After 2nd child dies by suicide, Asheville Academy announces it will 'voluntarily close'

Asheville Academy, the residential treatment center in Weaverville where two children died by suicide in May, has closed, Asheville Academy said in a June 3 statement.

“Asheville Academy has made the difficult decision to voluntarily close its doors,” the facility said. “We informed families of this decision and prioritized a smooth departure for all students by Saturday, May 31.”

In May, two children who attended Asheville Academy died by suicide, the Citizen Times previously reported.

On May 27, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services suspended admissions to the residential treatment center after an inspection found Asheville Academy operated in violation of state law and licensing rules for providers of mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability services. The inspection followed the first death, which occurred May 3.

“The documented violations indicate that conditions in the facility are found to be detrimental to the health and safety of the clients,” the agency wrote in a letter to Asheville Academy’s Executive Director Shawn Farrell.

Two days after the state health department’s decision to suspend admissions at the facility another child died by suicide, the Citizen Times reported.

In a June 3 statement to the Citizen Times, the agency confirmed that Asheville Academy had discharged all its clients as of May 31, but said it had not received written notice of its closure.

Asheville Academy is owned and operated by Oregon-based Wilderness Training & Consulting, which does business as Family Help & Wellness. The facility served girls ages 10 to 18 who were experiencing anxiety, depression and trauma, according to its website.

Family Help & Wellness also operated Trails Carolina, a now-shuttered wilderness therapy camp in Transylvania County that has faced a slew of state and federal lawsuits alleging sexual assault and abuse at the camp.

Trails Carolina closed in 2024 following the death of a 12-year-old camper.

Suicide hotline

The 988 suicide and crisis hotline provides free support 24 hours a day. Call 988 or 800-273-8255.

Jacob Biba is the Helene recovery reporter at the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected].