Twenty-four former students who attended a rural Oklahoma boarding school for troubled girls over the past decade told The Frontier that the program relied on control and isolation. Former students said punishments at New Lifehouse Academy in Delaware County included physical exercise, food restriction, outdoor labor, and writing Bible verses. The school is operated by Adult & Teen Challenge of Oklahoma, part of a network of more than 200 Christian recovery programs across the United States that promote studying the Bible to cure addiction and trauma. Adult & Teen Challenge of Oklahoma is organized as a church, and its private, faith-based programs operate largely outside of state oversight.
In response to questions from The Frontier, Wayne Gray, executive director for Adult & Teen Challenge of Oklahoma, said the program is “unapologetically Christian.”
“We believe biblical principles, personal responsibility, healthy relationships, spiritual growth, and a relationship with Jesus Christ can bring meaningful and lasting change to people’s lives,” Gray said in a statement. “National research involving Adult & Teen Challenge graduates has reported positive outcomes in areas including sobriety, family relationships, legal involvement, spiritual growth, and overall well-being.”
“Since 1984, New Lifehouse Academy has carried that mission forward by serving adolescent girls whose families have entrusted them to our care. We recognize that caring for young people carries an enormous responsibility. Their safety and well-being are important to us, and our staff are expected to follow established policies and procedures designed to provide a safe, structured, and supportive environment.”
New Lifehouse isn’t a mental health provider
New Lifehouse Academy markets itself to parents of teenage girls facing emotional and behavioral challenges, but is not a mental health provider. The school’s website says the program is designed for girls who are “depressed, withdrawn or self-destructive” and also uses words like “struggling” and “troubled” to describe the teens it serves.
The school added a disclaimer after The Frontier began asking questions
After The Frontier contacted New Lifehouse, the program added a disclaimer at the bottom of its website home page, stating that the program does not have a license to provide clinical treatment for students with mental health disorders and does not enroll students requiring that level of care.
Former students say they were required to work without pay
Former students told The Frontier that New Lifehouse required them to perform various types of unpaid work, including at a fireworks stand each summer. Students also had to work raising money for the program at the annual Brush Creek Bazaar each fall and other fundraising events. Students were also required to take care of the program’s animals as part of its animal therapy program. Two former students who attended the program between 2014 and 2016 filed federal lawsuits this summer that claim they were forced to work without pay. Adult & Teen Challenge of Oklahoma said that New Lifehouse’s animal program teaches “responsibility, empathy, accountability, and basic life skills.” The nonprofit said it couldn’t comment on pending litigation.
Former students describe frequent use of physical restraints
Former students said staff frequently used physical restraint holds on them. Thirteen former students who attended New Lifehouse between 2012 and 2024 said the same long-time staff member routinely restrained girls by sitting on their legs and holding them down. Adult & Teen Challenge of Oklahoma said it hadn’t received any complaints about the staff member. Staff only use restraints when a student may pose an immediate risk of harm to herself or others, the nonprofit said.
Staff monitored girls’ communication with their families
New Lifehouse staff monitored girls’ phone calls and letters home. The school’s 2025 student handbook instructed parents not to believe their children’s complaints about the program and to confirm information with the student mentor. “Students are not always accurate sources of information,” the handbook said. The program said in response to questions that it monitors students “to promote student safety, maintain appropriate program boundaries, and address safety or security concerns consistent with information provided to parents upon enrollment.”
Ashlynd Baecht joined The Frontier in 2023 as a criminal justice reporter. Contact Ashlynd at Ashlynd@readfrontier.com