Contact Us: 866.952.7930
Faculty & Staff
The faculty and staff of Island View adolescent residential treatment center are clinicians with a long history of working in various adolescent treatment settings including: group homes, diagnostic clinics, day-treatment centers, outpatient practice, residential treatment centers and psychiatric hospitals. They provide help for troubled teens with what they considered the most effective components of successful programs throughout the United States into a unique program. Their day-to-day commitment and involvement assures programmatic continuity, integrity, and success.
Administration
Don is a seasoned private program administrator who was chosen by Island View‘s founder, Dr. Jared Balmer to succeed him in the role of Executive Director in January 2009. Don has experience at the helm of two therapeutic boarding schools prior to assuming his role at Island View - the Academy at Swift River in western Massachusetts, and EXCEL Academy of Texas near Houston. He also served as the Administrator of a long term adolescent residential treatment center in Tennessee serving private pay clients. Don has a Bachelor‘s degree in Psychology and a Master of Science degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Don is an active National Volunteer for the American Red Cross, outdoor enthusiast and enjoys spending time his wife Becky and their two children, Carson and Eva. "I am extremely passionate about continuing the delivery of effective and highly sought after care to parents and families in need and am honored to be a part of the great team of professionals at Island View RTC."
Dr. Simon is Triple-Board Certified in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry. He completed his undergraduate degree at Creighton University, Omaha and then attended the Medical College of Wisconsin and then the University of Utah. He has written several publications on topics such as Eating Disorders, Somatization Disorders and Dealing with Difficult Diagnoses in Patients and Families. Kirk is an instructor in the General Pediatric Division of the University of Utah, Lector of Pediatric noontime lectures on Ped/Psych. topics each year, Course Director for Child Psychiatry Consultation and Liaison for Child Psychiatry Fellows and Triple Board Residence, Instructor for pediatric residences in their Adolescent Rotation and Instructor for Nuerology Fellow in a Consultation and Liaison Elective Rotation. Dr. Simon was also honored with a Nominee for Physician of the Year in 2003.
Mr. Lancaster has a rich and diversified background in inpatient and residential clinical programming for adolescent. His experience reaches back to his training and experience as a child care worker, therapeutic environment coordinator, director of milieu programing and as a utilization review director. He received his M.S.W. degree from the University of Utah and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He has worked in many different adolescent treatment settings across the U.S. prior to joining the clinical team at Island View. Mr. Lancaster’s rich experience in the management of therapeutic environments is utilized at the Center in providing superior programing for adolescents.
Ms. Jacques is a graduate of Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and of Westminster College, where she completed her Masters of Education degree in special education. She is a licensed teacher with credentials in social studies (geography, law, history, civics) and foreign language. Judi has a long history of working with adolescents in a variety of settings from camp director to a formal classroom teacher. Most recently she has worked in public education at the High School level, working with “at-risk” adolescents. Her organizational skills, her “cheerleading” personality, along with her untiring pursuit of excellence makes her a natural leader.
Laura has been with Island View since 1996. She says Island View is like a second family to her. She grew up in small town Idaho and moved to Utah to continue her education. Laura has great compassion for the families she works with and truly understands, as she is a mom herself of two beautiful teens. In her spare time, she loves reading, traveling, running, and spending time with her family.
