Academy Staff is excited about Growth of their Teen Programs
October 21, 2009- Rosarito, B.C., Mexico: When Sunset Bay Academy was founded as Oceanside Teen Center in July 2008 the academy sub-contracted the services of the Worldwide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP) using their seminar model, marketing infrastructure, and billing services.
Sunset Bay Academy needed the support of such services since they were new in establishing a therapeutic boarding school in Rosarito, B.C., Mexico.
They did not have name recognition in United States to access the Therapeutic Boarding School Industry and associated themselves with WWASP for their external services. Sunset Bay Academy hired bilingual psychologists to implement the most important aspect of the behavioral health model. Their skills and expertise as therapists have created the greatest impact in providing a critical support system for both the students and parents working towards restoring and healing their families.
In addition, Sunset Bay Academy’s Program Director and Medical Director live on the school grounds and are accessible 24/7. Each psychologist was carefully selected for their credentials, professional history, and most important, for their passion in working with youth and families. Sunset Bay Academy developed its program and was very clear that it would adhere to professional ethical standards setting it apart from other international boarding schools.
Given the climate of abuse that had plagued WWASP schools, Sunset Bay Academy delineated the parameters of their business relationship as a subcontractor of their existing services only. Sunset Bay Academy would never acquiesce to “bend the rules a little”, physically discipline, or engage in unethical practices with their teens nor would it develop and design a mediocre program to appease WWASP’s appetite to increase their revenues. During this time, WWASP revealed their disturbing unethical billing practices with our parents by making it clear that they felt entitled to a larger stake in the program and expected Sunset Bay Academy to model its program as a WWASP school. Sunset Bay Academy severed all business ties with WWASP and terminated their services in April 2009.
Their immediate response was to harass all Sunset Bay Academy parents with horrifying emails, letters and phone calls scaring them into thinking that SBA was no longer operating and offered the parents free transportation to move their children to one of their schools. This tactic caused incredible fear and turmoil among parents. It completely backfired and set the stage for greater trust and an unwavering bond to be established SBA’s parents and teens. They handled the transition with great care and ease with the amazing support of all their parents and changed their name to Sunset Bay Academy. Despite, WWASP’s ongoing efforts to defame and curtail SBA’s referral sources they survived. Today, SBA is a stronger organization and extremely excited about the possibilities for growth. The irony of their history is that they remain a target for all the Anti-WWASP websites as they continue to associate their program with WWASP schools. I know that SBA applauds the efforts of these young men and women who are spearheading this effort to keep schools that dismiss their responsibility to the children and families they serve and continue to operate with unconscionable regard to the emotional wounds they create. It pains me to know that these young people were deeply hurt by these schools and have made it their mission to identify the disturbing practices of such schools.
Unfortunately, Sunset Bay Academy is linked to WWASP as a former business relationship that was subcontracted when the Academy was founded. To this end, they invite any person associated with the website to visit and tour the school and speak to the students and parents. They are making a concerted effort to be completely transparent on their website and on the site visits and tours conducted by parents, California policymakers, community based organizations, scholars, and professionals in the behavioral health field.
They are actively soliciting the feedback of professionals in the field to improve their program and strengthen all their services. Sunset Bay Academy is also looking into becoming an International behavioral health model that will have proven data to support and measure their program success. For more information on Sunset Bay Academy and its programs for teens, contact the academy directly at 619-342-3045 or visit the SBA website at www.SunsetBayAcademy.com
