Were You Abused in a North Dakota Juvenile Detention Facility?

Involuntary medication treatment case - S.R. v. Prairie St. John's

Patient S.R. appealed a district court order that granted Prairie St. John's Hospital's request to involuntarily treat the patient with prescription medication. The case involved forced medication against the patient's will.

Rights violations and patient harassment allegations

Multiple social media posts allege rights violations, staff harassment, and inappropriate administration of B52 injections to patients. Patients report unsafe conditions and mistreatment by staff.

Male patient assault incident

A male patient was assaulted at Prairie St. John's, with the incident being investigated by the Sexual Assault Unit. The case was assigned to detectives for investigation.

State settlement agreement involving multiple facilities

Prairie St. John's was named in a state settlement agreement involving antitrust violations and other claims. The facility was listed among multiple behavioral health facilities in the settlement.

12-year-old girl's suicide at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch

Aliana Roberson died by suicide at the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch facility in October 2020. Her parents sued the facility for $5 million, alleging the facility was responsible for their daughter's death, and ultimately received a $2.9 million settlement in 2023.

Settlement: $2.90M

Safety violations identified in database investigation

Prairie St. John's was identified in a Wall Street Journal database investigation of psychiatric hospitals with safety violations. The investigation found hospitals with patient assault issues still receiving accreditation.

Religious freedom lawsuit against Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch

Proponents of church and state separation sued North Dakota for directing both money and delinquent youth to the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, a Christian facility. The lawsuit challenged the state's funding and referrals to the religiously-affiliated treatment center.