This is a  staff list for Passages to Recovery in Loa, UT

(This program is reportedly closed.)

(a.k.a. Aspen Education Group--Confirmedly Abusive and Associated with the CEDU Cult Model)

(we are working to acquire the complete records for ALL years)

 

We advise current and/or former staff to report any abuses you may have witnessed while working at Passages to Recovery.  For information on your rights and how to take action, visit www.heal-online.org/blowthewhistle.htm.  If you were fired or forced to resign because you opposed any illegal and/or unethical practices at Passages to Recovery, you have the right to take action. 

 

If you were harmed (family or survivor) by Passages to Recovery, please contact [email protected] if you remember the long-term employees and from which years.  This will help!   Also, if you recognize any of these staff as having worked at another program, please send in any information about their past or present employment at other facilities and/or cults.

 

 

This program is reportedly closed.

 

Name

Unit/Position

 Additional Information
Gil Hallows Executive Director Hallows has been at Aspen Achievement Academy since 1996.  Gil assisted in the startups of Aspen Ranch and Passages to Recovery, and has been the director of Aspen Achievement Academy since 1996.  He has been involved in the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC) since its beginning, and is a member of the board of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP).  Hallows is also the executive director of Passages to Recovery.  Hallows is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
(Dr.) Gerald Lazar Psychiatrist He moved to Utah in 1986 where he took a job with Intermountain Health Care (IHC) and had a variety of positions including Chairman of Psychiatry at LDS Hospital and Medical Director of Behavioral Medicine for all of IHC.   Lazar no longer appears to work for this program.  Lazar is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Ray Barlow Program Director Raymond Paul Barlow (may be a different person) is licensed solely as a substance abuse counselor and has no higher education.  His highest degree is a high school diploma from Magna High School in 1989.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Kim Bradbury Office Manager Bradbury has been working in behavior modification since 1996.*  HEAL chose not to check or verify the professional licensing of Bradbury as it is not typically expected that clerical workers hold any professional licenses.
Brandi Bradbury Intake Bradbury has worked for Aspen Education Group since 1996.  Bradbury no longer appears to work for this program.  Brandi Bradbury is licensed solely as a substance abuse counselor (since 2009) and has no higher education.  Her highest degree is a high school diploma from Wayne High School in 1992.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Kate Brown Human Resources Brown formerly worked for Aspen Achievement Academy and came to Passages to Recovery in 2004.  HEAL chose not to check or verify the professional licensing of Brown as it is not typically expected that clerical/office workers hold any professional licenses.
Paige Deffert Admissions Deffert began working at Aspen Ranch in October of 2005 and moved to Passages to Recovery in November of 2005. Deffert is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Dean Belnap Psychiatrist Wilford Dean Belnap (may be a different person) is a licensed medical doctor in UT and has been since 1974.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
S. Carl Smoot Ph.D.--Consultant Smoot formerly worked for confirmedly abusive and deadly YouthCare, another Aspen program in UT.  Smoot is a licensed psychologist in UT and has been since 2003.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Lucy Taylor Clinical Director Formerly worked for Aspen Achievement Academy.  Lucy Ann Taylor-Webster (may be a different person) is a licensed clinical mental health counselor only and has been since 2000.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Ken Murphy Wilderness Therapist Formerly worked for Aspen Achievement Academy.  Kenneth Murphy (may be a different person) is a licensed clinical mental health counselor only and has only been since 2009.  He earned his degree from the University of Phoenix:

"The Justice Department announced today that the University of Phoenix has agreed to pay the United States $67.5 million to resolve allegations that its student recruitment policies violated the False Claims Act.  This case began as a whistleblower action filed in the Eastern District of California under the False Claims Act, which permits private citizens to bring lawsuits for fraud on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Whistleblowers Mary Hendow and Julie Behn, two former University of Phoenix employees, alleged that the university accepted federal student financial aid while in violation of statutory and regulatory provisions prohibiting post-secondary schools from paying admissions counselors certain forms of incentive-based compensation tied to the number of students recruited. Though the United States did not intervene in this action, the Government provided support and assistance to the whistleblowers at many stages of the case, including filing friend-of-the-court briefs when the case was on appeal to the Ninth Circuit. The two whistleblowers will receive $19 million from the settlement."

The University of Phoenix does not have the specialized accreditation necessary for degrees in psychology.  (Source: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx)   It is accredited for teaching and nursing degrees.
Keith Hooker Medical Director Appears to be co-founder of Aspen Education Group.  There is a Keith Ronald Hooker (may be a different person) that is a licensed medical doctor in UT and has been since 1971.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Bryce Bauer Valley Site Counselor Bauer's qualifications is that he is a "graduate" of Aspen's "Four Circles" program.  Bauer is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Bryan Thomas Therapist Thomas no longer appears to work for this program.  Thomas is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Dwayne Bailey Counselor (Valley Site) Bailey no longer appears to work for this program.  Bailey is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
David Brown Counselor Recovering addict, currently unlicensed and "working on" it.  Brown is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Jeff Gallup Counselor (Valley Site) Formerly worked for Anasazi.  Gallup is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Angel Hayes Counselor She completed Landmark Educations Core Curriculum.  Landmark is a known cult and international governments have placed Landmark on a watchlist of cult/extremism scams.  Hayes no longer appears to work for this program.  Hayes is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Michael (Mike)  Hinkle Counselor Mike "graduated" from Passages to Recovery and came back to work as a Field Guide.  Hinkle is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Jon Ivie Valley Site Counselor Recovering "addict" qualifies him for this?  Ivie is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Creed Archibald Field Instructor Archibald is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Mark Broussard Field Instructor Broussard is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Lael McKillip (female) Counselor McKillip is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Alasdair Robertson Counselor Robertson is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Mark McKillip Field Director He has been a "recovering addict" since August, 2002 and has been working in wilderness programs since 2003 (after "graduation"?).  McKillip is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
David Gabler Field Instructor Gabler is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Adam Heidibridle Field Instructor Heidibridle is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Zachary Hopkins Field Instructor Hopkins is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Bernard Leclerc Field Instructor Leclerc is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Jason Provonost Field Instructor Provonost is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Dennis Thompson Valley Site Program Director Thompson claims to be one of three "founding fathers" or "pioneers" of abusive wilderness program models.  States he created his first program in 1984.  Thompson no longer appears to work for this program.  Thompson is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Christine Artmann Field Instructor Artmann no longer appears to work for this program.  Artmann is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Tom DeGear Field Instructor DeGear no longer appears to work for this program.  DeGear is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Helen E. Jeppson Field Instructor Jeppson no longer appears to work for this program.  Jeppson is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Jeppson is a licensed massage therapist.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Alexis Konnoff Field Specialist "Graduate" of National Outdoor Leadership School.  This "program" is a staff training and fraudulent cover for lack of legitimate credentials.  Konnoff has worked for Passages since 2004.  Konnoff no longer appears to work for this program.  Konnoff is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Amber Margolis Field Instructor Margolis no longer appears to work for this program.  Margolis is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
David L. Saldana Field Instructor Saldana no longer appears to work for this program.  Saldana is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Henry M. Tyler Field Instructor Tyler is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Dave Voyles Field Instructor Voyles is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Tony Meiklejohn Field Instructor Meiklejohn no longer appears to work for this program.  Meiklejohn is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Jacob Thomason Wilderness Therapist Jacob Harris Thomason (may be a different person) is licensed solely as an associate mental health counselor extern in UT and only since 2011.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html  Extern's are not qualified to act as primary counselors or therapists.
Elessa Ellett Hinkle Program Support Ellett has been with Passages to Recovery since 2007.  Hinkle is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in UT.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Devon Nanton Valley Site Supervisor Nanton has worked at various unnamed behavior modification programs since 1999.*  Nanton is solely licensed as a substance abuse disorder counselor in UT and only since April, 2009.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
NO OTHER NAMES NO OTHER TITLES There is no additional information on staff at this location at this time.*
*(Passages to Recovery, like many other programs in this industry, keeps a "tight lid" on any specific information regarding their staff, qualifications, and practices.  Please contact us with the names of any staff of which you have firsthand knowledge or experience.  Thank you for your help.)
Passages to Recovery uses the same Positive Control Systems' methods as Eagle Ranch Academy and WWASPS.
Passages to Recovery is an Aspen Education Group program.  Thomas J. Croke, Educational Consultant, has denounced Aspen Education Group for putting profits over the safety and care of children in Aspen programs.
This program is reportedly closed and/or has been "integrated" into the SUWS program.

 

 Last Updated: May 23rd, 2012

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