What are the Facts?
Each year, tens of thousand of American children are forcibly sent against their will to private, for-profit “treatment” facilities across the United States and abroad.
These children are sent away by desperate parents, often looking for an alternative means of coping with their child’s behavior. Encouraged by marketing websites, parents are convinced that the only way to help their teenager and save their family is to send the child away – sometimes for years at a time – for intense behavior modification.
Operating under many different names – wilderness therapy programs, boot camps, behavior modification centers, residential treatment facilities, specialty boarding schools, and emotional growth academies – these programs exist without any standard definition, are not regulated by any Federal oversight, and many operate without State regulation as mental health facilities or educational providers. (see FTC report here)
These facilities often promote the use of escort services to transport children to the program. As many children are unwilling to go to these facilities, this option allows parents to hire a fully-legal company to come to their home – often in the middle of the night – and forcibly restrain or handcuff the child and take them to the program of their choice.
A 2007 Report by GAO indicated that abuse within these programs was widespread and lack of oversight and regulation resulted in the unnecessary death and injury of many youth within these programs. Many of these programs utilize treatments that have not been proven to be safe or effective and, in many cases, have led to PTSD or other psychological problems as a result of their use.
Some of these methods include attack therapy, large group awareness therapy, Lifespring or EST based seminar trainings, aversion therapy, seclusion & restraint, and intense behavior modification therapy.
Why is this a Problem?
Of the children sent to these programs, a widespread number report having experienced trauma – both during and after the program – as a result of their treatment.
A survey conducted by the Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic and Appropriate use of Residential Treatment (ASTART) in 2006 reached out to 700 youth who had attended 85 programs -located in 23 states and 5 different countries. This sample is similar to other findings found by the Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY).
Of the 700 students surveyed by ASTART, these children reported the following:
- Trauma reported – 48%
COMMUNICATION AND PRIVACY RIGHTS VIOLATIONS:
- Mail-monitoring – 93%
- Call-monitoring – 96%
- Filtered, restricted or interrupted correspondence – 86%
PHYSICAL RESTRAINT
- Experienced physical restraint – 34%
- Witnessed peers physically restrained – 60%
INNAPORPORIATE USE OF SECULAITON AND RESTRAINTS AS A RESULT OF:
- Breaking a program rule – 67%
- Saying something disrespectful – 52%
- Cursing – 48%
- Making a face – 30%
INHUMANE TREATMENT:
- Forced labor – 71%
- Restricted access to the bathroom – 68%
- Scare tactics – 63%
- Exposure to harsh elements like extreme heat, snow or rain – 60%
- Excessive exercise – 58%
- Food/nutritional deprivation – 43%
- Sleep deprivation – 41%
- Physical punishment – 31%
- Emotional, physical or sexual abused by staff – 45%
EDUCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
- No individualized plan – 60%
- Not satisfied with the training background of the staff members who were providing education, therapy, support and/or care – 87%
Further studies by government agencies, reporters, independent organizations, and private individuals have found similar cases of abuse, death, and inhumane treatment.
How Can you Get Involved?
1. CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS TO PROMOTE THE PASSING OF HR. 3126 ANDS. 1667.
These bills will help to provide Federal oversight of these facilities. It only takes a brief moment to show your support. The more letters and information sent, the more likely these bills are to pass. It only takes two minutes to add your letter of in support of this legislation to help change the life of a child.
2. EDUCATE YOURSELF AND OTHERS
There are a litany of great, free films and documentaries available that provide a unique look into this industry. Where words sometimes can’t capture the horrors of these facilities, watching live interviews and footage in undeniable truth.
Tranquility Bay Documentary- Les enfants perdus de Tranquility Bay (2005)
English-language pic by Gallic Mathieu Verboud and Jean Robert Viallet provides a unique inside look into Tranquility Bay, the notoriously abusive World Wide Association of Specialty Schools (WWASP) Jamaican facility, as well as insight into other WWASP programs. Rare footage and interviews with school directors and founders. Excellent film.
Part 1 and Part 2 are both available for free streaming on Live Leak.
Who’s Watching the Kids? – Montana PBS
Who’s Watching The Kids? There are more than 30 privately run schools for troubled youth operating in the state of Montana. They employ more than 600 people and pump an estimated 4 million into the state income taxes. It’s an exploding industry, but strangely, most Montanans have no idea the schools even exist. In this hour-long documentary, Montana PBS explores a lucrative industry praised for its novel approach to reforming youth, yet shrouded in disturbing allegations of abuse and neglect.
Free Streaming is Available Through PBS Montana
Double Feature: Over the GW & Aaron Bacon
by: Nick Gaglia (survivor of Kids of North Jersey)
Over the GW (2007) is based on Nick Gaglia’s own experiences as a drug-addicted teen who underwent physical and psychological abuse at a cult-like, tough love rehab center. Tony Serra a drug-abusing Bronx teen whose worried mom (Julia Moriarty) checks him into a New Jersey rehabilitation clinic where physical restraint, mental abuse and will-breaking brainwashing are routine therapies.
Aaron Bacon (2009) – Inspired by the book “Help at Any Cost” by Maia Szalavitz, this film is based on the true story of a 16-year-old boy who dies as a result of malpractice and abuse in a wilderness program.
These films are both available for free streaming on Nick’s fansite.
3. SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PROMOTING REFORM AND CHANGE
Without support, organizations such as these cannot continue to advocate on behalf of troubled teens. Their efforts have led to teach-outs, protests, potential legislation, and great media coverage of our cause. Please, get involved if you can or donate if you can’t. We need your support!
Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY)
The members of CAFETY envision the day that no young person is harmed in the name of treatment and when youth are empowered to be equal partners in their own care. They have advocated tirelessly on behalf of troubled youth not only to provide statistical research and data to support claims of abuse and neglect, but also to protest, speak out, and work with politicians to help draft legislation.
National Youth Rights Association (NYRA)
NYRA’s mission centers on challenging age discrimination against young people, both in law and in attitudes and supporting the basic freedoms afforded to young Americans in the Bill of Rights. They have worked closely with CAFETY in recent protests and also provide advocacy to those youth who have endured – or will endure – the hardships of the troubled teen industry.
Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic, & Appropriate Use of Residential Treatment (ASTART)
A START, the Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic, and Appropriate Use of Residential Treatment, is an organization of mental health professionals, parents, advocates, and young adults who came together in 2005 amidst growing concern about mistreatment of youth in residential programs.
The Hobbit - Actual WWASP Isolation Room in the US where kids spent years.
The WWASP Diaries 