Facility profile Utah

Youth Care of Utah

Also known as Youth Care

Open Draper, Utah

Youth Care of Utah is a residential treatment center in Draper, Utah, operated by Acadia HealthCare. It has operated since 1989.

About Youth Care of Utah

It was moving onto Aspen's Island View campus in Syracuse, UT, maintaining its established brand name.source 1, source 2

Its address was 12595 South Minuteman Drive, Draper, Utah 84020.source The average stay was 3-4 months, up to a year and a half.source Outpatient day-treatment program 7:30 am to 5:30 pm weekdays.source Trina Packard, CEO, Executive Director (2005-2011, r/troubledteens wiki).source

Licensing: State of Utah, Office of Licensing, Department of Human Services.source It was accredited by Joint Commission (JCAHO) Accreditation; Northwest Association of Accredited Schools.source It joined NATSAP in 1999.source

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

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.

1989200620072011201519892015

  1. 1989

    1. Opened

      Opened in Draper, Utah

  2. 2006

    1. OwnershipNovember 2006

      CRC Health Group: Bought Aspen Education Group, the largest for-profit chain of troubled-teen programs, for $279.5 million

      Aspen Education Group and CRC Health Group ran Youth Care of Utah on either side of the deal.

      CRC Health Group: Bought Aspen Education Group, the largest for-profit chain of troubled-teen programs, for $279.5 million November 2006

      In November 2006 CRC acquired all of the stock of Aspen Education Group for about $279.5 million. CRC called it its largest acquisition to date. By the end of 2007 its youth division ran 29 programs in 10 states, including ten therapeutic boarding schools and ten outdoor programs.

      source 1, source 2

  3. 2007

    1. IncidentJune 2007

      Death

      Two counselors at Youth Care Inc.

      Death June 2007

      Two counselors at Youth Care Inc. in Draper, UT, Deborah Cole and Jorge Ramirez, were charged in October 2007 with abuse or neglect of a child after a 14-year-old boy died on June 27, 2007 of an obstructed bowel when staff gave medicine instead of calling the on-call nurse.

      source

    2. Incident

      License action

      After the 2007 death, Youth Care was reportedly put on probation by the Utah Department of Human Services, with no fine, and could accept no more than five new...

      License action

      After the 2007 death, Youth Care was reportedly put on probation by the Utah Department of Human Services, with no fine, and could accept no more than five new clients every 30 days.

      source

  4. 2011

    1. Incident

      Lawsuit

      The mother settled a wrongful death suit against Youth Care and Aspen Education in 2011; criminal negligence charges against two monitors were dismissed in 2008.

      Lawsuit

      source

  5. 2015

    1. OwnershipFebruary 11, 2015

      Acadia HealthCare: Bought CRC Health Group, owner of the Aspen youth programs, from Bain Capital

      Aspen Education Group, CRC Health Group and Acadia Healthcare ran Youth Care of Utah on either side of the deal.

      Acadia HealthCare: Bought CRC Health Group, owner of the Aspen youth programs, from Bain Capital February 11, 2015

      Acadia announced a definitive agreement to acquire CRC Health Group on October 29, 2014, describing CRC as the nation's largest specialized behavioral healthcare provider with 36 residential facilities and 84 comprehensive treatment facilities. The deal was valued at $1.175 billion in Acadia stock plus assumed debt; Bain Capital took Acadia shares. Acadia announced completion on February 11, 2015.

      source 1, source 2, source 3

Federal funding

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

Medicaid and federal child welfare funds

  • 2022-2024: Named in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee's June 2024 staff report "Warehouses of Neglect" (pp. 22, 103), which covers youth residential treatment placements "funded through the Medicaid program and the Social Security Act's child welfare provisions" (p. 3). source

Incidents on record

  1. June 2007 Death

    Two counselors at Youth Care Inc. in Draper, UT, Deborah Cole and Jorge Ramirez, were charged in October 2007 with abuse or neglect of a child after a 14-year-old boy died on June 27, 2007 of an obstructed bowel when staff gave medicine instead of calling the on-call nurse.source 1, source 2

  2. 2007 License action

    After the 2007 death, Youth Care was reportedly put on probation by the Utah Department of Human Services, with no fine, and could accept no more than five new clients every 30 days.source

  3. 2011 Lawsuit

    The mother settled a wrongful death suit against Youth Care and Aspen Education in 2011; criminal negligence charges against two monitors were dismissed in 2008.source

  4. Abuse

    Survivors allege denial of medical attention and staff breaking children's noses and other bones.source

  5. Sexual abuse

    Survivors report children forced to walk naked in front of staff and an alleged, unconfirmed statutory rape.source

News coverage

  • The Bend Bulletin Mar 15, 2009 Closure

    The story behind Mount Bachelor Academy’s closure

    Mount Bachelor Academy closed permanently following an investigation by the Oregon Department of Human Services that resulted in nine confirmed allegations of abuse and neglect. The private therapeutic boarding school, operated by Aspen Education Group and CRC Health, faced state licensing suspension over punitive and humiliating practices before parent companies announced the facility would not reopen.

  • KSL.com Oct 13, 2007 Arrest

    Care Center on Probation After Boy's Death

    State regulators placed Youth Care of Utah on probation following the death of a 14-year-old resident due to medical complications. A police investigation determined that staff failed to contact an on-call nurse despite the resident exhibiting symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea, leading prosecutors to charge two facility counselors with felony child abuse or neglect.

  • cafety.org Aug 17, 2006 Event

    Upon discharge from programs, teens report happiness

    A multi‑center study of nearly 1,000 adolescents in private residential treatment programs reported significant reductions in behavioral and emotional problems from admission to discharge. Both parents and the youths themselves indicated improvements in communication, family relationships, and overall functioning. The findings were presented at the American Psychological Association meeting in August 2006.

Staff

Administration

Notable staff

Rules and practices

Practices

  • Restraint
  • Seclusion or isolation
  • Level system
  • Forced medication
  • Limits on contact with family

Treatment methods

  • Behavior modification

What people who were there remember

What people who were at Youth Care of Utah, or had a child there, told us on our questions page. Under each line are their own words.

Levels and phases

  • The level system at every house except Brighton included Orientation, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. The system at every hours except Brighton is: Orientation (OT): first three days, no outside time or going out of the house. Distress tolerance (DT) the level you are put on after orientation. You must be on it for two weeks before you try to get on ER. You can't go off campus. Emotion Regulation (ER): this is where you can go off campus normally two or three times a week. If your therapist approves when your family comes you can go off campus. In order to get on it you need to do the following: * Wait two weeks and show safe behavior and participate in treatment. * In a house group you have to explain a skill/how to use it. * Some therapists require you to share your autobiography (written story about your life like abuse, family members, why you're here, etc.) * Your therapist makes you take a quiz/test where she asks about distress tolerance/emotion regulation skills and you must get above an 80 or 85% * after this you DEARMAN to get on it (they give you a piece of paper where you write out in DEARMAN dbt skill format and then treatment team which is therapist, psychiatrist, staff can approve or deny it). Interpersonal Effectiveness (IE): to do this you must have great safe behavior. Most kids leave without achieving this. In order to get on this level you have to be doing really well. You can listen to music on a computer during school time which normally you just have headphones. * You have to be safe for a long time, be a good influence etc. * You need to be on ER and then sign up to "teach" a dbt skill on Sunday to all the houses I think between 45-60 minutes long. * You have to take a test your therapist gives you about emotion regulation skills. * Then you DEARMAN to get on it. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Brighton had a red and green day system earned from behavior the previous day. They have a red/green which you earn from your behavior the previous day. * Green Day lets you use the radio headphones. * Green Day lets you sometimes go to the gym for PE. * If you have a Green Day you get a phone call but normally it's too busy/chaotic to get one. Also family can come. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents had to DEARMAN after five Green Days. You have to DEARMAN after five Green Days in. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Rules

  • Residents were not allowed to go over time on phone calls. Don't go over time on phone calls. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents had to participate in groups and all activities. Participate in groups and all activities. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents could not talk during silence or med cart. No talking during silence or med cart. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Staff bashing, meaning complaining about staff, was forbidden. No "staff bashing" which means complaining about staff. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents were not allowed to gossip. No gossiping. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Only one person was allowed in the bathroom area at a time. Only one person in bathroom area at a time. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents had to ask to go into the kitchen. Ask to go in kitchen. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents could not communicate with other houses. No communicating with other houses. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents could not eat outside of meal or snack times. No eating outside of meal/snack times. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents had to take their medications. Take your meds. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents had to participate in all of treatment. Participate in all of treatment. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents could not wear jeans to bed. No wearing jeans to bed. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents were not allowed to talk about certain things. No talking about certain things. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • There was no physical contact allowed. No physical contact. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents were not allowed to exchange notes or contact information. Don't exchange notes or contact information. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents could not have blankets or stuffed animals in the common area. No blankets or stuffed animals in common area. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • In co-ed houses, boys and girls could not sit on the same couch and had to sit on opposite sides of the table. In co-ed houses boys and girls can't sit on the same couch and must sit on opposite sides of table. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Showers were kept to a maximum of fifteen minutes. Keep showers at 15 minutes max. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents could not move around in bed at night. Don't move around in bed at night. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents could not share clothes. Don't share clothes. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Brighton had a different system after a program change in mid to late January as the strict lockdown house. Brighton has a different system since they did the program change in mid to late January. It's the strict lockdown house. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • In the Brighton house, residents could not have jewelry or hair straighteners, did not get Friday pizza like the other houses, and did not get to watch TV or movies. In this house you can't have jewelry, hair straighteners, don't get Friday pizza like the other houses. You also don't get to watch tv/movies. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Punishments

  • Residents could lose levels by getting too many resets, staff advocating to go down a level, or getting a safety reset. You can lose levels either by getting too many resets, staff advocating for you to go down a level or getting a safety reset. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • An automatic safety reset was given for self-harm, attempts, AWOL, having contraband, giving hugs, high-fives, or any form of physical contact, taking more than 15 minutes in the bathroom, anything considered a threat, or going into another person's room. An automatic safety reset includes: Self harm/attempts/awol/Having contraband/Giving hugs/high-fives or any form of physical contact/Taking more than 15 minutes in the bathroom/Anything considered a threat/Going into other persons room. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • A normal reset was given for being disrespectful, refusing to do chores, refusing to participate, or talking when you shouldn't be. A normal reset you get by Being disrespectful/Refusing to do chores/Refusing to participate/Talking when you shouldn't be. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents were put on precautions for being unsafe, which included line of sight, not being able to go outside, being ten feet from staff at all times, being watched carefully while taking meds, and sleeping in the common area. You get put on precautions for being unsafe or anything like that which includes line of sight, not being able to go outside, being ten feet from staff at all times, being watched carefully taking meds, sleeping in the common area. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Admission and fees

  • Residents were sent to Brighton from another house for bad behavior, as a flight risk upon arrival, or because it was the only place with open beds. You are at Brighton either from another house if you had bad behavior, you are a flight risk coming in, or that's the only place with open beds. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Connections on the network map

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

Other staff

Documents

Documents on file (8)
Woodbury Reports Mentions (6)

Research that mentions this program

The whole research library

From SCIAD NET

8 documents about Youth Care of Utah that Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. SCIAD NET keeps them on Google Drive, where they open.

Wiki entries

Materials and links

Materials the project holds for this facility. Ask through the correction form to see any of them.

Other documentation

  • NATSAP profile

Survivor posts and discussion

Staff listing or directory

Reference and research

Other links

1 of these from SCIAD NET.

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