Facility profile Utah

Outback Therapeutic Expeditions

Formerly Walkabout Therapeutic Expeditions (until 2001), Walkaboutsource

Closed Lehi, Utah

Outback Therapeutic Expeditions was a wilderness therapy in Lehi, Utah, operated by Aspen Education Group. It operated from 2001 to 2023.

About Outback Therapeutic Expeditions

It was run by CRC Health (parent company, per HEAL).source 1, source 2 Aspen Achievement Academy, New Leaf Academy of Oregon, Aspen Ranch, Bromley Brook School, SunHawk Academy and NorthStar Center merged into Outback.source It was operated by Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.source It was owned by Bain Capital.source

It introduced a new "Roots & Wings Family Expedition," a three-day intensive wilderness experience uniting families in crisis in a therapeutic process facilitated by professionals.source Its address was 50 N 200 E, Lehi, UT 84043.source It cost $380 per day ($21,280 for 8 weeks).source It cost $445 per day ($24,920 for 8 weeks) plus $1,450 enrollment/gear fee.source

It cost $465 per day plus $2,000 one-time enrollment fee.source 1, source 2 Stays lasted 6-10 weeks.source HEAL says Outback Expeditions/Outback Therapeutic Expeditions uses the same Positive Control Systems methods as Eagle Ranch Academy and WWASPS.source The average stay was stay 6-8 weeks.source

It achieved three-year CARF Accreditation status.source It was accredited by Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC).source It was licensed by the Utah Department of Human Services, Office of Licensing as Outdoor Youth Treatment.source

Also drawn on: Aspen Education Group (Wikipedia, lead), n.d..

As Walkabout Therapeutic Expeditions

until 2001

Nothing on record is dated to these years yet.

As Outback Therapeutic Expeditions

2001 to 2023 | Aspen Education Group

Incidents on record

  1. October 2017 Investigation

    As of October 2017 there was no information that the charged former director had victimized teenagers at Outback, but an investigation was ongoing.source

  2. Reported December 2025 Abuse

    Survivors allege food and water restriction, extremely heavy packs, refusal of medical care and violent restraints.source

  3. Reported December 2025 Injury

    A survivor reports a resident with an infected toe was made to keep hiking, and that another resident later had a toe medically amputated after frostbite.source

  4. Reported December 2025 Injury

    Survivors report whole groups developed giardiasis, and one reports hypothermia affecting several residents.source

  5. Reported December 2025 Restraint

    Survivors report forcible restraint during intake and later, including one who says a needle was inserted for an IV while their face was forced into the dirt.source

News coverage

Staff

Administration

Notable staff

News coverage

Staff

Notable staff

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Documents

Documents on file (15)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (15)

Research that mentions this program

The whole research library

From the Unsilenced archive

36 documents about Outback Therapeutic Expeditions that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their whole folder: Outback Therapeutic Expeditions.

Documents (35)
Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness (1)

From SCIAD NET

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

Survivor testimony

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Reference and research

2 of these from SCIAD NET.

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