A disability rights group has filed a federal lawsuit against the Goochland County-based Hallmark Youthcare after groups of young patients bolted from the behavioral health facility in back-to-back days earlier this month.
The disAbility Law Center of Virginia, the designated protection and advocacy organization of Virginia, created by a 2012 state law empowering the center to protect and advance the rights of people with disabilities across Virginia, reported in a release that went out on Tuesday that staff at Hallmark Youthcare denied the center’s federal authority to speak with impacted residents.
Per the release:
dLCV staff went to Hallmark Youthcare to assess the facility and speak to these children about their care and treatment. Despite having the federal authority to do just this, Hallmark Youthcare’s CEO, Elyssia Stratton, turned dLCV staff away. Ms. Stratton assured dLCV that they would give us their reasons for denying the visit in writing within 24 hours. That follow-up never came.
The first reachout from dLCV dates to July 7, a day after the second incidence of young patients leaving the facility.
Numerous efforts to arrange a visit and set up interviews following that first one were met with silence.
dLCV filed its suit on July 15, per the release that we got on Tuesday.
“It is incredible that these facilities will pay hundreds of dollars in attorney’s fees but won’t pay $15 an hour for staff to supervise these kids,” said Colleen Miller, dLCV’s executive director. “All they had to do was let us in the door to talk to these children and find out why they were so scared.”
Background
Five male juveniles who left the Hallmark Youthcare psychiatric facility in Goochland late July 6 were located – less than 36 hours after a group of eight female juveniles receiving care at the facility were located and returned after another breach.
A mother of one of the girls told WTVR-TV 6 in Richmond that her daughter told her the girls left because they did not feel safe there.
The TV station reported that it has been investigating Hallmark Youthcare, the largest short-term residential treatment program in Virginia, with 82 in-patient beds for young people with behavioral and mental health needs, since the fall of 2025.
The facility is owned by Acute Behavioral Health, a Nashville-based company that was formed with an initial investment from two private-equity firms, Petra Capital Partners and Harbert Credit Solutions, in partnership with Elm Creek Partners and Granite Growth Health Partners.
Acute Behavioral Health, in a June 22, 2022, news release announcing the purchase of Hallmark Youthcare, touted how the move gave “unique opportunity for Acute Behavioral Health to expand its footprint in Virginia.”
Money
There is, indeed, big money to be made in behavioral healthcare, which is why you see private equity firms investing billions into the sector, often financed by debt – which critics say puts pressure on the companies to cut corners in terms of staffing and oversight to be able to make their money back.
A 2024 U.S. Senate Finance Committee report on the industry, titled, ominously, “Warehouses of Neglect: How Taxpayers Are Funding Systemic Abuse in Youth Residential Treatment Facilities A Senate Committee on Finance Staff Report,” detailed how adolescents and teens who “should receive high-quality mental health services in the least-restrictive environment that meets their needs” often don’t get what they need.
Per the report, Residential Treatment Facility providers “optimize per diems by filling large facilities to capacity and maximize profit by concurrently reducing the number and quality of staff in facilities.”
“The Committee’s investigation found that children at RTFs suffer harms such as the risk of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse at the hands of staff and peers, improperly executed and overused restraint and seclusion, inadequate treatment and supervision, and non-homelike environments.
“These harms amount to acute safety concerns and have long-term effects, including suffering, trauma and even death.
“Taken together, the Committee finds that these harms are endemic to the RTF operating model,” the report tells us.
Issues at Hallmark Youthcare
WTVR-TV6 reported that the state cited Hallmark Youthcare 27 times between January 2024 and September 2025 “for violations including employees not adhering to protocol for active supervision, resulting in a resident being sexually assaulted by another resident; an employee assaulting a resident; and an employee leaving a gate open, resulting in two residents running away from the grounds.”
The TV station reported that a follow-up investigation by its reporters revealed more violations, including “staff verbally abusing residents and staff failing to follow supervision protocols, resulting in three residents accessing the roof during recreational time,” and two sexual assault incidents, reported in April and May, one leading to a charge against a teen in the assault of another underage facility resident.
The behavioral health advocate who drew my attention to this isn’t convinced the state is giving the issues at Hallmark Youthcare the serious attention it should.
Which I can identify with, given my interactions with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services over the state-run Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents, which has myriad issues of its own.
Response from Hallmark Youthcare
The facility offered a response to the suit in a lengthy comment given to 8News in Richmond:
Hallmark Youthcare is aware of the lawsuit filed by the disAbility Law Center of Virginia. While we cannot comment on active litigation, we can share that we continue to work closely with state agencies to implement an action plan focused on resident safety, care quality and operational improvement. Our goal is to maintain a safe, structured and therapeutic environment for young people who require intensive, 24/7 residential treatment and support.
As part of that work, Hallmark appointed Kathy Bolmer, PhD, as Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective July 20, 2026. Dr. Bolmer will provide experienced, onsite leadership as the organization works to improve resident safety, stabilize the care environment and support the consistent delivery of effective behavioral healthcare for our adolescent residents..
Dr. Bolmer brings more than 40 years of executive leadership and consulting experience in behavioral health. Throughout her career, she has helped psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment programs and other behavioral health organizations improve patient safety, clinical quality, regulatory compliance, workforce capabilities and operations, including during periods of significant transition.
Her appointment is one of several actions Hallmark has taken following recent resident safety incidents. Additional measures include enhanced onsite security support; individualized resident safety assessments; increased staffing resources and leadership presence; facility improvements designed to support security and appropriate supervision; and continued coordination with state licensing agencies and other oversight partners.
Hallmark remains committed to operating transparently, supporting its staff and providing a safe, structured and therapeutic environment where adolescents can receive the care they need. Under Dr. Bolmer’s leadership, the organization will continue working to fulfill its role within Virginia’s behavioral health continuum, with an unwavering focus on accountability, continuous improvement and the safety and well-being of every resident.
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Chris Graham
