Paradigm Malibu REVIEW: Verified Safe, Paradigm Malibu residential Mental Health, Behavioral Health, & Chemical Dependency treatment for adolescents. Certified by Joint Commission, industry gold standard of treatment. Paradigm Malibu receives positive rating for dedication to Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program, aprogram that benefits consumers, assuring them of complete satisfaction & confidence when doing business with a member business. Recognized by Ripoff Report Verified™ as a safe business service.

Ripoff Report REVIEW / Paradigm Malibu Commitment to Customer Satisfaction

Paradigm Malibu joins Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program -- a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and business alike.

Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program -- a program that benefits the consumer, which helps to increase consumer satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business Verified By Ripoff Report.

When a company or individual joins the Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Program, they must make a commitment to us – in writing – to 'doing whatever it takes to make things right with their customers.' What does that mean? It means that Ripoff Report expects that members of our Corporate Advocacy Program will review and respond to ALL customer complaints promptly. It means that every complaint will be taken seriously and every customer will be treated fairly and with respect. It means if a customer did not receive what they expected, the company will work with that customer to fix the issue. It means that if a customer requests a refund and if there is any reasonable basis for that request, we expect the customer will be given a prompt refund (some refund requests may not be reasonable, so this does not mean a refund is guaranteed in every case). “Making things right” can mean lots of different things to different people, but our point is this - by working closely with the company or individual to resolve any disputes, Ripoff Report can track the footprints of customer service to ensure that our Corporate Advocacy Program members are doing everything they can to treat customers fairly and to increase their customer satisfaction.

ALL COMPANIES GET COMPLAINTS, BUT HOW THE COMPANY HANDLES THOSE COMPLAINTS, SEPARATES GOOD BUSINESSES FROM THE REST

Ripoff Report Verified™ .. part of Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program.A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business..

By Ed Magedson - Founder, Ripoff Report

Paradigm Malibu approached Ripoff Report with the intent of wanting to resolve any customer issues and reports posted on Ripoff Report.

As a Part of the Corporate Advocacy Program the member business allows Ripoff Report to send an email to all of those who filed a complaint in the past, letting the customer know, the member business wanted to make things right with them, whatever it takes to do so. Ripoff Report always monitors these emails to insure the member business does what they agreed to. The people at Paradigm Malibu did just that.

Paradigm Malibu is committed to client satisfaction. Throughout the course of treatment all family members are treated as full, equal partners. Their input is valued and sought out, making the process a collaborative one. In addition to providing direct input, youth and their families are afforded multiple opportunities to evaluate the program and make any concerns known. This includes in-person meetings with a parent advocate, members of management, individual and family therapists. Family members also complete a written evaluation at the end of treatment allowing for an opportunity for Paradigm Malibu to address any standing concerns. Paradigm Malibu has joined the Corporate Advocacy Program to further ensure that clients’ expectations are met or exceeded.



PARADIGM MALIBU CONTINUES TO CLARIFY WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR CLIENTS

"Paradigm Malibu is a residential treatment program designed to meet the mental health, behavioral health and chemical dependency needs of adolescents.”

WHY PARADIGM MALIBU IS BETTER THAN THEIR COMPETITORS

Paradigm Malibu is the only adolescent treatment program to offer one on one therapy every day, seven days a week. We also provide group therapy multiple times each day. Our focus is not on behaviors alone but on the emotional underpinnings of behaviors. By digging deep and doing the difficult work, we are able to achieve change that is more meaningful and sustainable. To ensure that change is sustained and built upon, we offer free aftercare to all of our clients in perpetuity. Also, Paradigm Malibu is the only adolescent program in Malibu certified by The Joint Commission - the gold standard in treatment.

Paradigm Malibu's admissions screening is rigorous. While the most important factor to consider when choosing a program is who will be providing treatment; the second most important consideration has to be who you, or your loved one, will be in treatment with.

At the core of Paradigm Malibu’s program stands the belief that the only way to responsibly and effectively treat adolescents is by addressing the emotional root of problematic behaviors. If a teen is struggling with drug abuse, an eating disorder, self-harm or any other behavioral challenges – these are most often negative coping styles. Teens frequently use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate or engaging in other destructive behaviors to avoid anxiety, depression, or other emotional health issues. Programs that simply focus on behaviors miss an opportunity to treat the real root cause of a young person’s difficulties.



Research has demonstrated definitively that if you do not treat the root cause of a behavioral issue, the problem will re-emerge after treatment or will be replaced by a new negative coping style.

At Paradigm Malibu, comprehensive diagnostic testing is conducted before treatment begins. Upon admission, every individual at Paradigm Malibu receives a comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation, Psychological Assessment, Medical Evaluation, Educational and Nutritional Assessment. While it would again seem likely that this would be the norm in adolescent treatment, it is not. In fact, there are some teen treatment programs that only consult a psychiatrist, psychologist, or medical professional after weeks have passed and no progress has been made. This wastes valuable treatment time and requires that a young person have an unnecessary experience of failure.

"It is our belief that it is impossible to create a meaningful, individualized treatment plan without first conducting such assessments. You have to know what you are treating to do so effectively. Paradigm Malibu believes it is a disservice to everyone involved to base treatment exclusively on behaviors or the most obvious surface issues. It is for this reason that we provide all clients with comprehensive diagnostic testing during their first 48 hours of treatment,” states Cole Rucker, CEO.

Paradigm Malibu provides multimodal family services. The program recognizes that all members of a family bring skills, abilities, and liabilities to any given situation. Paradigm Malibu looks openly at all of these areas to help each family grow, change, cope and make choices. Quality family work is never about placing blame; rather it is about resolving conflicts and finding effective ways for the family unit to help young people achieve their full potential.

Mr. Rucker continued, “To accomplish this, Paradigm offers individual family therapy, multi-family therapy, parent effectiveness training, and on-going parent support services. The program also hosts a family day once a week, complete with luncheon. Of course, some family members are unable to participate in aspects of treatment as the result of work commitments, geographic location or other factors. For this reason, we provide services telephonically, by Skype or other means as needed.



Paradigm's treatment team is available to answer questions and provide support to families, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our family support services are available to those who currently have a loved one in treatment and as an on-going complimentary aftercare service for all program graduates.”

Paradigm Malibu is uniquely positioned to help young people meet their academic goals. Upon admission, all youth are provided with an educational assessment designed to identify their academic needs, wants and abilities. Students then join the on-site accelerated learning classroom, lead by a credentialed teacher. The teacher’s efforts are enhanced by tutors from UCLA and Pepperdine University, who provide one on one instruction as needed. When appropriate, with the permission of parents, the teacher will coordinate with the student’s home school to collect assignments and return the completed work for grading. When required, Paradigm Malibu also offers proctored testing. The goal is always to get youth current - or even ahead - in their studies so when they reintegrate they have one less stressor to contend with.

"The academic needs of students at Paradigm Malibu vary greatly. We provide services to youth who excel in school and are enrolled in AP courses and youth who struggle with learning differences. Upon occasion, young people are not even enrolled in a school. In such cases, we can provide opportunities for students to earn transferable high school credits, assist in finding a new school, or provide instruction for college entrance exams. Our small size, high staff to client ratio and wealth of resources allow us to meet each client’s unique academic needs,” Mr. Rucker added.

Paradigm Malibu's treatment is intensive.

It is their belief that the goal of effective treatment should be that teens get an appropriate treatment approach and then return to life as quickly as possible. Thirty days is widely considered to be the norm for an adolescent’s residential treatment stay.

Unfortunately, there are some providers who will ask that families commit to longer stays before doing any diagnostic testing. There are some who will require that commitment before even meeting the adolescent seeking treatment.



More often than not, programs requiring a minimum stay of 45 days, or longer are not intensive in nature. A review of their treatment schedule will likely reveal that valuable treatment time is wasted on excessive chores, free community meetings, and other busy work. In such cases, individual therapy may occur only once, or twice weekly. Such an approach has been proven to provide poor long term results.

"At Paradigm Malibu, we believe that every moment spent in treatment is precious, and should be leveraged for maximum therapeutic value. As such, our schedule is packed with individual and group therapy sessions designed specifically to meet each individual’s treatment goals. While it would be reasonable to anticipate that this would be the norm in adolescent treatment, it unfortunately is not. For example, we are the only adolescent treatment program that provides youth with individual therapy each and every day of treatment,” said Mr. Rucker.

PARADIGM MALIBU / FURTHER STATEMENTS FROM THE OWNER

"My name is Cole Rucker and I am the co-founder of Paradigm Malibu. I would like to thank you for taking the time to learn more about our program. We are dedicated to taking every step necessary to ensure that our clients’ needs and expectations are met.

Paradigm Malibu's goal is sustainable change. To be meaningful and sustainable, changes that occur during the course of treatment must be transferable to life. It is expressly for this reason that we do not use point systems, phase systems, or other outdated forms of behavior modification.



Unfortunately, a stunning number of teen rehabs continue to use these archaic tools as the core of their residential programs. This is sometimes because the providers are unaware that these systems were deemed to have little, if any value as early as the 1970’s. More often it is because they are unable, or unwilling, to do the deeper more difficult work required to assist teens achieve real, internalized change. There is frankly, no easier, cheaper way to provide teen treatment than to use a point or phase system. Quality treatment however, requires hard work and a much more sophisticated approach.

Paradigm Malibu offers a wide variety of treatment modalities. No two clients respond to the same approach in the same way. One young person may be very verbal, and thrive in traditional group therapy, while another may find their voice through Art or Music Therapy. Our goal is to see what works with each individual and do more of it, building on each teen’s strengths and interests.

We use evidence-based treatments that couple the best of traditional and alternative modalities. We find that this approach not only enriches the experience for all, but that it is essential to effectively meet the diverse and complex needs of teens.

Our extensive range of modalities include, but are not limited to: Psychiatric Evaluations, Psychological Assessments, Nutritional Evaluations, Educational Evaluations, Medical Evaluations, Neurotransmitter Testing, Urinalysis, Individual Therapy, Group Therapy, Family Therapy, Multi-Family Therapy, Psycho-Education Groups, Narrative Therapy, Recreational Therapy, Bio Feedback, Yoga, Detoxification Massage, Somatic Therapy, Acupuncture, Parent Effectiveness Training, Equine Therapy, Psycho-Educational Groups, Gender Specific Groups, Animal Assisted Therapy, and Accelerated Learning Services. We also well known for our comprehensive array of Expressive Arts Therapies including; Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, Dance/Movement Therapy, Poetry/Written Therapies and Music Therapy.

Paradigm Malibu believes that it is their job to motivate teens. While many young people seek out treatment for themselves, others are pressed into participating by concerned parents or as the result of other external forces. Either circumstance is common. Regardless, some families delay getting treatment because of a popular myth that adolescents need to “hit bottom” before seeking help. This myth is unfortunately re-enforced by treatment providers who do not see motivating youth as their responsibility. The real danger in this is that, for some, the bottom can be serious harm or even death. There is no advantage in letting a young person engage in destructive behaviors a day longer than is necessary. When working with teens there is also ample evidence to suggest that the earlier a treatment intervention takes place regarding substance abuse, emotional health or behavioral health issues, the greater the likelihood of success.



When young people come to Paradigm Malibu for treatment, it is okay if they are resistant. It is our job to motivate them and to help them find value in both treatment and in approaching their lives differently. Paradigm Malibu’s treatment is gender specific but not gender exclusive. For most teens, gender exclusive treatment is not the best option. Programs that treat only one gender, or who segregate genders, can easily avoid important issues rather than address them. Numerous studies support our belief that it is best to treat young people in a co-gendered setting, as this best reflects real life.

If an issue is going to arise related to how an individual relates to the opposite gender, we want that issue to come up during the course of treatment so that we may address it accordingly. What we want to avoid is creating an artificial, single gender environment in which the teen may thrive – only to return them to a co-gendered world.

With that in mind, there is demonstrated value in providing gender specific treatment, as long as it is provided, in a co-gender setting. As a result, we provide specialized treatment designed to meet the unique needs of young women and young men. The end result should be a young person empowered with the skill and knowledge base required to have appropriate, healthy relationships with persons of both genders.

At Paradigm Malibu we believe that treatment based on empowering our clients is the cornerstone of achieving effective long-lasting results. Too often treatment programs for adolescents are based on rigid directives and the belief that treatment is about breaking young people down. We believe that it is our job to lift our clients up, build on their strengths and help them find real value in approaching their lives differently.

Treatment programs consisting of having a young people simply behave as instructed are missing key opportunities to identify and understand the fundamental issues behind clients’ outward behaviors. Each treatment modality that our clients are engaged with are designed to improve a young person’s ability to learn to identify, choose, and direct the course of their own lives in a healthy way.

Numerous studies support what we have always known; that real, sustainable, internalized change is best achieved through the empowerment of youth and their families.



Treatment at Paradigm Malibu is strength and interest based. Mental health and addiction treatment programs have a long history of focusing on young people’s deficits, problem behaviors and pathologies. The most current research by psychologists, psychiatrists, educators and others clearly demonstrates that a strength-based approach can yield dramatically better long term results than those with those focused on deficits. At the foundation of Paradigm Malibu’s style is the belief that young people and their families are resilient, competent people who possess unique talents, skills and interests. Building on strengths allows youth to have more frequent opportunities for success. Likewise the goal at Paradigm Malibu is to guide young people to seek value in creating a difference in their lives by pursuing well-being through health, pre-existing interests and development of new interests. This method affords the treatment team opportunities to utilize each adolescent’s natural abilities and attractions as an efficient and effective path for engagement and positive change.

Paradigm Malibu doesn't engage in either/or treatment. There is a popular trend for treatment programs to identify as using a ‘Disease Model’, aka 12 Step or a ‘Medical Model’ based on western medicine at the exclusion of social models. While each of these models has helped tens of thousands of people achieve positive results for any number of issues, an honest assessment suggests that each model has also failed often too. This is why we offer treatment options including both these models plus a range of others. Experience teaches that the greater the number of modalities available to work with, the greater the odds of finding the right fit for each youth. More often than not, the right fit isn’t any single model. Rather it is a combination of multiple processes designed to address each young person’s unique challenges and strengths.

Paradigm Malibu exclusively serves adolescents in a residential setting. Adolescent treatment is a highly specialized practice. As such, we have devoted ourselves exclusively to serving this complex, dynamic population. We do not provide treatment for adults, or so called young adults, over the age of eighteen. Developmentally, there are stark differences between these groups, and co-mingling of these populations can result in many undue complications. We also follow the best practice of staffing our team with professionals who have committed their careers to the care of young people.

Likewise, residential treatment is a specialized service. We are focused exclusively on providing the best quality residential care available. Our attention is not divided or diluted. We do not funnel our clients into outpatient or extended care programs. Rather, we work to meet customer needs through intensive, short-term treatment, followed by quality aftercare services at no additional cost.



At Paradigm Malibu, we believe that meaningful treatment requires collaboration. While we provide valuable expertise, we also recognize that young people and their families are most often the best experts on themselves. You know your strengths, interests and challenges. As such, we ask that you be full partners in the creation and implementation of your own individualized treatment plan.

We also welcome the opportunity to collaborate with any therapist or treatment professional a youth may already be engaged with. Physicians, teachers, mentors, coaches or any other person who has a vested interest in the well-being of an adolescent may be involved with the consent of both the teen and their parents. Such collaborations frequently allow us to achieve treatment goals more expeditiously and help to create smoother transitions to post treatment life.

Paradigm Malibu provides treatment that is holistic in nature. Holistic is a term that has come to mean many different things to different people. This has not diminished the importance of treating the whole adolescent, with specialized concentration in key areas. Our treatment couples the best of traditional modalities and alternative therapies to meet the age specific needs of every teen. Our program is designed to address each individual’s Emotional Health, Physical Health, Family Health, Social Health, Spiritual Health and Educational Needs. Each of these has the ability to impact the other and must be given the full consideration that it deserves. To learn more, we invite you to visit our treatment program page to learn why we are much more than a simple teen rehab.

Paradigm Malibu provides free aftercare services. Countless studies support our own experiences, which suggest that long-term treatment results are greatly impacted by effective aftercare services. We believe that aftercare is so important; we provide it free of charge, indefinitely, for as long as youth and/or their families choose to utilize it. This includes, but is not limited to individual or family therapy sessions, parent support services and on-going case management. These services can be provided in person, telephonically, or via Skype. Many families prefer an initial period of intensive aftercare services followed by a transition to local services. Others prefer fewer services, longer term. As with treatment plans, every aftercare plan is individualized and based on each family’s unique needs and objectives.”

Paradigm Malibu is accredited by the Joint Commission. This ensures that they maintain the highest industry standards.



QUALITY ENVIRONMENT FOR ACHIEVEMENT

"At Paradigm Malibu we maintain the highest staff to client ratio in the nation. We provide individual therapy and group therapy every day. We also provide free aftercare in perpetuity. Paradigm Malibu is proud to provide one of the highest Staff to Client Rations in the Nation,” Mr. Rucker states. “While it is imperative to maintain a small group size to enhance the effectiveness of treatment, it is equally important to maintain a high staff to client ratio. During our primary treatment hours we maintain a ratio that ranges from 1:1 to 1:3. This prohibits quiet youth from having their needs overshadowed by more gregarious youth who seek out attention. It also prevents teens from simply flying under the radar to avoid the challenges that come with making real, sustainable changes. We are committed to maintaining a high staff to client ratio to ensure that all young people get the support and attention required to do the difficult work that teen residential treatment entails.

Our Treatment team is uniquely qualified. While we believe we offer some of the best treatment programs available, we are most proud of our treatment team. Each staff member is licensed or credentialed in their area of expertise. In addition, they have devoted their careers to the provision of services to adolescents and their families. For example, our Psychiatrist is a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist – rather than a general practice Psychiatrist who happens to see adolescents on the side. The difference is stark.

Also, many prospective clients are interested to know that the core of our treatment team has been working together for more than fifteen years. This experience allows us to approach the treatment process with the comfort and ease that only comes from working with those who have earned your trust and respect over time. The results are a treatment environment that is uniquely grounded, stable and safe.”

ANY BUSINESS THAT CAN ADMIT THEY MADE MISTAKES AND CORRECTS THOSE MISTAKES IS A BUSINESS YOU CAN TRUST AND WORTH DOING BUSINESS WITH

As stated above, Paradigm Malibu is committed to 100% customer satisfaction and has makes every possible effort to ensure that all customers have a positive experience while at their facility or throughout the treatment program.

After speaking with the management at Paradigm Malibu and emailing anyone who filed a complaint in the past, Ripoff Report is proud to give Paradigm Malibu a positive Rating. Paradigm Malibu made efforts to ensure that all customers were satisfied and Cole Rucker assured Ripoff Report that the program at Paradigm Malibu has an exceptional business model featuring 100% client satisfaction.

Cole Rucker, the co-founder of Paradigm Malibu, stated, “We are here to help young people and their families heal. It is imperative that everyone who passes through our doors has a positive, life affirming experience. Nothing short of 100% client satisfaction is acceptable to our team.”



STATED IMPROVEMENTS FROM PARADIGM MALIBU

At Paradigm Malibu we seek out client feedback throughout the course of treatment. We are open to exploring any ways in which we might better meet the needs of young people and their families. The relationships we seek with clients are shared in nature. We get feedback from those we serve in formal and informal ways. Clients meet regularly with a parent liaison, individual & family therapists as well as program managers. In addition to on-going verbal feedback, clients are offered opportunities to evaluate all aspects of the program in writing.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN THIS INDUSTRY

"Many programs in this industry are unregulated and lack any credentials or certification. The gold standard certification for such a program is provided by The Joint Commission. Any program certified by that organization can be safely assumed to be operating with the highest industry standards. Paradigm Malibu is proud to be certified by the Joint Commission.

There are many treatment programs for young people that are owned and operated by large companies. For some, they see "selling treatment" as no different than selling any other good or service. Alternatively, Paradigm Malibu is owned and operated by Mental Health professionals. “Quality of care is our highest priority. If a client is unhappy or has any concern, they don't need to navigate a corporate structure. Rather, they can meet with the founders by phone or in person at their convenience. We are always at their disposal.



Having provided adolescent residential treatment for many years, there are countless stories of parent’s worst fears realized. They send their child to treatment only to have them bullied, abused, or introduced to more destructive behaviors by teens with serious conduct disorders, or emotional health issues.

This is illustrative of why we conduct such thorough admissions processes. We do not accept referrals from the Juvenile Justice system, young people who have gang affiliations, histories of violence, fire starters, sexual perpetrators, or any youth who might create issues around the physical or emotional safety of our program. While all young people deserve quality treatment, it imperative that we protect the milieu for those that we serve,” notes Mr. Rucker.

Additionally, some warn parents to be cautious of any teen rehab that runs multiple programs and lists all of their staff together. This disingenuous practice suggests that program participants will have access to staff members that they will never even meet. When considering treatment with an agency that is juggling multiple programs, ask them to break down which staff members will interact with family and the frequency with which that work will occur. At Paradigm Malibu, every participant is provided with an opportunity to work with every member of its treatment team and every treatment team member is posted on the Paradigm Malibu site.

It is important to note that all of team members are listed with photographs and bios on the team treatment page. Patients have a right and a need to know who is going to be providing treatment services. Multiple patients’ rights groups warn against seeking treatment with programs that do not disclose the identity and credentials of all staff members on their web sites. There are many reasons a program might not list their staff members on their web sites, and none of them are good.”



Any consumer not receiving satisfaction from a member of Ripoff Report’s Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program should email us at EDitor@ripoffreport.com.

This kind of dedication to customer service means that Paradigm Malibu will do whatever it takes to make sure their customers are properly taken care of.

In the future, if anyone has any complaints or concerns with Paradigm Malibu, you are invited to contact them directly via email: info@paradigmmalibu.com (again, please be sure to cc: EDitor@ripoffreport.com so we can keep track of the company’s response and to ensure customer satisfaction). You can call Paradigm Malibu directly at 310.457.6300, and ask for Cole Rucker, CEO.

As always, Ripoff Report cannot guarantee that every customer or employee will always be 100% satisfied in every case, but we promise that if you have any concerns with Paradigm Malibu or any of our Corporate Advocacy Program members, we will do everything we can to see that the issue is addressed quickly and that you are treated fairly and with respect. Any issues you think you cannot resolve with any member of Ripoff Report’s Corporate Advocacy Program, please contact us at EDitor@ripoffreport.com.

Remember, just because a company or individual is reported on Ripoff Report does not mean you should not do business with them. Use Ripoff Report information as a tool to your advantage. Be knowledgeable about any company or person you hire. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions and get additional information until you feel comfortable in allowing them to work for you.

Be sure to contact us with your questions and comments about any business that is part of the Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program. Your questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome and will be considered even if we don't agree with them. Please realize Ripoff Report is chartering in new territory, working to make a change for both consumers and businesses alike.

Consumers can feel safe confident and secure when doing business with Paradigm Malibu.

Read about Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program, and about Paradigm Malibu’s Commitment to Excellence and Consumer Satisfaction.

Consumers should feel safe, confident and secure when doing business with a member of Ripoff Report's Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program, yes, a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and businesses.

..by consumers, for consumers

PO BOX 310, Tempe, AZ 85280
602-359-4357 when selection starts, press 5 ...then, three seconds later press 1... Say who you are!

Our mission:

• Empower consumers
• Defend the First Amendment
• Expose wrongdoing
• Help companies regain control

ED Magedson: Founder, Ripoff Report
Follow Ripoff Report on Twitter
Follow me, Ed Magedson, on Twitter
Find us on Facebook