The mental health facility alleged cyberstalker McKenzie McClure was ordered to be released to on Monday to an “open-door” psychiatric treatment center in East Tennessee.
Pasadena Villa in Sevierville, Tennessee, houses patients who voluntarily stay there, according to testimony by Admissions Coordinator Sabina Shakoor. Personnel cannot force patients to stay, and patients have left the facility voluntarily in the past, she continued.
McClure (pictured here), a woman who identifies as a man, was arrested by federal agents on April 29 after leaving a disconcerting voicemail to Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville and publicly threatening Governor Bill Lee. She has since been charged with cyberstalking.
The closest town to the facility is 30 to 45 minutes away, Shakoor said. She added that arranging for transportation from the facility to somewhere else would be very difficult without Pasadena Villa’s assistance or outside help.
If McClure were to leave Pasadena Villa’s campus, the admissions coordinator noted, facility personnel would have to call law enforcement. Previously, McClure was held in solitary confinement in federal custody.
While McClure is awaiting trial, she will undergo treatment. As a patient of the facility, the alleged cyberstalker’s whereabouts will be monitored by Pasadena Villa personnel around the clock, including in-person checks every 15 minutes – including overnight hours.
Patients also wear wristbands that the facility uses to keep a digital record of a resident’s location, but Shakoor said that personnel will not force residents to wear them if one chooses not to do so. She compared the wristbands to ones commonly worn at theme parks like Disney World rather than ones that cannot be removed.
Pasadena Villa currently holds 41 residents, including McClure, according to Shakoor’s testimony. The treatment center’s residential capacity is 54.
Pasadena Villa does not allow access to devices with internet connections, such as phones and laptops, except in circumstances where a patient may need to perform necessary tasks like paying bills, Shakoor said. The facility sometimes allows patients access to landlines and records those phone calls.
The psychiatric center does not schedule the length of time its patients reside at the facility, though Shakoor said that people stay there an average of 30 to 45 days.
Pasadena Villa was founded in 2001 and is one of 16 treatment centers of the same name across five states. The Sevierville location is the only one that offers in-patient care while all other facilities provide out-patient services.
Brenda Keller, a licensed professional counselor, serves as Pasadena Villa’s executive director. Dr. John Kupfner serves alongside her as the facility’s medical director and sole psychiatrist. Pasadena Villa also employs 10 therapists and a life skills coach.
The facility offers many different treatments for several mental health disorders. Pasadena Villa offers talk therapy, experiential therapies like art and recreation, family therapy, and animal assistance therapy.
The center purports to treat adults with anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse disorders, and addiction. Gender dysphoria is not among the disorders listed, nor was it addressed during McClure’s hearing on Monday.
The facility apparently supports radical gender ideology and social justice, displaying a “pride progress” flag on its website. Pasadena Villa posted to X it would be celebrating Pride Month.
Pasadena Villa is part of the organization Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare, founded in 2015. The group has a network of 43 treatment centers and facilities across 10 states. Odyssey focuses on treating mental health disorders, eating disorders, and substance use disorders. Headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, the organization has five locations in the state.
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Matthew Giffin is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Matthew on X/Twitter.
Photo “McKenzie McClure” by McKenzie McClure and photo “Pasaenda Villa” by Pasaenda Villa.
