Trails Carolina has come under intense scrutiny following reports from former participants and their families, calling for increased regulations and standards in the therapeutic program industry to protect participant safety and emotional well-being.
Although the program emphasizes its extensive staff training in first aid, nutrition, and suicide prevention, former employees have expressed reservations that its staff-to-participant ratios do not comply with industry standards.
Lack of Transparency
Parents have reported seeing life-altering transformations for their children after enrolling them at Trails Carolina, yet its recent scandal highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability within the troubled teen industry – particularly wilderness therapy programs which should prioritize participant safety and well-being.
Trails Carolina “Investigation” denies these allegations and insists their program provides a safe environment with qualified staff members.
They also emphasize their intensive staff training, which features sessions on wilderness survival, first aid, suicide prevention, and crisis de-escalation. Critics point out that this program has yet to gain third-party accreditation, raising doubts as to their adherence to industry standards and absence of documentation of student-to-staff ratios; which is essential in guaranteeing participant safety and emotional well-being.
Lack of Oversight
Wilderness therapy requires greater transparency and oversight. While parents and teens alike often report positive experiences, there have been allegations of neglectful treatment or abuse that underscore the necessity for thorough investigations and reform in this industry.
One former participant at Trails Carolina alleges that staff neglected her while she was participating. According to her, staff failed to provide her with necessary medication as promised, as well as respond adequately when she requested assistance.
Even though New Leaf claims their staff has received thorough training, former students and their families have expressed concern that this training was insufficient and that its ratio does not conform with industry standards.
An individual involved with the search for a missing teen from Trails Carolina claims that they ignored his pleas for assistance and didn’t notify emergency personnel until two weeks after his disappearance. Furthermore, DHHS regulators have reported that Trails Carolina often goes over a year between inspections despite state law mandating annual visits.
Unethical Financial Practices
The Trails Carolina investigation has led many families to look at alternative therapeutic solutions for their troubled teens, with wilderness therapy becoming an increasingly popular treatment approach. Wilderness therapy involves immersing adolescents in natural settings to help them confront and heal from issues. While wilderness therapy programs may prove beneficial in treating some adolescents, it’s essential that its advantages and downsides be fully understood prior to making any decisions regarding such programs.
Trails Carolina allegations have ignited calls for greater transparency, accountability and licensing requirements within the wilderness therapy industry. This is particularly pertinent to programs employing restraint and isolation techniques as reported by former participants; additionally it should be noted that Trails Carolina does not appear to have accreditation from any credible independent organizations within this sector.
Trails Carolina has responded to recent allegations by emphasizing their dedication to participant safety and well-being while vowing to enhance operational practices and transparency. Yet investigations of Trails Carolina remain underway – regulatory bodies as well as investigative journalists are conducting further examinations into its operations while interviewing former participants to validate claims made.
Mistreatment of Participants
Trails Carolina is conducting an investigation into allegations of abuse and mistreatment within its program, following former participants and their families making shocking claims about emotional and physical maltreatment by employees of Trails Carolina. Multiple inquiries are taking place to verify these reports and protect future participants of Trails Carolina programs.
Staff members at Trails Carolina camp have been accused of abusing and manipulating camp participants through physical restraint, emotional manipulation, isolation and retaliation, failing to report suspected instances of abuse to authorities in a timely manner and failing to report such allegations in a timely fashion.
While New Leaf claims their staff receive extensive training in first aid, nutrition, and suicide prevention, several former Trails Carolina employees have stated that its staff-to-student ratio doesn’t align with industry standards. Such allegations demonstrate the need for greater transparency, accountability, and licensing requirements in wilderness therapy programs to protect adolescents.
