Adolescent Growth is a horrible company. The main problem is the ownership, the Lewises. They focus more on cutting costs and cramming so many clients into their one treatment house that the treatment suffers. Client counts are so high that it goes beyond non-therapeutic and enters the realm of dangerous. Absolutely anything that the Lewises can do to cut costs, they will do, regardless of the effect of quality of care.\r
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Clients were not separated based on disorder; instead, you had all of the clients lumped together, such as clients with mental health issues learning about drug use from clients with drug addiction issues, and clients with eating disorders forced into an unstable environment when they are in a fragile state. This mixing of client populations can be very detrimental to your child as they are exposed to negative, harmful influences when they should be in a program based on feeling safe and secure.\r
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Management-The owners, the Lewises, are quite paranoid and diabolical in their treatment of staff, and sometimes, client parents. They are all smiles and motivational talk when interacting with parents; they simply leave the dirty work to lower level employees. When management makes mistakes, there were no repercussions; they attempted to blame floor staff for most mistakes, but took no responsibility for their own. Most parental inquiries are simply ignored or given the run-around; management does not want to have to answer your questions or address your concerns once you have given them your money.\r
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Therapists-Some of the therapists can be of a good quality, but due to employee turnover and high client count, clients do not get enough session time, as the therapists can also be over-worked.\r
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Floor Staff-Staff was underpaid and over-worked. As such, there was immense turnover and employees with low skill levels. Normal client to staff ratios for a treatment facility such as AG are 3 to 1; at AG, 4 to 1 and sometimes up to 7 to 1 could occur. This ensures that your child is not getting proper supervision, proper health services, or proper treatment. Staff was then punished for not being able to handle several jobs at once, while at the same time maintaining a watchful eye on your kids. Staff was routinely forced to pay for gas or other items out of their own pocket, and must hound the owners for reimbursement.\r
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Some of the management mistakes at AG included:\r
-broken refrigerator, resulting in spoiled food being served to clients.\r
-management withholding client seizure medication, resulting in client taken to hospital for seizure.\r
-incorrect client medication dosage information.\r
-unqualified staff being allowed to work without proper clearance and criminal background checks.\r
-17 clients being supervised by only two staff members in a small living room, resulting in improper, physical contact between clients.\r
-decrepit, filthy sleeping facilities and clients covered with mosquito bites due to lack of air conditioning during summer, no housecleaning staff, and no screens on windows at sleeping houses.\r
-overworked floor staff, resulting in such mistakes as a medication cabinet being left unlocked and clients allowed to steal and consume medication, and clients engaging in reported sexual contact due to lack of staffing and supervision.\r
-employees being forced to engage in menial work such as cleaning, cooking, or putting away supplies instead of watching your children.\r
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If you are a prospective employee, look elsewhere; you do not want to risk your career by working with this company, constantly having to check your hours and paychecks, or demanding email verification for dangerous instructions so you are not the one left hanging if something goes wrong.
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