April
29, 2005
Private
School Does Not Like State's Therapeutic Label (Whitmore Academy)
by: Kirsten Stewart
A private Utah
school is fighting against state regulation, arguing it is not a
"therapeutic" facility - which are covered by a new law that seeks
to crack down on the state's thriving teen help industry.
Administrators
at Whitmore Academy in Nephi say they run a boarding school, not a
treatment facility catering to troubled teens. They are asking for
an exemption to the new licensing category, which goes into effect
on May 2.
But state Human
Services licensing director Ken Stettler believes "they're hiding
behind the moniker of a boarding school" to avoid state oversight.
"All the
information they've provided to parents of kids there is they
provide counseling for emotional growth and behavioral changes. They
cater to kids who have failed in their settings at home," said
Stettler.
The new law
defines "therapeutic schools" as serving students "who have a
history of failing to function at home or public school" and that
offer "room and board and specialized structure or treatment related
to a disability or emotional development."
Matt Sudweeks,
who owns Whitmore with his wife, Cheryl, says he has gotten out of
the teen-help business. Whitmore formerly also operated a
residential treatment center. But Sudweeks surrendered the center's
license last December after a student alleged he was physically and
verbally abused at Whitmore.
Utah's Division
of Child and Family Services substantiated eight counts of abuse and
neglect. The facility is still under criminal investigation by the
Juab County Attorney's Office.
Whitmore's
attorney, Matt Hilton in Kaysville, says the school - now enrolling
32 students, ages 12 to 17 - employs an educational counselor, but
does not submit students to therapy.
Said Sudweeks,
"We're licensed with state Board of Education as a boarding school.
We cater to kids having trouble in public school system."
Stettler says
Whitmore is the only one of five schools under review for regulation
to balk at the new rules.
Whitmore,
located in a historic mansion on Nephi's Main Street, also was
recently cited with numerous fire code violations.
Brent R.
Halladay, assistant state fire marshal, says the school has until
mid-May to update its automatic sprinkler and fire alarm systems,
build a new set of stairs to provide more than one exit, install
fire extinguishers and repair electrical problems. Halladay says the
Sudweeks have "been very cooperative." But violations were such
that, until they are corrected, Sudweeks is required to have someone
keep fire watch over the building every day from 7 p.m. until 7
a.m.
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