I was placed at Provo Canyon School by the state of California. I had run away from an abusive home, and had a lot of behavior problems stemming from the abuse so California decided to send me to Provo.
Some of my memories are vague, but I do remember being restrained. Plastic cuffs around my wrists attached to a cot. I remember the first time I was placed in restraint I had such horrible flashbacks from the abuse I’d suffered that I screamed at the top of my lungs for a full 4 hours. Four hours was the limit they allowed for such restraints.
I was often placed in *seclusion”, a locked bare brick cell for days. For mild infractions I’d be forced to stand for 25 minutes at a time, with a 5 minute break to sit, or use the bathroom.
I regularly saw a psychiatrist who prescribed high doses of medication. Thorazine was one. For those who don’t know Thorazine is a strong sedative medication. I was given a dose in the morning before school and before bed. It made me so sleepy I got into trouble for falling asleep in class. At one point I decided I didn’t want it. My therapist had the nurse grind it into powder, and I was forced to eat it without water.
Structure was a big deal. I’d stand in line with other students for 20-30 minutes until our line was perfect before being allowed to eat or go to the gym.
At the time I didn’t realize this was abuse. Being beaten, raped, and starved was the abuse I knew. But I still have night terrors about the school, as well as the nightmares from the abuse at home. I never sleep straight through the night. Then there are the panic attacks, and in ability to go into a crowded store.
Name:
Rachel M.
Program:
Provo Canyon School
Location:
UT, United States
Years Attended:
1990 – 1993
I am so sorry you had to go through this. I hope one day you may be able to find safety and sleep soundly. I send my deepest love to you, and other victims like you.
My name is Brent I was forced to be there around 2001 at the boys campus of pcs. Every day there was abuse. When I got there I was basically strip searched and they put me in a place called investment. They eventually through me in a freezing cold brick room with only sweat pants and a shirt on. I cried but after about a year the tears dried up. I used to say if u were not crazy when u got there u would become crazy. I saw abuse violence fear based mind control and strict punishment for even the smallest infraction. This place was run by Mormons and was very controlling like a cult basically. Every aspect of my life was controlled by fear of abuse. What I saw in there and what the many other people like me who were forced to suffer there we will hopefully never remember. May Jesus heal our hearts and minds and help us to expose the abusive cash for kids industry that exists. All the abusers and the corporation uhs will stand in front of jesus when they die and I hope they don’t go to hell but most of them are statistically. I forgive them all and I would have ran away when I went home to California I was just doped up and I didn’t know how to survive on the streets. I would have gladly ran away and lived until 18 as homeless but if I hadn’t gone through it I would not be the same person I am today. I may have never asked Jesus to save my soul and heal me if I didn’t go through the trauma
im so sorry u went through this. thank you for sharing your story. sending so much love and prayers your way <3
These people should be in prison !! I can’t believe our government hasn’t put guide lines up for places like this ! I think they should all be burnt to the ground!! This is such bullshit !!
My niece was put in Carolina springs academy!! She was in there only for a week ! My sister realized she made a mistake n went n got her child out of that hell hole! The linchfields should be hung from a dam rope until dead !! By the way where can I find these bastard so I can hang the mother fuckers!! This is bullshit !!
I finished watching the Netflix documentary last night, and I am frankly appalled–except that that is not a strong enough word. I am sorry for you and all of the others who went through this torment. I am a teacher in an evangelical Christian school (just a school–not “therapeutic” or anything), and I want to assure you that for most evangelicals nothing could be farther from what we believe about teaching or discipline or helping kids with problems. Please know that there are many loving schools and programs out there–some Christian, some not–that actually want to help kids, not control them. Peace to you and all the others.
I WENT THERE IN 2014 WHEN I WAS 9 YRS OLD I REALLY DONT LIKE FACILITIES BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ADOPTED AT THE AGE OF 7 FROM THAT AGE TO NOW BEING A 17 YR OLD FEMALE STILL INNA FACILITY I UNDERSTAND MY FIRST DAY THERE I WAS REALLY UPSET CUZ IT WAS A NEW ENVIRONMENT AND MY FIRST LONG TERN FACILITY AT THE TIME I HAD CALMLY ASKED MY TEACHER TO SIT IN THE HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE I WAS HAVING A MENTAL BREAK DOWN SHE SAID IT WAS OK BUT THEN I HEARD HER CALL ONE OF THE STAFF AND SHE TOLD THEM I WAS BEING DISRUPTIVE BUT I WASNT UNTIL THE STAFF WERE SCREAMING AT ME AND TELLING ME TO GET UP I CAN TBE ON THE FLOOR I SAID I CANT RIGHT NOW IM REALLY SAD AND I NEED A BREAK PLEASE THEY SAID THERES NO BREAKS DURING SCHOOL MIND YOU IM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SO I HAVE ONE CLASS ALL DAY HE SAID NO BREAKS DURING SCHOOL THEY ONLY ASKED ME TO GET UP TWICE NOT EVEN CARRYING THAT I WAS CLEARLY UPSET SO I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A REALLY TALL GIRL AT THAT AGE I WAS ALREADY BOUT 5″9 AND THEY CALLED TWO OTHER MEN OVER THEY PICKED ME UP THEY MAN HANDLED ME AND PICKED ME UP BY FORCE FORCE SO IM DOING EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GET OUT OF THIS RESTRAINT INCLUDING DROPPING MY DEAD WEIGHT WHICH USUALLY WORKS BUT EVEN WHEN I DID THAT THEY STILL JUST CONTINUED TO DRAG ME TO THE SECLUSION ROOM IN THAT COTTAGE IN THAT METAL DOORED BRICK ROOM AND THEY KEPT HOLDING ME NO MATTER WHAT EVEN IF I WAS NOT MOVING BUR AGGRESSIVELY EXPRESSING MY EMOTION VERBALLY THEY PUT SPIT GUARDS ON MY FACE EVEN THO I DIDNT SPIT I WAS JUST CRYING LAYING ONMY BACK SO OF COURSE IM GONNA BE CHOKING ON MY SPIT AND THEM PUTTING A SPIT GUARD ON MY FACE WAS MAKING IT HARDER FOR ME TOO BREATH AND THE SPIT KEPT GOING BACK INTO MY MOUTH CAUSING ME TO CHOKE MORE MIND YOU ALL OF THIS WAS MY FIRST MORNING NOT THE 2ND OR 3RD DAY MY FIRST MORNING EVERY TIME I OVERLY EXCESSIVELY CRIED THEY WOULD PUT ME INNA RESTRAINT CAUSE THEY SAID I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO HURT SOME ONE BUT I WAS JUST CUSSING AND SCREAMING AND EVERY DAY I WOULD BE SEDATED WITH A OIL BASED SEDATION SHOT THEY WOULD PUT IT IN OUR ARM IF WE WERE COMPLIANT IF WE WEREN’T AND WERE NOT ALREADY INNA RESTRAINT THEY WOULD MAN HANDLE ME WITH MEN NO FEMALES THEY WOULDN’T ALLOW FEMALES TO RESTRAINT ME BECAUSE I WAS TOO STRONG AND AGGRESSIVE AND WOULD SLAM ME ON THE FLOOR AND PUT THE SHOT IN MY BUTT BU BECAUSE OF MY HEIGHT AND ABILITY TO BE STRONGER THAN MY AVERAGE AGE THEY WOULD GIVE MORE SHOTS THEN ASSIGNED TO SEDATE ME FASTER AND LONGER THEN THE LONGER I WAS THERE THE WORSE MY RESTRAINTS AND PUNISHMENTS GOT ONCE I WAS THERE FOR AT-LEAST A MONTH THEY PUT ME IN A COTTAGE THAT WAS ONLY FOR THE MESS UPS THE DAILY AGGRESSORS AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WERE UNIFORMS WITH HOLE IN THEM WE COULD ONLY GET ONE BLANKET NO MATTER JOW COLD IT WAS AND WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SLEEP IN THAT HOUSE(LONE PEAK) WAS THE NAME FOR IT ANYWAYS WE COULD NOT SLEEP IN THAT HOUSE UNTIL IT WAS TIM FOR BED NUT IF WE DID GO TO SLEEP WE WOULD STAY THERE LONGER AND BEING IN LONE PEAK WAS ALSO PAUSING OUR PROGRAM THE LONGER WE WERE THERE AND IT WAS LIKE ADULT PRISON IN THAT HOUSE IT WAS LIKE YOU HAD TO BE SOMEONES BITCH IN THERE BUT KNOWING THAT IM 9 AND STILL KNOW THAT THATS NOT COOL I WAS THERE FOR A LONG TIME LONGEST WAS ABOUT 2 MONTHS IN LONE PEAK CUZ 1 IM NOT NOBODY BITCH AND 2 THEIRS NO WAY IM LETTING PEOPLE RUN ME OVER AND STAFF DID NOTHING SO WHEN I GOT TIRED OF FIGTING FOR MYSELF I GOT BEAT UP ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR MY LAST 2 WEEKS IN LONE PEAK AND I WAS CRYING CUZ IM UPSEY MIND YOU IM STILL 9YES OLD I DONT LOOK MY AGE EVER BUT HEY K EW HOW OLD I WAS AND LIKE I SAID I WAS CRYING AND A GIRL GOT MAD CUASE SHE WAS CUSSING AT THE STAFF BOUT HER PROBLEMS IM JUST CRYING CUZ ITS OVERWHELMING AND SHE THREW A BIG ASS COLLEGE TEXT BOOK AT MY HEAD OF COURSE IMMA CRY MORE AND THE STAFF TOLD ME TO SHUT UP OR CEY QUIETER SO YEAH I DELT WITH ALL THIS FOR 7 MONTHS AND TO THIS DAY ON 8-26-24 IM NOW 17 YEARS OLD AND STILL IN ANOTHER FACILITY LIKE C’MOM MOM WHEN DOES THIS END!