About seven years ago, I made a visit just to see how the place is changed. The "warehouse" is no longer a part of the school, thank god. They've made a few improvements, but I think they're better options available. And I don't mean, sending your kid away to another state for some "tough love" or wilderness camp or some other crap like that If you are religious, I recommend getting rid of your "religious counselor" and going for somebody who is a member of the secular therapy project. Do not go here if your religious counselor recommends it. Seek other options feel free to message me if you need read more

I was here back in 2009-2010. Horrible place, I wouldn't bring my kids here. Therapist made me rewrite my whole autobiography because it didn't sound right to her. This place is hell. read more

I went there 2020-2022. Can't list every incident, it'd be a novel. But violations included (all by staff): Sexual abuse, sexual harassment, lgbtq+ discrimination, racism, medical neglect, undue force, negligence, isolation, undertrained staff, food restrictions, allergy/dietary restrictions were ignored, low staffing, gaslighting, accusing students of manipulation, biased punishments, etc. avoid at all costs read more

I wish I could put negative stars or zero. I was held at Heritage RTC in Provo UT for over two years--until my 19th birthday--and my experience there was nothing short of horrifying and child torture. Despite coming from a background where I had good grades, was loved by my teachers, and never engaged in risky behaviors, I was forced into a system that resembled a cult more than a than treatment program. Of course they make it look all fancy on their website, but they are manipulating families and feeding them what they think they want. The staff at Heritage RTC were mostly young Mormons fresh out of their missions with no real experience, and their lack of professional training was shocking. We were routinely placed in isolation and seclusion, and forcefully restrained in "holds" designed to leave no mark of resistance. The environment was strictly controlled: for the majority of my time there, I wasn't allowed to see the news, watch TV, or have any contact with the outside world--apart from a miserable 15-minute phone call with my abusive parents. They didn't allow cell phones or even shoes because they didn't want anyone to escape. Once I turned 18, I still wasn't even allowed to vote or leave at all or have my own money once I was 18. They claimed that they would let us leave when we turned 18, but this was basically impossible because you would not get your ID, your phone or any money and most of us did not even know where we were when we arrived and most of us were from other states. I did try to leave once I was 18 a few times, but I was just sent immediately back. Even worse, the system forced those who "worked their way up" into roles that were touted as jobs, but were nothing more than an exploitative scheme where you "earn" the "privilege" of working for the cult. I was paid only $3.18 an hour--this is child labor. Sexual abuse was rampant, with a pervasive culture of shame that left deep emotional scars. I was sexually assaulted by staff members as well as being forced to do things with other students sexually while the staff watched. There was a lot of corrective r*pe and conversion therapy. Medical neglect was a constant reality; the care I was denied has contributed to long-term health problems. I was having severe chest pain that was extremely intense and they did not take me to the ER until five hours later. I've never been in so much physical pain in my life. I would've died, if it been a heart attack. I was prescribed medication by the ER and an outside doctor, but they denied me access to this medication and wouldn't even let me take more than 400 mg of ibuprofen, and even then that didn't happen very often. I had a concussion while I was there, and blacked out for a minute, but they never took me to the doctor or gave me any medical care at all. I was just told it was my fault. To make matters even graver, during my time there one of the students died. No one should ever be subjected to such extreme abuse, neglect, torture, and exploitation. Heritage RTC is not a place of healing--it is a system built on control, cruelty, and child abuse. I urge anyone considering this program for themselves or their children to steer clear. This is the worst thing that I've ever had to go through, and I don't wish it on anyone. This experience destroyed so many lives, including my own. If you care about your child at all, do not send them here, please!!! read more

My son attended there at age 13. The first 3 months he got on the honor roll for the first time ever. Then they moved him to the older kids section. Long story short, he started being sexually abused, his grades went to straight F's and he started self harming to be put in the nurse section where he felt safe. It took me years to unravel and find out what happened. He even told me the kid's name.. He was assigned a different therapist every month. They either got transferred, or quit. Who could confide and connect like that? One made him sit there for the whole session until he started talking, which he refused and shut down even more. One day he was outside having hot dogs with the group, spilled catsup on his shirt, got up to get a napkin and was tackled by the staff injuring him in their process. Believe me there are more stories.. The parents who still keep in contact all agree it was a detrimental and damaging experience to our son's mental health that still has long lasting consequences. We all deeply regret and still talk about sending them to Heritage as our biggest mistake. read more

I'm writing this review as a former employee at Heritage. There's a lot to say about this place, but I'll keep it brief. During my two months at Heritage, I witnessed severe (and illegal) understaffing, constant policy violations, and blatant disregard for staff safety It's an extremely chaotic environment where major incidents were mishandled and staff were left to fend for themselves. After reporting drug contraband that was shown to me, I was involved in a campaign of intimidation and threats by staff and students alike. Instead of support, I was met with hostile treatment, physically attacked by multiple students, and ultimately terminated without a fair investigation. The investigation process (if it can be called that), was a complete sham. Communication was non-existent, with key figures being on vacation or totally unresponsive. My attempts to seek resolution were ignored, and I was dismissed from management at every turn. The high turnover rate at Heritage is no surprise given the toxic work environment. It's a revolving door of people who want to help, yet end up burnt out and disillusioned. Employees are extremely disposable, which contributes to the instability found in the student culture. I left for a little over a week and upon return, many of the kids believed I had quit. The administration's failure to maintain a stable, supportive environment is a severe disservice to everyone involved and a slap in the face to the parents/school districts who shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars a year PER KID! The final insult was my termination over a brief phone call, which lasted less than a minute and included extremely vague and irrelevant reasons. This decision was made without any prior feedback or an opportunity for me to defend myself. They do not care about their employees in any shape or form. There are some truly good kids at Heritage who want to be better. Sadly, the top priority of Heritage is for the administration to line their pockets with cash at the expense of everyone else. It's a sad world and what could have been a great organization has been tainted with greed and corruption. Please do your children a favor and go anywhere else. It is not worth it. If you have any more questions, please find me on social media and I'll be more than happy to answer them *If you do decide to work at Heritage, do not work in a boys home, protect yourself first and foremost, and do NOT trust Annie under any circumstances* read more

This place is absolute hell, i left around 4 years ago and during my time there i was jumped by other students, called racal slurs, and was even bullied by the staff. My friend who left a few years later even told me he tried to drink the cleaner to get out of there. Do not send your children here they will be worse then when they went in especially if its only for behavior problems, they will start doing every drug they can get there hands on to forget the pain and misery and abandonment that you experience here and Im saying this from experience. Sean Wilson read more

Heritage Spark sold the service but didn't service the sale. I felt like after 2.5 months my daughter was a complete afterthought, still stuck on observation with no immediate hope for moving up to the actual program. Other parents at Spark would question us and ask why she was still being observed this long into the program. The answer is that they didn't care. The therapist is supposed to be the person in charge ("the quarterback") and he was barely in touch with my daughter. He kept cancelling on her and us. She left for an 8 day visit that turned to 10 days and no one ever got in touch with us to check in to see how it was going. No one. It just wasn't important to anyone there how the visit went. Literally, no one cared. We voiced our concerns to anyone there who would listen- I hate being that pain in the rump parent- and no one attempted to change the therapist or ameliorate the situation. I feel like the entire staff forgot why they went into the field. These are kids who are ill, feel bad about themselves, and really need help... not to be ignored. Heartbreaking. There is one area Heritage Spark absolutely shined and this needs to be said.... they have the best Accounts Receivable department in any American corporation. While the therapist continually cancelled, my daughter was sitting on her phone/screen all through break with no guidance, and every call/email we made to anyone barely getting a response and having to follow up constantly, on Monday, January 3 at promptly 9am, the bill showed up from them. Johnny on the spot. Perhaps the therapeutic treatment team should take a page from billing. Seriously, they were pretty impressive. Whoever works in that office... you need to get a raise!! In closing... Even in the end, as we moved my daughter out, not one person said - "give her my best" or "we will miss her". Not one. I get that these neurodiverse kids can be challenging and unlikable at times, but omg! It all just reinforced my decision. Like I said, Heartbreaking. read more

I was abused here, from 2005-2006 I was left here for regular teen issue. I was not a hard core drug user and the other kids made fun of me when I told them I smoked weed once in a while and didn't do any other drugs. The program is set up on a level system where you have to be perfect to level up. By perfect I mean ratting out other kids and controlling them with your level. The school is segregated by sex so you feel totally isolated and have no interactions except with the same Sex. Which leads to same sex relationships , which of course they punish you for by sending you to ISU or putting you on same sex restrictions. Most of the girls there gain about 20-30 lbs in a matter of month because there is basically not sports or excerice and the food that comes out of the kitchen is basically prison food. high carb and little to no fruits and vegetables. Nothing is fresh. I am sure you can image what such weight gain can do to a young person body and self confidence for a lifetime to come. I was abuse when they gave me medication, that I was allergic too. And they refused to take me to the hospital for and EPI Pen shot to make my hives go away. I had hive and itching for about two weeks. They had me in the nursing station for about a week, then sent me back to my unit even tho I was miserable. Until week two a kind Night staff woman saw my condition and called the nursing station and threaten them if they didn't take me to the hospital she would call 911 for me. They immediately took me to the ER after two weeks of misery after being threaten by their own staff members. Please believe me when I say there is a ICU room and it is a basement they send kids who don't behave. I was sent there for a week for making a hand gesture at a boy. They strip you down and give u sweet pants and sweater. They treats you like your suicidal even if your not. No ties, shoe laces or objects. They put you in a plastic room and shut the door. If your quiet for 20 min they open the door and give you a chair, the. If your good again for 20mins they let you go to a desk to do write up punishment. They make you write essays about perfect behavior with a golf pencil. I personal know I am a stubborn and Spicy-child. But to be locked down in a windowless basement for not reforming to perfect Mormon lockdown rules is abuse. Not to mention they are kids down there that are really mentally ill. I was down there with a girl who threw her own poop on the plastic walls. A lot of regular teens are being put with kids that have sever problems like heavy drugs, sex and mental issues. If there are any parents out there reading this, please don't send your child to a place like this for normal teen issues. This place was a miserably and I had nightmares for a year after I left from all the abuse there. Not to mention the sever weight gain cause me sever problems with self confidence later and stretch marks. read more

Ok so I didn't want to leave a review but I'm now changing my mind. I'm 32 years old I attended heritage schools when I was 16 in a half until I was 18 and they couldn't keep me any longer. Now that being said I will start by saying being in this place helped me get an idea of the path I needed to be on to succeed but you know who helped me see that, not the school not the staff not the icu but the kids in my unit, unit 2 I was fortunate enough to have a good group of kids in my unit that helped me get thru the really hard times. I see a review in here stating that the parents are clueless to what happens this is 100% true they will tell you "When you come to visit your kid is going to lie and say all this crazy stuff to try and get home and get you to pull them from our school but it's normal cause we are getting off drugs and angry. But everything your kid is saying to you the school says isn't true is absolutely 100% true! If you send your kid to this school after reading the kids whom attended the schools reviews you're an absolute piece of garbage! And you should burn in Fucking hell! This school is very good at making them seem like the gods angels but they are the devil's Advocates! read more

Heritage School - Eat my ass heritage schools inc! They are truly the Devil's Advocates! - Middle Schools & High Schools Near Me - Provo, Utah

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https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/students-rights https://www.breakingcodesilence.org/heritage-schools-inc/ these are the two that come into mind. The school holds fun Friday or Saturday or something like that. Because students in the spark academy have documented disabilities they can issue notices to their therapists about their rights and be allowed to go on fun Friday regardless of behavior. its no different than schools that allow trips in public school and with reasonable communication with therapist there could be some circumvention from the point system. Regardless heritage is an abusive atmosphere medical treatments are not prioritized and the staff just look for ways to make money. parents should not send their children to this facility. staff are abusive: CONTRIBUTING TO SUCIDAL THOUGHTS BY SOME CHILDREN children especially with disabilites will suffer from falls and cramped spaces with other students who might be yelling constantly throwing chairs etc. Staff are quick to pass judgments and do not allow for unsupervised activites. thus being in nature like what Ian Frazier remarked IN PRAISE OF MARGINS or Wendell Berry documented about growing up is neglected Staff are not held accountable by internal reporting system. The winter can be harsh in Utah. Staff are not accommodating. There is rampant racism in the Heritage Academy Overlooked strengths, rigid rules all contribute to increased sensory overload and sensory overload strenghts at all being weakened. The staff also punish for not being socially acclimate and have unrealistic expectations. The Failures of Heritage Academy and the Harm to Vulnerable Students Residential treatment centers (RTCs) like Heritage Academy are often marketed as places of healing and support for struggling youth, especially those with disabilities. However, the reality for many students at Heritage Academy starkly contrasts with these promises. From abusive staff practices to neglect of medical care and unrealistic expectations, Heritage Academy exemplifies the systemic failures within RTCs. This essay highlights the mistreatment faced by students, the violations of basic rights, and the need for accountability and reform. Violations of Student Rights Students at Heritage Academy, particularly those in programs like Spark Academy, often have documented disabilities. In traditional public schools, students with disabilities are legally entitled to accommodations under laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This includes opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, such as field trips or special events, regardless of behavior, as long as communication with therapists or support systems is in place. Heritage Academy fails to uphold these rights. For example, during events like "Fun Friday" or other recreational activities, students' participation is unfairly tied to a strict behavioral point system. This system disregards students' disabilities and punishes them for behaviors that may stem directly from their conditions. With proper communication between therapists and staff, reasonable accommodations could allow students to participate, just as public schools make similar exceptions. Instead, Heritage Academy perpetuates exclusion and isolates already vulnerable children. Abusive Atmosphere and Medical Neglect Heritage Academy fosters an abusive atmosphere where the well-being of students is not prioritized. Medical treatments that would warrant hospitalization in typical settings are often ignored or downplayed. The nursing care at Heritage Academy is notoriously inadequate, to the point that the facility should lose malpractice insurance. This neglect jeopardizes the health of students, creating unsafe conditions that amplify their struggles. Staff at Heritage Academy are quick to pass judgment, often punishing students for behaviors that stem from sensory overload, disabilities, or emotional distress. Instead of providing support, staff contribute to further harm, including triggering suicidal thoughts in some children. In a setting where students are supposed to receive care, such negligence is unacceptable. Dangerous and Overstimulating Environments The physical environment at Heritage Academy is particularly harmful to children with disabilities. Students are often crammed into small spaces with others who may be yelling, throwing chairs, or acting out due to their own struggles. These chaotic settings create sensory overload, exacerbating the challenges _____________________________________________________________________________________Voicing yourself does little within the Heritage Academy system itself. ____ From what I have added to existing information: nursing at heritage specifically is horrible. they should lose malpractice insurance. Once a case at heritage which in real life would be considered worthy of hospitalization does not matter in strength to what exists at heritage academy. read more

I was sent here following a wilderness program and think I can give a good honest review. First are the staff. I have to say that most of the staff there were genuily nice people trying to help, even if they felt pretty under qualified at times. A lot of kids will embellish some sort of horror story about staff when in reality it's not true. This isn't to say that the staff were perfect, far from it. There were many times where staff were just out of touch with reality and the kids which makes it hard to cope with the stuff that happens there. Speaking of, the stuff that the kids do there is a real horror story. In my stay at heritage I witnessed a student go on a sexual assault and bullying spree that was not dealt with for months, in reality years. The culture inside the homes is extremely chaotic and full of drama and generally extremely loud frustrating and down right traumatic. During my time there I saw many people completely lose hope. The systems and therapy weren't bad but generally weren't able to handle the amount of stuff that happened. Even after all of this, I still came out of this a better more resilient person. However I seem to be a very rare case of success as most people I know don't have that same success story. Another thing is is that this is on average a year stay, not the 3 months parents are often sold on, and advancing to the final stage you need to before leaving called life is often overcrowded meaning you can't get in even if you should be able to. read more

Elevations Program-I am a special ed teacher in the morning for a local college, and I am A licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of California. We found this place through our educational consultant. Our family had been through a crime by a trusted neighbor of 10 years a repeated crime. Our child was adopted carried a mental health diagnosis and as mentioned victim of trauma and crime and in utero exposure. I cannot say enough for the parent support groups, the therapist, the individual therapy, the family therapy and the psychiatrist. This was my child's second placement. The personal interest and time that the staff took is amazing. my child unfortunately carries five or six diagnoses. I've stopped counting. I've stopped looking. This place help me sleep at night because I knew she was safe. This place helped me slowly regain hope. This place helped us with family, interactions, books, and techniques. The horses, the pool Were all pluses. We took time off from work to attend anything that this program offered even though it was out of state and we had to use our sick time or make up our work hours. We love the educational staff. They took time with us and many other parents when we were losing all kinds of hope. I would place my child back here in a heartbeat. My child also had a wonderful experience as a 14 to 15 year year-old. It was great that we got to know the other residence. And that my daughter felt connections and wrote to the staff after. If you're reading this as a parent, you're making a really hard decision. One that you never wanted to make , I wish you the best of luck and I know what helped a lot for me was reading other parent reviews. Hopefully this place will stay in business forever and continue to serve many other children in a child center healing way. read more

I do not recommend this facility. My daughter has a history of self-harm. She was a client here for eight months and, while she did finish high school here, she came out with more cuts and scars than she went in with. They told me they were doing EMDR for childhood trauma and they never did it during her time there. Her therapist talked more about himself than he facilitated free discussion during our family therapy sessions. This facility is one of the most expensive out there and I was left very disappointed for the investment that is required. read more

Parents are lied to from the get-go. No one tells you about the isolation rooms or the over-medication. No matter how much you investigate, you only see the pretty picture they want you to see. The parent weekends are manipulative of the whole family. I finally saw through it all and pulled my daughter. The counselors changed too often. Kids were strip-searched. If they tried to tell parents what happened, they lost privileges. It was pretty disgusting. I would NEVER recommend a treatment center to anyone after our experiences. read more

I was in this school in the late 80s. I witnessed and experienced extreme bullying, cruelty by staff, sexual harassment of female students by male staff, inappropriate use of serious medications, mental health issues treated as behavioral problems, blatant homophobia & racism, denial of medical care, and children left far more damaged than they had been when they arrived. Some people seek employment in these facilities because they want to help kids with their problems. Many seek employment in these places because they want access to children who lack credibility. I still have nightmares, and I'm 48. My life was changed & scarred. read more

This is an exceptional treatment center school for at risk kids like mine. Miracles happen and he is good now.

Heritage helped with some problems but also caused alot to if you are thinking about sending your child to heritage i dont highly recommend it but if you're okay with your child having bits and pieces of ther humanity taken from them then go ahead. My personal experience of this place went from terrible to bad to ok then bad again. My second week there i slept with a bed pole by my side because my life was threatened by another student. If your child is struggling with mental health then i recommend send them to a psych ward first and after being to a couple of them then look into SHORT term residentials and if there struggling with substance abuse then rehab becase some of the staff at heritage brought kids substances one of the staff the home manager of brighton "robert" so if your kid struggles with substance abuse then this is not a good place to send them and if they don't struggle with substance abuse they will once they get out read more

It is never okay to put children in isolation. There were other problems as well. Consider in depth family therapy, outpatient, working as a family instead of just focusing on your child as the problem, save your money, and your child from more trauma. read more

2013. 16 months of hell. Traumatized beyond repair from my times here, and still have nightmares 9 years after release. Any positive reviews from past clients are just a product of their brainwashing. ISA /ISU and not seeing the light of day once for months was exactly like prison, the entire space is a windowless, locked, concrete room with multiple cells, and about 3 rooms with bunks. People get send down there for as little as having a panic attack. You call that treatment? Therapy? That's punishment. My parents told me they had no idea I was in solitary confinement. So the program/therapists and staff lied to them said we only go down there a couple hrs, I was in there not seeing light for a month. Witnessing and experiencing abuse daily, and feeling unheard, unable to express true feelings due to shame, or having my "privileges" taken away. Staff use favoritism and if you are not their favorite, they treat you poorly or ignore your exsistence. Kids would self harm or feel suicial and staff would make the kid sit next to them, and just stare at their phone. Every childs experiences here are going to be different based on how they are treated. Many of the favorites get special privileges. If there was a Mormon kid, they were basically worshipped and got whatever they wanted. Staff would even give them snacks that we weren't allowed to have, and if you are non religious, staff judge and do not treat you fairly based on their own views. Most of the staff there, working with us on the unit, are 25 years old, with ZERO experience in mental health. They are not properly trained, educated, or qualified for these positions. I believe that only therapists should be working on/in a unit/home environment. Not immature, young, arrogant and sometimes abusive staff. Some of the staff can be caring, but will quickly be fired for not being authoritarian enough, or quit due to guilt and unable to handle witnessing what we go through and how we were treated. One of my school teachers played a song in class, and the song was sung by a gay man, well she got fired that next day. Heritage is MEGA Homophobic. A transgender person who went here is now dead due to suicide. And staff that worked there pressured the kid into doing it through social media. Too many people have died from here. Too many have died in this industry due to medical neglect as well. Nursing here is a joke. If we had a serious problem, they told us to drink water or take ibuprofen. Parents, you do not want this for your child. One phone call a week. Forced labor, gotta clean your roommates piss and shit at 5AM. 3 hours of major cleaning every sunday. Staff reading every letter you send, listen to every phone call and manipulate parents saying "every client here asks to leave, just dont pull them out." These programs are money hungry, profitting of child exploitation and abuse. Lucky if you get a warm shower, if you're the last group to shower in the morning before school. Staff watch every single thing you do, including shower time... The human rights are minimal. This is not treatment. It's a brainwashing and conditioning program to break children down to submission. We we're not criminals. There are more human rights in max security prisons... You want to leave so desperately, because you feel unsafe, alone, and unheard, and the program here manipulated parents, saying we are still sick or we are being entitled. There was no way to cry for help. Parents, being a child, and sent to somewhere like these in such crucial years... is unforgivable. My parents still shame me til this day and said it was good for me. I have nightmares weekly due to abuse, homophobia, grooming and isolation. The only positives I can take away...I graduated high school and got a diploma, and the music teacher Hans who no longer works there was amazing. Don't call yourselves a non-profit when you make billions $ off of sick people annually. https://www.breakingcodesilence.org/ read more

Spent 2 years here. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. Also the hardest. I've definitely become a lot happier. I've always struggled mentally and emotionally but this place has helped me to feel comfortable and safe. I have never been happier. Thank you to all the staff. I'm sorry I didn't do as good as I could have. I love all the staff there. I would highly recommend this place. Because of Heritage, I am happy and I can have a healthy successful life. Heritage is the reason I am alive and not in a facility somewhere else. Thank you guys. I will never forget what you did and will promise to be successful because of it. read more

Even though my son attended Heritage years ago and still struggles with certain issues, with the recent allegations against Provo Canyon, I want to let the school and everyone know, that while they are not "perfect" or a "magic" cure-all for emotional and behavioral issues, not a day goes by that I don't thank God for the time my son spent at Heritage. I will forever be grateful to my son's amazing team (Annie, Mua, Steve, Jen, Jarred ... and many more)!!!! read more

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD HERE! I was sent from UCLA, when I arrived I was told I would be there for 3 months but that turned into a year and a half. They over medicated us, were overly physical (ONE example, I couldn't wake up one morning from being over medicated and they called a Resource Team on me and dragged me down to ISU for over two months. I had no energy to fight back or resist so the 5 men manhandling me was unnecessary). I was pulled before aging out but my sibling had to stay longer in that hell hole. I would never recommend any parent send their child here, or ANY RTC program. They don't respect personal religious views, force everything and if you don't agree with staff for any reason, expect to sit in a hard chair or stool for a VERY LONG TIME with no privileges. Also anticipate having phone calls hung up early during your weekly 15 minutes if you decide to tell truths. Oh, and god forbid you start having signs of a disease while there, good luck getting healthcare. They deny services, tell you that you're making it up and/or crazy, treat you for what you don't have. I guess if you can accept and somehow justify in your mind sending your child here, expect them to be emotionally and physically abused and scarred. The pictures and campus might seem nice, yeah the equine program and tour are "nice" but once families leave, that's when the nightmare begins. Imagine being underground for months without light? Having to knock on a wall to ask to go to the bathroom? Not being able to go to the bathroom without permission? Being locked in a tiny room for extended periods of time with a drain on the floor? Constant strip searches? So many rights have been violated. My parents still have a hard time hearing the reality when any stories are told. None of us were perfect at that age, but this isn't the answer to your prayers. read more

If your child has an EATING DISORDER go elsewhere. If you do not want your child to be in a facility that ALLOWS BULLYING go elsewhere. Our daughter arrived at Heritage after completing 2 months at a hospital to restore weight. During the tour we were told that meals would be observed and Boost would be provided if meals were not finished. After being at Heritage for 6 days our daughter collapsed. Staff knew our daughter was only eating fruit and did not provide the supplements. She lost 9lb in 6 days and was immediately readmitted back into hospital. I have not heard anything to make me think they will fix this. AVOID THIS PLACE. In addition, we found out that bullying takes places at Heritage in front of staff and they say nothing to intervene. Disgusting behavior by staff to condone bullying thru inaction, with no repercussions for the bullies. This instills the behavior in bullies and causes mental stress on children that are already vulnerable. read more

I was forced to attend Heritage for about 8 months in 2006/7 when I was 16. I only got out before I was 18 because my mom realized how abusive this place is. Strip searches(occasionally with male staff present), kids being held in isolation for sometimes months at a time, overuse of medication to sedate students, rampant emotional abuse, and even one of the girls I shared the unit with was r*ped by a female staff. They said they had a relationship, but children can't consent to adults obviously. Especially adults with complete power over them. Everything about this program is manipulative. If you say anything negative about it to your parents, you lose phone privileges for weeks at a time and get dropped levels. You pretty much would get dropped levels for anything the staff disliked. I don't know if it's gotten better since then, but I'm a firm believer that these places shouldn't exist. The people that run them only care about money, and not the actual safety of the children. read more

I cannot begin to explain how harmful this program is. I am diagnosed with PTSD from the abuse I experienced there. At Heritage I was put in restraining holds for the silliest things. One time I was restrained because I walked on the porch without permission- literally 2 feet away from the door. The staff purposely used male staff to touch and restrain me because they knew it triggered me. I once was placed all alone with a staff member in the basement as I had a meltdown. She took her phone out and started playing nursery music. I cried and asked her to please turn it off, and she told me "not until you stop acting like a baby." I am BEGGING you not to send your child here. I had to fake everything just to get out. We would frequently be woken up by screams in the middle of the night and told to all go sit in one bedroom. We sat there silent as we heard our peer(s) Scream and beg them to stop restraining and manipulating them for struggling. They also used us for a great amount of physical labor. We would spend hours upon hours emptying every shelf in the house, cleaning it, and putting everything back. We scrubbed toilets, cleaned showers, and spent hours waiting for staff approval that we did "well enough". The medical care was an absolute joke there. Good luck getting anything other than a cough drop. I know another student who was raped by a staff here but nobody believed him so nothing happened. There were times staff would snap and scream at us and threaten us. We were censored and the program made out complaints to our parents out to be "attention seeking" and "lying". Please, just don't send anyone you love here. I came out with imposter type syndrome and it took me months to realize how abused I was here. read more

Here I am 12 years after getting out.. where do I start. This is no place for a kid especially a teenager your only a teen once! I already had a hard enough time in regular high school cause of mental illness and learning disabilities. Crazy how they think abusing a KID with mental illness and basically teaching them to hide their feelings or they will be punished is a good idea. And just like everyone else mentioned the physical abuse and the "icu" that was basically prisoner solitary confinement. Do they not have studies that show what these types of things do to the human brain? Like yeah he's mentally unstable that's put him in 4x4 room alone. It really takes a toll on the human body storing so much trauma. And that's exactly what this place will give your kid trauma! A whole lot of feelings of being neglected/abandoned! Again 12 years after I have been released and I am talking about this stuff in therapy the place has given me more problems than I had before. The phobias and panic attacks this place made me develop make it hard to live a normal life. A lot of the friends I met there are dead on drugs or missing. I was hoping when I looked it up the place would finally be shut down. Sadly it's still open and I can only imagine all the pain the kids there right now are feeling. It hurts my heart!! If you are thinking about sending your kid here please read this and don't just dump your them to the curb cause they are a handful. They will not get proper treatment they will get institutionalized and traumatized! And if your reading this as a former student you are not alone and that was all real! You are valid!! read more

Our son was at Heritage for almost 2 years in 2011-12. His time there saved his life and our family! Not only does Heritage do a superb job of reaching kids that are hard to reach, but they work really well with the entire family. They not only helped our son, but helped us to more effectively relate with him. After returning home, he graduated High School a year early and continues to thrive as a young adult today. Lots of our kids have great difficulty discovering who they are. Heritage provides safe boundaries and optimal learning conditions for them to figure out the most challenging time of their lives while encouraging them to really become everything they can. I would highly recommend (and regularly do) Heritage to any family in crisis looking for a safe place to grow and nurture their family! read more

I attended heritage from 2013-2014. I went not knowing that it was a residential and when I got there, I was welcomed immediately into open arms and a campus full of people that strive for what is best for the client. Over my stay I learned healthy ways to cope and live my life without needing a outside source to provide it for me. Heritage is an outstanding school for all sorts of kids but particularly those on the spectrum and those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. I would strongly urge any parents who's kids are struggling to contact Heritage, it is the best place by far to attend and it really shows how much they care when they do extra stuff to make clients feel more "normal". Heritage hosts banquets periodically, and they have a prom set up as well as other dances and other fun activities. The therapy program at Heritage was key in my success and the added benefit of family therapy really sealed the deal for me! Anyway I hope this review helped you! read more

We experienced several residential treatment centers over the course of many years for one of our children. Heritage was horrible. When I checked our child out of that school, she was covered with bruises. She had become very depressed and suicidal. She was mistreated and abused. At the time, I thought we were doing the right thing by having her be placed with "professionals". Not so. Parents, make the necessary adjustments in your lives to keep your children home and give them the necessary guidance and attention they need during these critical years. read more

I was a student for 2 years starting in 2019. It's definitely a lot better than it was, but it is still horrible. abusive staff,cover ups, sexual violence, and constant use of restraints and protocols. I was a good student, and I had to just watch and sit there while my good friends got assaulted day after day, by students and staff alike. The program is designed to breed conformity, and the kids who get out are either the best ones at lying, or, very rarely, actually improved. read more

Reading some of the reviews on this site is shocking. Did these kids actually go to Heritage Spark? As a parent of a child who has been there for multiple months, I can vouch for how nurturing and safe an environment this is for neuro-diverse adolescents. The care plan is carefully coordinated by therapists, home staff, educators, and administrators, and carried out day-to-day by everyone on the team. Students progress through levels, but not in a punitive way. Heritage Spark understands the difference between getting kids to simply comply with their current environment versus teaching them skills to cope and thrive that they can carry home with them after Heritage. While individual therapy is once a week, family therapy is once a week, and group therapy is twice a week, the kids are constantly working on their skills and goals established in therapy because they are supported by trained coaches throughout the day. The medical staff, from the PNP to the nurses that take care of daily issues, are terrific and very communicative. They have taken my child to the urgent care and a specialist when needed. The residential staff are compassionate and nurturing, focused on "coaching" the kids through the kind of situations that they would struggle with at home. If I have a question, I email the home leads or the therapist, and they get right back to me. I feel like they really care about and "see" my child and my child's potential. Equally importantly, my child feels seen, and at the end of family visits goes willingly back to Heritage. Before you let the reviews by malcontents on this site terrify you, talk to the admissions people, tour the campus, and ask to speak to current parents. I just finished the parent workshop where there were dozens of other parents having the same experience we are. Heritage Spark is a great place for neurodiverse kids. read more

I spent almost 3 months (11 weeks) at Heritage. Without a doubt, that was the worst three months of my life. I am not exaggerating in the slightest. Luckily, my parents pulled me out of the program because it was a toxic, and unsafe environment and they could see that. But I wanted to write this review to warn people about the dangers of sending your child to this prison like campus. First of all, if you're mormon, you are going to receive special treatment in comparison to kids who are not LDS. I was not, and I was treated lower than some of my peers on the home who were mormon. The staff is mormon, the founder of Heritage is mormon, my therapist was mormon, and some of the kids attending Heritage were mormon as well. I would just be cautionary, and remember that. The girl on my home who was mormon could get a snack anytime she requested. While the rest of us had to wait until a definite snack time, or the next meal. If you have not done drugs, have not attempted suicide, self harmed, been put in juvenile hall, are extremely aggressive and violent (gets into fist fights with others), I would highly disregard this program for any individual who does not fit into that criteria. If you are like me, who hadn't done any of those things, and came to Heritage for anxiety, then I would recommend researching other programs, therapy, or schooling options to better fit your child. You will most likely be exposed to drug users, and live, sleep, go to school, and eat with them every single day. People cut at Heritage, using whatever they can available to them (i.e pencils, pens, scissors, etc) and talk about explicit topics openly (sex, cocaine, severe drinking, sexual activity, etc). I was exposed to many things that I didn't even knew existed, like how to cut my wrists, and where to get drugs. You will also witness fist fights, cussing, people threatening to hurt you. Many of the kids that attend Heritage right now in fact have been in juvenile hall or were almost sent there. Most of the time, I feared for my safety and whether I was going to make it through the night. If you don't want your son or daughter to be exposed to this, do not send your child there. If you are a parent and reading this, and depending on the relationship you have with your child, you will only be able to talk to your son/daughter twice a week at most. You get family therapy, which is supervised by your therapist and you go over modules and skills in the SPARK notebook (the program they have there) and - like I said prior, if you have a good relationship and progress enough in your program, you will be able to receive 30 minutes maximum supervised or unsupervised to talk to your child per week. That's 120 minutes per month. You are not allowed, AT ALL, to communicate to your parents what you dislike about the program, and wanting to go home. If you do, they will end the phone call, revoke your phone call privileges, and a visit will be pushed further into the future. What I don't understand exactly is how "healing" that really is for a child to be isolated from practically any communication with their parents. Some kids had been there for almost half a year, and had only talked to their parents a couple times over family therapy. And don't get me started about the staff there. There's an actual law that states that there needs to be one staff to four kids. And our home was so severely understaffed that sometimes we would only have 1 staff, and there would be nine girls on the home! And the staff that we did get were Mormon, college students who had no prior experience working at a treatment center. Some of them, that was their first job! And not that some of the staff did not have good intentions, but they mistreated a lot of us. They would belittle me constantly, and there was nothing I could do about it. To mention schooling, it is absolutely pitiful. The teachers are nice, but that's as far as it goes. The curriculum was the worst I've ever seen, they didn't give us lessons, the teachers just handed out paper and expected us to ace it. If you didn't, you would be put on academic probation and lose all your privileges. I only got in a hold once, but grown men are allowed to hold you down and pin you to the floor. They can restrain you and do whatever they want, and I was bruised for about two weeks after. You don't have any right, or say in anything. And I only read this later, but my parents told me they only said that they"held my wrists", and they did way more than that. My parents would've pulled me instantly if they knew what was actually going on! And depending on the therapist you are assigned, you progress in your program slower or faster. Like some therapists, would give visits sooner than others, while others would take months to approve just one. I warn you NOT to send your child there. While I was sent there for my anxiety, it got so much worse I would throw up over it. Whatever you do, don't send your kids there! read more

Heritage School is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I still use the tools they taught me from age 16-18. I was on unit ten, then known as the thought disorder unit. They had a special level program on that unit, We went to school and also did recreational therapy, as well as individual therapy. Not only did they have horses to ride as part of the treatment program, they had a swimming pool. If we did well, they took us on outings to teach us positive coping mechanisms to deal with our day to day life. They built a church on campus. Before I left, they built a gymnasium with a basketball court, rock climbing wall, and a racquetball court, as well as new classrooms. They had amazing teachers and elective classes in which one of them was teaching us how to play the piano. Each student in that class was given their own piano keyboard in which to learn during class. They are some things no child would like, which was ISU(intensive Support Unit), where if you were a danger to yourself or others or were going through some type of crisis, you were sent there, when you are sent to ISU, you have to do writing assignments on why you are there. There is also seclusion rooms called PSR(Personal Separation Rooms) in which they put you in. they have what they call resource members, in which if there is a problem with a student they would go physically restrain them. ISU was one of the best things that could happen to me, because there was caring staff on that unit that are there to help you. I graduated Heritage High School on February 14th 2003. Three days later, I turned eighteen years of age. You know what is really awesome about Heritage, they pay for the trip for family to come visit, and they pay for a luxurious hotel so you can visit your family on Thanksgiving and on Christmas. If you do well, you can get a plane trip to whichever state your family is in. The majority of clients at Heritage, are from out of state. Heritage is located in Provo, Utah, and I am from Southern California. When I graduated from Heritage High School, I was given a nice graduation ring that means ENDURE TO THE END- keep trying no matter what happens to you. my boyfriend recently got me a replica of that ring because the first one I had was stolen from a safe in the hospital. Even After I graduated, I still spoke on the phone to the staff that were on my unit. Several years later, here I am attending San Bernardino Valley College. Heritage gave me two back to back scholarships and I am receiving straight A's. Another great thing about Heritage is there Performing Arts Program and each year they put up a play such as West Side Story, or the wizard of Oz, or I cant think of the other play they did. I wasn't involved in the play though. The only thing that I do not like about Heritage is that when they first get admitted they give you a strip search and whenever you come back from a home visit they strip search you as well. But overall, I still use the tools they taught me to this day. I still major clean my room every Saturday and I still make my bed in the morning. I still write out my feelings on paper or in a journal when I am upset, I still take an individual time out when I feel I need to step away before dong something stupid. I am glad I went to Heritage School rather than Provo Canyon in which I was told was a whole lot worse. Heritage was the best thing that ever happened to me. Stella M. Grosso I graduated from Heritage School on February 14th 2003, near my 18th birthday and now I am 30 years old in the year 2016. read more

Horrible, just gave me more trauma than I came in with. Being there made my issues worsen and made me more suicidal than ever. They do not know how to handle situations nor mental illness properly. Not to mention, 'students' barely have a voice. Don't even get me started on the scoring system. Everyday you're scored 1-4 on everything you do and can be extremely biased depending on the staff scoring you. Bullying goes untreated and staff will do nothing about it (this includes speaking up for you) and will even act oblivious to it. They don't seem to care about any health issues other than inflicting harm on yourself. The ""nurses"" will usually just use water as a solution to everything, and even when you do harm yourself they'll wrap it at most. Speaking of self harm, they do essentially nothing about it and it can get very extreme. Rarely do they actually take any action on it. In addition to all this, the rules are awful and therapists are inconsistent. You only get therapy once a week (not including family) and sometimes you won't get it at all. There have been instances where therapists just decide to go on vacation at any given time and their clients won't receive any therapy for up to weeks. All of this combined makes any kind of progress here go incredibly slow. Heritage may be "better" than other long term treatment options, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it. read more

I read the reviews and am so saddened by these feelings. Our son was admitted a few years back and does the hard work on a daily basis. The staff, residential team, the clinicians and the supportive team have provided a structure to learn how to cope with his anxiety. The process of learning how to manage extreme anxiety during the teenage years is very difficult and Heritage is a leader in this model. My son is gaining the confidence and implementing the tools provided with others and is thriving academically. This experience, while very difficult, has proved to be exemplary. read more

I was having problems getting along with my parents and managing stress at home. Heritage helped me better manage my response to stress and how to respond properly to anger. I think I left heritage better than if I had not gone there. Without heritage I would have been kicked out at 18 and either be in jail or on the streets. I am currently working as a data center Engineer. My job is to connect and maintain large corporate computer systems and make sure access to online websites and applications stay online 24/7.I also am living at home with my parents to save money for my own house or apartment.In addition I now own 2 horses. read more

My son is currently at Heritage and I can say with all honesty it is saving his life. The entire program is top notch! I truly believe the entire staff from the top down cares what happens to my son. Extensive counseling, rec therapy, family therapy, group therapy, off and on campus activities. Without Heritage I shudder to think where my son would end up. read more

Started with serious doubts about how much any RTC could help my child. I am so pleased with Heritage. They have wonderful, talented, concerned staff, which is the best component about Heritage. My daughter consistently had the same therapist throughout her stay. It made a huge difference. She played organized sports (part of the therapeutic process) and she came to love it. She learned how to get along with others. The facilities are great. Horses with inside riding ring, indoor pool, large gym, well-equipped but not luxurious housing, all with a back drop of spectacular mountains. After 18 months, she finished the program and came home. The skills she learned are serving her well. She is thoughtful, smart and funny. So glad she went to Heritage. read more

This school was the absolute best and I could not have asked for better parents!! Granted I am coming from a background where I attended private boarding schools since I was twelve, so a lot of the things that really bothered everyone else didn't bother me. Yeah, we couldn't swear, couldn't talk back to our staff and were not allowed to do things like drugs, get tattoos, etc (anything that would ordinarily not be allowed in any public school either) but I can say that my four years at Heritage were hands-down the best four years of my life. (I'm 22 now). The staff treated us like their own children and were some of the kindest most wonderful people I've ever met. One man who worked there encouraged me to pursue my musical talent and I still write songs and am looking to start making my own records. I had a great group of friends some of whom I am still friends with today. One of my favorite memories was having a "festival of colors" which was the staff brought in bags of crushed up chalk and we ran around for two hours throwing it at each other. It took WEEKS to wash all the purple out of my ears by the end of it. I played every sport the school offered and I overall had a really amazing time. They have horses, a pool a private theater, and everything you could really dream of in a high school. To anyone considering sending their child to Heritage please do. It would be a disservice to them not to and they will have an absolutely amazing time. It takes a village to raise a child and I'm so proud to call this school and they're amazing staff my parents and my family!!! read more