Complaint Review: Darcy Summers - Moscow Idaho

I was a part of the cascade boys ranch program, i was the beginning of the female launhc of the project. i had lived with the buckleys when i lived up north, i did not live on the boys rance, as girls, were not allowed. i lived in a family setting, with steve buckley, and his wife  and two daughters. The day before my arrival to the boys ranch, jeff and carol shelton did not specifically tell my parents whom i would be living with or what the arrangements were untill we had arrived on site, my parents did not approve of this.

 the program was to consist of weekly therapy with a dr. . in my case living and hour away from the ranch, i did not make it to the scheduled appointments i was supposed to attend for the familys' schedule got in the way. i was supposed to be  given a spending allowance by the ranch for neseccities for clothing and food to help out with the family, which was also never given.  i ws also on a number of medications for health problems such as depression, anxiety, assburgerss, etc, and the family i had lived with told me they couldnt pay for them so they took me off alll medicastion, without docotor supervison or survalliance. and told me, that GOD would heal all my problems and take away my ilness.

 during my stay i was told things or secrets about the boys ranch , and had heard that boys has runaway from campus and vandalized the local corner store, i had heard from employees that the boys had gotten ahold of horse tranqulizers, diluted  them and drank it to get high.

 most importantly,

after i had moved home from living in oregon for two years, i heard that the ranch was being shut down. for a number of reasons. i also had been interveiwed by a case worker, who told me that the buckleys were not even liscened to have me living there. after i had moved out the buckleys who had a foster boy living with them through another program (which wasn't allowed either) he was forced to be taken from the buckleys home and returned to his family locally in roseburh.

i was not  appreciative of the two years of my life living there, it make me two years behond in school through there online schooling. and miss out on family time with my own family

Recently I was directed this report relating to a former short term family team worker who provided residential support at the Cascade ranch home. I was quite familiar with the work of this boys home and the outstanding efforts by the team, board, & administration. Evidence from dozens of letters written by parents & the high long-term turnaround rate speaks for itself. Ms. Darcy Summers had been involved as a team worker immediately prior to the transition of Cascade Ranch to a parent-child family betterment program. In looking though the records, Cascade Ranch did not choose to renew their teen residential license with Oregon State. The change in the program did not require a license. Cascade notified the State that they were terminating their license because of no further need. The State however posted a revoking of license by default for non-renewal. A bit misleading. Darcy Summers was involved, from what I was told, with activities, supervision, counsel, cooking, chores, errands, documentation and recreation, just as all were. A friend of Ms. Summers named Aaron shows up on this report in rebuttal. This "buddy" of Summers visited the facility twice, each time, for a day to delivery or pack up Summers personal items. He had little exposure to the ranch and had minimal knowledge of the program. The bottom line is that Aaron failed to do his homework and Summers did do as the original research by Mr. Russell stated. Many of the Family Care Team worked and lived hours on the campus that were integrated into a family life model. Working hours were not clearly defined, for much of what you were doing was filling a mom and dad role. You lived and breathed youth. None of the others, many working harder than Summers, leveraged the law for more money, and certainly didn't falsify hours. It was understood, your role was a mission, not a job. The rebuttal support statement by Aaron should be addressed. 1. No boys were sent to Cascade by the courts. 2. Cascade Ranch was not and never pretended to be a "lockdown" program. 3. Cascade Ranch had full supervision during the day & a night watchman for security at night. 4.There were no "weapons" on the Ranch. even dinner knives were kept in a locked drawer. 5. Hazardous chemicals were kept in a locked cabinet. All staff were trained and oriented to safety procedures and the law regarding such iems including medications. Regarding the Sheltons. I'm not clear why they might be targeted by this Aaron friend but with some deduction, I could guess. 1. The Sheltons were never foster care providers. 2. The Cascade Ranch was not a foster care facility. 3. The Sheltons are very active in working with kids in the community as of this date, foster care and otherwise. They are not "banned" from working with youth or children for that matter. 4. There were never any legal charges by any law enforcement agencies submitted or filed against Cascade Ranch or the Sheltons at any time, period. Aaron intimated, in different terms, that the Sheltons had to, maybe "sneak off into the night". You'll find them, still where they've lived many years, in Medford, Oregon. They haven't run away. They are directing three different programs including the Cascade Ranch. As far as Ms. Summers, public record illustrates she falsified hours to squeeze a packload of money from the children's charity. The evidence is clear. They turned her down with exception of some of those "undefinable family hours". Indeed, the case is closed and clear. Maybe not. Ms. Summers might want to make an effort to contact the ranch board and consider asking for forgiveness. It would be a good thing for you personally. Knowing some of them, they would certainly be gracious.

I have known Ms. Summers for 5 years and helped her relocate from Los Angles to Cascade Boys' Ranch in Grant's Pass Oregon, the above mentioned "faith based non-profit company". After a few months working there she uncovered and began investigating gross negligence on the part of the Directors Jeff and Carol Shelton. If you look into this further, there is a labor dispute filed with the state of Oregon because Summers and other employees of Cascade Boys Ranch were required to work extended hours without proper break and meal periods as mandated by state and federal law. They were also not compensated for their frequent overtime as the law requires. She was never allowed to work as Activities Director, the joint position for which she and I both interviewed and she was hired, and ended up being made primarily to cook as well as clean and supervise the boys who were in the custody of the ranch and perform some security duties. Cascade Boys' Ranch, when I toured the facilities, represented itself as a new sort of halfway house for troubled teenage boys where they could live safely in a family-like setting while being trained in life and coping skills until they were ready to be returned to their families. Many of the boys were sent there by courts as an alternative to juvenile hall. The property was not secured and frequently Ms. Summers and other staff were kept up long hours after their shifts were over hunting for runaways who had slipped out by picking a cheap lock or hopping out an unsecured window. There was no trained security on-site even though some of the boys garnered weapons violations while living at the house. I also observed that appropriate measures were not taken by the Sheltons to secure and keep intoxicants and other hazards out of the hands of the boys in their care. As far as I know Jeff and Carol Shelton, who are pastors licensed through the Assembly of God denomination, are now barred from working with foster children in the state of Oregon. I am unsure of their whereabouts now. I can not recall an employee, volunteer or board member of Cascade Boys Ranch named "Tim" during the time that Ms. Summers was there and wonder who posted the above report.

This report is regarding employment at Cascade Boys Ranch which is no longer in existence due to the revocation of their license. It was not I who was reported to the labor board but the ranch for its infringement on state laws regarding labor, wage, and overtime. The state investigated, determined a fair settlement due to me by the former employer, and the case has been closed. Any questions can be directed to me here and any clarification or evidence can be provided.