"Wilderness therapy" is a nebulous term, and even those who practice it have a hard time agreeing what it means. COVID-19 Update. We would love to hear from you. Take our online assessment today. Many in the industry believe that before long, major providers will be compelled to insure licensed providers. A wilderness therapy program typically lasts for 2-6 weeks. Oakley described the situation as we bought ourselves out. According to the court filing, the Boards repeated requests for financial reports and accountability fell on Mr. Oakleys deaf ears since 2008. Their theories included: suicide, spiritual voyages, and internment at a mental institution. Carl Smoot is the Director of Clinical Assessment at Aspiro. "My second reaction was, 'We're not ready!' 90% of the kids were sent to RTCs or TBSs after Aspiro because the program didnt really do much to help. aws pillars of the cloud value framework. They are not paid well and work long hours (week-long, 24/7 shifts.) The therapist was cold & did not listen. is the Director of Clinical Assessment at Aspiro. A sardonic social media account gains popularity from taking down sacred ski idols and imagining a future without snow. " says Hallows. 82% of employees would recommend working at Aspiro Group to a friend and 36% have a positive outlook for the business. He has held numerous positions at Aspiro, including Admissions, Program Development, Primary Therapist, and Clinical Director. According to one survivor who wishes to remain anonymous, the following abuses occurred during their stay at Asprio: On May 3rd 2013, Aspiro Group, Inc. (which is a conglomerate of Aspiro Adventure Wilderness, Vantage Point Wilderness, and Pure Life in Costa Rica) filed a lawsuit against former president & co-owner Charles Randall Oakley, citing scandalous allegations of misconduct, conspiracy, misappropriation of funds, and mismanagement of company funds. The wilderness programs operate in 14 different states and one other country. After Milan ended youd hear about what wasteland you were going for the week. After outpatient treatment and other therapies were unsuccessful, V.G.s therapist recommended a wilderness therapy program called Aspiro Group Inc., an intermediate mental health treatment program licensed as an Outdoor Youth Treatment program by the state of Utah. "The general public doesn't really get the difference" between boot camps and "true" wilderness therapy, says Gil Hallows, a lean, charismatic 60-year-old who ran Utah's Aspen Achievement Academy for 16 years and now directs Legacy Outdoor Adventures. I have very strong opinions on this program and wilderness therapy as a whole because Ive seen so many people like me go exactly back to the way they were before. When I or other students wrote to our parents about how bad things were at Aspiro, therapists would tell us we were being manipulative & exaggerating things. Relying heavily on exit surveys filled out by parents and participants and information collected from the field, the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Cooperative has today published more than 300 studies supporting the idea that therapeutic wilderness interventions can indeed foster long-term coping skills and improve mental health.