Facility profile Texas
Lone Star Expeditions
Lone Star Expeditions was a program in Groveton, Texas, operated by Aspen Education Group. It operated from 2002 to 2009.
About Lone Star Expeditions
It reduced rate to $350 per day.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
- Fornits: Aspen Education Group Keeps growing... (2003, 1 post)
- Fornits: Elliot Sainer?s Empire: AEG: Riding the Wave of (2006-2007, 5 posts)
- Fornits: List of Known Abusive Programs (2006, 71 posts)
- Fornits: Posters discuss Lone Star Expeditions and a teenager death from 2007 to 2009 (2007-2009, 149 posts)
- Fornits: Big Fish CRC Trawls The Waters (2007-2010, 33 posts)
- Fornits: o my god! Girl sent away to lone star on tv talk show (2007, 7 posts)
- Fornits: Aspen Troll Ranks on Maia (2007, 5 posts)
- Fornits: Fornits wiki status (2007, 44 posts)
- Fornits: Children's Rights in Texas Programs (2007, 1 post)
- Fornits: Aspen Scrambles to keep LSE open (2008, 2 posts)
- Fornits: Lone Star Cuts Services and Tuition Trying to Survive. (2008, 1 post)
- Fornits: This'll make you ill... (2008, 1 post)
- Fornits: Parent asks for advice on Aspen Ranch after son complains during a visit 2009-2011 (2009-2011, 595 posts)
- Fornits: Can Wilderness Camps Kill Your Kid? (2010, 95 posts)
- Fornits: In-depth article on Aspen, CRC, Bain & Romney (2012, 5 posts)
- Fornits: Dark Side of Bain (2012, 1 post)
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.
2002
Opened in Groveton, Texas
2004
Death
A 14-year-old boy died of heat stroke in 2004, eight days into his stay at the Aspen wilderness camp; a wrongful death suit was later settled.
Death
2009
Closed
2012
CRC Health Group: Salon and The Investigative Fund report deaths and abuse at CRC and Aspen programs under Bain
CRC Health Group: Salon and The Investigative Fund report deaths and abuse at CRC and Aspen programs under Bain July 18, 2012
Art Levine's investigation reported deaths and state actions at CRC and Aspen programs, including the 2009 heat death of Sergey Blashchishen at SageWalk, Oregon's 2009 closure of two Aspen programs and the 2004 death of Matthew Meyer at Lone Star Expeditions. It said the Bain buyout left CRC with over $600 million in debt. CRC said the incidents were isolated, and Bain did not reply.
Incidents on record
-
2004 Death
A 14-year-old boy died of heat stroke in 2004, eight days into his stay at the Aspen wilderness camp; a wrongful death suit was later settled.source
Videos
Staff
Administration
-
Melvin Cates
Former Executive Director (2008)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Academic Answers Family Consultant, 2009
- SUWS of the Carolinas Program Director, before 2009
- National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping board member
-
Michael Bednarz
Former Executive Director (2008)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Second Nature Wilderness Program Senior Field Staff, 1999
- SageWalk Wilderness Executive Director, 2008-2009
- Outback Therapeutic Expeditions Field Director, 2001
- Camp Huntington Former Executive Director
-
Mike Ervin
Former Executive Director (before 2008)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Aspen Education Group Eastern Regional Director of Admissions (Outdoor Division), 2008
- Cherry Gulch Owner, Admissions Director (2007)
- Catherine Freer Wilderness Program Former Referral Agent
- SUWS of the Carolinas admissions director
-
Scott Spaw
Former Executive Director and Clinical Director (2002, r/troubledteens wiki)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Excel Academy Director of Program and Services, 2007-2008
-
Shawn Farrell
Former Program Director/Executive Director, Interim Executive Director (2005, r/troubledteens wiki)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Aspen Achievement Academy Program Director/Executive Director, Senior Instructor, Logistics Coordinator
- Phoenix Outdoor Executive Director
- Explorations Wilderness Staff
- On Track Wilderness Program Field Instructor
- AEG Outdoor Division Operations Director
- Explorations Wilderness Program Program Director
- Passages to Recovery Program Director/Executive Director, 2005
- SUWS of the Carolinas Executive Director/CEO, 2013-2025
- the Executive Director of Phoenix Outdoor
- several other reportedly abusive programs
Notable staff
-
Linda McKinney
Former Admissions Director (2008)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Aspen Programs Staff, before 2008
-
Jose Arizmendi Jr.
Former Staff (before 2009)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Trails Carolina Therapist, 2009
-
Jeff Johnson
Former Admissions Directorsource
Elsewhere in the industry
- Mount Bachelor Academy Admissions Director, 2000
- Aspen Education Group Director of Special Projects/Wilderness Division, Director of Marketing and Admissions, 2000
- Auldern Academy Interim Admissions Director, Admissions Director, 2007
- Onpoint Consultants, LLC Founder, Owner, 2007-2008
- Association of Mediation and Transport Services (AMATS) Executive Director, 2007-2008
- AMATS (Association of Mediation and Transport Services) Executive Director, 2007
- SunHawk Academy Director of Admissions, Admissions Director, 2008-2021
- Association of Mediation and Transportation Services Executive Director, before 2008
- Trails Carolina Admissions Director, Director of Admissions, 2012
- SUWS Idaho Admissions Director, before 2012
- Allynwood Academy Enrollment Development & Referral Relations, Admissions Director, 2014
- Reflections for Youth Executive Director, 2020
- Skyline Journey Admissions Director
- Wilderness Quest Admissions Director
- Ascent Wilderness Therapy Admissions Director
- Adirondack Leadership Expeditions Admissions Director
- Three Rivers Montana Admissions Director
- SUWS of the Carolinas Admissions Director
- Boulder Creek Academy Admissions Director
-
Julie Elliott
Former Staffsource
Elsewhere in the industry
- Coral Reef Academy Therapist
-
Raquel Barnes
Admissions director
Elsewhere in the industry
- Three Springs Inc. COO/admissions director
- King George School admissions director
Connections on the network map
The companies, people and programs our research map ties to this program. Open it on the network map.
Documents
Woodbury Reports Mentions (8)
-
Woodbury Reports, August 2007 (#156), P. 30: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page -
Woodbury Reports, December 2008 (#172), P. 18: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page -
Woodbury Reports, July 2009 (#179), P. 10: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page -
Woodbury Reports, March 2008 (#163), P. 26: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page -
Woodbury Reports, November 2008 (#171), P. 19: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page -
Woodbury Reports, November 2008 (#171), P. 23: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page -
Woodbury Reports, October 2007 (#158), P. 30: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page -
Woodbury Reports, October 2009 (#182), P. 14: Lone Star Expeditions Woodbury Reports page
From the Unsilenced archive
1 document about Lone Star Expeditions that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their whole folder: Lone Star Expeditions.
We have questions about Lone Star Expeditions
If you were there, worked there or sent your child there, you can help fill in what our records are missing. Each question takes a moment; skip anything you do not know.
Materials and links
Reference and research
- Crystal Manganaro - (2 of 2) - Capitol Hill Briefing - Abuse of Youth in Residential Treatment (2009-12-20)
- Crystal Manganaro - (1 of 2) - Capitol Hill Briefing - ASTART and CAFETY (2009-12-20)
From SCIAD NET.