A residential treatment center in rural Missouri, known as Calo Programs, promises to heal struggling adopted children with a lakeside, summer camp-like environment. However, an Associated Press investigation reveals a darker reality involving abuse, neglect, and minimal oversight.
Allegations of Abuse and Neglect
Law enforcement frequently responds to Calo for assaults and runaways. State agencies funding placements have questioned its operations. Parents and former employees describe minimal treatment, poor schooling, and inadequately trained staff. Two mothers likened it to "Lord of the Flies."
Calo charges up to $20,000 per month, often paid by taxpayers. It is part of the troubled teen industry, where adoptees are sent away at rates up to 10 times higher than the general population.
Incidents at the Facility
Sheriff's reports from 2020 to 2025 document numerous incidents. In 2024, girls escaped into woods and a lake. Earlier, two kids reportedly got high on methamphetamine brought by an employee. Another incident involved teens storming a room to attack a student, with one boy jumping off a roof.
Stacy Roberts, who runs the local juvenile detention center, said Calo operates with lower standards than his facility. "It's a business," he said. "They're not doing this because they want to help. They're making money off these kids."
Business Model and Funding
Calo specializes in adoption trauma, with 90% of clients adopted. Many are diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, which experts say is misapplied. The company has expanded significantly since 2007, now serving up to 144 children from over 30 states.
Calo was acquired by private equity firm led by Alex Stavros, who built Embark Behavioral Health, increasing revenue to $180 million. The business shifted from private pay to majority third-party reimbursement, including Medicaid and government programs.
During the pandemic, Calo maintained admissions. An Illinois family's 9-year-old son, adopted from Haiti, reported bullying and sexual assault. His mother said her reports were ignored. "The almighty dollar will prevail once again," she wrote.
Sales Tactics and Marketing
Embark's 2020 sales conference handbook featured sessions on overcoming objections and building client base. It noted, "The admissions person sells hope when the family is at their lowest and most hopeless, scary, and vulnerable time."
Some families reported positive experiences. Bill Hayden said Calo changed his daughter's life. "We were content that things were going as well as they could with kids with extraordinary problems."
Lack of Accountability
A New Hampshire family paid $100,000 for their adopted daughter's 10-month stay. The mother found a disturbing journal entry about an assault. Both she and an Illinois mother reported sexual abuse allegations, which they say Calo covered up.
Calo acknowledged a delayed report due to staff error but said the state determined the claim did not meet investigation requirements. The Missouri Department of Social Services previously noted Calo failed to report serious incidents.
Illinois agencies spent over $35 million sending kids to Calo in the last decade. A 2024 inspection by Illinois officials was scathing, noting a drum circle as staff training and denial of access to records. The team suspected "an effort to stonewall."
Former teacher Dustin Wood said minimal training was provided, and concerns were dismissed. He said, "There's not a single kid who left in better condition than when they started."
Community Impact
In June 2024, a 15-year-old girl stole a neighbor's truck to escape. The chase ended with police pointing guns and arresting her. Sheriff Chris Edgar called it a turning point, demanding more accountability from Calo.
Edgar said he threatened to jail staff if they obstructed investigations. Calo insists it has a good relationship with his office. The neighbor who owned the truck said he wanted Calo held accountable, not the girl.
