Facility profile Ohio
Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems
Formerly Pomegranate Health Systems, Sequel Pomegranate
Also known as Torii Behavioral Health
Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems was a program in Columbus, Ohio, operated by Sequel TSI. It operated from 2007 to 2021.
About Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems
Pomegranate Health Systems of Central Ohio opened in 2007 and was bought by Sequel on October 27, 2016 (Sequel Pomegranate); renamed Torii Behavioral Health in early 2021, it told the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services on September 8, 2021 that it would close by October 8, 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.
2007
Opened in Columbus, Ohio
2016
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 Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems 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).
Docket - Sequel Pomegranate (case no. 2:2017cv00777)
Docket - Sequel Pomegranate (case no. 2:2017cv00777)
This is an employment-related lawsuit filed by Stormy Blankinship against Sequel Youth and Family Services in the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The case was initiated on September 1, 2017, under federal jurisdiction. The provided court documentation lists the parties, attorneys, and related case information.
- Court
- US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- Case number
- 2:2017cv00777
- Status
- Unknown
2018
D.S., B.S. and A.S. v. Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems, LLC
D.S., B.S. and A.S. v. Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems, LLC
D.S. and his parents sued Pomegranate, a psychiatric residential facility in Columbus, Ohio, where Franklin County Children Services had placed him in November 2017. The complaint says that on December 2, 2017, a few days after he arrived, D.S. was held down and raped by three other residents while the single staff member on the unit was busy with a personal phone.
Outcome: Dismissed with prejudice by stipulation of the parties on Nov. 15, 2018 (case terminated Nov. 16, 2018), after a mediation notice; terms not disclosed.
- Court
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio (Columbus)
- Case number
- 2:18-cv-00416
- Status
- Dismissed
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 Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems 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.
Provo Canyon School Closure
1 article in The Imprint.
Provo Canyon School Closure November 2, 2021
A report by the National Disability Rights Network documents widespread civil rights violations, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and inappropriate use of psychotropic medication across for-profit youth residential programs in 18 states.
Closed
Lawsuits
-
D.S., B.S. and A.S. v. Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems, LLC
Outcome: Dismissed with prejudice by stipulation of the parties on Nov. 15, 2018 (case terminated Nov. 16, 2018), after a mediation notice; terms not disclosed.
D.S. and his parents sued Pomegranate, a psychiatric residential facility in Columbus, Ohio, where Franklin County Children Services had placed him in November 2017. The complaint says that on December 2, 2017, a few days after he arrived, D.S. was held down and raped by three other residents while the single staff member on the unit was busy with a personal phone. It says Columbus police had received more than 248 emergency calls from Pomegranate since March 22, 2017, and that the facility was understaffed and did not separate violent residents. The complaint says Children Services substantiated abuse and neglect charges against Pomegranate. The parties stipulated to dismissal with prejudice in November 2018.
-
Docket - Sequel Pomegranate (case no. 2:2017cv00777)
This is an employment-related lawsuit filed by Stormy Blankinship against Sequel Youth and Family Services in the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The case was initiated on September 1, 2017, under federal jurisdiction. The provided court documentation lists the parties, attorneys, and related case information.
News coverage
-
Ohio bill could force state to shut down troubled residential treatment facilities
Proposed Ohio House Bill 811 would require state officials to suspend admissions, deny license renewals, or shut down residential youth treatment facilities following serious violations, removing agency discretion. The legislation follows journalistic investigations and state findings regarding violence, improper restraints, and safety violations at facilities including Mohican Young Star Academy.
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Warning signs missed before teen's fatal restraint
The article reports that a teen named Cornelius Frederick died after being restrained in a facility. The report indicates that warning signs were missed and that the restraint may have contributed to the fatal outcome. The case highlights concerns about safety protocols in residential treatment settings.
-
Sequel to close New Mexico youth facility amid more abuse allegations | APM Reports
Sequel Youth & Family Services agreed to close Bernalillo Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after a state investigation documented physical abuse, excessive restraints, and inadequate supervision of autistic residents. The closure follows multiple prior investigations and the shutdown of several other Sequel facilities nationwide.
-
Federal Watchdogs Find Abuse at For-Profit Youth Residential Programs in 18 States
A report by the National Disability Rights Network documents widespread civil rights violations, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and inappropriate use of psychotropic medication across for-profit youth residential programs in 18 states. The findings highlight systemic issues driven by profit-seeking models, prompting calls for increased federal oversight and accountability.
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Behavioral Health Contractor Sequel Absorbs Two Blows
Sequel Youth & Family Services announced the closure of its Torii Behavioral Health facility in Columbus, Ohio, after state warnings regarding staff violence, improper restraints, and other safety concerns. Separately, a civil lawsuit alleges that eight staff members at Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo, Michigan restrained a 16‑year‑old survivor, leading to his death by lack of oxygen.
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Sequel Pomegranate psychiatric facility announces closure
Sequel Pomegranate, operating as Torii Behavioral Health, announced its closure in September 2021, citing a voluntary relinquishment of its Ohio mental health licenses. The facility had faced state investigations and reports of physical restraint, seclusion, and alleged sexual misconduct, prompting concerns from former residents and their families.
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California hands Sequel a major setback
The California Department of Social Services announced it will cease sending children to Sequel Youth & Family Services facilities, and Ohio revoked Sequel's license for its Columbus residential center. The actions follow documented incidents of physical restraint, sexual misconduct, unsanitary conditions, and the death of a 16‑year‑old survivor while in Sequel care.
-
Lawsuit and Investigation Detail History of Abuse and Death at Lakeside Academy
Following the death of 16-year-old Cornelius Fredericks at Lakeside Academy in Michigan after staff used a prolonged physical restraint, a lawsuit was filed detailing a pattern of negligence, improper restraint usage, and safety violations at the facility. The operator, Sequel Youth and Family Services, faced increased scrutiny regarding systemic abuse, lack of oversight, and safety incidents across multiple residential facilities nationwide.
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Ownership
- Sequel Youth and Family Services
Documents
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Materials and links
Staff listing or directory
Reference and research
Archived pages
From SCIAD NET.