heal report:

larry stednitz, ph. d.

Larry Stednitz is an educational consultant working for the Woodbury Reports and a member of the "Independent" Educational Consultants Association (IECA).  In this report, we will address: Larry Stednitz' extensive history working for and with notoriously abusive programs; the Woodbury Reports, and the IECA.  Each of these areas are discussed in detail below.

We were inspired to expose Larry Stednitz after we received an email from him attacking HEAL for working to protect children and families from institutionalized abuse.  After a brief search on Mr. Stednitz, we found exactly what we expected, he is part of the problem.  

Larry's work history (Source):

Employer(s)	Reputation of Employer(s)
Boys Town, Nebraska	Boys Town has been reported on extensively in "The Franklin Cover-Up" by former Nebraska Senator John W. DeCamp.  This work and the weird sex and bizarre torture rituals associated with the children taken by abusers for their amusement with the permission of Boys Town explains exactly why we find this particular association troubling.  We also cover some of this scandal in our free e-book.  Check it out!
Western Youth Network	HEAL is unfamiliar with the Western Youth Network and is unable to comment.  If you have information on this service, please contact us.
Capistrano by the Sea, California	HEAL is unfamiliar with Capistrano by the Sea Hospital.  But, we are concerned that it is a "behavioral health" hospital and that it is promoted by and/or employed for such an extensive period, someone like Mr. Stednitz.
State of Montana Juvenile Corrections	As of May 15th, 2010, the Department of Corrections in Montana still lists Mr. Stednitz as an administrator for a private prison contract between the State of Montana and Alternative Youth Adventures (an Aspen Education Group program).  It is likely that the State of Montana just needs to update their site, as Alternative Youth Adventures appears to have been closed after a death of a child at the facility.  Also, Mr. Stednitz claims that after developing the juvenile justice programs for the State of Montana, he went on to work for Aspen Education Group.
Aspen Education Group	Mr. Stednitz was in charge of overseeing the development of Aspen Education Group programs.  A simple search on our website  (hint, scroll down to search box on main page) will bring up a number of articles showing a long line of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse allegations as well as wrongful death suits against Aspen Education Group programs.  This again, brings Mr. Stednitz expertise and agenda into question.
Alternative Youth Adventures, Montana	This is also referenced above.  AYA was an Aspen program and there was at least one reported death at that program.  This death reportedly resulted in the closing of that program by authorities.
Boulder Creek Academy, Idaho	Stednitz also worked for Boulder Creek Academy.  Boulder Creek Academy is a CEDU cult-based program.  Mr. Stednitz currently works with Lon Woodbury at strugglingteens.org and Woodbury is also part of the CEDU "family" history.  When CEDU went under/bankrupt, Boulder Creek Academy was acquired by Universal Health Services (UHS).  UHS operates many of the old CEDU programs in the same CEDU-style and is the current owner of notoriously abusive Provo Canyon School in Utah.  Boulder Creek Academy has been sued for fraud and abuse in the past and this is a serious concern.
Edventures Group	HEAL is unfamiliar with Edventures Group, but, we imagine it is likely a fraudulent organization given the types of individuals with whom they work and the type of programs they think appropriate to promote.
Woodbury Reports (Source)	Mr. Stednitz works closely with the Woodbury Reports which celebrates its long association with abusive programs and in promoting those programs.  Woodbury has promoted Provo Canyon School and Lon Woodbury worked in the CEDU "family" of programs.  This is all very troublesome.
IECA (Source)	HEAL does not believe the Independent Educational Consultants Association is Independent.  In fact, we recently learned that Provo Canyon School made the "Copper Level" for their generous contributions to IECA.  And, that is just one of many problems with the IECA.  They give people like Lon Woodbury and Mr. Stednitz the appearance of professional credibility and do nothing to insure quality control for their members or the programs to whom their members refer.  This is a serious concern and we do not respect IECA or their practices given the above-mentioned concerns.