This story originally from Action 9 WFTV
An Action 9 investigation is raising serious questions about how a successful drugtreatment program in Sanford is raising money. Teen Challenge wins high praise, but Action 9 uncovered allegations that the program runs a telemarketing operation that could be putting consumers at risk. Action reporter Todd Ulrich found past clients who say they were paid pennies a day to handle the calls.
Teen Challenge is proud to talk about how it cures drug abusing young men with God-based treatment. But Action 9 has uncovered allegations of a dark side.
Nineteen-year-old Holden Knight spent three months at the Sanford residential treatment center.
When asked,"Did Teen Challenge take advantage of you?" Knight answered, "I felt like they did."
According to Holden, and others Action 9 interviewed, many Teen Challenge clients must work 40 hours a week in back rooms, on the phones, as telemarketers. Knight says he was trained to pressure sell Dish Network services and timeshares.
"I would not hang up the phone until they hung up on me. Just so I could get their credit card numbers," said Holden.
Action 9 tracked down Kyle Kiernan in Michigan, after he spent several weeks at Teen Challenge Sanford, in treatment, and on the phones.
"It was a way for them to make money," said Kiernan.
Teen Challenge's treatment philosophy always included work training as discipline that generated income to support the program.
Kiernan said he knew that, but after paying fees to attend, he didn't expect a 40 hour work week and to be paid the 33 cents a day that he said he was paid.
Kiernan and Knight both say they were paid 33 cents a day and it felt like slave labor. Action 9 also found consumers could be at risk. Inside the charity's phone rooms, some men convicted of financial crimes, gathered consumers' personal information.
"People's first and last name, credit card numbers," said Kiernan. "Security codes to their credit cards. Basically everything you need to make fraud on a credit card."
Kiernan claims he saw other men in treatment take credit card lists back to their dorms. Knight said it happened too.
When asked, "You know one guy took the credit card numbers?" Knight answered, "Yeah."
Action 9 could not find any state registrations for a telemarketing operation at the Sanford address.
Program Director Wayne Gray wrote Action 9, saying Teen Challenge students were not "cold calling" anyone. Instead, they worked "customer service" assignments for private companies. So no telemarketing license is required. And it was part of their recovery program.
But Kiernan said when he worked the phones he didn't tell callers he was in Teen Challenge on a jail diversion program for grand theft and burglary convictions. He just read scripts to sell satellites and time shares and collected credit card numbers.
Action 9 asked Teen Challenge if its clients with criminal records do collect credit card information. There was no response.
After Action 9's calls, Florida's Division of Consumer Services, which regulates telemarketing, sent Teen Challenge a letter demanding answers about the phone rooms.
Dish Network has responded to Action 9's investigation and said an affiliated company has used the Teen Challenge phone rooms, and it thought the system was secure. Dish Network said that contract with the charity is under review
My daughter was in T.C.for over a yr.& she was not her(CUZ she found God)BULLSHIT!!They use PPL?who desperately need help,thus taking the Lords name in vain.I have no time for these Assholes)I don't!!
ReplyDeleteI am grateful to this blog for helping me. I included some predefined pieces of information which are extremely imperative for me to utilize them in my composition aptitude. Extremely supportive stuff made by this blog.
ReplyDeletedrug rehabs in ohio | heroin detox in cleveland
I am glad that they are finally getting exposed for what they are, any survivors please come to www.reddit.com/r/teenchallengeexposed and share your story, we cant stop until these places are shut down
ReplyDeleteTeen challenge was tough, but y’all are wrong. Just because there may be a few bad ones out there, doesn’t make the whole program bad. We fear things we don’t understand. Gods grace, wisdom, and mercy is what enabled me to have not only a second chance at life, but a third as well. I did a whole year in teen challenge of Louisiana. I had pending felony charges hanging over my head, went straight to Ruston, La out of Parish jail. I didn’t always work as hard as I should have. I got distracted by a girl who was all apart of my program I assume. She ended up ruining my life with lies that to this day I find myself wondering what happened. I completed 2-1-14. It’s 8/21/19. I wouldn’t have been here to write this opposition had it not been for Teen Challenge. Yes, they make the students work, because not everyone can afford to pay the enterence fee. It was 750.00 when I went. I did not mind whatsoever working so I could help someone else’s life change. You people have the wrong idea, and are looking at it through the wrong optics. I know I may sound like a brainwashed sheep to some of you, but I can assure you with my fall from Grace in my past, Iam not. It was only God that I was able to make it out of the other side. That, and the things I was able to learn about myself over that year process. To this very day there are negative aspects in my life that I can associate back to decisions I made in that program, but God is God. Don’t think he can’t use anything he wants. He used Teen challenge for me. And to read what some of you ex T.C.ers have said, knowing that God had you there for a reason. You should really reevaluate your understanding of what that program is about. It saves lives. It saved mine. I hated it as much as the next guy, thinking some that were there weren’t even addicts. But againGods ways are higher than ours and can use anyone for anything at anytime. I don’t always agree with peoples methodology in what works for drug treatment. One person who’s methodology I do trust for drug treatment is Jesus Christ and he’s at the very center of that program. I can’t let these people say all this bull shit about a program that has saved so many including myself. I’m no one special and have only one friend I occasionally talk to from when I was there. He also had Gods hand over him because he also worked an honest program and God blesses him, like myself in getting out of those felony charges. Not why I went, but am glad I did. It’s all about how you choose to look at it folks. Addicts have poor self image. When you give an addict a job and keep them busy. Something happens. I’ve seen it all too much. Being that these people spent 3-4 months in the program to me sounds like they weren’t ready to have what God offered, or they got into trouble. TC is a year long program. Like anything else in life, it’s how bad you want it. I found myself imprisoned not just physically, but mentally. God broke those chains, and used TC to do it. If you haven’t worked the entire program. And are bashing it? Sit the heck down and shut the heck up. You weren’t ready and God still is waiting for you to be honest with yourselves. You aren’t being honest with anyone if your not telling them why you only spent 3-4 months. It’s 365+ days to complete the program. I’m glad I worked my ass off to help someone else who couldn’t afford it, have a opportunity to let God use TC as the vehicle to change and save a life.
ReplyDeleteThe entire program is evil hiding behind the Bible. They are absolutely the worst excuse for treatment ever hands down. Nobody is certified, not one counselor or Dr and the laws other centers adhere to they are exempt being non profit faith based.
ReplyDelete