Whitney Bryen

Parents of children who were turned away from Idaho Youth Ranch criticize its ‘unrealistic’ admissions standards By Whitney Bryen / InvestigateWest When Brittony Young’s 10-year-old son became too aggressive to live at home, doctors said he needed around-the-clock psychiatric care. For four months Young pleaded for help, and the state of Idaho eventually agreed to

Idaho lacks options for teens requiring highest level of psychiatric treatment By Whitney Bryen / InvestigateWest For nearly a year, Brandon Wheeler has pleaded with Idaho’s Medicaid department to pay for expensive, life-saving care that doctors say his teenage son needs. Two days after InvestigateWest reported on Idaho’s refusal to fund that care, the state

Idaho funded less than one-third of requests for youths to receive the highest level psychiatric care since 2019, data reveals By Whitney Bryen / InvestigateWest In a dark and sterile hospital room, the light from a cellphone highlighted the exhaustion on Brandon Wheeler’s face as he checked for an email offering help for his son.

Attorneys say bans could become more common following U.S. Supreme Court decision in June By Whitney Bryen / InvestigateWest John Parke, known as “Cowboy,” is always ready to pack up and move. He stacks his black and blue tent, foam sleeping pad, and flannel-lined sleeping bag on top of a wagon that he hauls away