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Others at the facility talked about being shoved to the ground by staff and having personal items like family photographs taken away.
The report says students were often improperly restrained and secluded at the Academy. Staffing at the private, for-profit facility was inadequate, and staff members were insufficient in reporting incidents. Equip for Equality said they lacked meaningful programming and treatment planning.
“We are an incredibly institutional state,” said Zena Naiditch, the president of Equip for Equality. Her organization has been investigating state-run facilities and providing legal assistance to people with disabilities for over 30 years.