Frequently Asked Questions

Life Quest Girls Academy is not a therapeutic facility and does not have any therapists on staff. However, If parents feel that there is a need for their daughter to receive therapeutic services while enrolled at Life Quest, we can make recommendations for local therapists to contact. Life Quest would then help facilitate any appointments that your daughter may have while a student at Life Quest Girls Academy. If it is decided by the parents that therapy is needed, our recommendation would be for family therapy only and not individual therapy sessions to take place. We would also highly recommend that your daughter be willing to receive family therapy and willing to apply what a therapist would suggest in order to improve her life while enrolled at Life Quest. If she is unwilling to do this, our recommendation would be to not waste your money on therapeutic services until she does show a willingness to participate and benefit from therapeutic services.

Transitional Housing is available at Life Quest for students who are 18 or older. We understand that some situations may exist that require a supervised stay at Life Quest Girls Academy beyond 18 years old. We expect all Transitional Housing students to be willing to be at Life Quest Girls Academy, and be willing to follow our Code of Conduct. We help all Transitional Housing students with basic living arrangements such as learning how to do things on their own, cooking, laundry, finding a job, finishing high school, managing and organizing their meds, etc. It may be more manageable to ease into these things with staff supervision rather than jump right in on their own after turning 18. During this transition time, Life Quest staff are available as needed to guide, direct, set goals, plan for the future, etc. with students who are enrolled in our Transitional Housing option. Students will stay in a separate apartment that is connected to Life Quest Girls Academy. They will be able to come and go as needed but will also be expected to check in daily and keep the apartment tidy and clean. Once a job has been secured, students are expected to prepare their own meals, wash their own clothes, and hold their job for at least 3 months before transitioning elsewhere. We recommend that students participating in Transitional Housing have some form of transportation. Either a reliable bicycle or a car if they have their license. If they don't have their drivers license, we highly recommend that obtaining a drivers license be the first thing they work on as an adult and we are more than happy to help them get started.

Short Term Enrollment can be as little as 1 day, or up to 90 days. We understand that sometimes families, and especially parents simply may need a break. A "Break" can look like many things such as a vacation, or just some time alone at home. Life Quest Girls Academy is super flexible and provides a daily tuition rate for parents seeking this option. If a student is going to be with us for more than 30 days, we will go through the process of requesting school records. If a student is going to be with us less than 30 days, we require them to bring their school work from home so they can work on school during school time with all other students at Life Quest. We expect all short term students to be willing to attend Life Quest Girls Academy and they also need to be willing to follow our Code of Conduct while here.

Long term enrollment is our standard enrollment for students. This enrollment is typically anywhere from 12 to 24 months. Students come from all over the country, they work on school, work on interests and hobbies, and some even get a job. On and off campus visits with family are allowed. Supervised "Outings" or "field trips" happen weekly in beautiful Southern Utah where students can explore and take in the sites. Students are assigned to a dorm where they have up to 2 roommates. All students are expected to follow our Code of Conduct and keep their dorms and personal belongings neat and tidy.

No. We take all students whether they are adopted or not. Students qualify by simply expressing a willingness to attend Life Quest Girls Academy. However, it is important for parents to understand that we specialize in, and have trained staff to handle Reactive Attachment Disorder that is typically associated with adopted individuals. Unhealthy, and unsafe attachment issues inside the home is our specialty, but we also have success in handling non adopted students. It is also important for parents to understand that while we feel confident in our abilities to help all students who are diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, we do not treat Reactive Attachment Disorder specifically as we are not licensed therapists to do so. Because of this, any and all young ladies who are willing to attend Life Quest would be considered and could qualify for enrollment. Most of our students are adopted and have been diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder but this is not a requirement for enrollment.

We can definitely help with required driving hours and taking the necessary written exams. However, we do not issue Drivers Licenses.

Students start their day off by making sure their dorms are clean, tidy, their beds are made, and they are dressed appropriately before coming out for the day. A brief exercise session takes place before breakfast, after which each student logs in to work on school for the day. Periodic breaks are given during school hours as well as meals that are provided. Time for laundry, bathing, letters, and free time are also allocated during each day. The main focus each day is on academics. Once students academics goals have been met for the day, structured downtime or free time is allowed, we simply ask that the Code of Conduct be followed throughout the entirety of the day.

Weekends are more focussed on Life Skills, group activities, and down time. Students can also work on school during the weekends if they desire.

We understand that young teenage minds are still in the process of consistently making wise choices. While we are not a "Behavior Mod" facility, we have in place a system of accountability for all choices students make. We encourage students to make the choice to hold themselves and others accountable to our Code of Conduct.  We expect all our students to follow the Code of Conduct on a daily basis. We recognize that all situations are unique and everyone handles them differently. Our staff is trained to help students recognize their choices, help them take accountability, and move forward in a kind and forgiving manner.  It is okay to make mistakes, however we don’t consider it okay to blatantly make mistakes in a rebellious manner. There are no "level drops" or "start overs", or "program restarts" if a student makes a poor choice. We simply expect them to take accountability and fix any wrongs that may have been caused by their behavior. We encourage positive attitudes, respect for all, and if the situation warrants it, offer a sincere apology. We believe and understand that poor choices are a part of life. We simply view each poor choice as an opportunity to improve and move on, not repeating the poor choice.  

Standard tuition starts at $5,500 per month. We understand that this monthly amount may not be doable for many families seeking out of home placement. Depending on availability, and qualifications, financial aid scholarships can be attainable to help offset tuition costs. Full scholarships will pay up to $1,000 per month towards tuition. Our scholarships are based on the acceptance of the student to attend Life Quest, the number of student beds we currently have available, Gross household income, and family hardship situations that can be articulated in a letter to our admissions committee who decides on such financial matters. Financial scholarships are based on the assumption that the student recipient is going to willingly follow our Code of Conduct while enrolled at Life Quest Girls Academy. If it becomes apparent that the student recipient is not consistently willing and able to follow our Code of Conduct, Life Quest Girls Academy reserves the right to revoke all awarded scholarships. We highly recommend that families get creative when coming up with adequate finances for tuition purposes. On our website, click the tab "About Life Quest" and then click on "Financial Options" to see all the recommended ways and methods other families have used to help come up with the required tuition costs.

Each room has 1 bunkbed and 1 single bed for a total of 3 beds. Each room has a bathroom, a closet, a dresser and its own heating/cooling unit. The dorms are not overly large, but have everything each student may need. There is a limit on how many personal items each roommate can have inside their dorm, this is to help maintain a clutter free environment.

Yes. Each student has up to 3 roommates at any given time.

The Life Quest Practicum Course is part of each students academic journey at Life Quest and helps them be successful while enrolled. The Practicum is part of our online school curriculum and upon completion each student will receive at least 1 academic elective credit towards high school graduation. The Practicum teaches each student about our Code of Conduct, our values, daily schedules, weekly activities, procedures, etc. The Practicum also gives each student the opportunity to work on specific, valuable life skills that will help them succeed as adults. One of the main focuses of the Practicum is to learn how to set goals and achieve them. The culmination of the Practicum is a mandatory Capstone Project where each student gets to put on display what they have been working so hard to achieve. Upon successful completion of the Practicum, each student will receive academic credits towards high school graduation. The Practicum typically takes 10-12 months to complete.

Our staff have been trained with best practices when it comes to dealing with attachment issues associated with Reactive Attachment disorder. We understand that our role is to provide a safe, healthy environment, not necessarily to provide a nurturing environment. We allow student autonomy and expect them to make healthy, wise decisions after they have learned our expectations. Life Quest staff are trained on how to be effective mentors and advisors to each student. This includes setting healthy and appropriate boundaries, how to offer help, assistance, etc. The goal of our staff is to help our students recognize the importance of healthy, functional relationships and that respect and kindness in life will be reciprocated. Staff are also trained never to have a negative interaction with students and to always be the adult in the room, acting through kindness even with hard conversations while holding each student accountable for their choices in behavior. Staff expect all students to demonstrate responsibility and accountability with their choice of actions and words and then be willing to correct or fix any wrongs done. Overall respect for everyone and living by the Golden Rule are the main behavior expectations at Life Quest Girls Academy. It really is a simple concept and staff does not over complicate their interactions with all students.

After your daughter has enrolled as a student at Life Quest, an academy director dedicated to be your point of contact will be assigned to you. This person will reach out to you shortly after you daughter has enrolled to provide an update and to schedule continuous calls moving forward. During the first week of your daughter's stay, please feel free to call your point of contact every day, or even multiple times a day if necessary to check in on how your daughter is adjusting to her new environment. Once your daughter settles in to her new surrounding and environment, which usually takes about a week or so, we recommend that calls with your point of contact person become weekly calls during the designated and scheduled call time that has been agreed upon. We ask that all parents be respectful of the office hours of your point of contact.

For Health related, tuition related, or financial related questions, please ask your point of contact who the best person to contact would be. Your point of contact person can help you get in touch with the correct employee at Life Quest who can best answer your question.

It depends. Each family situation, and the specific needs of each family are so different, and so unique. We pride ourselves on being super flexible and accommodating when it comes to lengths of stay for each student. We recommend at least 10 months, or one full school year, but we also understand that this may be too long for some families, and not long enough for others. If a family simply needs a few weeks of respite care, we are happy to work something out with that family. If a family needs much longer, we can also work something out. It really depends on the needs of the family. Our goal and mission is to help families heal in a manner that is helpful and unique to them. The ultimate success we see with students comes after an extended period of time at least one school year in length, but again we can be super accommodating to meet each families needs. We believe families should get to decide the terms of their daughter's care and education.

Many students are involved in outdoor activities such as hiking, wilderness exploring, and other activities in the 5 National Parks surrounding Life Quest Girls Academy. Other activities include sports like basketball, volleyball, yoga, pickle ball, and more. Our students also have the opportunity to garden, raise chickens, feed and water horses and other farm animals and participate in school-wide activities such as bonfires, cookouts, and more.  We are also heavily involved with many 4-H club activities such as horses and sheep that become available to the students after they complete their academics for the day. Our students also have opportunities each day to work on things of interest to them. Some students want to focus on music, some on art, some on reading, etc. Once students have determined what their passions are, we give them time to develop their proficiency in that area of interest.

Yes. These interactions are earned privileges. If a student is allergic to a specific animal, we request a doctor’s note be provided. Under close supervision, our students have access to dogs, horses, chickens, and other farm animals. Most of these animal opportunities are off campus and are temporary in nature.

Cell phones are not allowed at Life Quest Girls Academy. However, iPads are required for school and Practicum work for each student. Each iPad is closely managed, and monitored by the technical supervisor at Life Quest Girls Academy. Student iPads are carefully monitored as students are given very limited access on their device. If any iPad misuse is detected, iPad privileges may be revoked and the student may have to complete paper packets in order to stay caught up in their school work. Students may also have preloaded music players (MP3's) that do not have internet access. There are also desktop and laptop computers for student use with internet filters installed designated for school projects.

No. Each student is allowed to wear their own clothing as long as it meets our Dress Code standards found in our Code of Conduct.

The Dress Code does not allow the following clothing, makeup, or hairstyles:

o No clothing that exposes the shoulders

o No clothing that exposes cleavage

o No clothing that exposes the midriff

o No clothing that exposes the upper thighs

o No extremely tight-fitting clothing

o No gang related clothing

o No obscenities allowed on clothing such as inappropriate language or images

o No extreme or conspicuous makeup styles

o No extreme or conspicuous hair styles

o No self-imposed body art or piercings such as stick & poke tattoos, ink pens, or permanent marker use on skin while enrolled at Life Quest

A typical school day will be anywhere between 5 and 6 hours Monday through Thursday and anywhere between 4 and 5 hours on Friday. If requested, students may be allowed additional school time if they desire. Time on the weekend for school work can also be arranged if the student is making this request.

Free tutoring is available in a one-on-one online atmosphere. Paid, in person tutoring is also available if you prefer your daughter to have one on one in person tutoring instead of free online tutoring.

We believe that regular communication with your daughter is important and needed.  Students will have a scheduled call with their families once a week. If additional calls are desired, those can be arranged as time slots are available. 

Letters are always welcome and should be uplifting and supportive of your daughter and her progress. You may write your daughter as many letters as you wish. If your daughter chooses, she may write letters to her family and other approved contacts on a daily basis. Received mail is typically given to each student on the weekend. Packages should be fairly minimal. Sometimes students start to accumulate so much stuff that they run out of space to put it all and become very cluttered.

Absolutely! In fact, our staff may ask you at times to write a quick email to your daughter to help motivate her when she has tough academic days, or other struggles that undoubtedly will come throughout this journey. Email is quick, easy, and effective as far as communicating with your daughter is concerned.

Yes. We love giving families the opportunity to see each other face to face. If this is something you would like to set up on a consistent basis, just let us know and we will put it on our calendar and make it happen.

Yes! Visiting your daughter to show your support and love is highly encouraged. These visits can be right on campus, or if you feel the need to go off campus for a few hours that would be fine with us. The only request is that these visits are known to staff and your daughter ahead of time so progress in her academics can be maintained. We would also recommend that your daughter be doing well in her progress before making plans to come visit. In our experience, these visits go much better, and are much more productive when she is in the right mindset and is demonstrating a willing, positive attitude.

Ultimately, she will not be allowed to stay at Life Quest if she refuses to follow the rules, or better said, refuses to follow the Code of Conduct. For the most part, our staff are successful using positive encouragement and motivation in helping diffuse situations that come up where students are not following rules.  As a result of natural consequences, a student who refuses to follow the rules will not be allowed certain after school privileges and access to off campus activities that require a student to be willingly following the Code of Conduct during the day. Ultimately if a student is unwilling to commit to, and follow the Code of Conduct at Life Quest, other arrangements outside of Life Quest will need to be made for the student. We do have our limits and we do expect all our students to be willing to be at Life Quest and be willing to follow our Code of Conduct at all times. If it has been determined that a student is not the right fit at Life Quest, a phone call will be made and plans will be set into motion for her quick removal from Life Quest. One option parents have at this point would be to come and sit with their daughter until she agrees to exhibit appropriate, acceptable behavior while enrolled at Life Quest

Yes. We take the safety of our students and staff very seriously. Students may be expelled for threatening that safety.  Also, students who blatantly and continuously conduct rebellious behavior risk expulsion.  We welcome and encourage all parents to come sit with their daughter at our school if the students behavior becomes such that would require this type of parent involvement.  Other arrangements will need to be made if it becomes evident that a student is unwilling to follow the Code of Conduct at Life Quest Girls Academy.

Yes. Cleanliness is expected everyday.  Specific chores are given to all students to help keep and maintain our campus in an acceptable, clean and tidy manner.

Yes. The goal with laundry is to promote independence and accountability. Staff will be available to help show them what is expected if they are unsure.

Each student will assist in cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all students at least one day a week overseen by the Kitchen Supervisor. Each student will be trained by our Kitchen Supervisor to ensure the safety of the food they prepare for themselves and their fellow students.

About once a week, students who demonstrate an acceptable willingness to follow the Code of Conduct can go on a weekly off campus outing/field trip. These activities can include but are not limited to hiking, fishing, swimming, seeing a movie, bowling, going to dinner, etc.

Our staff to student ratio varies depending on what activity our students are engaged in during the day. Due to our facility not being a behavior modification or therapeutic environment, our students are expected to function respectfully and appropriately with one staff or multiple staff during the day or night. Some activities allow us to have one staff for certain periods of the day, and some activities demand more staff during the day. A staff is available at all hours of the night if a student needs them for whatever reason.

We do not administer any medications for students.  We do however safely guard all medications under lock and key and provide multiple times during the day for students to safely take their medications under staff supervision. Students who bring medication with them will have access to them under staff supervision according to the student’s physician and pharmacy. When a prescription needs to be refilled, our Medical Supervisor will communicate with parents and the local pharmacy to ensure proper caution and proper arrangements are made. This process eventually becomes seamless between the pharmacy and our Medical Supervisor. When change in medication is required, our Medical Supervisor works together with parents and doctors to ensure the updated medications are accurate and properly communicated.

Any medical/dental needs a student may have will be communicated to the Medical Supervisor and the appropriate appointments will be made. All needed communication with parents will be done beforehand, and after appointments as needed. In the case of an emergency, medical/dental attention will be immediately sought and the parents will be notified immediately before and after treatment has begun by medical professionals.

Yes. Special circumstances such as weddings, family emergencies, etc. may require a student to return home for a time.  Our students are also on individual academic semester timelines.  Basically, when a student finishes a semester worth of schooling, we recommend they take a semester break.  This break can be done at Life Quest, or at home.  We also offer a break from our daily routine and structure during the days of December 23rd through January 2nd. If a student has been at Life Quest for at least 6 months, consideration for that student to leave for an at home visit can be discussed with our Executive Director. Each student is unique, and each home environment and situation is unique. We would not recommend an at home visit if your daughter has not been at Life Quest for at least 6 months and has been making adequate progress in her school work.  Families can also opt to keep their daughter at Life Quest during those same dates, but no structured activities or schooling will be expected or performed during those days. Staff supervision will be available, but during those dates all students are technically on a holiday break.  

Yes. In fact, it is highly encouraged. Our Sports Court is geared for students of all athletic types.  Students who desire to play organized sports may even possibly try out for the local high school sports team of their choice if the proper authorization is given by both parents, the Executive Director, and the local high school.   

It depends. If your daughter has a specific food allergy we can definitely make accommodations. In these cases, we request a doctor’s note specifying the need. If your daughter is a picky eater or does not like the texture of certain foods, we will not make any such accommodations.

Life Quest staff are trained to immediately respond to any injury and assess the seriousness of it. Any minor injury will follow protocol of contacting the parents first and then treatment. In the case of an emergency, treatment by medical professionals will be sought first followed by parent contact.

Yes. Each student is enrolled in accredited Middle School and High School courses depending on their age and grade level.  Students who go at an accelerated pace can even graduate from high school much earlier than her peers back home. Upon completion of all required high school courses, we will issue their official high school diploma from our accredited academic partner Alta Independent High School. 

All students are enrolled in Alta Independent High School.  Life Quest Girls Academy partners with Alta Independent High School who is 100% online. Classes are taken and completed on the campus of Life Quest Girls Academy in Parowan Utah.

Yes. This option and opportunity is available to all students who have met high school course requirements and who are also doing well and advancing through the Life Quest Practicum Course. Transportation costs to and from the local vocational college for in person classes will be applied if a student wants to take advantage of those academic opportunities. Parents/guardians will definitely need to approve such allowances since financial transportation costs and off campus risks are involved.

Yes.  Upon completion of the Life Quest Practicum Course, each student will receive at least 1 academic elective credit towards high school graduation.

It depends. If a student does not appear to be able to graduate high school prior to their 18th birthday, the G.E.D. may become a viable option for her to pursue after counseling with the student and her parents/guardians. This option is only available for students nearing their 18th birthday and is NOT an option for younger students.

We do not condone mean-spirited behavior or bullying. Our approach is to teach all of our students interpersonal skills to effectively communicate and stand their ground in a productive way, including setting clear, specific boundaries with other students so these instances no longer occur on their terms. We teach all our students skills to become "Bully Proof" where they have the means necessary to take care of themselves and handle each situation. Of course our staff are always there to assist when and where needed. Our staff act as mentors and they help each student successfully navigate their way through life and the ups and downs that undoubtedly come.

Within reason. Each student dorm room includes a bathroom that can be used at any time they are in their room. Students are always allowed to take bathroom breaks when needed during times they are not in their rooms, but if there is no evidence of sickness, abuse of bathroom use will be addressed.

Supervised online shopping is available for students who have special permission from parents and from the Executive Director of Life Quest.  We don’t want this privilege to be abused, but we also understand that there may be times when online shopping is necessary and convenient.  Shopping is also permitted during parent visits. Life Quest also provides specific items that students can purchase at our on campus student store. Also, students who have off campus jobs are allowed to shop and spend their own money with the approval of their parent/guardian.

Yes. We require all students who desire to work off campus to first complete Module 1 and Module 2 of the Life Quest Practicum. In addition, we require the permission from the parent/guardian of the student wanting to have a job off campus. Students who meet our requirements and receive parent/guardian approval for an off campus job will be provided with a letter of recommendation from Life Quest and we will vouch for their job skills. Off campus jobs are not guaranteed since it is out of our hands if students get hired or not, but we feel just going through the resume and employment application and interview process will prove to be extremely valuable to students seeking off campus jobs.

Each situation is unique. If a student still has high school credits to earn after she has turned 18, we recommend she stay in order to complete high school and earn her diploma while enrolled at Life Quest Girls Academy. We do have some safe options for adult students, please inquire with our Admissions Director and request more information if this is an option you seek. We are confident we can help provide a safe environment so she can smoothly transition into adulthood if that is what your daughter needs beyond her 18th birthday.

Our facility is modest. The main building was built in 1953 as a nursing facility before being remodeled to serve as Life Quest Girls Academy.  We pride our building on its much character that is on display. There have been many updates and upgrades that make Life Quest Girls Academy a cozy, modern, comfortable place for all students and staff. The outside area includes a garden, chicken coop, dog kennels, sports court with volleyball, basketball, pickle ball, a barbecue space, a walking path, and lots of grass.

We do not give these incidents any unneeded attention. If the cuts are more superficial in nature we provide ointment and bandages and have the student clean themselves and apply their own bandages. We do not dress any superficial wounds as that could send the wrong message to the student and give the situation unneeded and unhealthy attention. If the cut is more deep and serious we will of course seek immediate medical attention as quickly as possible. In these circumstances, we recommend seeking a licensed therapist for your daughter who can help her with her unhealthy coping choices. We can offer recommendations for those seeking local treatment while enrolled. It is important for parents to understand that Life Quest Girls Academy is not a suicide, or self-harm prevention facility. We expect all students who come to Life Quest to have healthy coping skills in place and to not pick up bad coping practices such as self-harm. A student who habitually self harms is not a good fit for Life Quest Girls Academy and other arrangements will need to be made so they can get the appropriate help they require. We are not equipped, or trained to deal with legitimate self harm attempts. In our experience, most self harm incidents at Life Quest have been "attention seeking" type of incidents and eventually disappear due to us not giving unneeded or unnecessary attention to the self harm. 99% of our self harm incidents have not risen to the level of a serious psychological issue possessed by the student where we have had to expel and recommend other placement.

Life Quest is not a “LockDown” facility.  Due to the amount of activities we have off campus with students continually transitioning between outdoor locations on campus, a student who is considered to be a “run risk” is not a good fit for our Boarding School environment. Other arrangements will need to be made for students who decide to run away from our facility as it will be determined that they need a higher level of care in a more lock down, therapeutic, behavior modification type of facility. All students enrolled at Life Quest need to be there willingly.