Trails Carolina claims that primary therapists are available two to three days each week and that staff receive extensive training on topics like first aid, wilderness survival and crisis de-escalation. However, former employees have provided some alarming insights.
As allegations of mistreatment emerge, families should conduct thorough research and consult mental health professionals prior to enrolling their loved ones into wilderness therapy programs. Transparency, accountability and independent oversight are also essential features.
What We Know So Far
Over the last several months, disturbing accounts from former Trails Carolina participants have surfaced. Allegations range from emotional neglect to physical maltreatment and have caught the attention of regulators, independent investigators, and media outlets.
Trails Carolina “Investigation” maintains that their program was created with adolescents’ best interests in mind, with rigorous safety protocols and highly-qualified staff backing its treatment methods. Furthermore, Trails Carolina notes its long history of success through testimonials from participants who have witnessed positive transformations under its care.
However, inspection reports from the state demonstrate that Trails Carolina has been cited for numerous violations. WBTV conducted an investigation that revealed this violation frequently went over a year without being reviewed by DHHS; additionally staff have been criticized for lack of wilderness skills knowledge such as emergency first aid and de-escalation techniques.
Allegations of Abuse
Trails Carolina has received mixed reviews from parents regarding how it has helped their children, with many reporting transformative results after enrolling them in its wilderness therapy programs, but at the same time has faced allegations of mistreatment and abuse – these allegations illustrating a need for greater transparency and oversight among wilderness therapy programs.
Former participants have reported experiences of emotional manipulation and physical abuse from Trails Carolina staff members. According to them, hikes without enough food or water were made compulsory, without permission to call home, while medical needs weren’t addressed, leading to potential health risks in an unfamiliar wilderness setting.
One former Trails Carolina employee reported witnessing staff consuming alcohol and drugs during sessions with adolescents. Trails Carolina responded by agreeing to cooperate with ongoing investigations as well as reviewing their operations, while also promising to implement treatment methods which prioritize participant safety and emotional well-being.
Lack of Oversight
Trails Carolina is an esteemed wilderness therapy program which has come under close examination from regulatory bodies and independent investigators, following allegations against it by various bodies and investigators. Such allegations show the need for greater transparency and accountability within this industry.
Parents whose children were sent to Trails Carolina often share alarming accounts of abuse and neglect, from emotional to verbal mistreatment and physical maltreatment. Their complaints range from these experiences and more, raising serious ethical concerns regarding this program’s ethics guidelines.
Mistreatment allegations at Trails Carolina may stem from its treatment methods, including isolation and harsh camping conditions designed to force participants to confront their issues and develop essential life skills. According to Trails Carolina therapists, their approach is evidence-based while critics question its ethics of subjecting adolescents to such conditions.
Concerns have also been expressed over the company’s ability to provide adequate medical care. Multiple families have reported that their children’s needs weren’t attended to properly in a wilderness setting, which poses potential health risks. Furthermore, no independent agencies in the wilderness therapy industry have accredited this organization.
Impact on the Therapeutic Program Industry
Lack of regulation and transparency have raised many eyebrows about the therapeutic program industry, leading to suspicion among parents who find wilderness therapy useful for their troubled teens. But not all programs offer equal results.
Trails Carolina employs an approach that differs significantly from that used by traditional “Scared Straight” programs or troubled teen boot camps, focusing more on teaching coping and survival skills while employing therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Their outcomes study has demonstrated that Trails’ program leads to a decrease in symptoms related to inappropriate behavior, anxiety and depression among enrolled students – these effects being reported up to one year post graduation from Trails. While these positive findings exist in nature therapy industry as whole, more oversight and transparent policies need to be put in place so participants’ well-being are prioritized.
