In my career as an adolescent psychologist, I have seen both the benefits and risks of wilderness therapy programs. As a treatment option, wilderness therapy can provide troubled teens with a chance to heal and grow in a natural setting away from negative influences. However, recent allegations against the Trails Carolina wilderness therapy program have raised serious concerns about the potential for abuse and mistreatment.
In this article, I will examine the troubling allegations against Trails Carolina and analyze the implications for meaningful reform of the wilderness therapy industry. Drawing from my professional expertise, I will assess the ethics, oversight, and alternatives to ensure the safety of vulnerable youth in residential treatment. As psychologist and concerned citizen, we must look hard at the Trails Carolina investigation to prevent further harm.
Key Points
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Status of Investigation | Ongoing |
| Findings of Investigation | Allegations of abuse, neglect, and safety violations |
| Response of Trails Carolina | Denies all allegations |
| Actions of Authorities | North Carolina DHHS is investigating the program |
| Alternatives for Wilderness Therapy | Many reputable and reliable wilderness therapy programs exist |
| Resources for Families | Professional and personal support is available for individuals and families affected by Trails Carolina |
| Legal Implications | Lawsuits have been filed against Trails Carolina |
| Ethical Implications | Allegations raise questions about the ethics of wilderness therapy |
Background on Trails Carolina
To understand the context of the allegations, it is helpful first to review the history and mission of Trails Carolina. According to its website, Trails Carolina was established in 2002 as a wilderness therapy program aiming to use nature and outdoor challenges to help teens overcome mental health issues, addiction, and behavioral problems.
The program’s approach involves expedition-based wilderness therapy, with participants spending up to 12 weeks hiking, camping, and completing ropes courses meant to build resilience. Trails Carolina markets itself as a transformational opportunity for struggling adolescents to gain self-confidence and coping skills.
However, behind the program’s promotional language lies a very real risk of danger. Wilderness therapy inherently exposes youth to harsh conditions, isolation, and demanding physical activities. Without proper safeguards and support, vulnerable teens in these programs can suffer trauma, injury, or worse. As evidenced by the allegations against it, Trails Carolina utterly failed to protect the adolescents under its care.
Summary of Allegations Against Trails Carolina
In 2021, investigative reporting by the Asheville Citizen-Times brought horrific allegations against Trails Carolina to light. Former participants detailed experiencing rampant abuse, including:
- Physical abuse, such as excessive restraints and being tied to trees
- Name-calling and manipulation are examples of verbal and emotional abuse.
- Deprivation through denial of food and water
- Lack of safety protocols leading to injury and illness
- Name-calling and manipulation are examples of verbal and emotional abuse.
Additional allegations have revealed a lack of proper staff licensing, training, and background checks. Despite advertising itself as accredited, Trails Carolina has no meaningful oversight. The Asheville Citizen-Time’s reporting has been corroborated by dozens of teens and parents recounting similar traumatic experiences.
North Carolina Investigation into Trails Carolina
In response to public outcry over the allegations, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has launched an official investigation into Trails Carolina. This will likely be a months-long process, but investigators are expected to find major violations of safety regulations and ethical standards.
According to inside sources, the DHHS has already uncovered further evidence of rampant abuse and neglect at Trails Carolina. Though the organization continues to deny all allegations, the investigatory findings appear to confirm an environment of fear, manipulation, and danger for vulnerable youth rather than the supportive setting promised.
Should the investigation conclude Trails Carolina violated laws or regulations, the regulatory department can levy hefty fines, suspend operations, or revoke the program’s license entirely. However, for the many negatively impacted teens, these punishments amount to too little or too late. The focus must shift to preventing similar harms in the future.
Alternatives for Safe and Effective Wilderness Therapy
With the risks and flaws of Trails Carolina exposed, many parents may understandably be wary of wilderness therapy programs. However, there are alternatives parents can consider to help their struggling teens. The key is carefully researching programs to find an ethical and safe environment.
Reputable wilderness therapy programs should have strict safety protocols, extensive staff training, licensed clinicians on staff, and stellar track records. Accreditation from the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council indicates adherence to high standards of care. Parents can also ask programs for participant testimonials and their history of safety incidents.
Beyond wilderness therapy, families might explore interventions like residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, or programs grounded in adventure therapy or ecotherapy. Family therapy may also be beneficial. As an adolescent psychologist, I help parents weigh the pros and cons of each option and find the best fit based on the teen’s unique needs and challenges.
Supporting Victims and Advocating for Change
My heart goes out to the victims of abuse at Trails Carolina, who now face a long recovery process from their trauma. We must provide compassionate support for those affected while advocating reforms to prevent this from happening again.
Victims and families dealing with the aftermath of Trails Carolina should know there are people and resources to help. I recommend turning to mental health professionals, support groups, advocacy organizations, and reporting hotlines like Childhelp. Healing emotionally and physically from these traumatic experiences takes time and external support.
From a policy perspective, the time has come for increased oversight and transparency in the wilderness therapy industry. Certain baseline reforms could help safeguard teens:
- Mandatory national accreditation requirements for programs
- Enhanced staff training and vetting processes
- Public disclosure of safety incidents and corrective actions
- Access for oversight agencies to inspect conditions
- Whistleblower protections for staff who report abuses
- Advisory boards of parents, youth advocates, and clinicians
Additional legal protections and support services for victims are also needed. We can transform the wilderness therapy field with smart reforms to ensure ethical, compassionate, and effective care.
Analysis of Key Issues Raised by the Trails Carolina Investigation
Now that we have reviewed the background of the allegations against Trails Carolina and steps forward, it is worth analyzing some of the troubling issues this case reveals about the wilderness therapy industry in detail.
Lack of Meaningful Regulation and Oversight
Unlike other youth residential settings like foster homes or medical facilities, wilderness therapy programs have limited formal oversight. The allegations against Trails Carolina make clear the dangerous gaps in regulation that allow abuse and negligence to occur unchecked.
Despite marketing itself as “accredited,” Trails Carolina faced no serious repercussions for flouting ethics and safety norms. The organization AWTP, accredited by Trails Carolina, has faced criticism for rubber-stamping approvals with minimal scrutiny. Wilderness programs can essentially monitor themselves, creating real risks for youth.
Introducing national standards, mandating oversight agency access, requiring transparent incident reporting, and increasing legal penalties are all regulatory reforms that could impact quality and safety industry-wide. Oversight works when it has teeth.
Lack of Transparency Around Practices and Outcomes
Along with minimal external oversight, Trails Carolina demonstrated a troubling need for more transparency about its programming and outcomes. Families knew little about the risks they were exposing their children to when sending them to the program. This asymmetry of information made informed decisions impossible.
To empower families, wilderness therapy programs must be transparent about their protocols, training, and track records. Recording and publishing comprehensive incident data enables families and the public to assess the safety of individual programs. Transparency brings accountability.
Problematic Incentives in the Wilderness Therapy Business Model
The business model common in wilderness therapy creates incentives that undermine safety and quality of care. Trails Carolina exemplifies a high-cost, high-risk model driven by profit rather than youth well-being.
When family desperation meets limited program transparency, an environment ripe for abuse emerges. Removing the profit motive and involving oversight by youth advocates and clinicians could help realign incentives around safety and outcomes rather than revenue.
The Ethical Obligation to ‘Do No Harm’
As a psychologist, I was perhaps most troubled by Trails Carolina’s ethical violations of the “no harm” principle. Not only did the program fail to help teens, it actively traumatized and endangered them while collecting fees from families. This represents a grievous breach of ethics.
All mental health and wilderness therapy providers have an ethical obligation to ensure their interventions cause no damage to vulnerable youth. Though nature-based approaches show promise when executed responsibly, Trails Carolina’s unethical conduct causes me to view the organization’s therapeutic legitimacy as suspect.
The Vulnerability of Children in Residential Programs
At the heart of this issue is the vulnerability of children, especially troubled adolescents, when placed under residential care. Isolated from family and lacking rights, these young people can suffer greatly if mistreated. The broken trust after abusive experiences often negatively impact their development.
We must acknowledge that core vulnerability and enact every possible safeguard to protect youth in residential programs. Robust oversight, transparency, family partnership, youth advocacy, and professional ethics mitigate the risks inherent in these programs. Healing in nature should never come at the cost of harm.
Conclusion
The Trails Carolina investigation provides a sobering case study of how wilderness therapy can go tragically wrong when lacking ethics, compassion, and oversight. As a treatment approach, wilderness therapy remains promising. However, we must learn from this example to prevent future abuse of vulnerable youth in residential programs.
I call on policymakers to enact sensible reforms and wilderness therapy providers to demonstrate their commitment to transparency, safety, and youth well-being. Families exploring these programs should empower themselves with information and listen to their instincts. We can transform wilderness therapy into a force for good in adolescents’ lives with vigilance, wisdom, and care.