Federal Class Action Filed Against Devereux for Sexual Abuse

In January 2021, the law firms Lieff Cabraser and Sauder Schelkopf filed a federal class action lawsuit against Devereux Foundation (also known as Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health) and QualityHealth Staffing, LLC. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of six named plaintiffs and a putative class of thousands of children who were sexually abused while in Devereux's care.

What is Devereux?

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health is one of the largest behavioral health organizations in the United States, with more than 7,500 staff members operating facilities across 13 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The organization provides residential treatment for people 21 years and younger with serious emotional and behavioral problems. In 2018, Devereux reported revenues of $467 million.

Allegations in the Class Action

The federal complaint details multiple alleged violations of state and federal law, including:

• Sexual assault and rape of inpatient clients by Devereux staff members
• Patient-on-patient abuse that was ignored and suppressed by Devereux staff and management
• Retaliation against victims who reported abuse, including withholding food, physical restraint, isolation, and physical abuse
• Failure to report child abuse to authorities
• Title IX violations for creating a sexually hostile environment
• Negligent hiring of unsuitable personnel with inadequate background checks
• Negligent retention of staff members with known abuse histories
• Negligent supervision allowing staff to be alone with vulnerable children

The $60 Million Verdict

Before the class action was filed, a Georgia jury in November 2019 awarded $60 million to a woman who was sexually assaulted at a Devereux facility when she was 15 years old. The verdict included:

• $10 million in actual damages
• $50 million in punitive damages
• Legal expenses paid by Devereux

The victim was assaulted in May 2012 by Jimmy Anthony Singleterry, a 43-year-old male employee at the Devereux Georgia Treatment Network in Kennesaw, Georgia. Singleterry was criminally prosecuted, pleaded guilty to statutory rape, child molestation, and sexual assault of a person in custody, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison in October 2013.

The jury found both Devereux and Singleterry 50% at fault, determining that Devereux failed to maintain proper duty of care, failed to ensure employees were properly qualified and trained, and improperly allowed Singleterry to be alone with the victim without supervision.

Pattern of Abuse at Devereux Georgia

The Georgia facility has been at the center of numerous alleged sexual assault cases over two decades:

• 2017: A male therapist admitted to federal agents that he was grooming boys to have sex with them
• 2013: Two female patients were accused of sexually assaulting a third female patient; one pleaded guilty
• 2003: Two male patients escaped from the facility and later allegedly raped a woman
• 2000: A counselor was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old patient

Current Status

The federal class action litigation is ongoing. In February 2023, Judge Anita Brody of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania granted plaintiffs' motion to compel Devereux Foundation to produce documents in the case.

Additional individual lawsuits continue to be filed against Devereux in state courts across the United States as more survivors come forward.

Were You Abused at a Devereux Facility?

If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse, physical abuse, or neglect at any Devereux facility, you may be entitled to compensation. Many survivors are still within the statute of limitations to file claims, and some states have passed laws extending or eliminating time limits for childhood sexual abuse cases.

You are not alone. Contact an attorney for a free, confidential case evaluation.