Home for at-risk youth, Clarinda Academy is closing

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CLARINDA, Iowa (WOWT) - The troubled Clarinda Academy is closing. NBC reported Friday night that the owner of the residential home for at-risk youth has terminated its contract with the facility.

NBC News has spent years investigating allegations of abuse and misconduct at Clarinda and other facilities operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services.

Clarinda Academy is considered Sequel’s flagship facility. Sequel says the facility’s license is still in good standing.

For over two years, the network spoke to multiple former staff and residents who described abuse and inappropriate physical restraints. Several states have pulled children from other Sequel facilities. The company continues to operate in 19 states.

Teens are sent to the facilities, usually by court order. Sometimes they are foster children with nowhere else to go.

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Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated another Iowa location included in the report. 6 News regrets the error.