Adirondack Leadership Expeditions

Information Current status Open http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Detainees.gif | }} Capacity | }} | }} Checked July 21, 2013 http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Open.gif | }} Opened | }} 2003 | }} http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Close.gif | }} Closed | }} {{{5}}} | }}

Adirondack Leadership Expeditions was a behavior modification program using the concept of wilderness therapy. The target group is teenagers between 13 and 17. The program was founded in 2003 <Ref>Info about the program on NATSAP http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Us9.gif</Ref>.

They allow the use of Teenage Escort Companies <Ref>Survivor testimony from HEAL-online http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Us9.gif</Ref>.

The management announced that the program would close summer 2013 <ref name="ade">Outdoor program for troubled teens closing, by Chris Knight, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, July 17 2013</ref>

Program Structure

The program is 45 days average. As a parent you should be aware that issuing clothes for the teenager is done outside, which can be very cold during the winter <Ref>Voices from the GULAG, Teen Liberty http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Us9.gif</Ref>.

Phases

They use a level system, where the pressure of being put in a strange enviroment with no knowledge of a date of release combined with the feeling of banishment from their family and friends should make them break down during the first phase named "A" and accept their placement in the program.

The Levels are as following:

Level	Program purpose	Focus of the detained teenager
A	Assesment	Accept Placement
B	Accountability	Personal responsibility
C	Awareness	Relationship skills
D	Action	Ledership

Hiking days

A typical day when hiking consist of:

Morning	Noon	Afternoon	Evening
Wake up	Lunch	Hike	Set Up Camp
Breakfast		Curricula Assignments	Chores
Personal hygiene		Group Processing	Hygiene
Pack up equipment			Dinner & Clean Up.
clean up campsite			Letter & Journal Writing
Group Processing Session / Hike / Experiential Activity			Group Debriefing Session
Individual Counseling			Quiet Time / Individual Counseling
			Bed

Therapy Days

When the detained teenagers are not hiking they are put through a stict regimen of group therapy session as well as individual sessions with counselors. These therapeutic interventions are typically on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Communication

The detained teenager is restricted from all other means of communication than letters. The parents speak with a therapist over the phone once a week. At the end of the expedition the parents can choose to spend a day or two at the faciliy where they participate in a number of exercises with the teenager before they grace the teenager back into the family.

In the News

• Because the program takes place in an forest environment, the risk of injuries is something to take into consideration. Rescuers from the local department know the name of the program <Ref>RANGERS RESCUE CLIENTS FROM TROUBLED TEEN PROGRAM, WNBZ local news, April 2007 http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Us9.gif</Ref>
  

Forest Rangers from the Department of Environmental Conservation were called out three times this month to rescue clients from a Saranac Lake-based wilderness program for troubled teens.

• The neighbors are not too happy with the program. When some of the teenagers learn that they are not going home, but rather transferred to a private paid lockdown, some of do run away or become violent instead of breaking down. This has lead to some incidents, which are under investigation by the local city hall <Ref>Town of Franklin Board Meeting, December 11, 2006 - 7:00 pm http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/images/Us9.gif</Ref>.

• In 2012 it was once again reported that the local citizens were worried and some were speaking of arming themselves for their own protection <ref>Franklin residents worry about troubled campers, by Jessica Collier, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, August 9 - 2012</ref>

External links

Info pages

• Info: Program homepage

Community groups

Survivor group: Group for people, who has been at a wilderness program and have survived to tell their story, Myspace Survivor group: Adirondack Leadership Expeditions (ALE) almost killed me!, Facebook Survivor group: I Survived Adirondack Leadership Expeditions (ALE), Facebook

Survivor group: Adirondack Leadership Expeditions Alumni, Facebook Survivor Group: Wilderness Program Graduates, Facebook Survivor Group: I Survived Wilderness, Facebook

Message Boards

• Forum: Aspen Forum on fornits
• Forum: adirondack leadership expeditions/ bromley brook school, a thread on Fornits webforum
• Forum: Ideas on where child has been taken..., a thread on Youthrights mentioning the program
• Forum: Aspen Education Group Programs - subforum on the message board of Fight Institutional Child Abuse Network (FICAN)
• Forum: Aspen - subforum on the message board of Community Alliance For the Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY)

References

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