Services began running it
It ran the program until 2021.
2017
Sequel TSI: Sold a majority stake to Altamont Capital Partners
Sequel Youth and Family Services ran Forest Ridge Youth Services 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).
2021
Vivant Behavioral Health: Founded by Sequel co-founder Jay Ripley and bought most of Sequel's remaining centers
Sequel Youth and Family Services ran Forest Ridge Youth Services at the time.
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.
Closed
2022
Vivant Behavioral Healthcare took it over from Sequel Youth and Family Services (see the deal above)
- Vivant Behavioral Healthcare
- Sequel Youth and Family Services
Deaths on record
News coverage
-
fake shell of a company that John Ripley (Founder) used to buy out Sequel
Sequel Youth & Family Services, a former chain of residential treatment centers, has closed or sold most of its facilities following repeated allegations of staff misconduct, sexual misconduct, and safety violations. The company’s operations were scrutinized after a 2020 incident in which a 16‑year‑old boy died after being restrained by staff. In response, Sequel has transferred many centers to new ownership under Vivant Behavioral Healthcare and other entities while settling lawsuits with affected families.
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Four Juveniles Charged and Six Staff Members Injured Following Incident at Forest Ridge Youth Services
An incident at the Forest Ridge Youth Services facility resulted in injuries to six staff members and the subsequent arrest of four juveniles. According to the Emmet County Sheriff's Office, the juveniles were charged with participation in a riot and multiple counts of assault before being transferred to another facility.
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State-Placed Youth Dies at 15 Following Medical Neglect at For-Profit Residential Facility
Mystie Kreimeyer, a 15-year-old resident at the for-profit Forest Ridge Youth Services facility in Iowa, died in 1995 from a pulmonary embolism after staff reportedly delayed adequate medical and emergency response. State investigations subsequently cited the facility for inadequate emergency care, aggressive physical restraints, and other operational violations.
Staff
Notable staff
-
Mark Moses
Former Training Manager (1994, r/troubledteens wiki)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Woodward Academy Training Manager and Education Director
- Clarinda Academy Youth Counselor, later Senior Counselor and Team Leader
Connections on the network map
The companies, people and programs our research map ties to this program. Open it on the network map.
Ownership
- Correctional Services Corporation
- Sequel Youth and Family Services
- Vivant Behavioral Healthcare
Documents
From the Unsilenced archive
24 documents about Forest Ridge Youth Services that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their whole folder: Forest Ridge Youth Services.
- A01191723.pdf
- A03191723.pdf
- A05191723.pdf
- A07191723.pdf
- A09191723.pdf
- A11191723.pdf
- A13191723.pdf
- A15191723.pdf
- A17191723.pdf
- A19191723.pdf
- A21191723.pdf
- A99423630.pdf
- Additional Links for Forest Ridge Youth Services.xlsx
- annual-report-2017.pdf
- Out-of-State-Referral-Packet.pdf
- W00097633.pdf
- W00270915.pdf
- W00580036.pdf
- W00625240.pdf
- W00632198.pdf
- W00946583.pdf
- W00947489.pdf
- W01109045.pdf
- W01258170.pdf
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