Photo Credit: Google Maps
Ashcreek Ranch Academy
Ashcreek Academy was opened in 2012 by brother and sister duo, Tammy (Behrmann) and Darren Prince. They were formerly owners of Copper Canyon Academy, which was bought out by Aspen Education Group and subsequently closed, and has since been re-purchased by the Prince family and reopened as Sedona Sky Academy. Their only prior experience working with children before opening these series of programs has been working for Cross Creek Programs. Neither Tammy nor Darren Prince have licenses as mental health/ childcare providers and their only professional training has been in sales and marketing. Ashcreek Academy is self proclaimed “tough love” program for boys ages 13-17. It is located in Toquerville, Utah, off the ironically named Shady Lane. A comment on Ashcreek Academy’s Yelp page refers to a complaint by a parent that resulted in an investigation into those allegations by the Department of Licensing as well as Child Protective Services. (sources: Yelp, Google: Ashcreek Ranch Academy, Ashcreek Academy Official site -url withheld-) While the link to WWASP is subtle (mostly the fact that they employ several former Cross Creek staff and therapists), and appearance would indicate that Ashcreek Academy is independently owned, the program model, jargon and methodology is very similar, if not identical in many ways to the WWASP Program model. Please see: What is a WWASP Program? and Red Flags
Staff
Tammy (Behrmann) Prince
Tammy boasts her career working with at-risk youth began in 1989, presumably she is referring to her tenure at Cross Creek Programs where she “worked her way through college” as the Admissions Director. In 1996 Tammy Moved to Arizona to open up her own WWASP spin off program Copper Canyon Academy. CCA was obtained by Aspen Education Group and was subsequently closed down. Tammy repurchased the CCA property under the name of Sedona Sky Academy. Tammy and her brother Darren Prince currently own and operate both the Sedona Sky and Ashcreek Ranch Academy facilities.
Darren Prince
Darren Prince is co-owner of both Ashcreek Academy and Sedona Sky Academy (formerly Copper Canyon Academy) Before opening these programs he served in the military and did a LDS mission in the Philippines. He is currently working on his degree in communications.
Survivor Testimony
I went to Ash Creek Academy for ten months. My experience there was ineffective and traumatic.
– Survivor Testimony Blog: Ashcreek Academy – Noah S.
Ashcreek Ranch Academy is currently under investigation by the Utah State Licensing Board for Residential Treatment Centers for discrimination, mistreatment and abuse of the students there. While my son was there, he witnessed many of these abuses against himself as well as the other boys there. We would urge any parent to reconsider sending their son to Ashcreek.
Update: Ashcreek is now under investigation by the State of Utah Child Protective Services for issues related to the treatment of our son.
– Yelp Reviewer Alyce H. – Ashcreek Ranch Academy Reviews
I went to ashcreek for 11 months and the treatment I saw there was horrible and unjust. The staff were not there at all and did not care about the kids nor their safety or emotional status. The therapists did not care either the only people who cared were Tammy and Daren the people collecting the money. We had mediocre extra curricular activities and the divide amongst students due to level and how fast they would be able to go home was insane. I learned basically nothing and honestly coming to ashcreek at such a young age taught me about so many other things that I was not supposed to learn about especially at that age. Ashcreek did not help with any substance or emotional regulation problems i myself had to learn those skills in life itself after ashcreek. They kept my best friend who was doing perfectly fine an extra six months just because he “was not ready to go home” which is complete and utter bullshit. They kept him for six extra months because they knew they could milk parents and keep somebody’s life miserable. Moral of the story Darren and Tammy both need to fess up for their horrible treatment of us and their staff. Both of those evil people would clearly put money over the well being of a child/human in general and that speaks volumes. They both need to fess up and talk to the people who are accusing them of this horrible treatment and not hide away thinking it will all go away.