Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Timberline Knolls, a former upscale women’s mental health center in the Chicago suburbs, has faced numerous allegations in recent years that counselors and other staff sexually abused residents at the facility. Despite the facility’s promise to promote a “safe and supportive environment,” countless women and girls report they endured sexual abuse by staff while in their most vulnerable moments.
If you or a loved one experienced sexual assault or abuse while residing at Timberline Knolls—even if it was years ago—you have legal rights and options for seeking justice and accountability.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
- Timberline Knolls in Lemont, Illinois, was a residential treatment facility for women and girls that closed in early 2025 after numerous allegations of sexual abuse by staff.
- The center and its parent company, Acadia Healthcare, are facing several lawsuits from former residents who claim the abuse could have been prevented with proper staffing and oversight.
- At least two former Timberline Knolls staff members were arrested and charged with sex crimes for alleged sexual abuse and assault committed at the facility.
Overview of Timberline Knolls and Recent Allegations
Located in Lemont, Illinois, Timberline Knolls was a 122-bed residential treatment facility that provided care to women and girls ages 12 and above for eating disorders, mental health issues, and substance abuse. The facility was founded in 2005 and acquired by Acadia Healthcare in 2012. Timberline Knolls closed in February 2025 amid numerous allegations of sexual abuse and assault by staff.
In June 2024, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee issued a report regarding widespread sexual abuse at residential treatment facilities such as Timberline Knolls. The report suggested that the systemic abuse arose because major health care companies own and profit from the facilities. According to the report, corporate owners such as Acadia Healthcare had a financial incentive to understaff their facilities and avoid costly investigations into alleged misconduct. The report indicated that pressure to enroll more patients without hiring enough qualified employees has led to disaster.
Details of the Sexual Abuse Allegations
Multiple investigations have uncovered evidence that Timberline Knolls failed to protect patients from predatory staff despite numerous complaints. A record of 911 calls for service to the facility showed dozens of calls related to criminal sexual abuse or assault since 2018. On at least eight occasions between 2020 and 2025, the Lemont Police Department received reports from patients saying they had been sexually assaulted or abused.
According to an Illinois Health Department spokesman, the department did not regulate Timberline Knolls, and the state Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery failed to visit the property since 2019. This lack of oversight allowed Acadia Healthcare to evade accountability for failing to protect patients. Numerous Acadia facilities nationwide closed over the past decade amid similar reports of sexual abuse.
Legal Actions Against Timberline Knolls and Acadia Healthcare
In late 2024, a former Timberline Knolls patient filed a lawsuit against Timberline Knolls and Acadia Healthcare, alleging a facility employee repeatedly raped her while she was undergoing treatment. The patient alleged that Erick Hampton, who was in charge of transporting patients around the facility, sexually assaulted her on three different occasions by isolating her. According to the patient’s allegations, when the attacks were reported to staff, the facility’s operators took no meaningful action.
The lawsuit alleged the defendants failed to implement and enforce mandatory policies and procedures to prevent patient abuse. Additionally, the suit alleged that Acadia and Timberline Knolls failed to properly train employees in sexual abuse prevention, adequately supervise and monitor staff, and promptly act on reports of sexual abuse.
In 2019, a former counselor from Timberline Knolls, Mike Jacksa, was charged with 62 felony counts of criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual abuse. Cook County prosecutors asserted that Jacksa sexually assaulted or abused six facility patients by subjecting them to rape, forced oral sex, digital penetration, and fondling. Prosecutors also alleged that Timberline Knolls officials waited at least three weeks after receiving reports of Jacksa’s misconduct before contacting law enforcement.
Understanding Your Legal Rights
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse or assault in a residential treatment center such as Timberline Knolls, you have certain rights guaranteed by state and federal law. Specifically, you have the right to file a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator and the institution whose negligence enabled the abuse, and the right to report abuse to law enforcement to begin a criminal investigation.
To be eligible to pursue a lawsuit, you must comply with Illinois’ statute of limitations for sexual abuse or assault. Illinois gives survivors of childhood sexual abuse until their 38th birthday, or within 20 years of discovering the harm caused to them by sexual abuse, to file a lawsuit. Adult survivors have two years to file suit. In Illinois, there is no criminal statute of limitations for major sex crimes against anyone of any age, so it’s never too late to report the abuse to police.
Steps to Take If You or a Loved One Has Been Affected
After experiencing sexual violence, the first step to take is to ensure your safety and well-being. Seek medical treatment if possible, as well as psychological support, especially if you are already dealing with a psychiatric condition. Once you have ensured your safety, consider contacting an experienced sexual abuse attorney to learn more about your rights and options for seeking justice.
Your attorney will work with you to build a case by gathering evidence and documenting the abuse you endured. This evidence may include collecting all medical and communication records from your time at Timberline Knolls. Your attorney may also be able to access further evidence from the facility’s parent company to help you pursue a lawsuit or report the abuse to law enforcement to begin a criminal investigation.
Get Legal Help
At Helping Survivors, our mission is to help heal, educate, and empower those impacted by sexual assault and abuse, especially in vulnerable situations such as psychiatric care. We work to inform survivors of their legal rights and options and make introductions to our partner law firms, who can file civil lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that perpetrated and enabled the abuse to compensate victims for their suffering.
Every survivor’s experience is unique, and what they choose to do afterward is ultimately their choice. We can connect you with an experienced law firm for a free consultation today.
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