Facility profile Montana
Gateway Freedom Ranch
Gateway Freedom Ranch was a christian boarding school in Eureka, Montana. It operated from 2012 to 2022.
About Gateway Freedom Ranch
It cost $4,800 per month plus $2,000 enrollment fee.source Stays lasted about 18 months.source It classified by HEAL as a Suspected Abusive program.source Split off from New Horizons Youth Ranch in 2014 as the girls program.source
Not an accredited school and not registered with the Montana Office of Public Instruction.source Alternative Adolescent Program license PAP-PAP-578, issued 01/16/2015, expires 06/30/2016.source It was licensed since January 16th, 2015.source Not licensed by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.source
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.
2012
Opened in Eureka, Montana
2019
12 years, 58 complaints, no sanctions at Montana residential programs
Missoulian: The Missoulian found 58 complaints in 12 years against Montana's private youth programs and no sanctions from a board made up mostly of industry representatives.
12 years, 58 complaints, no sanctions at Montana residential programs January 23, 2019
Over a 12-year period, private residential programs for youth in Montana accumulated 58 complaints without facing any significant sanctions from the state regulatory board.
2022
Closed
Nonprofit tax filings
The yearly returns (IRS Form 990) of the nonprofit this program operates under, from the IRS through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.
Gateway Freedom Ranch
EIN 46-4821188, Eureka, MT. Tax-exempt since 2016. Every filing on ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Paid to officers and directors | Assets at year end | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $394,628 | $340,436 | $69,130 | $385,616 | Form 990 |
| 2021 | $697,163 | $714,936 | $78,000 | $916,709 | Form 990 |
| 2020 | $717,359 | $633,628 | $75,050 | $927,695 | Form 990 |
| 2019 | $557,645 | $556,945 | $67,758 | $893,614 | Form 990 |
| 2018 | $652,183 | $494,175 | $60,000 | $904,221 | Form 990 |
| 2017 | $438,763 | $446,794 | $60,000 | $753,238 | Form 990 |
| 2016 | $476,045 | $448,718 | $57,500 | $795,408 | Form 990 |
| 2015 | $339,994 | $396,538 | $58,500 | $113,361 | Form 990 |
| 2014 | Form 990 |
Incidents on record
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Abuse
Survivors report punitive punishments, physical abuse, food deprivation, verbal and mental abuse, medical neglect, isolation, communication restrictions, excessive exercise, forced labor and forced religion.source
News coverage
-
12 years, 58 complaints, no sanctions at Montana residential programs
The Missoulian found 58 complaints in 12 years against Montana's private youth programs and no sanctions from a board made up mostly of industry representatives.
Over a 12-year period, private residential programs for youth in Montana accumulated 58 complaints without facing any significant sanctions from the state regulatory board. The oversight body, primarily composed of industry representatives, maintained closed records and dismissed complaints regarding uncertified staff, facility safety violations, and operational noncompliance.
Staff
Notable staff
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Lisa Marek
Former Executive Directorsource
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Heidi Pluid
Former Co-Director and House Manager (2016, r/troubledteens wiki)source
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Ashley Jelich
Former Case Managersource
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Debbie Nicholas
Former Counselorsource
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Larry Nicholas
Former Counselorsource
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Mindy Henderson
Former Case Manager, Direct Care Staffsource
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Sheetal Evjene
Former Administrative Assistant (2019, r/troubledteens wiki)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Ranch for Kids Executive Administrator, 2009
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Terri Vaughn
Former Cliniciansource
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Terry Brunner
Former Teachersource
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Todd Call
Former Clinical Consultant, Clinical Consultant/Clinical Therapistsource
Documents
From the Unsilenced archive
33 documents about Gateway Freedom Ranch that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their whole folder: Gateway Freedom Ranch.
Documents
- 2015_01_08___Pinehaven_again_under_fire.pdf
- 2019_01_20___The_fox_guarding_the_henhouse___Part_1.pdf
- 2019_01_20___The_fox_guarding_the_henhouse___Part_2.pdf
- 2019_01_22___12_years__58_raps__and_no_sanctions___Part_1.pdf
- 2019_01_22___12_years__58_raps__and_no_sanctions___Part_2.pdf
- 2019_01_22___No_significant_sanctions_in_12_years___Part_1.pdf
- 2019_01_22___No_significant_sanctions_in_12_years___Part_2.pdf
- 2019_01_24___Isolation__punishment__and_cuddling___Part_1.pdf
- 2019_01_24___Isolation__punishment__and_cuddling___Part_2.pdf
- 2019_01_24___Students_describe_isolation__punishment___Part_1.pdf
- 2019_01_24___Students_describe_isolation__punishment___Part_2.pdf
- 2019_01_25___Program_often_family_affairs___Part_1.pdf
- 2019_01_25___Program_often_family_affairs___Part_2.pdf
- 2019_01_25___Tangled_web_of_owners__administrators__programs___Part_1.pdf
- 2019_01_25___Tangled_web_of_owners__administrators__programs___Part_2.pdf
- 2019_03_15___New_program_under_investigation_Part_1.pdf
- 2019_03_15___New_program_under_investigation_Part_2.pdf
- 2019_03_15___New_troubled_teen_program_under_investigation_Part_1.pdf
- 2019_03_15___New_troubled_teen_program_under_investigation_Part_2.pdf
- 2019_03_15___Teen_program_investigated_for_false_licensing_claim.pdf
- 2019_04_05___Clarification.pdf
- 2021_03_09___Bill_aims_to_close_religious_loophole_Part_1.pdf
- 2021_03_09___Bill_aims_to_close_religious_loophole_Part_2.pdf
- 2021_03_10___Bill_aims_to_close_religious_loophole.pdf
- Additional Links for Gateway Freedom Ranch.xlsx
- Enrollment-Agreement-with-Packing-List-2016.pdf
- Enrollment-Agreement-with-Packing-List-20161.pdf
- Enrollment-Agreement-with-Packing-List-2017-Glen-Lake.pdf
- Enrollment-Agreement-with-Packing-List-2020.pdf
- Enrollment-Agreement-with-Packing-List-2021-09-Glen-Lake.pdf
- Gateway-Freedom-License.pdf
- Student-Profile.pdf
- venture.pdf
From SCIAD NET
1 document about Gateway Freedom Ranch that Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. SCIAD NET keeps it on Google Drive, where it opens.
Wiki entries
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Materials and links
External links
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