Facility profile Utah

Lava Heights Academy

Open Toquerville, Utah

Lava Heights Academy is a residential treatment center in Toquerville, Utah, operated by Rite of Passage, Inc. It has operated since 2012.

About Lava Heights Academy

It was constructed by the Centers for Adolescent Recovery & Education (C.A.R.E.)source It was opened opened by C.A.R.E. (a company dedicated for 10 years to adolescent care); an adolescent treatment center built around performing arts and self-discovery.source Sequel Youth & Family Services owned Lava Heights Academy from August 2016 until October 2021, when Rite of Passage took it over; Utah licensed it to Care Youth Corporation, doing business as Rite of Passage, from January 31, 2022.source 1, source 2, source 3

Its address was 730 Spring Dr, Toquerville, UT 84774.source It cost $10,500 per month in 2015.source It was also called Lava Heights RTC.source Directly across the street from Ashcreek Ranch Academy.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.

20122016201720182020202120122021

  1. 2012

    1. Opened

      Opened in Toquerville, Utah

  2. 2016

    1. Ownership

      Sequel Youth and Family Services began running it

      It ran the program until 2021.

  3. 2017

    1. OwnershipSeptember 1, 2017

      Sequel TSI: Sold a majority stake to Altamont Capital Partners

      Sequel Youth and Family Services ran Lava Heights 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

  4. 2018

    1. IncidentJune 2018

      Runaway

      In June 2018 two boys ran away from Lava Heights and could not be found for nearly 4 days; a mother said staff did not file a missing-person report or ask...

      Runaway June 2018

      In June 2018 two boys ran away from Lava Heights and could not be found for nearly 4 days; a mother said staff did not file a missing-person report or ask police to publicize the disappearance.

      source

  5. 2020

    1. OwnershipJuly 2020

      Rite of Passage, Inc.: Took over all four of Arkansas's youth lockups under a $70 million contract

      Rite of Passage, Inc ran Lava Heights Academy at the time.

      Rite of Passage, Inc.: Took over all four of Arkansas's youth lockups under a $70 million contract July 2020

      Rite of Passage took control of the state youth facilities at Dermott, Harrisburg and Mansfield from Youth Opportunity Investments LLC, adding them to the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center near Alexander that it already ran. Its contract was worth more than $70 million, ran to 2023 and guaranteed pay for 194 beds.

      source 1, source 2

  6. 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 ran Lava Heights Academy 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.

      source 1, source 2

    2. Ownership

      Rite of Passage, Inc took it over from Sequel Youth and Family Services (see the deal above)

Lawsuits

  • Falcon Ridge Ranch, Inc., et al. v. Sequel Youth Services of Red Rock Canyon, LLC, et al. Filed | Fifth Judicial District Court in and for Washington County, State of Utah | 200500204 Names this facility

    Outcome: In the underlying AAA arbitration (No. 01-17-0005-9666), the arbitrator issued an Interim Award on March 2, 2020, and a Final Award on May 1, 2020, denying the Sequel buyers' claims, granting the sellers' counterclaim (a contingent payment of at least $3,118,445), and awarding the sellers $1,300,000 in fees and costs. The sellers filed this amended petition on May 11, 2020, asking the court to confirm the awards; the documents do not show the court's ruling.

    Frank Habibian and the companies that sold Falcon Ridge Ranch, Red Rock Canyon School, Lava Heights Academy and Mount Pleasant Academy (the CARE Schools) to Sequel Youth Services in August 2016 asked a Utah state court in Washington County to confirm an arbitration award against the Sequel buyers; the amended petition is dated May 11, 2020. In the arbitration, Sequel sought indemnity for a June 2017 settlement of about $2.58 million it paid the United States and Nevada after self-reporting that the schools had paid referral fees for students covered by Nevada Medicaid. The arbitrator dismissed that claim because Sequel settled without notifying the sellers, found the sellers had been ignorant of the law rather than fraudulent, and ruled that Sequel breached the purchase agreement in how it ran the schools after the sale. This is a business dispute between a program's sellers and buyers, not an abuse case, but it documents the referral-fee practice and the Medicaid settlement. The documents do not show whether the court confirmed the award.

Every case in the lawsuit directory

Federal funding

Federal money this program received, as government records, congressional reports and news coverage show it.

U.S. Department of Education

  • 2022: Allotted $172,900 in federal pandemic aid for private schools (American Rescue Plan EANS), in a Utah State Board of Education table of August 18, 2022. source

Incidents on record

  1. June 2018 Runaway

    In June 2018 two boys ran away from Lava Heights and could not be found for nearly 4 days; a mother said staff did not file a missing-person report or ask police to publicize the disappearance.source

News coverage

Staff

Administration

Notable staff

Rules and practices

Practices

  • Restraint
  • Behavior contracts

Licensing and inspections

Licensed as
Care Youth Corporation dba Rite Of Passage Inc/Lava Heights Academy
License category
Residential Treatment
Licensed capacity
39
License expires
01/31/2027
Licensing action
Licensed
Phone on file
4356350300
Licensed address
730 Spring Dr, Toquerville, UT, 84774

28 inspection reports on file. Search all Utah reports

The newest 25 reports, by date: 5 findings in 5 reports
  1. Sep 15, 2026 Follow-Up Inspection, Non On-Site Inspection
  2. Sep 8, 2026 3rd Unannounced
  3. Jul 9, 2026 Investigation Inspection
  4. May 27, 2026 2nd Unannounced
  5. May 5, 2026 Investigation Inspection
  6. Apr 29, 2026 Investigation Inspection (1 finding)
    1 finding

    • Out of compliance, investigation inspection : R380-80-5(10) Services and supervision to meet each clients needs

      The provider was out of compliance with R380-80-5(10) for failing to provide services and supervision that is commensurate with the needs of the client. During the inspection, evidence substantiated that an unsupervised client was able to elope from the facility unnoticed.

  7. Mar 11, 2026 Unannounced, Annual Inspection
  8. Nov 17, 2025 Announced, Annual Inspection
  9. Sep 24, 2025 3rd Unannounced
  10. Jun 16, 2025 Follow-Up Inspection
  11. Jun 4, 2025 Investigation Inspection (1 finding)
    1 finding

    • Out of compliance, investigation inspection : R501-19-3(3)(a)-(j) Supervision and ratio requirements

      The licensee was out of compliance with R501-19-3(3)(d)(i)(ii)&(f) by a staff member not remaining awake while on duty, not supervising appropriately to ensure client health and safety, and not performing direct supervision with line-of-sight check-ins every 15-minutes. During an investigation, the information gathered substantiated that a staff member fell asleep, failed to supervise clients as required, and did not complete one 15-minute line-of-sight check-in. This is a repeat noncompliance previously noted on 10/12/2022.

  12. Apr 17, 2025 Investigation Inspection (1 finding)
    1 finding

    • Out of compliance, investigation inspection : R501-1-8(3) Medication and hazardous items maintenance and storage

      The licensee as out of compliance with R501-1-8(3) by not storing potentially hazardous material responsibly. During the investigation hand sanitizer was left accessible to clients, with one client drinking the hand sanitizer.

  13. Feb 25, 2025 Unannounced, Annual Inspection
  14. Feb 5, 2025 Investigation Inspection
  15. Dec 23, 2024 Non On-Site Inspection
  16. Nov 25, 2024 Investigation Inspection
  17. Nov 12, 2024 Announced, Annual Inspection
  18. Sep 18, 2024 2nd Unannounced (1 finding)
    1 finding

    • Out of compliance, 2nd unannounced : R501-1-13(5)(a)-(b) Private placement reporting

      The provider was out of compliance with this rule by not reporting private placements to the Office by the fifth business day of the month for August and September 2024. During the inspection the licensor verified through QuickSight reporting that the provider had not reported private placements to the office by the fifth business day of the month for August and September 2024. This is a repeat non compliance.

  19. Jun 6, 2024 Non On-Site Inspection
  20. May 30, 2024 Unannounced, Annual Inspection
  21. Feb 6, 2024 Non On-Site Inspection
  22. Feb 1, 2024 Focus Inspection (1 finding)
    1 finding

    • Out of compliance, focus inspection : R501-19-3(3)(a)-(j) Supervision and ratio requirements

      The provider was out of compliance with this rule by not maintaining staff ratios. During the inspection it was observed that the provider was out of ratios by having 2 staff supervising a group of 12 clients.

  23. Jan 18, 2024 Announced, Annual Inspection
  24. Dec 21, 2023 Follow-Up Inspection
  25. Dec 8, 2023 Follow-Up Inspection

Connections on the network map

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

Acquisitions

  • Rite of Passage, Inc Acquired this program (acquired (2021))

Ownership

  • Sequel Youth and Family Services operated 2016-2021

Documents

Documents on file (8)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (4)

From the Unsilenced archive

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

From SCIAD NET

1 document about Lava Heights Academy that Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. SCIAD NET keeps it on Google Drive, where it opens.

Wiki entries

Materials and links

External links

A program's own website is linked as an archived snapshot, so the page reads as it did when it was captured.

Licensing and inspection reports

Survivor posts and discussion

Staff listing or directory

Reference and research

1 of these from SCIAD NET.

Archived pages

Other links

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