Great video Reckless Ben. Way to expose the school! I rly liked the part where the kid got solitary confinement for stealing a bag of chips

Based on public records and detailed reviews from 2024 through 2026, recurring complaints describe residents being left unsafe around peer violence and inappropriate touching; punitive "stabilization," isolation, restricted communication, and restraints; medication problems or delayed medical care; unsanitary conditions and poor food; limited meaningful therapy, education, recreation, or discharge planning; invasive searches and inadequate privacy; and staff mockery, retaliation, or inaccurate incident reporting. Reviewers also repeatedly say advertised amenities such as the pool, ropes courses, and climbing walls were unavailable. A minority of reviewers praised individual clinicians or said the program helped them, but that does not erase the consistency of the adverse accounts or their overlap with independent regulatory findings. One of the most disturbing items is an official Provo Canyon School article published June 30, 2026. It presented a 7-to-14-day communication "blackout" as beneficial, explaining that direct parent-child contact would be paused so teens would be forced to rely on staff and peers rather than call home to vent or "ask to be rescued." The article also warned parents that children might beg to leave and characterized reduced defiance and acceptance of the environment as progress. Because it referred to "many facilities," the article alone does not prove PCS imposed this policy on every resident. It does show the school endorsing a structure that removes a newly admitted child's independent family-reporting channel and primes parents to discount a genuine plea for help. Utah Code 26B-2-123 requires weekly confidential family communication, while the current licensing rule requires individualized documentation and written approval for modifications and says a blanket practice cannot satisfy that requirement. A true 14-day blackout, or any restriction that eliminated weekly confidential contact, would conflict unless an approved exception applied. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry warns against withholding family contact, and a 2024 Senate investigation of Universal Health Services and other operators found that residential treatment facilities often cut children off by limiting family communication and documented both staff-on-youth and youth-on-youth sexual abuse. This does not prove the PCS article caused any specific abuse, but it explains why this kind of isolation can make physical or sexual abuse harder to report and detect. These concerns are reinforced by Utah's 2026 findings. After a resident was assaulted, knocked unconscious, and left with life-threatening head injuries, regulators found that PCS had failed to act on documented threats and transfer requests, failed to protect the child, and delayed emergency care by arranging non-medical transportation instead of calling 911. Utah later revoked both campus licenses, citing chronic noncompliance that included failures to protect children from violence, unsafe restraint and behavior-management practices, abuse and mistreatment, inducing pain for compliance, punishment intended to frighten or humiliate, deprivation of water, rest, or toileting, retaliation for reporting rights violations, and failures involving staffing, background checks, medical care, sanitation, and incident reporting. These were regulatory findings, not merely social-media allegations, and they are difficult to reconcile with the school's marketing of close supervision, medication management, intensive therapy, education, and recreation. The operator disputes the revocations and has appealed, but I would not consider placement here unless the documented failures are resolved through transparent, independent, and sustained compliance. read more

My name is Ricky Schmidt and I just read the Paris Hilton story and I can say that despite the claims made by the new ownership of this school I will state firsthand that nothing has changed since the time that Paris Hilton went here. There are staff at provo canyon that are truly amazing and really don't deserve losing a job but I say to these staff that losing your job should be worth it when it comes to shutting down decades of unchecked and raw abuse! I cannot say this enough parents DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS HERE! it will only cause them to have more trauma then they walked in with. read more

hello, my name is Savannah and I'm coming here today to speak up with Paris Hilton's story. I am just another survivor out here. I am currently 17 years of age and will be 18 very soon. I have struggled with mental illnesses since I was a little girl. If you are reading this and you can relate, I just want you to know that I hear you. When I was 13, 14, and 15 me and my mother had a very bad relationship that led to more behavioral and mental health problems with myself. I was on probation that whole time and got off February 2025 when I was living with my ex. We only had lasted together for 8 months and when I moved back in with my mother I had ended up moving out again to Idaho state which would have changed my life together. I had got put in the Idaho foster system which is when things started falling apart more. I then became an alcoholic and a drug addict to the point I was put in a facility called Stewarts of recovery located in Idaho Falls and I ran twice so my caseworker had decided to put me in a locked down called odyssey house until i did the same thing. She had to put me in a higher facility and that just happened to be Provo Canyon School. I really wanted to go home and build a better bond with my mother so I walked in with a good mindset until things fell apart even more. Yes, Provo Canyon School may be run by different management now but things are still the same. I got to the school on October 10th 2025 and was discharged February 17th 2026. The staffing there is so bad to the point the kids there get whatever they want. I remember my first week there I had watched a staff member restrain a girl while another girl was stomping on her head during the restraint. I watched her get dragged out with blood gushing down her face while she was going unconscious. A few weeks after I was there another peer had touched me inappropriately so I had begged to move rooms. I was forced to talk to her about it even though I had asked them not to say anything. They called it a " Conflict of resolution". The whole thing was just a huge mess. I was sent to stabilization for "safety" and I was locked in a room for hours leading me to panic. The staff sat there and watched while laughing and kicking me. My therapist who was very good to me came in while it all happened and eventually helped me calm down. He told the staff I could go back to the open cottage but once he had left the staff started yelling at me trying to get me jumped by other peers. The staff are constantly gaslighting kids and violating kids' privacy. They call that hip a violation! All of this stuff has just caused me more trauma. Honestly, Yes i have worked on myself but they did not help me... I helped myself!! Since I have been home I guess it has just felt weird because I was so used to living in fear everyday at that facility and now I feel very safe and released. I felt so unsafe to the point I acted like I had no depression or problems just so i could get out very fast but i also knew that i was safe enough to do that because I've worked through my problems myself considering i am almost an adult and i needed to learn how to handle life maturely. Like people say "There is no leaving that place". They will hold you there for years and torture you. In my 4 months there the only time people really got to leave was when their parents would pull them out due to the safety concerns of the environment. They don't care about anyone because they are not the ones who have to stay. They get to go home! I am speaking for the rest of the kids in that facility because their program gets held over a realignment or a yellow shift. The staff bring the kids down every single day and the only time the kids like a staff is when they talk badly about another peer they have problems with. Provo Canyon School truly does need to be shut down due to the environment. They allow kids to pick out tile from floors or walls to use as their self harm tool. I once heard a staff member tell a kid to cut deeper next time because they were mad. There is blood all over the walls, toilets, toilet paper, napkins, etc. It is very unsanitary. When I was sent there the website says there was a pool and rock climbing wall but that was all just a scam. The things the website says are not true at all. They lewer kids there just so they can pick more victims. That place is supposed to be a safe environment but in all reality even the kids who go in with autism or disabilities get jumped and made fun of whether by peers or staff. There are roaches here and there and at one point there were bed bugs. Provo Canyon School needs to go before things get worse. Kids get hurt in their sleep whether by staff or kids. I've been wanting to post this for so long but the reason I chose not to was because my mom was terrified that if I did before I was discharged I would have been severely hurt and tortured even more. Remember where you are sending your kids too. Remember you are loved. read more

I've already left a review from when my son went there probably 20 years ago the staff at these schools are not educated and have no degrees. These type of schools are owned all by the same person. They're in it for the money. They do lie to you and when kids call home if they say anything negative, they are punished. There is a documentary about these schools on Netflix. You should watch it. Don't send your child to any of these schools. they will mess him up. read more

Sending our 12 year old son to Provo Canyon School was the worst decision we have ever made. His medications were not handled properly, and his diagnoses were never officially complete while he was there, which had to be done after he returned home and was very detrimental to his wellbeing. They even changed his medications at the time of discharge, when one of the main reasons we had him there was so med adjustments could be made safely in a facility rather than at home. When he came back, he was not the same child, and his time there only made things worse. read more

They were diligent about getting my true diagnosises. My therapist was AMAZING and everyone in the clinical team were great. I actually graduated from there and I truly needed to be there. read more

If you want to have your child put in solitary confinement that they call Nebo.You will be straight up lied to, while having all the written proof in emails.... they literally don't care. The kids there have a couple hours of "school" and no other activities planned at all. They literally teach them no coping skills, no life skills, they have "therapy" one day a week. If they tell the therapist they're having bad thoughts, they go right back into solitary confinement. Not even joking. They are sat in a room on a bed. They cannot leave and they can't even talk to other kids that might be in there as well. That's cruel, and illegal but they do not care. You put your trust that your kids will be safe and learn something from a facility such as Provo Canyon, and they get put into pretty much lock down jail. The website and voicemail says they have a pool, among other things, they do not have a pool or any other things listed on the website. That's what you get for thousands of dollars a day. It's not even about the money, it's about the treatment of all the kids in there. read more

At the Springville Campus windows are broken by kids on a regular basis. They put a board over it. This board stays for weeks and sometimes until there is an inspection from an outside entity. Vomit stayed in a drinking fountain for weeks until just before an inspection from an outside entity. Another drinking fountain was broken for months. There is a pool and other recreational structures shown on the website that the kids are not allowed to use. When meals are not available for the kids they send around a "snack cart" where the kids can choose from stuff such as packets of peanut butter, crackers, fruit snacks, chips, etc. The nurse overdosed my kid twice on the medications, adjusted and administered medication without my consent. She refused to follow up as requested by my child's specialist, delaying treatment. Staff would not follow directions for administration of my child's prescription. The therapists could not keep track of what was discussed in family or individual sessions. 10-minute Monthly Treatment Team Meeting. Yep - 10 minutes. This is the time allotted for the parent to discuss their child's treatment. Most therapy consisted of talks about group homes, independent living, hormone blockers and other transitioning drugs or procedures. All not available to my child. A therapist left, a supervisor advised me that we were looking at discharge soon as my child had done so well in the academic part of their program. My child never needed help in the academics. The new therapist essentially deceitfully fought to discuss sexual matters with my biologically female child after recommending to me that my child's care be transferred to a female therapist. His supervisor trusts him and nothing I said was even considered. I contacted the man in charge (I think). A new therapist was assigned. A couple of weeks later the newest therapist started saying that my child "is going to graduate high school in January and so he "might" have to discharge at that time". I tried for weeks to get info that was not a might or maybe... Apparently no one in Provo Canyon knows the rules/policy for when a child graduates high school. I worked on trying to get insurance to approve a transfer and applications for other facilities to accept my child. Those other facilities all knew their policies for graduation within minutes. My child was denied admission to another facility due to high suicidality, per the referral sent by Provo Canyon School. The therapist was again trying to fast track my child's high school credits January 10, Notice of Discharge at the end of January emailed to me. No discharge plan for care after discharge. Jan 13th I was told suddenly My child has all the credits to graduate by the end of January... even though extra schoolwork was supposed to have been stopped. My child reported worsening symptoms. Referrals needed from Provo for applications for services are not being sent out in a timely manner. Therapist informed me the Cottage where my child resides - the kids have not had the availability of a hot or even warm shower in weeks. My child says heaters are turned off at night and other kids who don't have as many blankets are freezing. Staff have a portable heater at their desk. Administrative office areas have heat. My child was injured in a sledding accident when the hit metal soccer poles. No call from the school. Not a single person at Provo Canyon School knows what is going on with my child - educationally, socially, emotionally, or mentally. My goals for sending my child to another state for Mental Health Treatment: #1- Help my child in regard to unhealthy thoughts. End Result: Increase in variety of unhealthy thoughts. #2- Help me understand my child's unhealthy thoughts and reasons behind them so I can help my child. End Result: I am denied primary information needed to help my child. #3- Help me and my child re-establish effective communication and foster a relationship. End Result: Increased distance in our relationship due to them telling my child things and telling me the opposite. #4- Help get medication stabilized to assist with management of symptoms. End Result: Intentionally delayed by nurse consistently not completing follow-up lab orders in a timely fashion as requested by outside medical specialist and medication changes without consent of parent or medical specialist, some that overdosed child. Delayed due to the refusal of staff to administer medication appropriately, per instructions. Also delayed because Provo Canyon did not have enough of the prescribed dosage to fulfill the prescription. Still in progress and not complete. End Result: Zero Goals Accomplished I came and got my child to remove my child from an abusive environment. Kids should have regular healthy meals, appropriate medical care, physical exercise, heat in the winter, hot water for showers, drinking water, etc... read more

I went to PCS in 2018, and I was in for 3.5 months. As someone who is now stable - and received professional schooling on mental health (to become a professional myself)- do NOT send your children here if you want them to heal, get them goal-based trauma therapy from a professional please. Getting CBT therapy with strong goals in mind after I left that place is what saved me and my mental health, and there was so much more work to do than if I had never set foot in Provo Canyon. This is not a recovery facility- it is a lockdown, for lack of better terms, a prison. We were thrown into isolation for hours, drugged beyond recommended doses, barely met with doctors before we were overly medicated (after one meeting I was on 5 medications with high doses and immediately cut down to two by another psych after being released), ignored when fights would break out, strip searched repeatedly by male or female staff, and there was little to no focus on improvement or recovery. If you were injured like I was, I had to beg to get treatment there for my head injuries, and after a few days they finally found I had suffered from a concussion and I had not been monitored AT ALL for any head trauma or brain damage. This place traumatized me in a way that set my progress back YEARS. I was on so many heavy medications that every day was a horror that I could not even begin to process, I could only experience it as a shell of a human. I was finally let go of after my insurance found there was absolutely no need for me to be there for my recovery process, and that I had in fact actually been further traumatized and set back by my time there. This is not what your child needs for healing and recovery, I beg you to consider alternative options. Look at these reviews, there are even former staff members urging you against it. Look up Paris Hilton's testimony about this place and the horrors she went through, let alone all of us former students who have left reviews here about our own traumatic experiences. read more

I really loved it here for the most part. The "higher ups" could have been more active on the floor and less shitty people but other than that this place did wonders for me. read more

I've never been to pcs but when I was in Vista del mar I met a lot of kids who told the horror stories about this place. It's a hell hole I wouldn't send my worst enemy too. If you have trouble kid or kids i highly recommend Vista Del Mar in LA. It saved me from abusive parents and myself. read more

This place is absolute disgust. The teachers here have no respect for the kids, & they force you to undress in front of grown men & adults. They isolate you in a cell, and over medicate you to the point where you are unconscious! This needs to be shut down immediately. read more

If I could give this review less than one star I would. Here this is where my parents sent me for three months. After being taken away at 4 o'clock in the morning by two big escorts Told I had five minutes to pack my bags everybody deserted me I was left alone taken to an airport from Chicago to Utah at 16. For months, I was there sitting on the desk for months. Starving, sleeping on a camping cot in the hallway with the lights on on suicide watch even though it was just a punishment I was not suicidal. I told you if you would not obey them they would stick you in a room , Pin you down, inject you with a heavy sedated, and throw you in a cement wall and floor room, naked. I had to sit at a desk with my feet on the floor and my hands on the table for months.I had her story. Everytime I had to use the bathroom after a meal, I was forced to hold it over an hour. Then I can go. My parents have proof I'm sure the letters I wrote them I would write them letters about how awful they were I would write my parents letters home about how awful it was. I later found out the staff knew everything I was talking to my parents about and I would get in trouble because they were reading my mail prior to sending it out and they were also monitoring the few phone calls I got in the beginning before they took it away from me. I could not see or talk to my parents for three months they had no idea what was really going on. Don't send your child here this place gave me PTSD. And many other issues That come along with abuse. read more

I was there in 2020. The amount of times I've seen staff overly drug girls who were not "acting" right. Being put in isolation was another thing they did as a punishment. Staff will purposely provoke girls, laugh in their faces, and verbally abuse them. The food was absolutely horrible and usually made us sick, but you had to finish it. Everyone had to take medications everyday. They always found something wrong with you read more

Shut this fucking hell hole down! There is lots of abuse still happening here. Also they are supposed to teach us here like a school and they didnt even ask me what grade I was in and they put me in a class where I knew everything. When I returned to school in Michigan I had to start the whole year I missed over. What a waste of time. Also they promised us horseback riding and a bunch of other things which did not happen. Don't send you kids here! read more

I was there in 2006-2007....I was horribly abused there...made to undress in front of staff (including males). They claim to not be religious, but you got brownie points for going to their Mormon groups. I was in isolation..in just my underwear because I "coded" my journal so they couldn't read it (they read our private journals and would punish us if we wrote something negative about the "school" or staff)...I wrote mine in a coded way so they couldn't understand it, but I could.... They put me in a brick isolation room with no bathroom and just a tiny window to see the inside of the rest of the building (not outside as in sunlight). Apparently I was at the window too much...I had 3 staff run in and basically jump me (I wasn't being aggressive and never was, I was there for depression and selfharm). I was smashed into the hard brick wall by the staff...broke my skull. I was literally deformed due to it (both eyes swollen and black, nose tripled in size)...they didn't take me to the hospital. My dad visited later on (a couple weeks) and saw how I (still!) looked, so they finally took me to a real hospital to get an exam and x-ray...yep, fractured skull in the front and the left side...I still suffer effects from it. The "school" was a joke. Terrible, unqualified "teachers". I was supposed to be doing precalculus (I was a junior, always in AP classes before). They didn't have math teacher who knew precalculus. I was forced to sit in the back of an Algebra class and do problems out of a book by myself and attempt to teach myself precalculus!!! The only decent teacher was the business professor. He actually seemed to care and be concerned about the abuse he was witnessing. He didn't do anything about it, but he was knowledgeable and kind... literally was the only one. All the staff treated us like we were less than dirt. They also limit communication with the outside (family, friends, etc). I got one phone call with my parents a week...in front of the therapist. They knew they were in the wrong and didn't want anything to get out. They also discriminate horribly. If you're Wiccan or Atheist; watch out!! They will certainly target you for extra abuse. I could go on forever about this vile place. The one star is just for the food, it was alright.. DON'T SEND YOUR KID TO PROVO!!! This place needs to be closed down permanently. read more

I give this the lowest possible rating I can cause I was at the girls campus in may of 2020 and the way they treat the residents is horrific! I've seen students there get literal broken bones and bruises from staff abusing them and I've personally had my wrist sprained well there . All they do there is beat you, drug you and isolate you. They get away with what they do because if you go and try to write a grievance form they tell the staff what your saying and then all of a sudden the camera weren't working at that time and no other staff members saw it happen. They genuinely cause kids who already have enough issues in there life way more. DONT send your kids there it's not worth them having to go through that! read more

I went to pcs starting in September 18, 2018. I despised it most of my stay but there were moments where I liked it. They eventually had to find a different residential because they could not keep me safe. I went through a lot of therapist but the one that really help was Jennifer. She left before I did but if she stayed I probably wouldn't have had to find a different place. They were abusive with restraints, especially Phill when he broke someone's back. I thankfully left before all the staff from the boys campus came but I had some bad experiences as well. I miss all the staff I made connections with but I'm happy to be doing better. They food is okay it obviously could be better but if you end up getting hospitalized and you have an opportunity to choose where to get put choose Uni, the food is amazing haha (I'm jp) if you're reading the reviews to find a place for your child don't choose PCS, they moved me to Copper Hills and I would choose there. I know you don't get a choice, you apply places and then they approve you or not but if you get to choose, choose Copper Hills read more

my sister was in there for two days. never let your kid step foot in that facility. she has had cysts and abdomenal pain and has a 504 plan.She had to get out of her seat in class and sit on the floor because the pain was so bad and the teacher flat out called her a lair. it IS ABSOLUTELY a lockdown facilit. they aren't even allowed in there rooms during the day. she normally has three meds she takes including abdominal pain meds. they gave her FIVE. she didn't know what they were. watch the Paris Hilton review and trust me everything she says is true. this facility needs to be locked DOWN. read more

Provo Canyon is not a school. It is a prison. I was a prisoner there from 2005 to 2007. And I witnessed really sadistic child abuse that happens every day inside this place. 1) Drugs. Literally every child in there is forced to swallow a cup of pills three times per day. Dr. Pearson should be in jail for prescribing me 2400 milligrams of Seroquel. Mind you, this is more than triple the maximum dosage that is prescribed to adults. It made me drowsy like a zombie. This is such gross medical malpractice. And he does this to almost every child. 2) Verbal abuse. Staff were constantly yelling at us and insulting us. And then they would punish us for little or no reason. I think it was their goal to break us down physically and mentally. 3) Solitary confinement. They lock children in a freezing cement room called "observation." And they kept us in there for hours, days, and sometimes weeks in a row. Several times, I had to pee on the floor because they would not let me out not even to use the bathroom. And then the staff, Brandon Wild and Lorna Hall laughed at me and called me a filthy pig because of this. 4) Physical abuse. Staff were regularly beating us. And they would find excuses to escalate situations so that they could "Dial 9" and restrain us. I witnessed several teenage girls being dragged by their hair and thrown into the wall and punched real hard in the face by male staff members triple their size. Just witnessing this was traumatizing. 5) Inadequate medical care. It is ironic that they prescribed us so much antipsychotic drugs. But when I actually needed real medicine for my strep throat and 105 fever, they refused to give me antibiotics or bedrest. It was a real miracle that I did not die. I heard rumors that several children actually did die while at PCS during 1980's, 1990's, and early 2000's. They literally kill children. It is shocking that the local police in Utah do absolutely nothing. 6) Sexual abuse. Every child taken to PCS is automatically stripped (and cavity) searched. Some staff seemed to really take advantage of our helplessness. A lot of shady sexual stuff happened in the bathrooms. both students on other students and staff on other students. I myself was groped and fondled multiple times. 7) Forget about calling the police while there. The few phone calls we had were monitored by very same therapists who were the ones abusing us. (Larry and Wendy) To make a long story short. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN HERE!! They will only leave PCS with a lifetime of trauma and with so many more issues than which they came. read more

I placed my son in Provo canyon High. They gave my son someones else medication. I notify the school district in cal. and they did a full investigation. The school fired the person that gave out the meds. They would put him in isolation. read more

i was sent here by my parents when was 8-9ish (dont remember the year, but im 19 now), i was in there for 6 months before getting taken out by my parents, they were physically abusive, they would neglect my medical needs and give me medication for problems i never had, if you'd make even the slightest violent remark or action they would throw you with all the force of a police officer pining down a suspect of a murder that was running towards them with a weapon, straight into a concrete room that had nothing but a drain in it, once a kid broke my glasses and it took them 3 weeks to even care enough to order new ones, i once puked in the concrete room because they would, again, throw you in there forcefully, then they yelled at me for puking, then proceeded to force me to clean it up by myself when i had no experience cleaning, with nothing but a roll of very thin paper towel, they would only give you 7 minutes to shower and would physically remove you if you spent more then 8 minutes in there despite the fact you are a minor, given it did have some good things about it, if you where good there'd be a weekly movie night complete with chips, popcorn, candy and sodas, and at the end of every school semester the classrooms would be nothing but games and fun activities, even though they put me in a grade below what i was at because of my age, the school was the best part of the whole place, i had bowel issues that would cause me to randomly need to use the bathroom, like right that second, it was so bad that i eventually couldnt even feel it coming before it was too late, and instead of taking me to a doctor to find out what was wrong with my bowels, they would scold and punish me for failing to use the bathroom correctly, on one occasion forcing me to write 700 lines of "i will use the bathroom on time" and wouldnt let me go to sleep until i was done, they had a thing called the nothing program where they would strip you of all your belongings, putting them in a locked box in a place you couldnt get to, which included clothes, and they would put you in clothes they had, which often times would not be in your size, and they wouldnt put you in a bigger size either theyd put in smaller sizes, which would often cut of my blood circulation slightly, my parent had to eventually take me out of there because they forcefully pushed me up against a light switch because i threw a fit after they would not allow me to go to church, my parent sactually took them to court over this, and dispite having overwhelming evidence against them, the judge ruled them not guilty and dropped the whole thing, only like 3 of the living space staff treated me like a human being, although all the non living quaters staff were amazing, this place gave me more ptsd on top of the ptsd i already had, this is the place they send the devil to scare him straight, dont send your kids here, its a fate worse than death. read more

pcs was wack they are no good i was there for 1year and 4months i just got out. the only staff you could trust is Yaya, Sean F, Susan, Tina, Anthony, Isaiah, Rob, and Trish. but dont send your kids there it is no help there punishments are no help it just has us want to act up more. read more

SMH, "new management" in 2000 but still the same stories. PLEASE, also read former employees reviews on Indeed who express their reality of this place & up to year 2020!!! . I imagine "parents" who still choose to send their kids here despite the (many) reviews are just looking for a way to get their child off their hands no matter the circumstances. Do not send ur kids here, unless you're just as much of a piece of shit like they are read more

I've worked here for a few years. Staff are rude and disrespectful towards the students, probably because they are overworked and underpaid. Kids are physically restrained and secluded in unsanitary (I literally have seen patients pee and rub their feces over the floors, walls, and door and the room was never professionally cleaned afterwards) cement rooms for things as small as walking away from staff. There are some staff who do care and try their hardest to make a difference in patients lives but it is extremely difficult to do this when upper management is not supportive and only cares about funding sources. When state and other regulators come to visit, PCS lies and hides things that don't meet state standards. Staff to student ratios are manipulated to look as if we have enough staff to provide proper care BUT IT IS A LIE! Once, brand new furniture and home decor were brought in to the students dorms to make it look warm and welcoming. Matching stuffed animals were strategically placed on top of comforters and blankets. Picture frames, vases, new rugs, and other cute decor was added to the common area. These things are NOT allowed for the patients safety and yet while the visit was here, it was all rolled out to make the cottages look warm and inviting. As soon as the visit was over, the staff were instructed to take it down and lock it away. On the stabilization and assessment dorm, they added an extra, illegal bedroom. The code for this unit is only 16 beds but with this extra room, they are increasing their numbers to 20. When state visits come, they lock the door and make it look like a closet. After working here for many years, I would NEVER, EVER send my own child to a place like this. read more

To whom it may concern, My name is Randall. Iam a graduate of Provo Canyon School of about 15 years. I spent 18 long months at Provo Canyon School and it was THE best thing that could have ever happened to me. From the age of 13 I ran away from home, was arrested several times and did things I hate to even think about. Deep down I just needed help. Provo Canyon School changed my life.Provo Canyon School Saved my life and Provo Canyon School saved my family. Simply put, regardless of what mental or physical struggles i was facing while at PCS I was expected to meet the schools high expectations. Hard day at school, so what. There are rules to follow as an individual and as a team/room/unit. Homesick, yep that sucked and on top of it I still had to be obedient individually and as a team. If your kid decides to make life choices like run away from home, do drugs, and break the law. Then your child is capable of graduating from Provo Canyon School like I did. In fact, when they are crying and complaining on phone calls that," hey this place sucks, they arent treating me well." Yada yada yada, then its time for you parents to pull up your big boy pants and say, "well son I wish you wouldnt have made the very choices you did to make it into Provo Canyon School. I hope you obey the rules and learn to be a team player fast so you can graduate and come home to us. Talk to you next week kiddo. Love ya! " The worst thing you can do as a parent is rip your kid out of this program prematurely. Remember, your kids big boy pants got him in here. Not you! So let him in there as long as PCS will keep him. As hard as the program was, I still call it home for 18 months of my life. Iam sooooo thankfully my parents had it in them to let me be there as long as it took. I am thankful for the roomates that I came to trust and care for while i was there. Iam thankful for the teachers and therapists and unit leaders. I have been back to visit several times over the past 15 years and while I was in the program I got to see graduates return to the school on occasion also. May God bless everyone that works for this program. It works. It saved my life and one day I will donate money to it. Randall #7 - Unit 6 Hoooyaaa PS - Do they still call Unit 4 - "Helmets" 1?1? lol :) read more

This school changed my life. It was one of the most challenging things I did my entire life. My parents had to make a very hard choice to put me here which I hated at the time but now that I'm a grown adult with my own children I completely understand why they did it. I think God everyday that they did make the choice to put me there because it definitely helped me to become a better person and reflect on things that I needed to change when I was a teenager. read more

Was forced to go here at 17 years old. One of the worst experiences I have ever had in my entire life. Regularly saw staff beat the s*** out of the kids unfortunate enough to be there (one so badly that he s*** himself). Left this horrific place significantly more messed up and traumatized than I already was going into it. I can't honestly believe this place is still open. NEVER. NEVER. EVER SEND PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT HERE! I wouldn't even send someone I hated here. read more

I was sent to this "school" around 1997. I can say that it was the worst experience of my life. It was abusive. I was mentally, sometimes physically abused. The staff was not trained nor had any education to understand the way to communicate with the girls that had varying mental and behavioral situations. Many had none of these. The girls were labeled and treated like animals. I am 40 years old now. I still think of what happened to me and others at provo canyon school. We were abused. Therapy only was available twice a month. It was quickly realized that therapy was not the goal. They kept everyone the until the insurance ran out, state time ran out, etc... the patients were there for money. We also were not allowed to contact any family members or friends, no mail no calls. I hope this may help a parent, or social worker. This place causes more harm. The is NO help in those walls. read more

Everything parents are shown about this facility is a facade. The photos on their website are an absolute joke. Through careful and systematic repression of speech of the children there, Provo Canyon School sells parents on a magic fix with swimming, activities, and family values, when in reality its success rates are dismal and they are hurting more children than they help. I can only speak on the female campus, as that is where I was, but it's one large building which reeks the way buildings do when windows are never opened. The pool and pretty pictures are from the male campus. You are dehumanized and your true struggles and needs ignored in favor of fitting you into an equation of typical mental illness, addiction, or adolescent behavior. Children are medicated and threatened into obedience through military structure. My head was shaved, I was kept in isolation (a little bare cement room), tied down, and shot up against my will (and without the consent or knowledge of my parents) with Haldol on a near daily basis for several weeks. My communication with my parents was restricted. You are not allowed to speak about abuse to your parents, or your own "therapist" will discredit you, claim you are manipulating, and you will be punished while they take time to convince your family that you're just crazy; nothing bad is happening to you. At one point I did not go outside for over a month, and I was restricted from speaking to any of my peers. This makes children better? I don't think so. I was demeaned by staff, repeatedly harassed by a male staff member, and I watched many other girls suffer through emotional and physical abuse and neglect. One girls lung collapsed from illness which went long ignored by nurses and staff. Fortunately for me, after being removed by my parents when they finally realised what was happening there, I have used the pain of the experience there to get stronger and thrive in life. I'm a productive member of society, who will always speak out against programs like this. Your children need you. They do not need to be abandoned to the hands of a FOR PROFIT INDUSTRY which runs a business by tricking parents and breaking kids. Your child's well being is not their top priority, money and deception is. Please don't be fooled. read more

There is an easy way to tell that Provo Canyon School does not Care about your child. They have no after program check ups, they do nothing to see if their work on your child is a success. I'm 40 years old, and the scars from this place when I was 15 to 16 will always be there. You have kids of rich parents with no time, with kids with a court order for violence, with kids who have deep mental issues, or even mild ones like autism, then you throw them all together without regard, put your knee on their neck. They are probably are no longer a Drug Testing center, (test doses on children) but they were. I have 4 kids of my own, I ended up ok. But that was from work to rid myself of what this place can do to you. If you're wondering what to do with your kids, do something else. This will only damage them, your relationship... permanently. Even if you're at your wits end and think it can't worse, you're very very wrong. Skip this, find another program if you've lost control. read more

Wow, this place was a living hell. I still have issues from this NIGHTMARE 20 years later! It didn't change anything. I just wanted to try all the stuff I hadn't when I got out of there. I was 10X worse at the things my parents wanted changed and when I finally grew up, I have massive abandonment issues. DO NOT DO THIS TO YOUR CHILD. IT DOESN'T HELP. read more

I was at provo canyon school for 3 years. Age 12-15. I had mild behavioral problems and ran away from my abusive home several times. I had never done drugs or even smoked a cigarette. Alot of people point out that pcs saved their life. I can say I was in an unsafe and dangerous environment, however, the trama and pain that I suffered at the hands of staff and therapists there was pretty emotional damaging. I went through 4 therapists in 3 years due to them quiting. I was place on so many anti-psychotics, and daily mild tranquilizers for when I was feeling an emotional outburst or seemed like I was getting worked up. Their process of Controlling you when you didn't do exactly what they said was to radio a dial 9. Where all available staff would full out run to your location and restrain your arms and legs lifting you off of the ground. I was carried belly to the floor down hallways and slammed on a cement floor while Lorna and Leslie processed to press my face into the floor, give me a booty injection of Haldol, and yelling at me to call down. Due to the fact that I was doing cartwheels in the gym when it was time to line up. This was not the first or last time I would be injected with a tranquilizer and made to sit Indian style or sleep in a cement room smaller than a jail cell. The physical abuse and medical neglect was bad, but I believe the mental damage done from the untrained staff was far worse. Being made to sit nose to the wall for hours without being told why you are being isolated will stay with me far longer than the cuts and bruises. If you do not head to any of these reviews please take a vested interest in providing your child with transitioning help coming out. I went from 3 years of institutionalization to sophomore year of a public school. There is nothing they do upon your approaching release to get you ready for non structured society. I am now 24 years old. Going to school to be a sign language interpreter, working a great job with no kids, but I Can't say any of the tools I learned there are why I am where I am today. I am a firm believer in behavior modification, but what went on there was definitely not that. They only teach u skills that will work in a controlled environment. Isolation is their number one behavioral control tool however u can not always remove your self if your boss, professor, Co worker makes you upset. Leaving you feeling helpless and emotionally shocked when u enter back into society where the tactics you lived by no longer apply. read more

I'll keep this short. I was held prisoner here from 97-99. I am now a somewhat high functioning, married, mother of one daughter AND continue to struggle with chronic PTSD symptoms in direct relation to abuse incurred in this facility. I have a pretty amazing life and husband, to say I am blessed is an understatement. But this is all in spite of Provo Canyon School. My mother is not a part of my life, and that IS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF PROVO CANYON SCHOOL. Yes, you read that right. Despite the many years of post PCS therapy I have received, I am still unable to forgive her for abandoning me in THIS facility and do not trust her to be in my daughters life as a result. Please parents, I know you're desperate to help change your kids course in life, and you're hoping this is going to be "it". But please, look elsewhere. Do your due diligence. My story is not typical, and I have gone through literal hell to get here/through the trauma of this facility. This facility has been open since the 70s - why isn't anyone singing its praises? I am aware of one other "success story" (a woman who is deeply emotionally and mentally scarred but high functioning within societal standards). This woman has also cut all ties with her family because of deep rooted resentment for abandoning her in the hands of these predators when she was most vulnerable. The rest are dead, convicts, prostitutes, have contracted HIV, long term heroin addicts, homeless/living on skid row, porn stars, abandoned their own children, etc, etc - and THEY are the TYPICAL outcome. Do you believe it can't get any worse? Please, listen to what I'm about to say: It certainly can get worse! And it most likely will if you send your child to this facility. No matter what, it is a lose-lose situation. Do you really want to play the odds? Find somewhere else, please. read more

I went to a hell hole called cascade. I met quite a few students who had been inmates here. They all said it was far worse - stuff that's not legal like making kids work 12 hours chopping wood in the snow - worse than cascade. I cannot imagine as cascade was closed due to many many lawsuits and death of a few students. I myself (1992) had hepatitis from contaminated food I was served almost died. They refused to take me the hospital and my liver is not the same. Honestly, just love your kids bc sending them to receive abuse - sexual, physical and psychological will only screw them up more. read more

I went to this school boys side in 2000 - 2002. I would of agreed with all the bad reports then. But before I went when I was 16. I was locked up most of my life from 12 to 16. I didn't care. Hell I left juvenile hall in shackles to go there. Imagine first time flying and then add shackles. The school maybe all about money but the staff. The ones that care. Take u under there wing. I was molded by the best men and women. I'm now the man and father I am today because of them. They saved my life. Out of the friends and kids I knew before going 33 friends died of over doses. To hard drugs like haroen, ghb, meth. If I didn't go I would of been with them or locked up. They saved me after getting out. I stayed out of trouble. I knew respect for my self and others. I knew how to say no and see what and who was worth being in my life. So say what you want but I thank u PCS and all the staff that worked there right down to the cooks, Landry lady and the barber. Also thank you to the staff that's there now. I'd send my kids there if God forbid they go down my path. Ur sending ur kids here to change because u can't control them. If you want to baby them send them to the ymca. U want them to be better send them here. Thanks Mike Bohne read more

DON'T PUT YOUR CHILD HERE! They do more harm to your child. My daughter started self-mutilating during her stay and now has scars which is a permanent reminder of their abuse. They put her in stabilization isolation, a room with four walls and just a small door to look into the room with no toilet, just a drain to urinate or deficate into. They turn down the temperature, leave the child there usually 3 days with no human contact or care whatsoever. Most of their social workers assigned to the children are interns with no clinical experience whatsoever prior to their employment other than their schooling. They DO NOT disclose that to you voluntarily. I found out looking up the "therapist" clinical social workers license that they had obtained their internship 13 days prior to being assigned to my child. They beat children mentally, emotionally and physically. They falsify treatment summaries just to get the insurance to pay your child's stay. Furthermore over-medicating and misdiagnosing causing your child to be lethargic and unresponsive from medications they should not be taking in the first place, especially psychotropic medications. Over 90% of the school is juvenile criminals but they won't disclose that information to you prior to your child's admission. Do your research! Google Provo Canyon School employee reviews, as well as victim's testimony that previously attended PCS. Institutions that treat children like this should be closed down. Help our future generation positively thrive read more

This place is terrible. Hygiene is a big issue, they don't let us change our sheets except like every 4 months.

i just recently got out of this treatment facility. i loved my friends. i loved SOME staff. yet, this place drives them to quit. i truthfully can't say this place is HORRIBLE, but i would recommend any other place. the food is s***. the restraints are horrible. the staff have favorites. it's just not a great place. i was here for 5 months. i can say, it was an experience. if you love your family, or whoever.. i would NOT recommend this treatment. ‍ read more