- Report: #779794
Complaint Review: Adolescent Growth Inc. - Internet
Reported By:
Wonderland -
Northridge, California, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Adolescent Growth Inc.
Internet, United States of America
Phone:
Web:
http://www.adolescentgrowth.com
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
Adolescent Growth, Inc. Awful owners and conditions Internet
I used to work at Adolescent Growth and know that it is an awful place. I can't speak for all the staff, but the people I worked with genuinely cared for our "clients". I still have a wall of art at home from the teens who passed through. The problem is with the owners, who are only in the business to sell it off in a few years.
They only pay minimum wage for work that requires at least a Bachelor's (and has cost me my health on several occasions) and give us no benefits. Unhappy workers means that if your kid runs away (which is THEIR fault, not OURS...CA law prohibits us locking them in), we aren't gonna run 5 blocks to try and catch them. We just call the police.
We are kept on a super tight budget, which often means meals are incomplete or just ridiculous (PB+J enchiladas). The thermostat is locked by the owners and one day, I remember it being in the upper 80s in the house. At night. At least a dozen times, we were not given enough toilet paper or paper towels and had to just "make due".
The therapy room isn't at all insulated or separate, so if a client is speaking at all loudly, everyone else knows their business. And with teenage girls...that can get dangerous, as well as straight-up unethical. The classroom is in the garage. It's ridiculously hot during the day and I am pretty positive that it's a code violation.
Another issue is that group sessions took place in Koreatown. So we would have to drive from either Sherman Oaks or Commerce every weekday and then on weekends, Sherman Oaks and Koreatown would have to drive all the way to Commerce. Besides being a huge waste of gas, being stuck in the car for an hour is not terribly therapeutic. And the group sessions were co-ed, so of course, no one really shared intimately or they faced teasing by the boys.
I feel like I could list the issues endlessly. I don't know how the owners are even screwing it up this much. Even as a recent grad, you can see that the environment is not very healthy or productive.
I'm saving the worst offense for last: Bleeding insurances dry and the resulting tragedies. I saw quite a few clients that didn't need to stay beyond 2 weeks (and the primary therapist even concurred with the staffs' conclusion), yet the kids were kept sometimes as long as 8 weeks when nothing was to be gained. In one boy's case, he actually got worse after the initial 2-week mark that he seemed to really understand why he was there. He ended up being kept way longer and actually regressing in therapy due to their greediness. Bleeding insurances is one thing, but to not even consider the kids that are getting caught in the system when they are truly ready to be free is the true crime.
All in all, I wouldn't work here again. I wouldn't ever recommend it for teenagers seeking help. I wouldn't recommend it to their parents either.
They only pay minimum wage for work that requires at least a Bachelor's (and has cost me my health on several occasions) and give us no benefits. Unhappy workers means that if your kid runs away (which is THEIR fault, not OURS...CA law prohibits us locking them in), we aren't gonna run 5 blocks to try and catch them. We just call the police.
We are kept on a super tight budget, which often means meals are incomplete or just ridiculous (PB+J enchiladas). The thermostat is locked by the owners and one day, I remember it being in the upper 80s in the house. At night. At least a dozen times, we were not given enough toilet paper or paper towels and had to just "make due".
The therapy room isn't at all insulated or separate, so if a client is speaking at all loudly, everyone else knows their business. And with teenage girls...that can get dangerous, as well as straight-up unethical. The classroom is in the garage. It's ridiculously hot during the day and I am pretty positive that it's a code violation.
Another issue is that group sessions took place in Koreatown. So we would have to drive from either Sherman Oaks or Commerce every weekday and then on weekends, Sherman Oaks and Koreatown would have to drive all the way to Commerce. Besides being a huge waste of gas, being stuck in the car for an hour is not terribly therapeutic. And the group sessions were co-ed, so of course, no one really shared intimately or they faced teasing by the boys.
I feel like I could list the issues endlessly. I don't know how the owners are even screwing it up this much. Even as a recent grad, you can see that the environment is not very healthy or productive.
I'm saving the worst offense for last: Bleeding insurances dry and the resulting tragedies. I saw quite a few clients that didn't need to stay beyond 2 weeks (and the primary therapist even concurred with the staffs' conclusion), yet the kids were kept sometimes as long as 8 weeks when nothing was to be gained. In one boy's case, he actually got worse after the initial 2-week mark that he seemed to really understand why he was there. He ended up being kept way longer and actually regressing in therapy due to their greediness. Bleeding insurances is one thing, but to not even consider the kids that are getting caught in the system when they are truly ready to be free is the true crime.
All in all, I wouldn't work here again. I wouldn't ever recommend it for teenagers seeking help. I wouldn't recommend it to their parents either.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Daniel
Santa Clarita ,California,
Serving Those Who Served
#2UPDATE Employee
Fri, July 25, 2014
Adolscent Growth, Hired smart... & hired a Vet... Adoslent Growth welcomed me with open arms... My family is a military family... After my career was over as a U.S. Marine, i did not know what industry to pursue... I wanted more than just a job to make ends meet... After being a part of " The Worlds Finest" fighting force on the globe... my standards are set pretty high... Adoscent Growth has given me an oportunity to embark on a career... One that is rewarding & fulfilling... i am able to give back to my community & to make a positive difference in young individuals lives! The comradery here at Adolscent Growth is second to none... Results is what counts in anything in life.. The Lewis's genunly care about their company, employees, staff, and more importantly... they care about their adolscent clients! I, have read the negative reports & find it very difficult to believe we are writing about the same company... The Lewis's have gone out of their way for every individual since i have come on board... This includes the most significant component to the entire program... Our Clients here at Adolscent Growth!
Adolescent Growth
Adolescent Growth is a family owned treatment facility that is focused on the quality of care of their clients.
#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, April 09, 2013
Adolescent Growth is a family owned treatment facility that cares genuinely about all of our clients and their families. We are a comprehensive eating disorder, mental health, substance abuse and co-occurring disorders program that specializes in the treatment of adolescent males and females who are struggling emotionally, behaviorally, or psychologically.
We have an experienced team of professional and caring individuals committed to helping adolescents and their families get well. Our qualified staff is exceptionally gifted at building rapport with adolescents and helping them to implement lasting change.
As a testament to our dedicated staff, our client focused program and our individualized approach, we have seen many clients and their families successfully complete the program and go on to build healthy and confident lives for themselves.
