A recent Frontier investigation focused on the Oklahoma Christian boarding school New Lifehouse Academy. The school website says it is for girls who are “depressed, withdrawn or self-destructive. After The Frontier contacted New Lifehouse, the program added a disclaimer at the bottom of its website home page, stating that it 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.
New Lifehouse Academy is part of Adult & Teen Challenge of Oklahoma, which is organized as a church. The program doesn’t need a state license to operate and has no licensed counselors. Here’s more about what The Frontier learned in its reporting.
Q: Why isn’t New Lifehouse Academy licensed by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services?
A: The state doesn’t require a license for New Lifehouse because the school operates as a faith-based recovery program and doesn’t claim to offer mental health treatment, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said.
Q: Does any state agency have the power to investigate complaints about New Lifehouse Academy?
A: The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth has the authority to conduct investigations on any public or private facilities serving children and youth, but only if the agency receives a complaint. The commission can investigate and document complaints and refer cases to law enforcement.
The agency said it hasn’t received any complaints about New Lifehouse since 2010.
State law requires everyone in Oklahoma to report suspected child abuse and neglect to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services confidential hotline. The law says schools must report to the confidential hotline and local law enforcement. Adult & Teen Challenge of Oklahoma said in written responses that New Lifehouse staff receive training on reporting abuse and that it reports all suspected cases to the proper authorities in compliance with the law.
Q: New Lifehouse operates a year-round private school, The Cross Christian Academy. What rules from the Oklahoma State Department of Education does the school have to follow?
A: The Cross Christian Academy is accredited through Cognia, a third-party organization that accredits private schools. A spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Department of Education said that while Cognia is an approved accrediting agency, the department doesn’t oversee the school.
“The Department’s role is limited to maintaining a list of recognized accrediting bodies; it does not supervise the school’s operations, curriculum, or accreditation process,” Jennifer Hembree, senior director of compliance and executive secretary to the State Board of Education, said in an emailed statement.
Ashlynd Baecht joined The Frontier in 2023 as a criminal justice reporter. Contact Ashlynd at Ashlynd@readfrontier.com