Surviving Straight Inc ®
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Video - Straight, Inc Renamed Programs
All videos below are about Straight Inc., an extremely abusive adolescent drug rehab that has operated since the early 70's. Straight has existed or still exists under the following names:
The Seed, Straight Inc, Kids Helping Kids, Pathway Family Center, Life, Growing Together, KIDS (of North Jersey, El Paso, etc.), SAFE, Alberta Adolescent Recovery Center (AARC), and others. Today, Straight, Inc also operates as Drug Free America Foundation (DFAF)....the Semblers, the people that ran an abusive rehab that used coercive thought reform (brainwashing) to "help" kids now are extremely influential in setting drug policy in this country. Those same individuals, Betty Sembler, who ran Straight, are also affiliated with DARE. All above mentioned facilities have been dangerous and caused lifelong damage to thousands of innocent kids. The people who started and oversaw Straight, Mel & Betty Sembler, use DFAF and DARE to further their agenda.
Not only that, but people at the highest levels of the US govt have endorsed and approved of Straight and its spin off programs. Nancy Reagan, George Bush 1. (Straight Inc in the 80's), Jeb Bush (SAFE - see video below), George Bush 2 (Pathway Family Center). Mel Sembler (fundraiser for Bush family since the 1970's) was rewarded with 2 ambassador positions by Bush 1 and Bush 2)....and there are others.
Flowchart of the Straights (since the chart was compiled in 2000, some more Straight Spin off programs have finally closed)
Please keep in mind that the news footage which depicts Straight programs on the inside - well lets just says Straight (SAFE, Kids Helping Kids, etc) were and still are experts at sanitizing how things really were/are and have ALWAYS hidden the truth from outsiders. So, just know that what you see in these videos, as disturbing as they are, is/was actually much worse than captured on film.
Also, in the following videos you will notice how small the group sizes were....but during the 1980's, Straight group sizes probably ranged from 150-350 kids on any given day. In Straight Cincinnati when I was there (84-86), the size of the group was around 200.
- Over The GW
- Former KIDS (Straight renamed) client made this film which is based on his experience in KIDS. ("a disturbing look at reprogramming that masquerades as rehabilitation")
- Real Talk - Over the GW
- "Over the GW is a poignant story based on writer/director Nick Gaglia's experience in a cult-like rehab. The film exposes the ongoing threat of corrupt rehabilitation centers that prey upon vulnerable teens and their parents. Director Nick Gaglia, leads Kether Donohue, & George Gallagher discuss the film."
- Over the GW in Congressional Hearings
- "On April 24th, 2008, the film "Over the GW" gets cited in a Congressional Hearing on "Child Abuse and Deceptive Marketing by Residential Programs for Teens."
- SAFE = Straight, Inc Part 1
- Straight, Inc Orlando was closed - the NEXT day it reopened in the same building going by "SAFE."
- SAFE = Straight, Inc. Part 2
- Kids Helping Kids - November 2005
- Kids Helping Kids, Cincinnati, Oh operated out of the old Cincinnati Straight, Inc. building. Above is the November 2005 news segment aired on WCPO Channel 9 Cincinnati - an investigative report of Kids Helping Kids. In early 2006, a few months after this segment aired, Pathway Family Center acquired Kids Helping Kids (Straight, Inc. acquired itself). Thereafter, Kids Helping Kids became known as: Kids Helping Kids, A Pathway Family Center.
- West 57th KIDS and Straight Inc., Virgil Miller Newton exposed - Part 1 of 2
- KIDS = Straight, Inc. - This video is an accurate identical depiction of Straight Inc. KIDS was Straight Inc renamed.
- West 57th KIDS and Straight Inc., Virgil Miller Newton exposed - Part 2 of 2
- KIDS = Straight, Inc. - This video is an accurate identical depiction of Straight Inc. KIDS was Straight Inc renamed.
- CBS News KIDS and Straight, Inc Virgil Miller Newton exposed Part 1 of 3
- Filmed approximately around 1987
- CBS News KIDS and Straight, Inc Virgil Miller Newton exposed Part 2 of 3
- Filmed approximately around 1987
- CBS News KIDS and Straight, Inc Virgil Miller Newton exposed Part 3 of 3
- Filmed approximately around 1987.
- AARC-(Straight, Inc.) part 1
- Aired in 2009.
- AARC-(Straight, Inc.) part 2
- Aired in 2009.
- AARC-(Straight, Inc.) part 3
- Aired in 2009.
- AARC-(Straight, Inc.) part 4
- Aired 2009.
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