Complaint Review: Sunmount Devlopmental Center - Tupper Lake New York

 I TOTTALLY DISREGARD THAT COMMENT THAT WAS POSTED BECAUSE I LIVED AT SUNMOUNT FOR 3 YEARS NEVER HAD A OFFENSE AGAINST ANY KIDS I WAS ONLY THERE FOR VIOLATION OF PROBATION. BUT SUNMOUNT IS NOT ALL GLITZ & GLAMOUR THEY BEAT CONSUMERS UP THAT ARE TOTTALLY DEFENSELESS YEAH PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEM BUT SUM STAFF LIKE TO ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE LIKE JASON PICKERING HE THINKS HES A TOUGH GUY WHEN I WAS THERE NOT THAT IM FREE A DARE HIM TO STEP TO ME HE WILL GET STOMPED OUT DEADASS BUT SUNMOUNT IS NOT THE PLACE TO WORK IF U CANT DEAL WITH PEOPLE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS THEN U DAME SURE CAN DEAL WITH PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES DONT THINKS ITS FINE TO BEAT UP PEOPLE THAT CANT DEFEND THEMSELVES WHEN I WAS UP THERE NO MALE STAFF EVER PUT THERE HANDS ON ME BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM

First of all every consumer has the right to legal services provided to them. All of the treatment at the place is documented very carefully by staff, teachers, and THEIR lawyers, and as far as his lawyer setting him up, why not report them to the Bar Asc? Just because Michael didn't get what he wanted everybody else is to blame.

My heart goes out to ANY parent trying to raise a well-adjusted, healthy, productive, active, and educated youth in this society that we now live in during the latter-quarter of 2006 A.D.. Having no children of my own, I find myself in a MUCH-needed position of support for my brother and step-sister who are the parents of several nieces and nephews, I try NEVER to shirk the small part that I do play in their individual development. I made that statement because I in no way could EVER place myself in the shoes of "Michael" and ever begin to feel the pain that he must be experiencing - having a child away from home that you KNOW needs help, you want to save them from people supposedly "hurting" him, but feeling completely helpless in the meanwhile. Although I can't offer you professional legal or mental health advice on your particular situation, as a "Sister in Christ", PLEASE allow me to offer you a few suggestions that MAY help you on your way to sorting out what seems to be a very serious situation. 1. Arrange an Assessment Meeting with all clinicians, doctors, social workers, and court-appointed officers controlling and in-charge of your son's In-Patient/Resident care; 2. Document ALL pertinent information pertaining to the present and prospective outline of his care. Also indicate any progress and set-backs in his care, behavior and staff reports, on-site visitation observations, and changes in medications and their affects; 3. Encourage any staff member and fellow "consumer" who is housed with your son, especially those that can substantiate evidence of resident or employee harassment, to take detailed notes, and obtain witness statements (notarized if possible) of these incidents. This can all be used later for any discriminatory court action or placement decisions pertaining to your son's case in the future; 4. If need be, seek assistance through the Juvenile Courts to have his case reevaluated under a Temporary Court-Order legal junction of some sort. This way, hopefully an unbiased, third-party representative can intervene on your behalf to have him removed from an allegedly "volatile" and "racially-discriminatory" environment like Sunmount, and have him properly evaluated. If you would allow the system to fully and legally investigate and substantiate your claims through proper channels, then "Michael", you will SOON find that the institutions that are coming under attack should have NO problem cooperating, ESPECIALLY if it insures an undisputable finding of innocence on THEIR behalf. I applaud your willingness to continue to "bless" the individuals who have provided negative responses to you, but your responses with a "like-minded" spirit as theirs only DECREASES your "blessing through THIS storm". ALWAYS remember through these "minor" obstacles that you're facing, that the Lord WILL "squeeze" you, but He will NEVER "choke" you. CONTINUE to bless the Lord through this VERY TRYING time, and you will get through this. "Dave" from Saranac, NY - YOU, my friend, should be ABSOLUTELY ashamed of yourself for the unscrupulous and uncalled for comments made toward "Michael" in your posts !!!! Are you NOT obligated as an employee of ANY sort of facility that provides "CONFIDENTIAL" client care, to sign a contract upon acceptance of said employment, declaring that you would "Protect and safeguard the information contained within a resident, client, "consumer" and/or patients' file"? Then WHY would you just get on this site, and in an act of ABSOLUTE despicable arrogance, become verbally combative against a father reaching out for help, and proceed to disclose sensitive and defamatory information about his son? I don't care WHAT sort of interactions you've had with this individual, how empathetic you are towards his "victims", or WHAT flashbacks this particular case has caused YOU to relive within your OWN memory bank!!! Someone within your workplace "food chain" took a look at your 'Application for Employment' and resume at Sunmount, presumably (as alluded to in your response), and decided that you possessed the qualifications necessary to work with a population of youth offenders who may OR MAY NOT be of a criminal element, but are in need of varying levels of psychiatric and pharmaceutical help, nonetheless. They hired you, fully anticipating your "alleged" abilities to execute those attributes you professed to possess, with a level of professional confidentiality and decorum that surpassed ALL other candidates considered for said position, and would ultimately, NOT even "remotely", place their facility in a position to defend defamatory, slanderous, disparaging, and patient-recovery hindering comments in potential legal proceedings. Howeverunbeknownst to your Human Resources, Legal and Executive departments, they hired an OUTSTANDING "Co-Defendant" in you, "Dave", as you, my dear intellectually-deficient specimen, have JUST unwittingly made it EXTREMELY easy for the potential plaintiff, "Michael" to win a SUBSTANTIAL court award against YOU, the FACILITY that HIRED you, and ANY individual named as a "Co-Defendant" in those forth-coming proceedings. "Dave" from Buffalo, NY - I'm not sure if you're the SAME "Dave" from Saranac, but at this point, if I were a concerned citizen as you SHOULD be, I would be MUCH less concerned with the reasons WHY "Michael's" son arrived at Sunmount than the reason for "Dave" of Saranac willfully and intentionally jeopardizing the confidentiality of Patient-Doctor relationships between "Michael's" son and his appointed clinicians and doctors. WhatEVER the reason for "Michael's" son being sent to Sunmount, apparently SOMEONE found a psychiatric/medicinal intervention was pertinent for his gradual ascent back into society. And YOUR careless, gossip-driven motives for inquiring about his son's placement only perpetuates the ignorance displayed in "Dave" from Saranac's post! The blessing behind "Michael's" admission of his son to SUCH a facility, is the fact that at least HE is having his issues addressed, which is MUCH MORE than I can say for "Dave" of Saranac and others who have strayed from the original "plea" from a clearly desperate father to save his son's life. EACH of you sound as if you are in GREAT need of psychiatric treatment, and I do NOT mean "Out-Patient", either. And as has been alleged, if this father WERE guilty of having planted the seed in his son to later commit heinous acts such as the "rape and molestation" that "Dave" from Saranac referred to, I would be completely astonished and relieved that such a perpetrator would be SO willing to subject HIMSELF to the privacy-destroying scrutiny of child protection, law enforcement, and mental health agencies in his personal life, by VOLUNTARILLY admitting his son to a mental health facility. And if you TRULY read his initial post, I personally believe that it was imperative for "Michael" to add the fact that he is "Black" in his initial post because of the following reasons: 1. Although I don't have to remind everyone of the various accounts of racially-motivated crimes that are happening in EVERY sector of our world, EVEN in the 21st century, through racial-profiling, discrimination and segregation of ALL cultures, INCLUDING "Caucasians", in employment, housing, and financial sectors, "Michael" was simply illustrating the perceived necessity of the staff at Sunmount to use the "N-word" against his son, and perhaps how his OWN inability to gain progress through the "system" may or may NOT be hindered due to his ethnic background. Whereas it has become customary for people of the suburban, non-Black, non-rapping sector of society to use the "N-word" loosely because of what they deem will provide them with "Street-"Cred" (or Credibility) or is indicative to what they hear at school or other social surroundings by OTHER Blacks themselves, it is NEVER the "norm" or deemed "okay" to use a term in describing a race of people, that they THEMSELVES would not use in describing their own people, or is perceived as derogatory to ANYONE within earshot. (And for those of you who are saying to yourselves that the above statement was "contradictory" or "hypocritical" in nature, I will clarify that when "Black" and African-Americans use the term, although I am NOT an advocate of the use of the word or form of it, at ANYTIME, it is pronounced "n***a" or "Niggah", NOT "N-I-G-G-E-R", which for THESE users of the term, has a completely different meaning, connotation, reference and ultimately varying punishment dole-out, depending upon it's delivery and acceptance.); Therefore, as a note to "Michael", in being an articulate, education, military-decorated, African/Native American woman myself (And by the way, if you've EVER read the post on the "Deadbeat Mother" named "Chanell" Who Throws Her Baby In The s****.: "It's not WHAT you're called.It's what you ANSWER to". If you look up the term "N*gg*r", in MOST dictionaries and books outlining word origins, each one takes it's OWN approach in defining that PARTICULAR term. However, it is up to YOU and YOUR son as to which label YOU will identify with. ALWAYS remember that "The LABEL does NOT make the man. The MAN makes the label". If your actions cause individuals in a position of authority over your son's case to label you OR he in a term that is of a "degrading and inflammatory" manner, and historically means to be "ignorant" and "without sense", then DON'T perpetuate it by acting out the stererotype. 2. When we live in a society that is QUICK to disparage an African-American man for NOT being responsible for the "seeds" that he spreads upon this land, I believe, "Dave", that all "Michael" was doing was trying to illustrate is that he is NOT one of the "statistical "brothas' " that doesn't take of his responsibility, becomes a "deadbeat", absentee-father, pushing their "babies' mama" on welfare and food stamps. Although his son is housed outside of his "immediate" control, "Michael" is showing a very VALIANT effort to remain PROactive in his son's future development and contribution to society. At LEAST pat him on the back for the efforts that he's TRYING to makeDAMN! "Haha" from Tupper Lake - Your ill-placed and misquoted statement, " 'Well you have let everyone know that you are BLACK thank you, and for your rude comments about white people you should be slaped' ", allegedly quoted from "Michael", is as erroneous as your argument against his original post !!!! This man is CLEARLY reaching out for help, which is EXACTLY what this website is meant for. And what do YOU do in return? You proceed to jump on the "Dave" from Saranac/"Dave" from Buffalo bandwagon and spout illiterate nonsense about a subject that you are CLEARLY not equipped OR educated to handle. ALL of you who have NOT reached out to this father should be ASHAMED of yourselves, I don't care WHAT his nationality, race, creed, religious origin are, NOR what his son's prior arrest/criminal record contains !!!! The fact of the matter is THIS: We are currently living in a society where everyone from politicians, clergymen/women, teachers, parents, neighbors, strangers and law-enforcement officials are engaging in sexually-predatory behavior(s) NEVER-before reported in the record-volume obtained as recent, in the HISTORY of mankind. So if "Michael" IS reaching out for help in consideration and on behalf of his son regarding "this" matter, you SHOULD be applauding his efforts, NOT bashing the "helpless" father and "obviously-misdirected" son !!! As has been reported by our media news outlets on a daily basis, "OUR" sexually-abused victims and "victimizers" are getting younger and YOUNGER in age, with the assaults becoming MUCH more heinous, violent, out-in-the-open, and clinically-treated and dismissed as "coming-of-age" and "repressive memory" actions by young boys and men, allowing for greater chances of MORE victims and aggressors to "slip through the legal cracks" than necessary. And the fact that our society is now operating with a MUCH higher bankroll to pay-off court judgments, media gossipers, accusers, and "potential witnesses", so as to NEVER allow their public release and disclosure of wide-spread corruption, doesn't' make it ANY easier for people like "Michael" trying to fight the system on behalf of his son. (Ref: Multiple media reports of "child pedophilia/sex abuse" rings recently discovered through our political, religious, child protective, law enforcement, media conglomerate-controlled, illegal crime syndicate-controlled and Hollywood circles.) "Brian" from Tupper Lake - THANK YOU for providing this father with some MUCH-NEEDED "insider" advice on how to better "work-the-system" at Sunmount. Your response came across as informative, compassionate and professional in trying to assist an OBVIOUSLY concerned father better help his son in what HE has deemed as an unsafe environment for his offspring to reside in. However I DON'T think that your comment about "Michael" throwing a "pity party" was correct or appropriate in THIS circumstance. When responding to these posts, "Dave" from Saranac, "Dave" from Buffalo and "Haha" from Tupper Lake, trying reevaluating just how articulate YOU would be in pleading the case for a child of YOURS who was caught within a system that YOU thought was designed to HELP him, only to hear reports from your child that it's HURTING him/her? Show a little humanity and compassion, and treat "Michael" as if you would want someone ELSE to treat YOU if it were YOU writing this letter!!!!

Michael, I wish you would tell the whole story, Why was your son moved from western NY to Sunmount? What part of Sunmount is he in CIT, RIT, LIT? How old is you son? If you don't approve of his meds then why are you not involved in approving his meds and or programs? If you son is there I'm sure he is no angel, none of them are, but I have yet to hear a staff call a consumer "n****r", that word does fly around allot up there but it's the other consumers that are saying it. Are you attending family fun day this year? Why don't you buy a calling card so he can call you more often? Better yet maybe he will be mentoring soon and he can pay for his own card. You said your son needs help, which is good, but just think he is not the only person there that needs treatment, lately the consumers are not going after staff, instead they are going after each other. If you really love you son get more involved in his treatment, talk to other people to get the full story of what's really going on, just don't take your sons word for it, I'm sure he has a social worker, a active treatment coordinator, a team leader, and lots more, quit making this a pity party for you and your son. And for the idiot that had the 25 IQ statement I have two words "BITE ME" you're not even from here, why don't you go your neighbor in the trailer next to you out in Flagstaff, Arizona. Have you ever been here? If not then STFU. Peace

This is to Mike most likely your son is a sexual preditor, thats what sunmount is now for criminaly insane. There is probly 2% that are only mentaly ill in that place. Well you have let everyone know that you are BLACK thank you, and for your rude comments about white people you should be slaped....you try and make it look like your son is being shunned because of his race when your the ignorant fool talking about white people! "Im a poor BLACK man" you couldnt just say poor man you had to let it be known that your black. your son isnt being descriminated you just think that in your own mind to make your self feel good. GET OVER YOUR SELF AND STOP BEING A RACIAL CRY a*s!!!!

This is to Mike most likely your son is a sexual preditor, thats what sunmount is now for criminaly insane. There is probly 2% that are only mentaly ill in that place. Well you have let everyone know that you are BLACK thank you, and for your rude comments about white people you should be slaped....you try and make it look like your son is being shunned because of his race when your the ignorant fool talking about white people! "Im a poor BLACK man" you couldnt just say poor man you had to let it be known that your black. your son isnt being descriminated you just think that in your own mind to make your self feel good. GET OVER YOUR SELF AND STOP BEING A RACIAL CRY a*s!!!!

This is to Mike most likely your son is a sexual preditor, thats what sunmount is now for criminaly insane. There is probly 2% that are only mentaly ill in that place. Well you have let everyone know that you are BLACK thank you, and for your rude comments about white people you should be slaped....you try and make it look like your son is being shunned because of his race when your the ignorant fool talking about white people! "Im a poor BLACK man" you couldnt just say poor man you had to let it be known that your black. your son isnt being descriminated you just think that in your own mind to make your self feel good. GET OVER YOUR SELF AND STOP BEING A RACIAL CRY a*s!!!!

This is to Mike most likely your son is a sexual preditor, thats what sunmount is now for criminaly insane. There is probly 2% that are only mentaly ill in that place. Well you have let everyone know that you are BLACK thank you, and for your rude comments about white people you should be slaped....you try and make it look like your son is being shunned because of his race when your the ignorant fool talking about white people! "Im a poor BLACK man" you couldnt just say poor man you had to let it be known that your black. your son isnt being descriminated you just think that in your own mind to make your self feel good. GET OVER YOUR SELF AND STOP BEING A RACIAL CRY a*s!!!!

my son is not a sex abuser or molestor i put him in this cazy system looking for help but dave my buddy my friend its sad that theres people like you in the world i will pray for you and its not your business why hes there but i think you need more help than my son god bless you and i will continue to pray for you and get some counseling it won't hurt you and this will be my last rebuttal

I helped your son. Funny you didn't mention what your son is at Sunmount for. It's no secret that Sunmount is full of people who have issues (sexual) with kids. Fact is Michael that studies show that over 98% of sexual preditors have been abused when they were kids themselves. Your right he had help but I think it was you and not I that helped him. As far as where my hart is, it is with the kids that he raped/molested. I also feel sorry for you Michael. You either live with your head in the sand (or somewhere else) or you are as sick as he is. These are the real victims and I hope your son rots in hell for what he has done. Check out some of the new laws that are being passed and see what socity thinks of your son. http://www.amw.com/features/feature_story_detail.cfm?id=1206 http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/06/0707063.html I guess I'm not alone.

dave i enjoyed your comments about my son and you want to know how my son got to sunmount well dave people like you helped my son get to where hes at today thank you- for that and as far as my son is concern the gov't gets money to warehouse my son and others. i love my son and for your evil comments where is your heart and a little understanding but i guest your white hood is covering your brain mr willie lynch jr.
people as i said before my son need help but hes not getting it at sunmount don't believe me if you choose. god bless

You mentioned that staff didn't let him use the bathroom in private, but did you know that people who come in are all under observation until they are deemed stable? You also mentioned that they give him medication he doesn't need, but failed once again to mention that Doctors and Licensed Psy. pescribe these same medications.

You mention that he is allowed only one phone call home per week but again failed to mention that he can call anytime that he wants however the State will only pay for one call per week for anyone.

You didn't mention that you didn't have money but indicated that you couldn't afford to get up to see him very often, yet you are on this site with a computer.

Just out of curiosity just what did your son do to get sent to Sunmount anyway? Sure would like to know and I bet a lot of others would also.

If all that I've read here about Tupper Lake is even half true, I would get him somewhere else. If he showed up there with an IQ of 70, he'll leave with an IQ of 25 - must be in the water.

Good luck, if you can document everything. There should be a state Ombudsman to help you with this and they are free.