Taylor Kiesel, a 20-year-old from Seattle, shares her journey of sleepless nights and emotional challenges. These struggles led her to collect reptiles like Russian tortoises, geckos, and snakes. Starting an animal rescue at home has turned her emotions into purpose. Taylor’s mental health treatment did not play a significant role in her progress.
Early Challenges
Taylor’s issues began young when her father left at age 5. Diagnosed with autism during first grade, by 6 she expressed self-harm thoughts. Her mother, Rachelle, remembers Taylor’s alarming words in the car. Despite therapy and hospitalizations, Taylor remained unsafe. A consultant suggested a residential program at Change Academy Lake of the Ozarks (CALO) in Missouri. Rachelle researched extensively and decided on CALO after thorough inquiries.
Experiences at CALO
Upon arrival, Taylor sensed something was wrong. The environment among peers and staff was abnormal. She and her family are now part of a lawsuit against CALO, citing emotional distress and battery. CALO denies these claims. The facility has received substantial attention, with over 400 police calls linked to its address in a decade, raise concerns about its environment.
“It’s worse than I thought it was,” said Caleb Cunningham, a former prosecutor in the county where CALO is located.
Regulatory Challenges
Taylor’s CALO placement was partly funded by Washington’s school district through her Individualized Education Program (IEP). Federal law allows special needs students to access private residential programs at public expense. After Taylor was injured by staff in 2022, Rachelle tried to remove CALO from approved IEP options. The state found CALO responsive to feedback, keeping it approved.
In 2024, a Senate investigation found major residential treatment companies providing poor care while receiving federal funds. CALO was not mentioned in the report. A new bill, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, urges the Department of Health and Human Services to study these programs, with findings expected by 2027.
Cost and Burden
Other families share different experiences. Luca, now 20 and once in a wilderness therapy program, found it life-saving, despite the financial burden. His mother, Martha, depleted savings and retirement funds, spending nearly half a million dollars with limited insurance coverage.
Families call for a national database of programs, standardized licensing, a federal rights bill for children, and stricter oversight. Rachelle Kiesel advocates for these changes, hoping to prevent others from experiencing similar challenges.
Looking Forward
Taylor remains dedicated to her reptile rescue work, turning past negative emotions into positive action. “I am taking that anger and that sadness and passion that I feel,” she states, focusing on her unique animal companions.
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