United Methodist Family Services – Richmond

UMFS (which I guess is the former name of this facility) was a spectacular facility with most of the staff. I was placed into this facility in June 2022 when I was 15 almost 16, I am now 19 almost 20. I am now thriving… in life due to so many staff members in this facility from 2022-2023. In October 2024 I would enter remission and never return to my prior behaviors when I was a teenage girl. Most of the staff in this facility during that time were amazing, Ms. Dani was absolutely incredible. The treatment specialists and support coaches were absolutely amazing to me as a kid. The only negative to being in this facility was my therapist at that time. My therapist (who I have heard no longer works here) Ms Jen, was definitely somebody who worsened my symptoms during treatment timelines. Somebody who I later found out didn’t like me simply because of the diagnosis I dealt with when I was young and a teenager. She told my parents I would be in in intensive therapy & psychiatric help for the rest of my life. When only 3 years later I only go to therapy bi-weekly and am living life majority unmedicated. She was my only complaint about this facility. She simply encouraged my mom who was struggling at the time with substance use issues and I was screaming for help for, to continue on with her substance use issues, solely because of my diagnosis. However the rest of this facility? They are incredible. Like I said, I no longer believe the therapist I had works at this facility. Ms Dani, the admins in 2022-2023 were absolutely amazing with me. There’s some names I don’t forget to this day. The Rec therapist at that time, and several other names I will never never ever forget. They were incredible. There were some odd ones out, but even at almost 20 in one month, I will never forget the difference some of these staff made in my life; and the skills I learned from them. Much love always ~ Lanie🤍

UPDATE: at age 57, I was diagnosed with Autism, level 2. This place, with it's tough love (a.k.a. abuse) and victim blaming that still negatively impacts me to this day, did not help me at all and seriously made me… sicker as an undiagnosed autistic teenage girl in the mid 1980s. Any success I've made in my life has been in spite of UMFS, not because of them. Oh, and that being taught responsibility that I mentioned in my original review? Victim blaming I've since learned. I got blamed for another girl bullying me, so for 40+ I have been masking my autism for fear I will accidentally provoke someone to hurt me. I was even physically pinned to the floor by my untrained peers at the direction of the head therapist, Mr. Turner, when I had a meltdown due to overstimulation once. Not only was this physically abusive, but I have realized now it likely put me in a vulnerable and possibly life threatening position. They literally risked potentially killing me at UMFS with this "treatment." So I'd suggest staying far away from this place. They abuse the children in their care. --------- I was placed in UMFS's residential services in the mid 1980s at 16. I was raised in an extremely abusive home environment, with sexual (which I repressed and the family admits they hid even while I was in UMFS), physical and emotional/verbal abuse. My now deceased mother I believe had an undiagnosed Personality Disorder, and her personal doctor later agreed with me. I did learn important fundamentals while in UMFS and yes, it was tough. The biggest problem is that they taught me personal responsibility, encouraged me to do my best and a lot of useful skills I still use, but then they stuck me back in my abusive home where none of these skills were useful. Indeed, having these skills just gave my parents more reason to call me a failure when I couldn't meet their unreasonable expectations and thus abuse me more. Now I am 48 years old, diagnosed with severe PTSD from severe childhood abuse, and my mother died in March of 2017. I still live with my abusive father, I'm on disability. I'm getting ready to move out. My complaint? UMFS failed me. They taught me plenty of useful skills, useful if you're living in a healthy environment. These skills can actually be harmful however, if you are living in an abusive environment, as I was and have been the majority of my life. UMFS failed me by improving my life and teaching me how to cope, then returning me to my abusive family and unreasonably expecting that I would be able to maintain the same level of success and achievement in that environment. I simply could not. Only now, after my mother has died, am I finally doing the things I should have done at 20 years old. I'm returning to college this Spring and trying to finish a degree. All things I likely could have done at 20 if UMFS hadn't failed me and returned me to an abusive home environment. I know they helped a lot of the girls I was in there with, and they went on to become very successful. But for me that doesn't matter, what matters to me is that they gave me back to my abusers and I suffered for it. (fwiw: I wasn't kicked out of the program, I actually did successfully graduate from UMFS after 11 months)

My wife and I began our journey into foster care about two years ago, but before we did, we met with both Shineforth (UMFS at the time) and Richmond DSS to figure out the best fit for us to go through. After each… informational meeting, we landed with Shineforth, as they seemed to have the best support for their foster/resource parents, and we personally new others who had partnered with them and enjoyed it as well. We are so glad that we decided to go with them! The team has always been there for us, throughout the highs and the lows of our journey, and we remain confident in the team as we continue forward.

If you love your child DO NOT send them here.

My husband and I went through the process of becoming foster parents last year with Shineforth. From the first point of contact, Joshua, forward, we were welcomed, listened to and given so much information. All of the… staff here are patient, professional, understanding and present. We've never felt like we couldn't get an answer or reach out to someone. This place is wonderful and they made this experience a lot less daunting than we thought it would be.

As someone who used to be part of the Behavioural Healthcare side of things, I believe that UMFS has done me the most good out of any facility I had been a part of as a youth. Were it not for UMFS, I wouldn't have… learned to cook, I wouldn't have felt comfortable in my own skin, and I would have no trust in any organisation that claims 'they want to help'. The therapists try their best and are willing to change tactics when residents request a different approach. The majority of house staff [at the time of my stay] were down to earth, understanding of different backgrounds, and spent their own money [WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECOMPENSED] in order to help residents feel more understood, safe, and accepted. More structure would do a lot of good, but only when compassion and humanity drive it forward. And UMFS was [and god-willing, still is] living testament to that fact.

My husband daughter has ran away from this place at least 3 times and they never notified her mother until she came to see her. Then they decided to tell her mother that she has been missing for a numerous of hours. A… co worker even saw her daughter on the way to work, but never notify the mother again or stopped two.Retrieve the runaway daughter. It has now been three days since my husband's daughter has been missing with no help from the facility trying to locate her, and a friend that she ran away with.

This place is terrible. My god Sonia there and has been able to runaway 3 times now. This time he is still missing and it’s been over 48 hours. They have been inconsistent with any updates and motivation to find not one… but TWO children because he ran away with his girlfriend. This is unacceptable.

My step daughter was there for almost 15 months. She came out far worse than the day she set foot on campus. The phone calls from staff to report an event often didn’t match up to the written report. Many things… happened that were never reported. The staff attempted to sway the narrative on home visits as positive despite the fact that they were not. Children can AWOL from the facility very easily - and then end up in the city with access to all sorts of new and dangerous vices. There is glass all over campus, so if your child cuts - don’t send them here. It will only get worse. The violence and aggression only got worse. Overall it was a horrible experience and has ended with my step daughter going to another locked facility.

At the age of 12, during 2003-2004, I spent 13 months at United Methodist Family Services. During my stay, I was subjected to a barrage of medications, including Risperdal and Abilify, resulting in severe… overmedication. This led to nightly bedwetting and, on one occasion, a broken wrist from rolling out of bed and sleeping on the floor, unaware of my injury. Shockingly, it took UMFS two weeks to arrange for an X-ray, which confirmed the break. My time there felt more like being a test subject than a patient in need of care. Staff chose favorites, leading to bullying. I was slapped by staff for reporting—or “snitching”—on kids smoking in the bathroom outside the pool below the gym. They can attempt to wipe away our reviews with paid employee reviews, but we will continue to remind parents of the truth. The cottage politics were more like prison than therapy. I was beaten up in cottage beatdowns four times because I kept wetting the bed. I was called a liar and resistant to therapy because I was honest about my drug and alcohol use. After 13 months, the program recommended an interstate compact and sent me to Oregon to live with my estranged father. I aged out in Oregon with zero family. Don’t just leave your kids here. Research The Worldwide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS or WWASP) before making any decisions. Your program ruined my childhood.

UMFS is a fantastic local nonprofit that's dedicated to vulnerable young people -- coordinating services and seeking solutions for them. As a volunteer and mentor for young people in their care, I've enjoyed getting to… know this team of caring, community-minded people who always put kids first.

UMFS has been with us every step of the way, every time we needed a service. If you're considering foster/adoption, I highly recommend UMFS in general and Denise Purgold in particular.

UMFS has been a wonderful organization to partner with as a resource/foster parent. Their staff has been nothing less than exceptional. They are mindful, empathic, understanding, organized, knowledgeable, and care… deeply for the kids and families they serve. I wish more people would consider becoming a resource/foster parent and partner with UMFS. If they had the level of caring support that I have had in the brief time I have been a resource parent with UMFS, they would not regret their decision. Even as a single parent, they have been so supportive through every step of the process.

We love UMFS.Been with them since 2007. We have adopted 3 and working on our 4th one..

UMFS has been a key part of our journey as foster/adoptive parents. Our lives have been changed forever because of this experience. We are so grateful for this support through the highs and lows and can't imagine going… through this process without the help of our UMFS family.

My husband and I completed the foster parent training program in 2019 at UMFS. The training was very thorough and honestly we learned a lot. I wish I had taken this course before I raised my own kids! We have been doing… respite foster care since then and it has been a very rewarding experience. The people at UMFS are excellent and do everything they can to support the foster families as well as the children being placed in your homes. We have had no negative experiences. In fact, we have really enjoyed Every child that has come through our home. I highly recommend UMFS as an organization to get training and begin foster parenting.

UMFS is so supportive and make resource parents feel truly appreciated and valuable!!

We have had an amazing experience fostering our child thru UMFS!Everyone there has always been so polite and very nice! They have helped us thru every step of the way! It truly has been a great experience to work with… UMFS!

I was a resident at umfs from July 2015 to April 2016. I can truly say that I believe this place saved my life. My therapist Stephanie kestle was the best I could have asked for. Dr fawaz was the best psychiatrist. I am… thankful to all the school staff. My cottage staff were awesome. All the staff made me feel like they truly cared. Umfs will always have a special place in my heart. I am so happy they are still around to save other childrens lives thank you umfs!

We’ve had ups. We’ve had downs.. I truly don’t know if my child would still be with us if UMFS did not accept my child into the residential treatment program. UMFS has changed my child’s life in the absolute best… possible way. The treatment team is outstanding.. Ms. April is the absolute best and has helped bring our family closer than we’ve been in years. When I had lost hope on having a breakthrough with my teen, Ms April helped bring us closer. It gives me chills to think back where we were at the beginning of this program .. and where we are now. We now have open communication. Mental Clarity and trust. I’ve also learned so much about myself while watching my teen transform their life. The staff that remains with the youth 24/7 has been so great too. I’m so excited to have my teen home with us in three weeks ! Thank you so much to the entire treatment team at UMFS. You have changed all of our lives and have brought our family closer than ever before.

They are nice when you take the tour, but once I became a student, they ignored me and didnt care about students

UMFS offers a first class experience in working with the foster care system. They provide excellent training, support, and trauma informed care to work with children who need therapeutic foster care homes. They go above… and beyond when you are faced with crisis and are available 24/7 to help. I wouldn't go anywhere else!

We chose UMFS as our agency because they offer so many ways to support youth in foster care. From group homes to schools, fostering to adoption, community outreach to political action, they are fully immersed in helping… children. The agency workers are responsive and knowledgeable and the agency provides consistent training. Can't recommend UMFS enough!