Wingate Wilderness Therapy Announces Closure Amid Industry Controversies

The Closure of Wingate Wilderness Therapy

Wingate Wilderness Therapy, a prominent wilderness therapy program based in Utah, has recently announced its intent to close down operations. This surprising development comes amidst shifting attitudes and a changing market surrounding the troubled teen industry.

Background of Wingate Wilderness Therapy

Wingate Wilderness Therapy was founded in 2006 as an outdoor behavioral healthcare program catering to teens aged 13-17 struggling with issues like addiction, defiance towards authority figures, depression, and internet addiction. The program boasted a unique approach withSpecialized therapists and staff tailored personalized treatment plans for each student, incorporating clinical therapy along with hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. Their promotional materials highlighted a connection to nature, personalized care in a home-like environment of 8-9 teens per group.

Over nearly two decades in operation, Wingate expanded to running camps across multiple locations in Utah. They marketed themselves as a kinder alternative to traditional "tough love" wilderness programs. However, allegations emerged over time of improper care, emotional and physical abuse by staff, and employing unqualified individuals in caregiving roles. Like many peer programs in the industry, opaqueness surrounded their therapeutic practices and the qualifications of their counselors.

Criticisms Mount Against the Troubled Teen Industry

While Wingate attempted to position their therapeutic approach as more compassionate, they faced growing criticisms familiar across the entire network of residential treatment centers for teens. Survivor advocacy groups such as Breaking Code Silence brought traumatic experiences to light through social media campaigns and calls for oversight into the industry.

Centered around Utah due to loose regulations, the COMPLETE lack of any meaningful oversight allowed various programs to implement questionable therapeutic practices without accountability. Teens emerging from wilderness therapy and residential treatment centers brought forward harrowing stories of being forcibly detained against their will, emotional manipulation, lack of proper nutrition or healthcare access, and much more.

For an industry centered around providing mental healthcare services to vulnerable youth struggling with depression, addiction, and trauma, the mounting reports of abuse and negligence added greater scrutiny and public pressure.

The Market Changes for Troubled Teen Programs

In addition to increased criticism, Wingate also faced shifting public attitudes and declining enrollment rates that undermined their business operations. Parents demonstrated greater reluctance to send their children to inpatient and wilderness therapy programs in light of the reports of abuse.

There also existed growing skepticism about the efficacy of their therapy practices centered around public shaming, emotional attacks, and physical punishment. With access to more resources online, parents sought alternative options that demonstrated actual clinical grounding in evidence-based therapeutic methods.

Rather than addressing growing public concerns through transparency and oversight into staff conduct and qualifications, Wingate opted to cease operations. Their closure follows on the heels of other prominent programs like Turn-About Ranch announcing shutdowns, signaling an industry facing reckoning.

The Impact of Wingate Wilderness Therapy's Closure

Validation for Survivor Advocacy Efforts

Foremost, Wingate's imminent closure adds growing validation to survivor-led movements like #BreakingCodeSilence. Their grassroots advocacy encompassing social media campaigns, public protests, and speaking events gradually applied pressure against an entrenched industry the justice system historically ignored.

Previously lacking recourse and anyone willing to hear their experiences, the survivors of programs like Wingate Wilderness Therapy feel emboldened by tangible evidence of their ability to spur accountability through speaking out.

The closure of programs signals progress towards systemic changes. Their advocacy now turns towards seeking government oversight and regulations over the wilderness therapy programs and residential treatment centers still operating.

Caution About an Unregulated Industry

However, Wingate shutting down raises fresh concerns about proper closure procedures for such programs and care transition for any students still under their stewardship.

As an industry historically operating entirely outside of regulations, guidelines remain ambiguous concerning procedures around shutting down centers still housing vulnerable youths. There exists worry about handling remains haphazard with students getting displaced without proper discharge planning.

It reiterates the inherent risks around an unregulated industry given free rein to develop its own standards without external accountability. Just as survivors feel vindicated by Wingate's struggles, they hope its downsizing provides one more argument towards establishing legal protections for attending teens that never existed before.

A Sign of Further Upheaval in the Troubled Teen Industry

Ultimately, Wingate Wilderness Therapy announcing its closure portends coming turmoil across the entire troubled teen industry infrastructure facing reduced enrollment and declining trust.

In business for nearly 20 years, Wingate's struggles showcase that even more established programs cannot weather the rising criticisms and demand for accountability by increasingly skeptical parents, mental health experts, child welfare advocates, and emboldened survivor networks.

Their closure likely presages other prominent wilderness therapy camps and treatment centers halting operations under financial duress. Whether the complete dissolution of this unregulated industry follows remains to be seen. Still, its survival in current form looks increasingly tenuous.

Wingate Wilderness Therapy produced its final cohorts of youth graduates. But their closure may fuel a broader positive trend where deception, coercion, and abuse no longer pervade treatment offerings for struggling teens. Their downfall offers hope that the entire troubled teen industry awaits reform towards actual compassionate, transparent, and effective care centered around credentialed clinical therapy from dedicated child psychology practitioners.

FAQs

Why is Wingate Wilderness Therapy closing down?

Wingate is closing due to financial struggles stemming from declining enrollment rates and loss of public trust. Growing criticism about abuse allegations and questionable therapies practiced in the troubled teen industry have made parents reluctant to send their children to such programs.

What happens to the teens still enrolled in Wingate Wilderness Therapy?

It remains unclear what procedures are in place to transition teens out of Wingate's care. As an unregulated industry, there is worry about students getting displaced without proper discharge planning due to the abrupt shutdown.

Who advocated against Wingate Wilderness Therapy?

Survivor-led groups like Breaking Code Silence pushed public protest campaigns to spur accountability within the troubled teen industry. Former students of Wingate and other similar programs came forward with traumatic stories of abuse and negligence.

What does Wingate's closure signify for the industry?

Wingate's struggles showcase declining viability for many wilderness therapy camps and residential treatment centers. The entire unregulated industry faces financial upheaval and demands for reform in the face of mounting criticism.