Lawsuits Filed Against Perimeter of Missouri Formerly Known as Piney Ridge—Victims May Soon Be Receiving Significant Compensation
Were you or a loved one ever a patient at Perimeter Behavioral of Missouri, formerly known as Piney Ridge, in Missouri?
Do you believe that you or your loved one were sexually abused or assaulted while receiving treatment at Perimeter of Missouri / Piney Ridge in Missouri?
If so, you are not alone, and you may be eligible for significant compensation.
Below, you can learn more and complete our 60-second evaluation to see if your case qualifies.
Sexual Abuse at Perimeter of Missouri / Piney Ridge
Perimeter Behavioral of Missouri, formerly Piney Ridge Center, is a psychiatric medical institution for children and group care.
The facility, owned and operated by Perimeter Healthcare, a behavioral healthcare company, operates as a psychiatric residential treatment facility in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri.
Perimeter Healthcare, the parent company, operates multiple mental and behavioral health facilities across the US.
Perimeter of Missouri (formerly Piney Ridge) is facing serious allegations from patients and their families detailing horrific abuse, including sexual assault and misconduct by staff members.
Despite being under new ownership and a new name, the facility continues to face repeated allegations of reports of systematic understaffing, failure to report abuse, and inadequate supervision, which are putting patients at a higher risk of experiencing abuse.
Recent online allegations state that underage patients experience sexual abuse while receiving treatment at the facility.
Allegations state that chronic understaffing and inadequate supervision have created opportunities for abuse, leaving vulnerable patients at risk.
The company’s profit-driven strategies have prioritized profit over patient safety, with a documented settlement in 2021 for medicaid fraud, where the institution was billing therapy sessions that didn’t occur rather than providing the necessary care that vulnerable patients needed.
As a result, lawsuits are currently being filed to help compensate victims and their families for their suffering.
It’s common for victims of sexual assault and sexual abuse to discount the fact that they’ve been hurt by a person that they trust, such as a therapist, doctor, or other staff, or they might feel ashamed, embarrassed, and scared to tell others about the abuse.
If you or a loved one have experienced sexual assault, physical abuse, inappropriate touching, or any form of abuse, know that help and justice are within reach.
Being sent to one of these institutions or facilities to receive help doesn’t mean you deserve to be abused or punished.
You deserved therapy, compassion, understanding, and a chance to heal —not harm.
We know that even substantial compensation can’t ease suffering, but it can help reduce financial stress and help hold offenders and their employers accountable to help prevent future abuse.
Lawsuits Against Piney Ridge / Perimeter of MO
In 2022, the Missouri Attorney General announced a $504,250 settlement with Piney Ridge for Medicaid fraud. He called it the largest Missouri-only civil settlement in recent years, highlighting that the facility failed to provide required therapy and defrauded taxpayers.
The Attorney General also emphasized the importance of holding Piney Ridge accountable for neglecting the treatment needs of vulnerable children.
In early 2023, a Senate report titled “Warehouses of Neglect: How Taxpayers Are Funding Systemic Abuse in Youth Residential Treatment Facilities” revealed widespread abuse in youth residential treatment facilities, citing physical, sexual, and emotional harm.
The report criticized for-profit centers for prioritizing profits over safety and singled out Piney Ridge for leaving children unsupervised and untreated.
In 2023 Piney Ridge Center, now Perimeter Behavioral of Missouri, continued to face civil lawsuits from former residents and their families alleging that Piney Ridge’s negligence enabled sexual abuse and mistreatment of children in its care.
Piney Ridge in Arkansas has a history of regulatory violations, including forced sexual contact between residents, and although the facility changed its name in 2024 Yellow Rock Behavioral Health allegations of abuse continue to surface.
Recently, in May 2025, Dakotah Michael Widel, a former staff member at Perimeter Behavioral of Missouri (formerly Piney Ridge), was charged for distributing explicit material to a minor who was a patient.
According to complaints from patients, residents, and their families, there are allegations that even after mounting evidence and abuse allegations, the facility has failed to implement meaningful reforms.
As a result, there is an intensive investigation urging survivors to come forward to hold the institution accountable.
Lawsuits are currently being filed to help compensate victims and their families for their suffering.
Anyone who was sexually abused or assaulted while at Perimeter of Missouri (formerly Piney Ridge Center) may soon be eligible for significant compensation, even if the abuse occurred years ago.
Being admitted or sent to one of these facilities to receive help doesn’t mean you deserve to be abused or punished.
If you or a loved one have experienced sexual assault, physical abuse, inappropriate touching, or any form of abuse, know that help and justice are within reach.
Although we know that substantial compensation can’t erase a life-altering event, or heal the pain, it can at least help reduce the financial stress and help hold offenders and their employers accountable to help prevent future abuse.
What To Do Next
Advocates and legal representatives are investigating abuse claims from Perimeter of Missouri /Piney Ridge Behavioral in Missouri.
While no amount of compensation can erase the pain of abuse, it can support efforts to stop it from happening to others.
When more survivors come forward, their shared voices can help hold abusers accountable and create real change.
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse, physical abuse, or sexual assault while at the facility, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
In general, reaching out to a legal representative as soon as possible greatly improves your chances of successfully proving your claim.
Over time, memories can fade, witnesses may relocate, and crucial details become less clear.
But you shouldn’t just contact any law firm that claims to handle sexual abuse lawsuits. It’s important that you get help from a law firm that is highly experienced in sexual abuse lawsuits and has a team of experts to help you.
We’re here to help survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault seek justice.
How To Get A Free Consultation With Law Firms That Are Highly Experienced In Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
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To get a free case review and see if you qualify for a free consultation with one of our partner law firms, just tap the button below.If you like, you’ll be able to speak with a trauma-trained law firm, NOT an untrained person in a call center.
Once you speak with one of our partner law firms, they can immediately start helping you with the following:
- Serving you and your family with empathy and compassion
- Building a case for why you or your family should receive maximum compensation
- Taking care of as many legal and medical issues as possible so you can reduce your stress and focus on healing
To get a free case review and see if you qualify for a free consultation with one of our partner law firms, just tap the button below.