Author Archives: Dunn Firm - Morgan Claire Dunn

When Words Wound the Soul

Dear Dr. Christina Propst a/k/a Chris Tina:

In the early morning hours of July 4, 2025, a gut wrenching catastrophe struck Central Texas. An unimaginable event which would take the lives of so many little girls. Girls, daughters whose future lay before them. Unlimited possibilities. Young, innocent, naïve, full of life souls. They knew not political parties nor the divisiveness which is tearing apart the Republic. They are our best hope for greater tomorrows. And yet, you exacerbated the agony their parents would experience. The darkest of days which will forever haunt them.

In your ignorance, you felt the need to look past compassion, grace and understanding.  And you posted this on your social media page:

May they get what they voted for? Bless their hearts? [In this context, it is a term of derision.]

This from a trained, so-called professional pediatrician. A medical doctor.

As parents were experiencing the worse pain possible, the public outcry against this doctor was swift and sure. Social media disseminated her words and the backlash went viral. Consequences were immediate. The doctor was fired from her position at Blue Fish Pediatrics, an independent partner of internationally renowned Memorial Hospital. Complaints are being filed with the Texas Board of Medicine.

The good doctor saw her world crumbling, albeit in a manner which pales in comparison with a parent burying his child. In all reasonable likelihood, panic began to set in. And then, the doctor did what many people under similar circumstances often do … she tried to rectify her damaging words through an apology. An apology which rang as hollow as her initial words had been horrific.

As part of her “apology,” the doctor said that politics have never impacted her judgment or actions as a medical provider. But that’s not really true. After Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a ban on school masking mandates, Dr. Propst stated the Governor was a direct threat to the health and well-being of the children of Texas. This despite the fact that children under 12 years of age were least susceptible to Covid19.

In 2020, the good doctor organized a letter which in essence blamed Congressman Dan Crenshaw for Houston’s COVID surge. This was based on Dr. Propst’s belief that Congressman Crenshaw unfairly pushed back on lockdown hysteria stating, “Dan Crenshaw, on the other hand, has spewed lies for the past four months – minimizing the threat we face and spreading dangerous disinformation for self-indulgent headlines.”

Both politicians are Republican. Dr. Propst is a Democrat. But there were no politics in play? This is what happens when blind allegiance to your political party predominates over the needs of the Republic … or the needs of the family. My dear doctor … do not insult our intelligence.

In her attempted apology, the good doctor also stated, “… her post came from a “place of frustration” over the need for “more and better support and funding to help prevent and respond to tragedies such as this.” This language could have come directly from the DCCC. If ever there was a political statement, this would qualify.

Dr. Propst then wrote, “Perhaps my biggest regret is that my words are now serving as a distraction from our shared responsibility to heal the pain and suffering of those whose lives have been forever changed by unspeakable loss, and to take every step to ensure such a disaster never occurs again.”

Her biggest regret is that her words are a mere distraction? Not the pain they caused. Not exacerbating the grief which rips the hearts from parents who suffer such an unthinkable tragedy? Instead, her words are a mere distraction. That is her biggest regret?

Let us now take a look at another part of the good doctor’s attempted apology which also rings hollow.

In her attempted apology, she stated, “I take full responsibility for a social media comment I made before we knew that so many precious lives were lost to the terrible tragedy in Central Texas.” So, my good doctor, can we presume you believe your words would have been acceptable had fewer lives been taken assuming those lives were all MAGA persons? For discussions sake, what is the minimum number of MAGA people dying which would have been acceptable and excuse your hate filled messaging? What is your choice, Sophie?

There is another fact which calls into question the authenticity of the good doctor’s so-called apology. Now, I am not privy to the exact time the good doctor published her social media post. But, as for the timeline of the tragedy, we know:

On July 4, 2025:

5:57 a.m.: The Coast Guard was asked for help and started sending resources to the scene.

7 a.m.: Kerr County begins to evacuate people near the Guadalupe River in Hunt amid major flooding caused by 6 to 7 inches of rainfall.

10 a.m.: The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirms there have been “multiple fatalities” from “catastrophic flooding.”

So, we know that evacuations were in place as early as 7:00 a.m. And multiple fatalities were announced as early as 10:00 a.m. The scenes broadcast on social and legacy media were horrifying. So, despite the fact that the world knew of the tragic events and death which had visited Central Texas, this doctor did not know prior to her ill-advised statement? How is that remotely possible since she had actual knowledge of the flood and hoped that everyone, except MAGA voters stay safe and dry?

It is important to note that Dr. Propst did NOT say she was not concerned about children. To the contrary. She hoped they stayed safe and dry. That is, perhaps unless they were children of MAGA voters whose lives may have been taken by the flood. So, are we to presume wishing harm on MAGA voters, which harm would directly devastate their children, perhaps even turning them into orphans, is acceptable?

Her former employer, Blue Fish Pediatrics issued its own press release stating in material part, “That post does not reflect the values, standards, or mission of Blue Fish Pediatrics,” Blue Fish Pediatrics wrote. “We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family. We continue to extend our full support to the families and the surrounding communities who are grieving, recovering, and searching for hope.”

Dr. Propst’s social media post was atrocious. She was fired and her former employer distanced itself from her. Her apology was vapid.

So, what can the good doctor do to attempt to rebuild her life? That is a difficult question with nuanced complexities. Were I advising the good doctor, I would recommend the following: A public statement that in order to gain a much deeper understanding of our humanity, she would announce she is taking at least a one-year leave of absence from the medical profession. During this time, she commits to undergoing many hours of therapeutic intervention with an emphasis on compassion, a parent’s grief, and how politics is undermining our soul.

Then, I would advise the good doctor to attend as many funerals as possible for the victims of the tragedy. Sit in the back of the church and see in person, the pain permanently etched on the faces of parents. Take in the tears of family and friends and neighbors. Look into the eyes of a parent who believes that the very best part of them has been forever taken. Not just one funeral, nor 5, nor 10 … but as many as possible.

All Dr. Propst did was mumble out vacuous words with no meaningful action supporting them. She did not show the courage of her convictions, assuming she has any. Nor a commitment to taking action. Just words. Vapid, empty words.

And vapid, empty words will be all that remain of Dr. Propst.

Through Tragedy, We Can Find Our Soul

The forces that descended upon the Guadalupe River in Texas’ Hill Country in the very early hours of Friday, July 4, 2025, were a generational, worst-case scenario.  

Four months’ worth of rain fell in just a few hours. Water-laden thunderstorms stalled in place. When combined, this “perfect storm” gave rise to a wall of water that surged down the river in the darkness of the night. This in itself limited the number of people who could get warnings and move to higher ground.

Sunrise revealed the devastation and horror inflicted upon Texas. Summer camps along the Guadalupe River were buried under a choking tsunami of flood water. And yet, we still did not understand the extent of the tragedy to be revealed. Reports began to trickle in of people whose lives had been taken by this tragedy. Search and rescue operations conducted by numerous first responder units were shown on television and on social media. The grisly numbers began to be disclosed.

11 dead and many missing. 20 dead. 30 dead. The number kept rising just as surely as the flood waters had. The confirmed death toll reached 70 on Sunday afternoon. 90 or more on Monday morning, over 100 Monday night. Many of those found dead had not yet been identified, including children.

For the parents of the children who are still missing or have not been identified, they are existing in the worst hell imaginable. Sleep will not come to them. Their hunger is gone. A terror which can only be experienced by a parent who has had a child taken, grips their every moment. For some, it even snaps their will to live.

If ever there was a time for our nation to come together as the search continues, as hearts are broken, as souls are taken, that time would surely be now. Families are far greater and more important than any political party. The pain caused by the death of innocent children is universal. This would be the time and event which could start the path of healing. One could think that. And yet, one would be wrong.

Even as first responders and volunteers were placing their own lives in harm’s way, as a parent’s worst nightmare played out before their eyes, the social injustice, keyboard warriors, including some in the eating disorder community, began to spew forth their hate filled narrative. A narrative which gave new life to a quote widely attributed to Josef Stalin, “One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic.” Perhaps we have a tendency to feel more deeply individual losses rather than full scale tragedies. Regardless, the tsunami of political venom flowed with incredible force.

At this point, it would have been so easy to wrap oneself in righteous indignation, to call out the callous and unfeeling. To point out how people, lost in their own self-importance and identification politics, have exacerbated the pain for those families whose loss cannot be imagined.

Numerous people use social media as the vehicle to parade their ignorance. They believe that an entire segment of our society, literally millions of people are fundamentally bad because of whom they supported in the last election. As a society, we cannot allow ourselves to degenerate into this madness.

I choose to believe that people have the ability to rise above a crisis and to embrace the very best in humanity. That we can see the best in people. That when confronted with seemingly overwhelming strife, we have the ability to care the most for our fellow human beings. We hug parents who have experienced the most horrific loss possible. We honor those brave warriors who saved so many lives.

We remember. We mourn. We cry. We support those who must bear the most horrific loss possible. We feel and must remember our humanity.

In this article, I had intended to go off on those who had used this tragedy as a platform upon which to build their own destructive narrative. But then, loved ones (all 2 of them) and friends (all 3 of them) in essence stated, “Dunn, you are a f*cking loon if you do that! You will be no better than them if you do!”

They were and are … right. And I would have been so wrong. Wrong to pontificate. Wrong to inflate my views above all others. I cannot and will not, castigate others while my character flaws and faults are so prevalent and are a work in progress.

My heart goes out to those parents whose beloved children have been so cruelly taken. I know what it is like to experience that type of pain. The agonizing, soul crushing pain. But it would be so wrong to impose my own narrow views upon others. We are all unique, singular souls. And so, I mourn with you. And should any parent reach out, I will cry with you, I will hold you … you have a safe place.

And maybe, just maybe for the briefest period of time, we can escape our pain, our sorrow, our anger, our fear, through grace. And perhaps through humor. For me, Robin Williams provided that respite from heartache at least for a little while. I hope everyone can find their own goodness and love of life somewhere. Somehow.

UPDATE iaedp

As many know, iaedp is facing an existential crisis brought about by its own lack of transparency, past irresponsible management decisions, litigation, and administrative complaints filed with the IRS, Department of Labor and the California Franchise Tax Board.

It has been almost a year since I last wrote on iaedp. This article is meant to give an update on various issues. As before, these updates will be coming from a person who is in an adversarial relationship with iaedp.

On behalf of aggrieved eating disorder certified professionals and a potential class, I filed the lawsuit in federal court in Dallas, Texas. Iaedp, Dena Cabrera, Dr. Joel Jahraus and Dr. Ralph Carson were named as defendants. They are represented by a law firm based in Chicago. Ms. Harken is represented by a different law firm. All attorneys are from reputable firms and have strong reputations.

The case was moved to the Central District of Illinois, a district in which Ms. Harken resides. Despite the passage of time, the case is in its infancy and none of the substantive merits have been decided.  iaedp, its named board members and Ms. Harken have all filed motions to dismiss the case. In essence, the defendants are saying that the plaintiffs have not properly plead the case, do not have legal standing to bring the lawsuit and did not allege sufficient facts supporting their claims. These types of motions to dismiss are standard practice in most cases filed in federal court.

Naturally, the Plaintiffs disagree with the Defendants’ position, are requesting that the motions be denied and the case be allowed to proceed. The Court has not yet ruled on those motions.

In the unlikely event the motions are granted and the case is dismissed, an appeal will be filed in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, Illinois.  When the motions are denied, the case will proceed to the next stage. This involves engaging in extensive discovery, depositions and document production.

Regardless, the lawsuit will not be decided any time soon as settlement is unlikely. In the past almost two years, including before filing suit, the plaintiffs made at least three (3) settlement offers with the hope of expeditiously resolving this matter.

iaedp chose to not make any substantive response.  

Before filing suit, we sent a letter with information and evidence showing improprieties and concerns about iaedp. We requested that we sit down and talk as professionals. We even suggested bringing in a neutral mediator to assist. No monetary demands. No demands that any iaedp officer be fired. iaedp and Ms. Harken decided to “lawyer up” and refused to talk. This necessitated filing the lawsuit. Had Ms. Harken and iaedp agreed to meet, perhaps the lawsuit would not have been necessary. And iaedp would not be on the edge of collapse.

In the past few months, we again made a settlement offer to Drs. Carson, Jarhaus and Ms. Cabrera. We requested that with their attorneys present, they sit down and have a professional, frank discussion about any knowledge or information they had of iaedp. In exchange, they would be dismissed from the lawsuit. No monetary demands. No public statements demanded. Just a request to talk. Again, our efforts were rejected.

As such, the parties are now set in their positions. No further settlement discussions are anticipated. No settlement is anticipated. When all efforts to salvage what is left of iaedp have been refused, what is there to discuss? Every attempt we made to resolve all issues so that past sins could be addressed leading to a more hopeful future were rejected.

There are times in a lawsuit, if one side is pushing settlement discussions, the other side looks upon that as a sign of weakness.  The opposing attorney thinks, “They recognize the holes in their own case! We can exploit this.” At times, that is accurate.

However, there is another reality. At times one side may wish to pursue settlement for a much greater purpose. By addressing past sins, and then moving forward, the needs of a community are often best served. It is a sign of being willing to work for the common good. Far from a weakness, it demonstrates strength. It is not a sign of an unwillingness to go to war. Instead, it is a willingness to exhaust all possible avenues of resolution before going to war. Because that may be in the best interest of a community. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

An expeditious, confidential settlement was in iaedp and Ms. Harken’s best interest. Especially when you consider the following facts, all of which have been confirmed as being accurate:

  1. For a significant period of time, iaedp was not in good standing in the State of California, the state in which it was organized;
  2. When a California organization is listed as not being in good standing, it does not have the authority to conduct business (including perhaps, overseeing and issuing board certifications);
  3. For most of its existence, iaedp was not registered as a foreign (California) organization in the State of Illinois, its principal place of business;
  4. When a foreign (California) organization is not properly registered in the State of Illinois, it does not have the authority to conduct business (including perhaps, overseeing and issuing board certifications);
  5. The Illinois Secretary of State lists a number of iaedp chapters as being dissolved or not in good standing;
  6. As a result of the lawsuit being filed, iaedp removed the requirements of symposium attendance and association membership in order to acquire or maintain board certification. This happened only after the lawsuit was filed and was one of the key issues in the case;
  7. Some person, presumably Mr. Harken, forged the signatures of Dr. Jahraus and Ms. Cabrera on corporate documents submitted to the Illinois Secretary of State;
  8. Presumably in order to attempt to avoid paying taxes not just to the State of California but the IRS, Ms. Harken classified herself, or at times, her non-existent corporation as an independent contractor;
  9. The California Franchise Tax Board assessed and is collecting significant back taxes, penalties and interest from iaedp;
  10. Even though there is a legion of documents, including Ms. Harken’s prior sworn declaration that Ms. Harken was an independent contractor, last month Ms. Harken filed a motion with the Court stating that she was an employee of iaedp. The significance of misleading the Court on this issue was to attempt to avoid liability under the racketeering laws;
  11. As a result of Ms. Harken’s false statement about being an “employee,” Plaintiffs filed a motion for sanctions asking the Court to assess sanctions against Ms. Harken.

There are many other facts supporting Plaintiffs’ right to recovery in the lawsuit. However, perhaps the most significant issue may be that since iaedp was not in good standing in either California or Illinois for significant periods of time, did iaedp have the legal authority to oversee and issue board certifications during those times? That is, if you were issued your board certification when iaedp was not in good standing, is your certification valid? Is your certification basically a worthless piece of paper? And if not, what are the ramifications? Those will be questions for the Court to decide.

In litigation as in war, you achieve victory by engaging in a relentless, well-orchestrated and carefully designed plan to obtain victory and deprive your opponent of the initiative. You make your opponent pay a price higher than it expected for choosing the path of war. In litigation, an attorney has the power of the legal system. Issuing subpoenas for relevant documents not just from the named parties but also from third parties and witnesses. Deposing people who may have information of relevant facts. Uncovering lies. Exposing arrogance, greed and collusion. Discovering facts which support long held suppositions. Hundreds of hours spent on the process. The uncertainty.  The unexpected.

If iaedp prevails in the lawsuit, it will attempt to continue its existence the best it can. Or if and when the plaintiffs prevail, and a judgment especially on a class wide basis is entered, many certified professionals will be eligible to receive some type of monetary compensation. However, iaedp may not have the financial resources or enough insurance in place to satisfy a large judgment. This will inevitably result in iaedp failing or declaring bankruptcy and the certification program either being adopted by another organization or falling altogether.

In any event, the eating disorder community is at a crossroads. We can only hope that the community finally comes together and proceeds in a direction that is designed to bring collaboration, wisdom and insight. We can only hope.

LIVE OR DIES … Ai DECIDES

Your 18-year-old daughter, who is struggling with severe anorexia, desperately needs a higher level of care. Biologically, her organs are failing. You make a claim with your health insurance company. And you receive a denial.

You quickly research and then discover an Ai program utilized by the insurance company made the decision to deny saving your daughter’s life.

Welcome to the world in which we live. Where Ai programs may be making life and death decisions about your loved ones. That is the very harsh reality. So, let’s explore that reality.

First, what is “artificial intelligence?” The term itself is so vague as to be mystifying. What makes it artificial? The fact that human beings invented it? That it is silicone based instead of carbon based? Is the programmed intelligence, which is designed to learn at a rate far faster than humans can possibly comprehend, deemed artificial because it lacks a sentient existence?

Is Ai artificial because whereas it may “learn,” it does not experience the subtle nuances and life experiences which make us all unique? Does Ai have a soul? For that matter, do we?

Regardless, with Ai still being in an early stage of development, and with Ai’s developing interaction with humans, we must find ways to build guard rails so that Ai is not in a position where it could singularly make life and death decisions. Decisions which are often made by health insurance companies when deciding to pay, or not pay, for life saving surgeries or treatment. Or is it already too late?

Imagine if you will, an Ai program being utilized, without human interaction, to review and decide a claim or an appeal of a claim for a higher level of care, or to receive necessary treatment or to receive a life-saving procedure. An Ai program with no human experiences, no ethics, no soul, no subtlety, no morality. To leave our very existence in the hands of a machine, a machine that cannot love, cannot experience sorry, or joy, or happiness, or despair. And yet … that is happening. Today.

In 2020, UnitedHealth Group division Optum acquired naviHealth and its algorithm for predicting care, called nH Predict, which UnitedHealth uses and contracts out to other insurers, including Humana. Multiple industry sources estimate that Optum paid at least $1.1 billion dollars and when considering debt and related financial structuring—the purchase price is estimated to be as high as $2.5 billion. When asked by the Guardian, a spokesperson for UnitedHealth Group denied that the algorithm is used to make coverage decisions. [Like when UBH denied it ran its guidelines through its accounting and finance departments?] 

UnitedHealth, Humana and Cigna are facing class action lawsuits alleging the insurers unethically relied upon Ai generated algorithms to deny lifesaving care.

One of the lawsuits alleges that Cigna denied more than 300,000 claims in a two-month period. This equates to spending approximately 1.2 seconds for each presumably physician-reviewed claim. Such a practice is aided by algorithms, the lawsuit alleged.

The Cigna lawsuit also alleged that nH Predict had a 90% error rate, meaning nine out of 10 denials were reversed upon appeal – but that vanishingly few patients (about 0.2%) appeal their denied claims, leading them to pay bills out of pocket or forgo necessary treatment.

Appealing denied claims means big business. The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate that when insureds appeal initial denials administrative costs for insurance providers exceed $7.2 billion annually.

According to a United States Senate Report issued in October 2024, UnitedHealthcare, CVS and Humana – the three largest providers of Medicare Advantage, together provide almost 60% of all Medicare Advantage coverage – but reject prior authorization claims at higher rates using technology and automation. That report can be found here:

Click to access 2024.10.17-PSI-Majority-Staff-Report-on-Medicare-Advantage.pdf

To support the implementation of Ai, health insurance companies argue that Ai programs streamline claims processing, more effectively flag fraud, and promise greater speed, efficiency and cost savings.  They claim that by automating routine claims, Ai frees up human reviewers to focus on complex or borderline cases that require medical judgment and nuance. (For that matter, don’t all claims require medical judgment?)

Despite its alleged advantages in claims processing, Ai has faced fierce criticism, especially when its role extends to denying coverage or appeals for essential care. Ai is not immune to flaws, as its decisions depend on data quality and programming — both of which can perpetuate mistakes or systemic biases. Garbage in Garbage out.

Many Ai systems operate opaquely, leaving patients, providers, and even insurers unsure how specific decisions are made. This undermines trust and impedes meaningful appeals.

Numerous lawsuits allege that Ai tools prioritize cost-saving over medical necessity. In some cases, Ai has overridden physician recommendations, resulting in denials of rehabilitation, mental health services, or life-saving treatments.

There is a widespread perception—and often a harsh reality—that health insurers prioritize profits above the needs of their insureds. Ai tools, by automating denials or aggressively limiting coverage, can exacerbate this distrust, especially when decisions feel impersonal or unjust.

Critics argue that Ai systems are often deployed as “rubber stamps,” with little or no meaningful physician review—contravening legal and ethical obligations.

Meanwhile, states like California have moved to ban Ai-only coverage denials, signaling a wave of regulatory intervention.

As for those health insurance companies which utilize Ai alone to decide claims or appeals, the major issues focus on:

Risk of Profit-Driven Bias: Ai tools influenced by financial priorities may embed cost-saving incentives that override medical necessity, echoing problems revealed in the Wit v. UBH case.

Lack of Clinical Nuance: Ai lacks the ability to fully understand complex medical contexts or patient histories that human clinicians evaluate.

Transparency and Accountability: Patients have a right to clear explanations and meaningful appeals, which Ai-alone systems often fail to provide.

But that is where we are. Ai is being utilized by insurance companies to decide claims and appeals. Although the insurance companies may deny this fact, it is a reality. Especially since widespread use of Ai in denying claims and appeals will result in much greater profits for these companies.

To counter this reality, the future must be shaped by the following:

Stronger Regulatory Frameworks

States and potentially federal regulators are developing rules to ensure Ai complements—not replaces—human medical judgment. Requirements for physician involvement, transparency, and appeal rights are expected to expand.

Increased Legal Scrutiny

As lawsuits proceed, courts will clarify the legal boundaries of Ai’s role in coverage decisions, particularly under ERISA, Medicare Advantage rules, and consumer protection laws.

Pressure for Transparency and Explainability

Insurers may face mounting demands to disclose how Ai tools function, how decisions are made, and how patients can challenge automated denials.

Smarter, More Ethical Ai Development

Future Ai systems may incorporate safeguards to avoid wrongful denials, improve alignment with medical standards, and enhance explainability.

Ai’s exploding involvement, or interference in our lives will only increase. That is inevitable.

There is the potential that Ai can make health insurance claims processing faster, fairer, and more efficient—but only if deployed responsibly. It must address not only human fallibility but also the systemic distrust stemming from the reality that insurers prioritize profits over patients. Lessons from Wit v. UBH remind us that financial influence over clinical decisions can have devastating consequences, a cautionary tale for Ai implementation.

As courts, lawmakers, and the public demand accountability, the health insurance industry faces a pivotal choice: embrace Ai as a tool to support—not supplant—human expertise, or risk eroding trust and facing costly legal consequences.

The future of Ai in health insurance is not just a technological issue—it is a legal, ethical, and societal issue. Right now, the live of your loved one may very well depend on a machine. On Ai. A lifeless, soulless computer program devoid of all emotion, mercy and humanity.

That is our reality right now. Allow yourself to contemplate that reality and perhaps yes, be afraid. For our future depends on wisdom far greater than humanity has ever demonstrated. Our health depends on it. Our very lives depend on it.

COLLABORATE OR PERISH

June 2, 2025, was World Eating Disorders Action Day. (“WEDAD”) According to the organizers, “… over 300 organizations … stepped up—hosting events, launching social media campaigns and podcasts, conducting interviews, and working across borders and disciplines to make an impact on this one crucial day.”

Dra. Eva Trujillo, (whom I like and respect) was one of the drivers of WEDAD. Her quotes included:

“When we act together, our impact is stronger.   We are looking for new voices, perspectives, and passionate professionals ready to serve.”  

“Are we, as a field, ready to begin healing the divides within our own community? Or are we too overwhelmed trying to survive?” 

“It’s a question that haunts many of us, and it’s time we face it with courage and honesty. We can’t build meaningful change externally if we remain fragmented internally. This is a moment for us—clinicians, educators, researchers, advocates, sufferers, and caregivers—to come together—not in perfect agreement but in shared purpose.” 

“We must start connecting. Not by taking sides, but by building bridges, amplifying what unites us, listening more than speaking, and doing the hard work of healing, both within and beyond our professional circles.” 

An officer from another organization stated:

“So, how do we begin to heal our community?” 

“As organizations, we begin by reaching out to one another, recognizing each other’s strengths, sharing our own, and uniting our efforts to broaden services and support.” 

“Together, we are stronger.” 

Fine words. Grand words. But … just words. So, how do we put into action the concept behind those words and turn them into reality?

A few weeks ago, I attended ICED 2025 in San Antonio. [As an aside, ICED 2026 is scheduled for June 3 – 5 at … The Hague. And by wonderful coincidence, the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco is scheduled for June 5 – 7! Can you say Bucket List? Super yachts in Monaco Bay. Black tie casino gambling. Incredible parties. But … I digress.]

Most of my time at ICED 2025 was spent darkening the Exhibit Booths, listening to a few presentations, swilling whiskey and having my tail handed to me playing chess in the hotel lobby.  But, in my wanderings, I noticed the following organizations did not have a booth, or for that matter, any presence: NEDA, iaedp.

They were not listed as sponsors. They were not listed as exhibitors. Their CEOs were not there. (or if they were, they kept out of sight).

Perhaps that is where we must start. Or does it go deeper than that?

Let us pose some questions which surely must be asked:

  1. Does the eating disorder community really need three (3) independent organizations, AED, iaedp and NEDA?
  2. If so, why? Especially since all three appear to be flailing if not failing.
  3. Isn’t it in the best interest of the families suffering from this illness that one unified, strong entity comprised of the best of those organizations be formed?

The problems and issues at each of the organizations are alarming.

iaedp is engulfed in a lawsuit which, if successful, will result in its demise and possibly the end of board certification. Iaedp also has a very large financial burden for past due taxes, penalties and interest. On its last F0rm 990, it showed a loss of $284,806.00. Since membership is no longer required to maintain board certification, its membership is dwindling. A number of iaedp individual chapters have dissolved. Its next symposium is being held in Baltimore … in the middle of winter. Iaedp’s “Members at Large” a/k/a Board of Directors is comprised of persons with no outside corporate or legal experience.

The issues at AED are also troubling.  From 2020 through 2023, AED reported a total combined loss of -$658,156.00. The cancellation of billions of dollars in NIH grant funding resulted in many university professionals unwilling and unable to attend AED’s ICED and not renewing their membership. A contentious relationship with international chapters plagues AED.

NEDA, unlike AED and iaedp, showed a profit on its last Form 990. On its 2023 Form 990, it showed net revenue of $1,836,601. However, in the three prior years, it showed three consecutive losses in a combined amount of $1,913,492.00. NEDA sold its telephone helpline to the National Alliance. But, besides conducting its fun walks and awarding some grants, (for which it should be commended), has time eroded NEDA’s impact in the community?

Therapists are intimidated by research professionals. Research professionals do not have the wisdom gained from being on the front lines, that is, in the actual therapy rooms. Medical clinicians are frustrated waiting for research findings to be released. Uninformed and misguided fat activists are just causing chaos. And the wheel turns round and round with little, if any progress being made.

Dra. Trujillo acknowledged the divides which exist in the community. So, where does progress start?

Perhaps we begin with transparency. An element so missing in the eating disorder community. No organization or person in the community is inventing a cure for cancer or devising the next generation of Ai/Robotics technology. Certainly, private organizations and companies generally do not disclose financial information or voluntarily broadcast future expansion or retraction plans. But we are dealing with a mental health illness with a high mortality rate. Families are severely impacted every day. It seems as if eating disorder organizations and entities have lost sight of that reality.  

And so, transparency and collaboration must start at the organizational leadership level. To start to accomplish this, accommodation and grace must be given.

Starting with iaedp’s next Symposium to be held in Baltimore in February 2026, iaedp must allow NEDA, AED, FEAST to have exhibit booths and have at least their three highest ranking officers to attend … at no cost. During the Symposium, the leaders from all organizations must meet to discuss all issues they have in common. Issues unique to each organization. The future is discussed. Planning is shared. Finally, at the end of the meeting, an open forum is convened both in person and via zoom. A forum that any concerned person can attend and ask questions, live or via the internet. The leaders share with everyone the topics of discussion and the plan of moving forward.

In 2027, at AED’s ICED to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, it is AED’s turn to host the other organizations utilizing the same format.

In 2028, these collaborative meetings may not be necessary. That is because by 2028, hopefully all major organizations will have realized that the tribal way they have done business in the past is not effective and does not work. In fact, the piecemeal, isolationist way each organization currently attempts to operate has failed. The six figure financial losses every year. Membership dwindling. As has been noted, people leading organizations have admitted that division exists in the community and needs to be healed. But these divisions cannot be healed singularly.

The old way of doing business has failed. The mortality rate worsens. The number of loved ones and families suffering continually increases. Each organization in their own way has failed and contributed to worsening the situation. So, how can we possibly proceed in the future?

The best way, the path which provides the greatest likelihood of success is to have these organizations merge into one entity. One large, collaborative organization. Therapists, medical doctors, research professionals, advocates all under one tent. Talking together in the spirit of professionalism and respect. Combining the greatest minds of different tracts to share knowledge, wisdom and ideas. Casting individual egos aside for the greater good. Bringing in corporate and legal experts to assist in reorganizing and providing many additional outlets for fundraising.

One large, all-encompassing yet diverse organization. An organization which would be able to lobby more effectively to address the true needs of the community. An organization which would be able to approach large corporations and foundations to engage their substantial resources for the purpose of working toward true breakthroughs in our understanding and treatment of eating disorders.

Now make no mistake. The obstacles are many and the challenges are great. There are those who will oppose this collaborative entity merely because it threatens their self-importance. There is a faction in the eating disorder community which actively fights against progress unless that progress exclusively involves their own pedantic points of view.

Nonetheless, the handwriting is on the wall. The commendable accomplishments of individual organizations in the past have been relegated to the past. The old way of doing business no longer works. It is not effective. That is shown by the deteriorating financial condition of these organizations, the deep divisions which exist in the community and most importantly, the number of our loved ones who continue to be taken.

Our loved ones who continue to die in ever increasing numbers.

That should be the first, middle, last and only concern of these organizations. The time is now. The future awaits. Collaboration beckons.

Sound Advice at Last.

In the past eight (8) years, I have seen various psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counselors, shrinks, shamans, witch doctors and a few exorcists. (It takes a special sentient being to understand the many flaws and quirks which exist within me.)

But finally, I located one whose advice was incredibly keen and insightful. It moved me so much that I got permission to record his advice and share it online.

Of course, the advice was centered on me, being a father whose 23 year old daughter died from anorexia after she fought it for many years. We explored the inevitable guilt and depressive feelings that any father would have under these circumstances.

This is the advice given:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0Zl4KjRFf5Q

The advice received from the many, past mental health professionals who attempted to meander through my psyche in an attempt to reach me on a deep level, pales in comparison to this advice. This advice was the most insightful, sound, strong and compassionate I received.

And then … things get strange … very strange.

What makes it strange is that the person in the above video is not a person at all … it is actually an Ai generated image. The advice? Word for word came from an Ai program. And not a program specially designed for mental health issues. But a generic ChatGPT program. The image at the start of this article? Ai generated.

Some undoubtedly knew that from the beginning. I am no impressario of Ai generated images. But other people are. People who design and perfect silicone based programs.

These programs are still in their infancy. Imagine what these programs will be like in 2 years … or 5 years … or 10 years.

As a society, we believe that these programs can never have human empathy or life experiences so they will never be as insightful as person-to-person interaction. But that also means these programs will never have issues with countertransference or the incompetence or inherent failings of human beings. Go back and listen to the words being used. This silicone based program used words we associate with compassion, with caring, with concern.

Human generated therapy software programs are here to stay. Generated images improve in depth and quality seemingly every day. Therapy software programs are evolving as they continue to expand and learn.

The question that our mental health professionals need to be asking themselves at this point should not be, “should I be incorporating these programs in my practice in some way …”

But rather … “how am I going to incorporate these programs in my practice?”

The future is here.

Your choice is to embrace it … or be left behind.

Research Grants, DEI and the Future

On February 7, 2025, in accordance with the Trump Administration’s mandate to eliminate waste in federal spending, the National Institute of Health (“NIH”) announced it was capping “indirect costs” on federal research grants at 15%. In addition, a number of research projects, both current and future were terminated.

Indirect costs are used to cover research expenses such as equipment and facilities maintenance, IT services, and administrative support. Indirect costs are itemized separately from direct research costs and are often expressed as a percentage. For example, an indirect cost rate of 50% means that for every dollar awarded as part of a research grant for eligible direct costs, the institution would receive an additional 50 cents to cover indirect costs.

But indirect costs are also used to fund another very important aspect of research.

Every university-based study has to go through a rigorous ethics process. All animal studies go through IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee). All human studies through an IRB (Institutional Review Board.)

Not only are studies submitted for a full ethics board review at the beginning of the study, but they must be renewed every year and any deviation from protocol, adverse event or other unforeseen result must be resubmitted and reviewed by the board. These committees include faculty members who receive a minimal salary for their time and include lay members from the community (who are also remunerated).

The review involves a substantial amount of work and basically ensures that animals used in research are being treated humanely and that people are (being treated like animals?). No, that people are treated ethically. The documentation and regulatory aspects are so complex that many universities now have a Regulatory and Compliance Officer to assist in the tracking of all aspects of these research grants.

Without the IRB and IACUC there can be no research. If the university administration decides to “break” the current indirect system, the ethics structures would also break, and this would be another way in which research would screech to a halt.

So, the question must be asked, how did we get here?

In 2023 the NIH invested $35 billion in research through 50,000 competitive grants to more than 300,000 researchers at 2,500 universities/research institutions. Of the $35 billion, $26 billion was for the ‘direct cost’ of the research and $9 billion (26%) was for indirect costs.

In its February 7, 2025, announcement, the NIH said its 15% cap on indirect cost could save $4 billion annually. On the surface, this cap may seem reasonable.  

So, why is the 15% cap causing such turmoil in academia?

First, it came from the Trump Administration. Since many people in academia look upon President Trump as evil, or the anti-Christ, or a Fascist or Hitler incarnate, they look upon anything he does as bad for the Republic.

Undoubtedly part of the angst was also caused by the heavy-handed manner in which the announcement was made, and the cuts implemented. Giving universities only one weekend to absorb the news, conduct meetings and conferences, and undertake a search to locate and receive other sources of funding is patently unreasonable. Budgets had been set, scholarships and employment for university professionals had been scheduled in part based on the indirect grant costs. To presume that universities could undertake all actions necessary to continue research projects in the span of 48 hours is unrealistic.

But there are two sides to a coin and two edges to every sword.

So, why did this happen?

Some pundits speculate that DEI is the underlying culprit. And the heavy-handed manner in which DEI has been foisted upon the American public.

DEI is an incredibly nuanced, complex, multi-faceted topic. At its core, it attempts to address the manner in which we, as a just and fair society can and must stride forward into a bold future. A future filled with hope for all. When properly implemented, DEI provides greater opportunities for those who have been traditionally overlooked.

Microsoft created a neurodiversity hiring program targeting individuals with autism and other neurological differences.

Johnson & Johnson invested in a supplier diversity program to support owned by minorities, veterans and people with disabilities.

When implemented by diverse, intelligent persons from both ends of the political spectrum, DEI can be intelligently utilized to provide greater opportunities. That requires collaboration by people of differing opinions and backgrounds.

That is one of the ways where Academia fails.

Academia pushes an identity-based approach to DEI encouraging people to define themselves by race, gender and victimhood rather than by merit and responsibility. This mindset focuses on resentment instead of ambition.

Regarding DEI and equality, Academia and liberals tend to focus on equality of outcome (does everyone have the same things?).

Corporations and conservatives tend to focus on equality of opportunity (is everyone treated the same?).

The undeniable reality is that on its surface and as utilized by Academia, DEI is fundamentally discriminatory. DEI asserts that representation must be based on an end product or result evidencing broad based inclusion regardless of merit. This attempts to address the horrific scourge of past discrimination by engaging in horrific acts of future discrimination.

Under the Biden Administration, DEI and research grants flourished.

However, a society which distorts history is not advancing. It is regressing. One of the great failures of multiculturalism is its rejection of assimilation. The process by which different cultures blend into a shared identity rather than remaining separate factions. We must focus on merit and opportunity. Not grievance.

So, what must be done now? 

The old system of applying for and pursuing grants is over. Quite frankly, it should be. The eating disorder research community has suffered far too long at the hands of a radical element which places their social justice and political views over families. Those people who have ignored and derided the medical community in order to showcase their own dysfunctions and inner turmoil.

Tragically, it is now the university research professionals who are paying the price for this ignorance as their research funding has been reduced or eliminated.

In the short term, there is not much the university-based research professionals can do.  Except pray that the various pending lawsuits result in favorable outcomes.

Certainly, GoFundMe accounts are not the answer. Unless hundreds of thousands of dollars are contributed through GoFundMe accounts, those GoFundMe efforts approach questionable ethical boundaries. A few thousand dollars will do nothing to replace the lost funding.  They are symbolic at best.

But the long term?

First universities and researchers must have a greater understanding of the possible return of investment for grants. Universities must become more like the private sector.  They must have vision as to how research is applicable to the understanding and treatment of illnesses in the real world. Not social justice issues. Not radical political issues.

As such, universities must mandate that the focus of research be applied to medically based, science supported issues. A commonly cited factor for NIH allocation decisions is scientific opportunity. Universities and institutes are typically looking for the best and most innovative research.

However, an important question is whether research on the same diseases remains on the forefront of discovery for many years. It is difficult to accept, given the constancy of funding across diseases, that the relative likelihood of scientific breakthroughs varies in the same way across diseases now as it did 10 or even 20 years earlier.

Disease-specific advocacy also plays an important role in NIH funding. Although advocates’ success in garnering congressional support for research can lead to higher overall NIH budgets, most advocacy groups focus on specific diseases. Some of the extra funding that certain diseases obtain could be the result of these efforts.

This means that medical and scientific aspects of an illness must be emphasized and placed at the forefront of a study. Research which involves social justice issues or denying science not only will not get funded, but they cause harm to the community.

Private foundations and large corporations want to know exactly how your research study will improve the lives of their employees or the people their foundation supports.

University professionals must determine the manner in which emerging technologies and synthetically created intelligence platforms will become involved in the subject about which their research addresses. Ai is not just here to stay, but it is growing and learning at an alarming rate. If a researcher does not have a firm grasp on emerging creations and technologies and how that impacts his/her study … they are wasting their time.

Universities can partner with research and development liaison organizations. Those organizations can find suitable collaborative outside entities who will invest money to cover in part, those indirect costs. A failure to do will result in overall failure.

For that matter, there are a number of private equity companies and a few publicly traded companies which own hundreds of mental health treatment centers across the United States. These entities have literally billions of dollars of assets and resources at their disposal. Imagine the epic advances and increased knowledge of eating disorders, including state of the art treatment protocols which could be discovered and implemented through … collaboration. This type of collaborative effort would not only lead to breakthroughs in treatment resulting in a legion of lives being saved, but as another benefit, would result in increased profits for those companies.

There are solutions. Ready solutions. However, finding the right solution can be difficult and confusing.

In order to discover a brave new world, we must embrace strength, resolve, intelligence, collaboration and faith. Without those qualities, we will remain lost. And knowledge and advancement will be stifled.

ADDRESSING DIFFICULT TOPICS THROUGH SHARED WISDOM AND COLLABORATION

We exist in a perpetual moving cycle of life, death and rebirth. In that cycle, we may be given the opportunity to discover and if we have the wisdom, to embrace a greater understanding of ourselves. And maybe as well, we will receive a brief glimpse of our soul’s purpose on this plain of existence.

Life. Death. Rebirth.

Questioning what awaits us. Exploring the unanswerable questions of … do we have a soul? And, what awaits us after we leave this existence?

Life. Death. Rebirth.

Fewer things frighten people as much as the belief that death is the end. It is eternal. It is darkness. It is final and everlasting. For so many of us, we fear the great unknown. We do not understand it. For many of us, we do all we can to delay the inevitable. If we are bestowed with the gifts of logic, reason and wisdom, we understand that each day of life brings us closer to our last day of life.

And so, we are afraid.

Three years ago, when Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani and her colleagues wrote a paper on “Terminal Anorexia,” she brought to the forefront of our consciousness the great unknown.  Our greatest fear. Our mortal existence. When confronted with a difficult topic which is controversial or which stirs deep emotions, more often than not, people react with fear. With anger. With what they believe is righteous indignation.

I was certainly the Grand Master of that parade of indignation.  Filing complaints with medical boards. Writing scathing articles. Calling her “Dr. Death.” Certainly, the death of my beloved daughter clouded my vision on this issue. In addition, death visited me far too often in a very short time frame.  Within thirteen (13) months, my father, my mother and my older brother were all taken.

And so, my logical, reasoning brain took a holiday. This was a crusade. A righteous mission. And then, life happened.

I was afforded the opportunity to meet with Dr. Gaudiani and look her in the eyes. To ask questions. To challenge her. It was an opportunity to spew forth my views on death, and the soul, and our existence. By God my righteous indignation was going to be heard!

But inexplicably, I experienced a soul. A person in pain. A person in fear. A person who desired to be heard on this most difficult issue. And so, I listened. And learned.

And, I found a person of compassion. I also discovered that perhaps Dr. Gaudiani reasoned that what awaits us after this existence is not something to be feared but instead, is a release from pain. A new beginning. A transition to a higher level of consciousness. Bringing us one step closer to a greater understanding of our soul. A step closer to the Divine.

In the past few months I also discovered at the time the paper on “Terminal Anorexia” was being written, one of her co-authors, Dr. Joel Yager, was battling for his own life. Cancer had sunk its insidious claws into Dr. Yager. It finally claimed his life at 83 years old on December 22, 2024. Imagine if you can, that as you are fighting for your own life, as you are facing the greatest fear of all, you are contributing to this controversial issue. What incredible courage and strength that must have taken. And another life lesson was learned.

One of the more admirable qualities a person can have is the ability to look at themselves, acknowledge past mistakes, own those mistakes and then, take steps to rectify those mistakes.

That journey is so incredibly difficult. It requires a person to be vulnerable. To be open to the gift of being able to listen to learn. To her immense credit, Dr. Gaudiani did exactly that.

She reached out to people who not just strongly disagreed with her, but who sought to end her career. She hosted a summit in Denver in which persons who both agreed and disagreed with her views were granted the opportunity to state their opinions and points of view. To talk. To start a journey of greater understanding and cooperation.

Dr. Gaudiani admitted her mistakes. And desired to listen to those who disagreed with her. Those who sought collaboration.  That journey was not always smooth and trouble free. But most persons persevered. She actively sought professionals who disagreed with her views. And from those discussions and meetings, an evolution began to happen.

An evolution of not just the thinking about end of life, but an evolution of the heart. An evolution of the soul. An evolution of substance.

This past week, the Journal of Eating Disorders published an article written by Dr. Gaudiani. That article is embedded here:

https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-025-01279-x

I strongly believe that had this article been written first, Dr. Gaudiani would be looked upon as a pioneer in how we care for the sickest of the sick. There is intelligence, compassion, testing boundaries, a firm, resolved commitment to her patients expressed in the article.  And it would set the foundational standard upon which intelligent discourse and future collaborative conduct could have been built.  And hopefully … that is what happens now.

There will always be those who oppose and seek to denigrate Dr. Gaudiani. Not just her viewpoints and medical opinions. But her as a person. These people tend to personalize an issue. More often than not, because their identities become the very topic at issue. The world to them is black and white. They cannot separate the professional from the opinion. And they languish in their own fear.

I still strongly oppose medical aid in dying for anorexic patients. A society struggling with how we keep alive our loved ones afflicted with this illness is light years away from being able to intelligently and compassionately implement a protocol which assists our loved ones into their next plain of existence. We know so very little about this illness. What we do know, our knowledge, wisdom and understanding have been clouded by tribal idiocy.

Dr. Gaudiani and I have communicated on a frequent basis. Our communications have gone from initially hesitant, respectful, and perhaps a bit distrustful to … sending each other family photos on holidays. Dr. Gaudiani was gracious enough to take a call from my sister who was struggling with a severe gastrointestinal issue.

Whereas I strongly believe that medical aid in dying should not be utilized for anorexia nervosa, I just as strongly believe that this topic, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, should and must be discussed among professionals. Opinions, research and experience must be shared.  We cannot possibly make progress if we are unwilling or unable to meet with fellow professionals, set aside our personal animus, and explore all options.

Finally, I believe that Dr. Gaudiani has a right to be very proud of this article. Mostly because of the substance behind the words. She has found a way to “humanize” very deep emotions and given grace and a platform to allow intelligent discussion on one of the most complex riddles which faces humankind today … our very existence.

I hope and pray that as a community, we can utilize a hopeful message as a rallying cry for unity. Society and our culture will not allow us to reach an accord on all points of disagreements.  Our fear will not allow us.

That is not important. But, collaboration, respect and giving grace. Aren’t those the qualities which bring us wisdom and insight? Aren’t those the very qualities which bring us closer to the Divine?

THE VICTIMS … THEIR FACES

I was recently advised that articles about IAEDP and Acadia were getting redundant.

So, why continue ?

Regarding Acadia, the answer is quite simple.  Because its systemic corruption continues seemingly unabated and its vapid denials and inane posturing have reached an absurd level.

But before going into the most recent damning New York Times investigative article on Acadia, let’s look into the eyes of some of their victims:

Christopher Gardner

Five year old Christopher was left for 8 hours in a transport van at a West Memphis, Arkansas daycare facility owned by Acadia. Workers tried to cover up their gross negligence by signing documents showing that Christopher was taken inside the West Memphis day care center, even though he remained on the van. At least one media outlet reported the temperature in that van rose as high as 141 degrees. Christopher died in that van.

Deborah Cobbs

In May 2024, 20-year-old Deborah Cobbs, died after she threw herself down a staircase. At Timberline Knolls. Police reports indicate that she attempted to run away from the campus twice that very day. Which makes it quite curious as to why she was not being closely supervised.

Tiley McQuern

In January 2023, Tiley McQuern, 50, was found dead in her bed at Timberline Knolls after swallowing too many pills.

Those are just three of the many Acadia victims. Look at their faces.  Never forget their faces. Because the faces in those photos are all that is left for their loved ones.

On April 22, 2025, the New York Times published an article about Acadia’s now shuttered and infamous facility, Timberline Knolls. It is entitled, “Suicides and Rape at a Prized Mental Health Center. Timberline Knolls, a mental health center owned by Acadia Healthcare, skimped on staff. Then came a series of tragedies.”

Although behind the New York Times paywall, the good people at the Salt Lake Tribune published the article in its entirety here:

https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2025/04/22/timberline-knolls-owned-by-acadia/

Some of the statements in the article include:

“But dangerous conditions persisted for years at Timberline Knolls, an investigation by The New York Times found, in part because of pressure to enroll more patients without hiring enough employees.”

“Two former residents sued Timberline Knolls last year, claiming that an aide had raped them. Acadia had hired the aide despite a criminal record that included domestic violence and gun charges.” [emphasis added]

“Another resident — a child who was a ward of the state — nearly died after she overdosed on medication that had been left out in a common area, according to former staff members. And two other women died by suicide after being left unsupervised, a rare occurrence at mental health facilities.”

“We were extremely understaffed,” said Cecilia Del Angel, who worked as a behavioral health aide at Timberline Knolls until last July. Several other former employees echoed that sentiment. The patient deaths, Ms. Del Angel said, were “entirely preventable.”

“Illinois regulators had not looked into the suicides. A spokesman for the state’s health department said it did not regulate Timberline Knolls, and the state’s Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery had not visited the property since 2019.”

“The problems at Timberline Knolls were part of a nationwide pattern of lapses at Acadia, one of the country’s largest for-profit providers of mental health services, with more than 260 facilities in 39 states, The Times found.”

“Acadia has closed facilities over the past decade after reports of sexual abuse. More than a dozen patients reported sexual assaults at an Acadia psychiatric facility in Utah. At a youth treatment center in New Mexico, patients claimed that staff had sex with them and pushed them to participate in “fight clubs.” And in Michigan, three women said they had been sexually abused by a supervisor at a youth treatment center.”

“In the summer of 2018, patients complained to Timberline Knolls employees that a therapist, Michael Jacksa, had sexually abused them on Timberline’s campus. The facility waited more than three weeks to call the police, doing so only after the patients complained to the state’s substance abuse agency, court records show.”

“Timberline’s leader at the time, Sari Abromovich, said an Acadia executive had told her not to alert the authorities, according to a deposition she gave in a lawsuit later filed by one of the women who was raped.”

“Ms. Abromovich, who was fired in 2018, said she was under daily pressure from corporate managers to fill beds and keep expenses low by skimping on staff.”

“Patient enrollment fell with the news of Mr. Jacksa’s arrest. In the ensuing years, Acadia pressured staff to find new ways to fill beds, according to eight former employees, who spoke on the condition that The Times not publish their names because they still work in the mental health industry.”

“Staff struggled to prevent patients from fighting, harming themselves and escaping the facility. In 2020, the Lemont police were called to Timberline Knolls 222 times, police said. By 2023, that number had soared to 519. No one else in Lemont made more emergency calls.”

“In a brief telephone call with The Times, Eiliana Silva, the director of J.P.’s [rape victim] residential unit, acknowledged that she had heard concerns from staff about Mr. Hampton [the rapist/employee] but said she could not properly supervise him because she was one of only two directors overseeing five lodges. As soon as she heard about J.P.’s complaint, she said, she relayed it to Timberline Knolls’ leadership.”

“At the time Timberline Knolls’ leadership heard the accusations against Mr. Hampton, the staff was still reeling from three other disasters.”

“In January 2023, Tiley McQuern, 50, was found dead in her bed after swallowing too many pills. A staff member told police that although employees were supposed to check on patients, those checks were “not thorough,” police records show.”

“Seven months later, a child, who had been placed at Timberline Knolls by the state’s child welfare agency, was rushed to the hospital after overdosing on medication that a staff member had left in a common area.”

“Then, in May 2024, another resident, 20-year-old Deborah Cobbs, threw herself down a staircase while no one was supervising her and died. She had tried to escape Timberline twice that day, police records show. Ms. Cobbs had also told several people that she was feeling suicidal, according to former employees who worked there at the time.”

So, what was Acadia’s response to this legion of corruption and harm to those entrusted to their care?

“Tim Blair, a spokesman for Acadia, said in a statement that the company had a zero-tolerance policy for behavior that could put staff or patients in danger. “We reject any notion that we put profits over patients,” he said, adding that “complaints and incidents are investigated and addressed.” 

“Mr. Blair denied that Timberline Knolls had dangerous conditions and said it had adequate staffing levels.”

Another unidentified Acadia spokesperson said, “The recent New York Times story about Timberline Knolls, a closed Acadia facility, includes material inaccuracies and cherry-picks and conflates historical incidents to paint a false and inaccurate picture of the safety and quality of the care our facilities provide.” 

Acadia’s corruption is vast. A report by the National Disability Rights Network detailed allegations of inappropriate physical restraints, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse at for-profit treatment centers, citing examples at Acadia facilities including an incident where a 9-year-old was injected with antihistamines as punishment at an Acadia facility in Montana.

In March 2025, three adolescents filed a lawsuit against Detroit Behavioral Institute, LLC and its owner, Acadia. The plaintiffs allege widespread sexual, physical, and psychological abuse inflicted on dozens of children. In fact, more than 35 people have come forward after they were reportedly abused as children at the Detroit Behavioral Institute between 2005-2022. The lawsuit alleges that the children were groomed, sexually assaulted and those that spoke out were retaliated against.

Naturally, Acadia closed the facility in 2022.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2025/03/11/trapped-in-a-jail-of-horrors-juvenile-detroit-facility-accused-of-abuse-cover-ups/

Acadia’s response to that lawsuit? “The well-being of all patients is of the utmost importance to Acadia Healthcare and its affiliated facilities. We take these allegations seriously. While we can’t comment on specific allegations and patient situations due to privacy regulations, the picture being painted of Acadia and the quality of care provided by our facilities is inaccurate. We intend to defend this case vigorously.”

It is enlightening that Acadia’s public response to both the Timberline Knolls scandals and the horrific allegations against Acadia’s Detroit facility utilize almost identical language … “the picture being painted of Acadia and the quality of care provided by our facilities is inaccurate.

In addition, the same day the New York Times published its story, Acadia released its own statement entitled, “Setting the Record Straight: Acadia is A Leader in Quality, Safe Behavioral Healthcare.”

That statement can be found here:

https://quality.acadiahealthcare.com/setting-the-record-straight-acadias-a-leader-in-quality-safe-behavioral-healthcare/

It should come as no surprise that Acadia once again uses its old stand by line, “Regrettably, a recent media report cherry picked and conflated historical incidents at a closed Acadia facility to paint a false and inaccurate picture of the safety and quality of the care our facilities provide.”

So apparently, medication overdoses causing death while under the watchful eyes of Acadia, two suicides in the facility within a year, a minor taken to a local hospital because of a drug overdose, numerous young women being sexually assaulted and raped, five hundred nineteen (519) 9-1-1 calls within one year all fall into the category of “false and inaccurate picture of the safety and quality of the care our facilities provide.”

So, painting an inaccurate picture? Like this?

Or is the painting inaccurate because it does not nearly portray the numerous additional instances of abuse, misconduct and neglect perpetrated by Acadia?

It seems as if Acadia anticipates these lawsuits and issues the same trite defensive language dripping in lawyer ick. For Acadia, it is merely the cost of doing business with our loved ones being nothing more than corporate commodities.

Acadia’s profiteering at the expense of its patients results in the dirtiest kind of money. And yet, our eating disorder organizations continue to close their eyes and continue to accept Acadia’s dirty money. In February, it was iaedp at its annual symposium.

Next month in San Antonio, it is AED’s turn to turn a blind eye and accept Acadia’s dirty money. In doing so, AED arguably becomes complicit in the following odious, reprehensible acts perpetrated by Acadia and its feckless employees:

  1. Multiple rapes in their treatment facilities located in a number of states;
  2. Multiple sexual assaults in their treatment facilities located in a number of states;
  3. Multiple attempted suicides in their treatment facilities located in a number of states;
  4. Multiple successful suicides in their treatment facilities located in a number of states;
  5. Having your lack of oversight result in the death of a 5 year old child left under your care;
  6. Acadia’s officers and Board of Directors engaged in a scheme to defraud and mislead investors concerning patient care, staffing levels and legal compliance issues;
  7.  Acadia and its employees submitting false claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE for inpatient behavioral health services that were not reasonable nor medically necessary;

There are many other woeful, reprehensible, unethical, illegal and criminal acts being perpetrated by this rogue organization.  But even all of this is not enough to make eating disorder organizations take notice, stand up, and say enough, no more, no longer will we permit you to abuse the most helpless, vulnerable people in society. We refuse to be part of your misconduct.

Instead, like a common street walker, these organizations stand by with their hand extended willing to participate in any act no matter how vile, demeaning or degrading for its 30 pieces of silver.

Deadly Heart Conditions and Grandbabies … like Peas and Carrots

For Christians, especially the 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe, Easter weekend is the epitome of the Circle of Life.

Christ dying on the cross on Good Friday. T.S. Elliott once wrote, “The dripping blood our only drink; The bloody flesh our only food; In spite of which we like to think that we are sound, substantial flesh and blood — Again, in spite of that, we call this Friday good.”

With that backdrop, two days later, we rejoice His resurrection.  Craig D. Lounsbrough wrote, “Easter is a time when God turned the inevitability of death into the invincibility of life.”

The Circle of Life.  This year, made even more poignant with the passing of Pope Francis just mere hours after Easter Sunday passed.

Life and Death. Light and Darkness. Hope and Despair. All inextricably linked.

For me this past weekend, the bittersweet reality and memories of tragic events four years ago reared its head once again. And was made manifest in the present.

But first, we must flash back four years ago.

On the evening of November 6, 2020, my son Hanford advised me that he and his wife were on the way to the hospital. The same hospital in which both my beloved daughter and loving father breathed their last. But this time it would be different. This time, new life awaited!

At 7:42 a.m. the next morning, I received a Facetime message.  I immediately see the smiling face of my son, Hanford, the exhausted but glowing face of his incredible bride, Rebeca, and … the hope and promise of a better world in Riley Emily Dunn. Born just six (6) minutes before. Tears fill my eyes as I watch the parents so filled with love that they can barely communicate holding the miracle they brought into the world. And for a moment in time, that huge hole that exists within my heart felt a little smaller.

But, that was to be short lived.

Sunday evening, November 8, 2020, about 8:00 p.m., I was told that my older brother, Chuck, an American Airlines pilot, adventurer and the picture of health, was being rushed to a hospital. Whether it was a heart attack, a heart aneurism, or severe stroke, we did not know at the time. 

And so, the very first time I held my granddaughter in my arms, I had to tell my son that my brother’s life was essentially over … that I was flying to Florida the next day to tell the medical professionals to end the procedures keeping his heart pumping.

The seconds of your life tick away. Endlessly. The sands of time pouring through an hourglass. Which may cause one to wonder how many grains of sand are left.

Afterwards, we tried to go back to our daily lives …while we picked up the pieces from the carnage that death had taken. At year’s end, we tried to believe the worst was behind us. We tried. And before 2021 was even one week old, the spectre of Death tried to revisit us, mocking us, grimly laughing at us, taunting us with, “Hold My Beer.”

Almost two months to the day when I got that phone call from my older brother’s now widow, on Tuesday January 5, 2021, I received a call from the wife of my younger brother, James. His wife called to tell me that, “Jim has had a massive heart attack. He’s in the hospital in surgery right now.”

So, yes, my younger brother, almost 2 months to the day my older brother died of a heart condition, had a major heart attack known as “the widowmaker.” I was told he had 100% blockage in one heart ventricle.

But survive he did.

Which brings us to the present.

Once again, my son and his wife were expecting their second child.  A boy. My first grandson. His due date was supposed to be around April 12. The joy! The expectation. Even though they shot down my suggestions for names. I could not understand why they did not think that “Worthington Winthorp” was not a good name.

Now young Logan (the name they chose) was becoming the size of a Mack truck.  So, a C-section was scheduled for April 7. The birth went without a hitch. 9 lb. 12 oz, 21 ½ inches long.  Welcome to the world Logan!

And then once again, the macabre hand of fate intervened.

My younger brother James was scheduled to fly to Croatia to meet his daughter, Avery.  Avery is taking a gap year going on a global adventure. But a day or two before he was supposed to go, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, James began to feel a stronger fluttering of his heart.  The prior two weeks, he had worn a heart monitor as medical professionals tried to learn more about his health. So, on that Wednesday, he cancelled his trip and set up an appointment with his heart specialist.

On Good Friday, April 18, 2025, he was scheduled to go in to have a stent or balloon inserted to clean out his arteries. But… not so fast my friend. His physical health was far worse than believed.  95% blockage in one artery. 99% in another. Which leads us to … open heart surgery.

Much to his chagrin, the medical professionals would not allow him to leave the hospital. In fact, he was transferred to another hospital so the procedure could be performed.

So, while the Easter Bunny was merrily hop, hop, hopping into our homes, James was in a hospital… waiting. With only time to think.

Open heart surgery, with all of its complications and uncertainties was scheduled for Monday, April 21, 2025.

And so…

As I anxiously awaited the news, I pondered life and death. Light and darkness. Hope and despair. The fates bringing one new, incredible life but at what cost? Would there be the ultimate price to pay? A zero-sum game. Quid pro quo. What cruel joke was this?

In the Game of Thrones series, among the many poignant lines, the following takes place …

So today we tell death … Not today.

The normal 4 hour surgery took only 2 hours. But, it was not his time. Not today. But for another?

Sometimes Death is not to be denied. On that same Monday I was told that the grandmother of Rebeca (my son’s wife), had passed away in her sleep on Easter Sunday. Rebeca’s last grandparent.

So as we remain thankful for life, we remember those who have transitioned to their next stage of existence.

My brother’s recovery will be long and difficult.  But there is life.  The life that flows through my brother and my grandson, Logan. The life that flows through me. The life that flows through all of us.

Life … Light … Hope.

That is a future worth embracing.