Parent company profile
Ramsay Youth Services
Also known as Ramsay Health Care, Inc., Healthcare Services of America, Inc.
Ramsay Youth Services is a parent company (acquired) based in One Alhambra Plaza, Suite 750, Coral Gables, Florida. Kids Over Profits has records of 12 programs it has run in 7 states.
History
Year by year
From the records: deals and takeovers, the programs it ran, and the deaths, lawsuits, inspection findings and news stories from the years it ran them. Point at an event, or tap "More about this", for the details.
1983
Founded
1998
Sold half its psychiatric hospitals and turned the rest into youth-only programs
Sold half its psychiatric hospitals and turned the rest into youth-only programs
Ramsay Health Care sold off half of its 12 psychiatric hospitals and converted the rest to youth-only residential centers, making youth services its focus. In April 2000 it signed a major contract with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
1999
Renamed from Ramsay Health Care to Ramsay Youth Services
Renamed from Ramsay Health Care to Ramsay Youth Services January 1999
The Coral Gables, Florida company changed its name to Ramsay Youth Services in January 1999. It ran education and treatment programs for at-risk and special-needs youth in nine states and Puerto Rico.
2003
Psychiatric Solutions, Inc.: Bought Ramsay Youth Services for about $78 million
Psychiatric Solutions, Inc.: Bought Ramsay Youth Services for about $78 million June 30, 2003
On June 30, 2003 Psychiatric Solutions acquired Ramsay Youth Services, Inc. in a transaction valued at about $78 million, made up of $58.1 million in cash for Ramsay's stock plus the assumption of its debt. A company history says PSI obtained 11 psychiatric hospitals with nearly 1,300 beds.
Sold to Psychiatric Solutions for about $78 million
With the deal, 2 programs it had run moved to Psychiatric Solutions, Inc..
Sold to Psychiatric Solutions for about $78 million June 30, 2003
Psychiatric Solutions acquired Ramsay Youth Services on June 30, 2003 in a transaction valued at about $78 million, including $58.1 million in cash for Ramsay's stock and the assumption of its debt.
About Ramsay Youth Services
In 1983 it was incorporated in Delaware as Healthcare Services of America, Inc., based in Birmingham, Alabama; 1987: the Paul Ramsay Group bought a controlling interest; 1988: renamed Ramsay Health Care, Inc. and moved to New Orleans.source On June 30, 1994 it was owned or operated 15 inpatient psychiatric hospitals with 1,264 beds in eleven states, incl. Havenwyck (Auburn Hills, MI), Brynn Marr (Jacksonville, NC), Hill Crest (Birmingham, AL), Heartland (Nevada, MO), Benchmark Regional (Woods Cross, UT).source On April 24, 1995, spun off its managed care subsidiary Ramsay Managed Care, Inc. to shareholders.source In 1998 it changed strategy to at-risk youth; sold hospitals in Conway SC, Houma LA, Mesa AZ, DeSoto TX and Morgantown WV; opened the Dothan, Alabama facility in April 1998; headquarters moved to Coral Gables, Florida; now Ramsay Youth Services, Inc. (formerly Ramsay Health Care, Inc.)source
On December 31, 2002, 11 residential facilities, 9 therapeutic community living facilities, 2 non-residential sites and 8 government management contracts (six Florida juvenile justice facilities, McIntosh Youth Development Campus in Darien GA, Bayamon Detention Center PR); chairman Paul J. Ramsay owned about 60%.source In June 2003, Palm Beach County State Attorney called for a grand jury investigation of sexual misconduct by workers at the Florida Institute for Girls, which Ramsay Youth Services ran for the state; at least 15 workers disciplined, two criminally charged.source On June 30, 2003 it was acquired by Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. for about $81.3 million ($5.00 a share in cash plus repaid debt): 11 inpatient facilities with 1,292 beds and 10 government management contracts in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico.source
Programs it has run
12 on record.
- Benchmark Behavioral Health Systems
- Brynn Marr Hospital
- Gulf Coast Treatment Center
- Havenwyck Hospital Residential Impulse Disorder Program
- Heartland Behavioral Health Services RTF
- Higdon Hill Group Home
- Hill Crest Behavioral Health
- Hill Crest RTC
- Laurel Oaks Behavioral Health Center
- McIntosh Youth Development Center
- Milton Girls Residential Facility
- Okaloosa Youth Academy
Ownership
Owned by
News coverage
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Prisoners of Profit - The Huffington Post
Chris Kirkham's investigation of Youth Services International and its owner, James Slattery: abuse, medical neglect and unreported incidents across the company's juvenile facilities, alongside its lobbying for privatization.
An investigative report examining private, for-profit juvenile correctional facilities operated by James F. Slattery and companies such as Youth Services International. The report details widespread allegations of staff misconduct, physical and sexual abuse, medical neglect, unsanitary conditions, and failures to report major incidents amidst aggressive political lobbying and state privatization efforts.
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Girls confined to ‘box’ if they fought sex abuse at FL youth center, suit says
Five women are suing over sexual abuse they endured as minors at the now-closed Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility in Florida. The lawsuit describes retaliation against those who tried to report the abuse, including being confined to a small cement room called the “box.” The case seeks damages and highlights systemic failures in the juvenile justice system and its private contractors.
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Girls confined to ‘box’ if they fought sex abuse at FL youth center, suit says
Five women have filed a lawsuit against the now-closed Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility in Florida, alleging repeated abuse and retaliation by staff when they were minors. The suit names Gulf Coast Treatment Center and its parent company, Universal Health Services, as responsible for failing to protect the girls while operating the state-contracted facility. According to the complaint, girls who resisted or tried to report the abuse were punished by being placed in a small isolation room called “the box.” Staff reportedly stripped them of clothing and denied basic necessities. One survivor says she was confined there for over two weeks. The lawsuit describes multiple instances of abuse, including assaults during night shifts, retaliation for disclosing abuse during phone calls home, and staff physically harming girls who fought back. At least two former employees were criminally convicted, and others have been accused but not charged. The facility was shut down in 2012 after years of reported misconduct. Plaintiffs say they were silenced, retraumatized, and left without recourse for years. Their legal team says the suit aims to expose systemic failures in Florida’s juvenile justice system and private operators paid to care for vulnerable youth.
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Abused child suffered scorpion bites, broken bones at Alabama residential treatment, lawsuit claims
A lawsuit has been filed against Alabama Clinical Schools, alleging that an 11-year-old boy was physically, verbally, and emotionally abused while in treatment. The boy suffered injuries, including broken bones and scorpion bites, and was threatened by staff. The lawsuit claims that the facility's employees were responsible for the abuse and that the company enabled it.
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Three Former Department of Juvenile Justice / G4S Highlands Youth Academy staff members arrested for multiple felonies
Three former staff members of the G4S Highlands Youth Academy, a juvenile residential facility in Florida, were arrested on felony charges following an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The charges involve the intentional destruction of evidence, failure to report child abuse, willful neglect of juveniles, and the concealment of physical force incidents, escapes, and sexual misconduct.
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Facility helping youth offenders shut down in Crestview
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice closed the Okaloosa Youth Development Center in Crestview after determining the facility failed to meet safety standards and maintain an abuse-free environment. Thirty-nine children residing at the facility were transferred to other locations across the state following the closure.
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Is Youth Services International Finally Out of Business? | The Imprint
Youth Services International settled a lawsuit with former employees and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, returning $2 million to the state and terminating its contracts. The settlement followed allegations that the company falsified documents related to hiring and services. The company’s Florida operations ceased, and its website now lists only programs that have been shut down.
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Investigation into death at Elan School in Maine
An investigative blog post examines the historical operations and lack of regulatory oversight at the closed Elan School in Maine. The article discusses allegations of systemic violence, fraudulent therapeutic practices, and the 1982 death of a resident, Philip Williams Jr., within the facility's peer-to-peer restraint and conflict structures.
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Psychiatric Solutions Acquires Ramsay Youth Services
Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. completed the acquisition of Ramsay Youth Services, Inc. on June 30, 2003 for approximately US$78 million, consisting of cash and assumed debt. Both companies are listed on NASDAQ and provide behavioral health services across multiple U.S. states.
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State attorney’s office investigating St. Johns Youth Academy after ‘riot situation’
State attorneys are investigating a reported riot at St. Johns Youth Academy in St. Augustine. The facility has experienced a sudden shutdown, and an 18‑year‑old resident has been accused of assaulting a staff member. COVID‑19 cases have also been documented among youths at the academy.
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State Ends Juvenile-Detention Firm Contract
Following a period of controversy, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice terminated its contract with the for-profit operator Youth Services International. The decision concludes the state's official relationship with the youth detention firm.
1 article about celebrities and viral stories
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Paris Hilton Calls for Accountability at Universal Health Services Facilities
Paris Hilton publicly criticized Universal Health Services and related teen behavioral facilities, citing personal experiences of forced medication, solitary confinement, and physical abuse. The article documents multiple allegations of physical restraint, sexual misconduct, and deaths across several for‑profit treatment centers, and references ongoing investigations, settlements, and calls for increased oversight.
Lawsuits
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lawsuit
Outcome: Summary judgment granted on Title VII claims alleging a sexually hostile work environment and retaliation; state-law claims dismissed without prejudice
Debra A. Terry sued Laurel Oaks Behavioral Health Center, Inc. alleging a sexually hostile work environment and retaliation in violation of Title VII, along with state-law claims for invasion of privacy, outrage, and negligent training. The court examined the parties' motions and evidence and granted Laurel Oaks' summary judgment on the Title VII claims. The court also dismissed the state-law claims without prejudice. The decision reflects the court's finding that the plaintiff did not present sufficient evidence to survive summary judgment.
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Case: USA v. Youth Services International, Inc.
Outcome: ORDER granting 3 Joint Motion to Dismiss; ORDER ADMINISTRATIVELY CLOSING the case.
The United States Department of Justice brought a civil action against Youth Services International, Inc. alleging violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit stemmed from the facility's failure to provide sign language interpretation services and auxiliary aids to a deaf juvenile resident. Concurrently with the filing of the complaint, the parties moved for conditional dismissal based on a settlement agreement requiring remediation and compliance measures.
Business filings
This company's registrations with the states, as their business registers list them.
Ramsay Youth Services, Inc.
Foreign profit corporation, document F97000005902, filed November 7, 1997, inactive. Federal employer number 65-0766342. Florida's record of it
- Principal address
- One Alhambra Plaza, Ste. 750, Coral Gables, FL, 33134
- Officers on file
- Bert G Cibran, Chairman, President
- Carol C Lang, Chairman, Vice President
- Daniel A Sims, Secretary, Treasurer
Filings since it was formed
- September 24, 1999: Withdrawal
Documents
Filed under its programs
8 documents across 4 programs: inspection reports, court records, clippings and more, each on its program page.
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