Breaking News
Statement Regarding Complaint Against Mount Bachelor Academy
Jul 7, 2011, 09:30
Mount Bachelor Academy
Statement Regarding Complaint
Against Mount Bachelor Academy
Contact:
Greg Chaimov
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, on behalf of client Mount Bachelor Academy
503-778-5328 gregorychaimov@dwt.com
July 6, 2011
While we have not yet had the opportunity to evaluate the allegations in the complaint filed today, we would like to go on record that Mount Bachelor Academy was successful in resolving the dispute with the Oregon Department of Human Services last fall after abundant evidence was collected that showed the allegations of abuse made to the Department were unfounded. DHS initially took action based on students' allegations, but withdrew its orders, including the suspension of Mount Bachelor Academy's license, after further information became available. Given the favorable terms of the settlement agreement, we agreed to dismiss our various legal proceedings against the state. We also independently decided to leave Mount Bachelor Academy closed due to the fact that the sudden and erroneous closure of the campus effectively shut the program down the year prior.
For over two decades, Mount Bachelor Academy (MBA) positively changed the lives of over 1,000 troubled young people. MBA was a program specifically designed for troubled students who had failed to progress in other settings. It was designed to help kids confront the worst of their behaviors and take ownership of them, whether that be substance abuse, sexual acting out or other issues. This approach proved successful at producing positive, life-changing - and, in some cases, life-saving - results. The numerous positive testimonials provided by families and students over the years further attest to the success of MBA.
MBA and its parent companies never condoned or participated in the mistreatment or deprivation of any students. As we understand, the plaintiffs in this lawsuit attended MBA prior to its acquisition by a nationally recognized network of therapeutic schools and programs that espouse comprehensive best practices and safety protocols. While we cannot comment on specific allegations from individual students due to HIPAA privacy regulations, we vigorously deny any and all charges of mistreatment.