Draft:Liahona Academy

Liahona Academy, also known as “Liahona Treatment Center” (unaffiliated with Liahona Preparatory Academy) is a part of the troubled teen industry, and is a boarding school and behavioral modification center located in Southern Utah. The program claims to be non-denominational, but its name is derived from a purported artifact described in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) scripture The Book of Mormon that is said to function as a compass.

History
Liahona Academy was founded in 2001 by Clayton AhQuin Sr., Joe AhQuin, and other family members. The academy operates two campuses in Hurricane, Utah, with corporate offices in St. George, and serves as a treatment center for "troubled teens."

Clayton AhQuin Sr., the founder of Liahona Academy, was also reportedly involved in founding Maximum Life Skills Academy in Cedar City, UT. He also reportedly worked at various WWASP facilities before co-founding Liahona Academy. He passed away on September 10, 2013. His son, Clayton AhQuin Jr., is the current Executive Director of Liahona Academy and reportedly previously worked at the AhQuin family-owned Second Chances In Southern Utah facility. Joe AhQuin, another creator of Liahona Academy, founded Key Point in 2006 and Olympus Academy in 2013. Adam AhQuin, another son of Clayton AhQuin Sr., founded Second Chances, and worked at Olympus Academy, and Horizon Academy, all of which are WWASP facilities.

Controversy
Taylor Mangham’s Death: On January 19, 2010, 15-year-old Taylor Mangham died from a brain aneurysm at Liahona Academy, where he had been since November 2009 for drug and alcohol issues. Witnesses allege that staff refused to call 911 despite Taylor's severe pain, opting to transport him by van to avoid an investigation. Conflicting accounts exist about the medical care he received. Doctors informed Taylor’s mother that even immediate intervention might not have saved him, and Taylor’s mother does not blame the school. However, some former residents allege his frequent complaints of headaches in the weeks prior to the fatal aneurysm were ignored and discounted. Taylor's final letter, written a day before his death, expressed newfound peace and happiness, contrasting with previous letters where he detailed his struggles. The school's liability in his death remains a subject of debate.

Corrective Action Plan: Liahona Academy received a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) from the Utah Office of Licensing on August 29, 2019, detailing eight administrative rule violations. These violations included failure to report critical incidents, inadequate staff-to-student ratios, abusive behavior by staff, improper use of physical restraints, incomplete background screenings, and missing signatures on required forms. The academy was required to submit a plan to address and correct these issues, with specific actions and timelines for compliance, to avoid potential penalties.