Cross Creek Programs was a reform school[2] facility in La Verkin, Utah, operated by the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS). It sometimes is referred to as two facilities, with the name Cross Creek Manor applied to the girls' program and the name Cross Creek Center used for the boys' program, which were originally in different locations. Cross Creek Academy and Browning Academy have been used as names for the academic program. Cross Creek Programs was founded in 1988 by Robert Lichfield and Brent Facer, originally only for girls.[2] Before founding Cross Creek, Lichfield had worked at Provo Canyon School.[2]
| Cross Creek Academy | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Information | |
| School type | private |
| Motto | "Not just a program, but a solution." |
| Established | 1988 |
| Founder | Robert Lichfield, Brent Facer |
| Status | Closed (2012) |
| Director | Karr Farnsworth |
| Grades | 7–12 |
| Age range | 12–19 |
| Mascot | Bobcats |
| Accreditation | Northwest Accreditation Commission[1] |
| Newspaper | Cross Creek Chronicle (former) |
| Affiliation | World Wide Association of Specialty Programs |
| Website | https://web.archive.org/web/20110129202501/http://crosscreekprogram.com/ |
The school ("Cross Creek Academy") was educationally accredited through the Northwest Accreditation Commission.[1]
Controversy
editIn an interview, multiple graduates, parents and staff members from the school described the program as manipulative, abusive and traumatic.
One graduate claimed he was forcibly kidnapped from his home, handcuffed, beaten, and taken across state lines against his will in order to be transported to the program, or in short legally trafficked.
Another graduate claimed to be supervised by a male staff member when she was showering at the age of 13.
Another graduate claimed that male staff members performed rape re-enactment on girls who have been sexually abused, stating that other students were instructed to yell insults at the victim during the re-enactment.
Executives from the school have denied these allegations, saying the accusers just "didn't like their parents trying to help them".[3]
In 2006, a lawsuit was filed against Cross Creek and other defendants, alleging widespread physical and psychological abuse of the teenagers sent into their programs.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b "NWAC Accreditation". Archived from the original on July 10, 2009.
- ^ a b c Brooke Adams, Founder's Passion Is Helping Youths, The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 May 2003. Republished by Inside Costa Rica. Archived by archive.org, August 13, 2008.
- ^ "Here's What Survivors of a 'Troubled Teen' Program Say Went On Inside", Vice News, retrieved 2021-08-23
- ^ Troubled Teen Programs - 25 Plaintiffs Join in Lawsuit Against WWASPS, Cross Creek Manor, Robert Lichfield, and Associates – More Expected to Join In, press release by Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse, Webwire, October 16, 2006