An Associated Press investigation reveals serious problems at a for-profit residential treatment center for adopted children in rural Missouri. Calo Programs, also known as Change Academy at Lake of the Ozarks, charges up to $20,000 a month and is funded largely by taxpayers through state and federal programs, yet operates with minimal oversight and documented cases of abuse and neglect.
The Business Model and Oversight Gaps
Calo, which expanded from 40 beds when it opened in 2007 to a capacity of 144 beds, specializes in adoption trauma. The facility was acquired around 2011 by private equity firm Embark Behavioral Health, which grew the company to 38 programs across 20 states and increased revenue to $180 million. Illinois state agencies alone have spent more than $35 million over the last decade sending kids to Calo. The facility operates with limited oversight; the Illinois State Board of Education stated it has never set foot on Calo’s campus, noting the law only requires on-site visits if the facility is within 50 miles of state lines.
Documented Abuse and Inadequate Response
Law enforcement records from 2020 to fall 2025 show repeated incidents including escapes, assaults, alleged sexual abuse, and drug use. One case involved a 9-year-old boy adopted from Haiti who suffered bullying and sexual assault; his mother said she reported the abuse to authorities and Calo’s parent company but observed no consequences. Another incident involved two girls reportedly molested by another resident; while Calo said it immediately reported the matter, the Illinois mother claims a Calo therapist initially dismissed it as “girls playing footsie” and acknowledged only a staff error in the initial report.
Inadequate Training and Operations
An Illinois inspection in May 2024, following multiple abuse reports, found that Calo’s new employee training session was “only a drum circle” with no explanation of its therapeutic purpose. Investigators expressed skepticism about the facility’s clinical methods and noted staff were “not aware of any research” supporting their effectiveness. Former teacher Dustin Wood, who worked at Calo for six years before quitting in 2024, reported that all employees received minimal training regardless of role and received no guidance on handling adoption trauma, despite being told all children had reactive attachment disorder.
Local Accountability Efforts
Sheriff Chris Edgar, who took office in January 2025, demanded greater accountability after a 15-year-old girl stole a vehicle to escape. Body camera footage captured the subsequent high-speed chase and her arrest. Edgar stated he would hold Calo staff responsible for care and safety of children in their custody, after years of deputies reporting that Calo officials would not cooperate with investigations.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.hastingstribune.com/ap/business/inside-a-taxpayer-funded-treatment-center-for-adoptees-tales-of-abuse-neglect-and-little-oversight/article_37eb18c2-85a3-58bb-9db6-bd435718617f.html