Like many wilderness “therapy” programs, Open Sky was a feeder program which sent me to yet another abusive facility called New Haven. As bad as Open Sky was, I might prefer frostbite to the neglect and abuse I endured there.
New Haven’s biggest issue was severe understaffing, often leaving just one male staff member to supervise a house of 12 girls. One staffer, who had previously been accused of inappropriate behavior, was transferred to my campus where he continued his behavior towards several girls. Despite more and more allegations coming to light he wasn’t fired due to the staffing shortages. Staff who genuinely cared left quickly, often telling students they felt pushed out by other staff and the higher up’s. This allowed incidents like assault, self harm, running away, and drinking perfume to happen constantly.
Food was always short and all of us constantly complained of hunger leading to the fruit bowl being taken away as well. Meals were so small that one staff member paid out of pocket to buy all 16 of us proper meals. Medical care was also neglected repeatedly. After needing a root canal due to Open Sky refusing to send me to a dentist, I was denied soft foods, accused of faking the pain, and often I ended up without food.
Therapists were often unlicensed and unprofessional. Self injury was dismissed unless severe, teaching me it “wasn’t a problem unless it could kill me.” My therapist often forgot sessions and past discussions. Most peers relapsed or worsened after leaving with some taking their own lives. The program allowed bullying, with “higher level” students abusing their “status” to bully others. Physical fights were common due to the constant unchecked bullying.
New Haven is an abusive program that left me worse off and forced me to mature in ways that no teen should. I write this urging parents to look into any other possible option because New Haven will always be the wrong choice. Please do not choose to willingly traumatize your child for $500 a day. I promise the only thing New Haven cares about is the money in your pocket.
