Second Chances in Southern Utah
Second Chances in Southern Utah is owned and operated by Adam Ah Quin, a gymnastics coach from Hurricane Utah. He claims in his bio that he “reluctantly sold his successful treatment center” when actually, the Cedar City Group Home’s license was revoked, after a death occurred. The department determined the facility unable to follow basic rules set forth by their licensing agency.
“We decided to go ahead with this action today based on the evidence we’ve been able to collect so far,” said Ken Stettler, licensing director for the Utah Department of Human Services. “These are pretty serious violations that should be followed. If they’re not going to follow basic rules, particularly in the area of having more than one counselor on duty at all times, then they should be shut down.”
Second Chances got it’s start in a well known, Lichfield owned facility, Cross Creek Manor. For most programs that get their start in Lichfield’s pocket that means there’s a catch, usually the use of Optimum Billing Services which ensures Lichfield get’s his cut of the profits as well as some “consulting” which can only mean, setting up your program structure similarly to WWASP’s program model. Mr AhQuin vehemently denies any association with WWASP.
Now that WWASP is technically defunct, connecting affiliations between ownerships holds little weight to the real problem. The WWASP model has been established for the norm in a litany of modern programs. What makes a WWASP program a WWASP program isn’t defined by ownership, It’s simply the way the program is run.
Second Chances has since relocated to a larger property (pictured above) in Saint George, Utah. Licensed by the state as a residential treatment center.
Licensing Information
Second Chances In Southern Utah
MAILING ADDRESS
120 W. 1470 S.
Saint George, UT
84770
LOCATION ADDRESS
120 W. 1470S.
Saint George, UT
84770
CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone : 4356696669
Email : adamscinsu@gmail.com
LICENSING INFORMATION
Expiration: 30-APR-19
LICENSOR INFORMATION
Licensor Email: kranderson@utah.gov
I’ve been digging into Second Chances. Quite honestly, I’m not sure what or whom to believe. I did find the story on the 2004 Cedar City murder (not simply a “death”). I read Mr. Ah Quin’s explanation of the licensing issues. I found news reports about sharing of pornography at Cross Creek. While Cross Creek is brought up constantly in my research, I’ve found no actual evidence that Second Chance and CC have any connection. It seems some of the staff at Cross Creek either works for, or has worked, for SC. Are there any current staff members at SC implicated in any criminal activities now or in the past? WWASP is also a recurring theme in my research. But again, I find no actual evidence that SC is operated by, or is in anyway connected with WWASP or its’ founder Robert Lichfield. I’m taking no ones side. I simply want to find out what is actual and factual. Thus far, there are only vague guilty by association accusations against SC. Any additional information you have on this would be helpful. Thanks
Nathan Allan, i was one of the girls from Second Chances, and i was there (and close with) a girl that a high up staff member had sex with. the girl was 17 and says it wasn’t rape but with the age difference and power dynamic, it’s not the case. they got into an argument one day and the girl was pushed down the stairs. she broke her arm. when we tried to write letters home to our parents abut it- they wouldn’t send them. one girl started telling her parents during a skype call and they ended the call. i believe the therapist Brian was the only connection to CC so that’s something.
I was sent here at age 13, 3 months after my brother died because I didnt want to live with my dad. I was there for a little over a year. While I was there I got very very sick and was lucky I didnt die. Turns out I have type one diabetes, and the “doctor” they had didnt know how to figure out what was wrong with me. Along with that it was very traumatizing and just awful. This place is supposed to help teens, but it rarely ever did that. And then they would brainwash your parents into thinking it was the best place and so helpful. But in reality it was awful. The staff there were either really nice and truly cared or were awful and predators. And when the staff that were good got to close to the kids there they would fire them. Just an awful place and Im so glad they got shut down and can’t “help” anymore teens.
This place is horrible I left a detailed review on their google page it’s been years I’m still traumatized
I was in this program for two years and two months. I was sent here by my abusive father at the age of 12. I genuinely was a really good kid. Despite the fact that I had no reason to be there they accepted me and kept me there even after numerous staff throughout the course of my program told me I didn’t need to be there. The therapists were awful. One of
the therapist brought in drugs and alcohol as a sort of “exposure therapy” which sent many girls into panic attacks. Mr. Brian Henson would creepily tell certain girls including myself how pretty we were. he told one girl that if he were a younger man she’s have made him very excited. And it wasn’t like a one time thing. It was repetitive. Mr. Brian ended up being let go as a result of bringing illegal substances to a substance abuse group. But shortly after being let go he was rehired
even after all the red flags had been shown. My second therapist Mr. Brent didn’t believe me about my dad being manipulative and yelled at me on numerous occasions sending me into panic attacks and even went so far as to cuss at me for trying to explain to him that my dad was manipulative. Mr. Brent also told me in agreement with my father that I was faking my panic attacks. My third therapist did
something’s right and a lot of wrong. It turnout that the program did not even have my correct custody papers and had not even checked even after me living there for two years. My third therapist figured this out. Although she helped me to achieve reunification therapy with my mother she broke hippa on multiple occasions. She discussed another clients rape with me and another girls assault as a child with me and called them by name. Later in my stay the director Mr. Adams decided it would be a good idea for us to have to eat a salad to
able to eat any other food. At this point in time the lettuce was engrossed in small fruit flies and what appeared to be eggs. We were also on a time limit which prevented us from having the time to pick the bugs out of our food. At many points in my stay there were creepy male staff. One staff asked many girls their sexuality and then proceeded to ask girls to scratch his back for him. He even put his arm around a girl during a movie. He was eventually let go.
Another male staff entered one of the girls rooms, laid down on one of their beds, facing the other girls who were laying on their beds with his legs widespread whilst facing the girls. Another staff that I knew has been sending girls d*ck pics after them leaving the program and offering multiple girls to pay for their flights to come and hook up with him. He also let girls vape while they were in the program.
Another staff who had also previously let girls vape got a blow job from one of the girls and also brought his brother to receive one as well.
Lastly I want to talk about one of my most traumatizing experiences while in that program. I was on suicide watches and receiving body checks due to self harm tendencies. My body checks usually consisted of me taking off my shirt and a staff checking for self harm then me putting it back on and then I would follow with my pants. Due to my past sexual assault I have various extreme triggers at being forced to take my clothes off. (Disclosure: the staff were required to be female) One day the director decided to do a body check on me in the stalls; and though the rest of the girls could not see me they could hear what was happening until they eventually went down stairs. Ms. Deb made me take off all my clothes excluding bra and underwear at the same time in front of her. At first I refused and requested that she not make me so that as I was starting to have a panic attack. She began to count down from ten till she would remove my clothing herself. I was now fully hyperventilating but she forced me count aloud my self harm scars and even had me do it more than once for not being clear enough. After eventually putting my clothes back on she told me that it was a good experience for me because I wanted to be an actress, and actress had to get completely naked.
(stayed during ages 12-14)
I was a student here and I was mistreated horribly they sent me to jail when I left but this place was the worst experience I have ever had most of the students would talk about me including staff members I would be locked in a room and they would watch me cut myself and laugh they want you to do better but how can u progress when all they did was make u feel worthless just my opinion I’m happy they shut this program down
Pangers, its key. I care about you.I was in the program with you.
All I can say about this program was shutting it down was the right thing to do.
When I was in the program there were girls who were there for 2 years and still sitting on a level 5. I remember a staff member named Ben, who would flirt with me and another girl almost everytime he was on shift. When she turned 18, and was still in the program they were holding hands on the fair ride. When I had gotten there, they had just put cameras back in because of the troubles they were having with the staff and students sleeping together. I think one of the shittiest things i expedited is also even after building a relationship with the girls you’re in there with, they don’t even let you say goodbye. I was pulled from the program and they didn’t let me say goodbye to a single person. I hope Adam or anyone in his family can open another facility again. And if you’re a parent reading this, don’t send your kid off. There’s other options.
Please to the girls that attended second chances pls help me. To girls that went to second chances during jan16 2019-april 2019
You guys say there are other options but what are they when someone is so unstable and wont get the help they need and it feels like sending them to a rtc would save their life.now e as parent truly have no way of knowing the trauma that can happen but what else are we supposed to do. Can any of u help mentor.can we start a second chances support group can u guys relate to my daughter so she doesnt feel alone i want my daugther back and i have other kids i have to think about to
She isnt even into substance the thought in her head are just too much. She has no friends cuz as soon as it gets hard she has to protect herself.
She needs a village and to be loved. But she wont allow me of her family to cuz her bpd and ptsd wont allow her too.
You guys knew brain she was always telling me he yelled at her and called her a liar
I never knew who to believe. To this day its so hard to decifer. Any advice. We r in cali
No dbt groups here
No friends
No one to relate to
Hates to be around me but if i leave shes mad(this is a understatement) my poor baby girl we cant find proper meds
I am broke and feel like their r no options due to this broken system and broken world how did u guys get better
Get help
Stop self sabotaging
I use to be like her and i got healthy after years but i wanted it she doesnt care
Nathan Allan
i think i remember your name and maybe you were a worker there?
Anyways any of you all that are looking, I’m looking down the legal route for me and i suggest many of you please keep spreading your word and maybe seek legal actions as well. What we went through was NOT okay.
I was the fourth girl to walk through those cursed doors. I see that stuff got worse after they gave up on me, and my heart goes out to my friends who were hurt as well by this facility. I spent 11 months in that fever dream and my memory still alludes me on all of the events that happened. This is all I can recall at the moment, but I hope it help others understand that they’re not alone, because I felt like I was for a long time.
In the beginning we were lucky that it was just the verbal abuse from Julie, she screamed at us a lot and talked down to one girl in particular every time. One time when she was screaming at us I asked if she needed a hug and she just screamed in my face to go to my room. I was so happy when she left but it was only the beginning of the hell that was formulated in those halls.
I recall a time where I was extremely sick to the point of fainting (which I have never done before that moment and haven’t had since) and begged them to take me to the hospital because I was scared and didn’t know what was happening to me. They refused and said I was fine, not knowing that they didn’t inform my family of this in the slightest. NONE of my injuries or sickness was reported to them. At one point the flesh had completely been burnt off of my skin because they let us use Nair for our legs once before we switched to electric razors. My family was never informed of that incident either.
Another thing is that they were extremely homophobic towards me and another girl I had developed feeling for while in the home. I understand now as an adult why trying to date in the girls home isn’t the best thing, but the way they went about the situation seemed a bit extreme to me. It got to the point where we were instructed to stay 10 feet away at all times (or something of the sort), not to look in each others direction or speak to one another. That honestly seemed like it lasted months and I’m sure it probably did. It may not be a big piece of the story, but its a part of mine.
I also recall a time one girl jumped out of the second story window and onto the fence to escape, and that sent the whole home into a frenzy. She was fine and they found her, but she did injure her ankle pretty bad.
These are just a few things I can remember off of the bat. I spent almost a year in there so I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t remember, stuff I’ve locked away from even myself. To the girls who I spent my time with in that hell home, I’m happy to not feel as alone and I wish the best to you all.