ComplaintsforMidcourse Correction

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband I sent our son to Midcourse Correction Challenge Camp for the weekend of 03/31/23-04/02/22. The camp is marketed as a military based camp for children with negative behaviors who are considered high risk, with focuses on teamwork, problem solving, confidence building and coping strategies. Our son was physically restrained when attempting to leave the building. The duration of the restraint lasted about 15 minutes. We were called the next day to pick him up to to swelling of his throat, pain when swelling and bruising on his neck. After being cleared by the hospital we took our son home. He informed us that he got little to no sleep and during a "learning session" the camp instructors showed the youth picture of dead bodies.

  Business response

  04/14/2023

  Thank you for contacting us. We take complaints very seriously. In regard to this complaint, the youth was restrained because he physically assaulted a staff member and then attempted to leave the grounds. We are a paramilitary style challenge camp that works with at-risk youth, and in our paperwork it is stated that we have the right to restrain youth if they are physically violent towards themselves, another camper or towards staff. When the restraint happened, the youth was in the process of rolling over with staff, and scraped his neck on the floor which resulted in the bruising. It is also verbally noted in front of the campers and parents/guardians that restraints could possibly happen if campers decided to get violent or take off. Their safety is our number one concern. We have been open for 31 years, and if it wasn't we would have been shut down a long time ago. After the youth decided to comply, he plugged back into his company and did an amazing job. (which normally happens.) If he would have stayed he was going to be awarded the guide-on flag, which is the highest honor a youth can receive during the weekend. 

  In regards to the "dead bodies." Our weekend is made up of exercises, team-building initiatives, and break-out sessions. On Friday evening our first break-out session we have a gentleman come in and guide the campers through a life behind bars. By the time the campers get to us, their two choices in life are either death or a life in prison. This gentleman shows the campers "real-life" situations that happens in prison, and a picture of a dead body is one of those pictures. The picture goes along with a debrief that our speaker goes over with the campers. It is not just a picture of a dead person and then he moves on. 

  We had a licensed RN on staff with us the weekend this youth was restrained and she checked him at every chance. When the medic called the parents to take their son home, we wanted to make sure that nothing was going on with his throat. Again, their safety is our number one concern. From the scrape of rolling him over during the restraint sadly sometimes minor cuts or bruises happen. Restraining campers is the worst part of our job and it does not happen often. This youth was being very defiant and when he assaulted a staff member we had to go in and protect the rest of the campers. After he was picked up from his parents, the medic tried numerous times to contact mom to see how he was doing, and the Director also tried contacting mom after the weekend was over to see how he was doing and how we could help and again no answer to the ******** the Director. 

  In regards to the little sleep. Our program is a 46-hour program, so we pack a lot of things into the weekend. The little sleep on Friday night into Saturday is on purpose. We are a military style challenge camp for youth who are disrespectful, defiant, not going to school, etc. This young man was brought to our camp for these reasons and more. Saturday night into Sunday the campers do get more sleep than the night before, but we only have a certain amount of time to reach these youth and we need all the time we can get. This information was stated to the youth's parents before they even signed him up. 

  I am so deeply sorry this young man had a bruised neck in result of his restraint. The staff passed him for the weekend, and invited him back to the year long mentorship program which is totally different than the challenge camp. We would be more than happy to still have him come back so we can further aid in the help with him and his family. Also, the staff take training very seriously. In regards to restraints we are trained multiple times a year with the ************************************** in the ****** Survival Training. We also have training in trauma, de-escalation, and working with youth and families. 

  Sincerely, 

  Midcourse Correction

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