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.

Faculty and Staff >>

Administration

Jared U. Balmer, Ph.D., Executive Director, is a licensed marriage and family therapist. He is an expert in working with adolescents and their families. Dr. Balmer has been a director of a number of day and residential treatment centers in the midwest. Prior to establishing Island View, he served as the executive director of an adolescent psychiatric hospital. He has lectured widely on family and adolescent related issues throughout the United States to both professional and lay audiences. Dr. Balmer has taught at St. Louis University, University of Missouri at St. Louis, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and Brigham Young University.

Gay Jackson, R.N., B.C., Associate Executive Director
Ms. Jackson received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Idaho State University. In addition, she earned her board certification as a Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse. Ms. Jackson started her nursing career in the emergency department and intensive care unit, but during the eighties became increasingly involved in psychiatric and mental health care. She held positions as Program Coordinator for psychiatric home care and was the Clinical Head Nurse of Behavioral Health Services of the McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah. She has served as a Clinical Preceptor for Bachelor of Science and Associate Degree nursing students at Weber State University and the University Utah, and has conducted workshops on psychiatric care.

Richard L. Jackson, M.D., Medical Director
Dr. Jackson is a board certified psychiatrist who has been working with adolescents for over 20 years. He has been the adolescent medical director for several programs at hospitals and residential treatment centers in Utah. He received his training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has been in Utah over 15 years. Dr. Jackson's philosophy is to look at a balanced approach to adolescent care with medication when appropriate to be used as an adjunct to psychological intervention.

Steven D. Lancaster, L.C.S.W., Director of Therapeutic Milieu
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.

Blake Taylor, Clinical Director
Blake has worked at Island View since 1999. He first began helping struggling teens in 1987 at a group home. Since then, he has worked in the areas of juvenile detention, college counseling, and county mental health. Blake completed his undergraduate studies in psychology at Weber State, and attended graduate school at Idaho State and B.Y.U. Originally from Ogden, Utah, Blake is now living in Syracuse with his wife and three children. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with the family, reading, and computers (Apple, of course).

Judi Jacques, M. Ed., Director of Education
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.