Paris Hilton and California state lawmakers are pushing for legislation to increase transparency and oversight in youth treatment facilities that care for troubled teens. The bill, supported by Hilton, aims to require facilities to disclose information on their use of disciplinary methods such as restraints or seclusion rooms for minors dealing with substance abuse and behavioral issues. Hilton shared her own experiences of abuse at a teen treatment facility, highlighting the need for stronger regulations to protect children.
The bill, authored by Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove and Democratic state Sens. Aisha Wahab and Angelique Ashby, would mandate that facilities report details of disciplinary actions taken against minors and make this information publicly available. Hilton has been an advocate for more oversight in the teen treatment industry, sharing her story of abuse at a boarding school in Utah and pushing for reforms at the state and federal level. Her advocacy efforts have led to stricter regulations in Utah and other states to protect minors in these facilities.
California has sent over 1,240 children with behavior problems to out-of-state facilities due to the lack of locked treatment centers for youths. Reports of abuse at these facilities, including instances of restraint-related deaths, prompted California to eliminate the out-of-state program and establish in-state short-term residential centers in 2017. However, these facilities are not currently required to disclose information about the use of discipline methods like seclusion rooms and restraints.
The proposed legislation would require facilities to report all instances of seclusion room or restraint use, providing greater transparency and accountability in the care of vulnerable youth. The bill would also require the state department regulating these facilities to update a public database with information on disciplinary actions taken against minors on a quarterly basis. While the bill does not ban the use of these disciplinary methods, it aims to increase oversight and protect minors from abuse and mistreatment in these facilities.
Hilton is scheduled to testify in a legislative hearing on the bill, where she will continue to advocate for stronger protections for children in youth treatment facilities. Her advocacy efforts have already led to significant reforms in multiple states and at the federal level, demonstrating her commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable youth. The proposed legislation in California represents a critical step towards increasing transparency and accountability in the care of troubled teens in residential treatment facilities. Hilton and state lawmakers are working together to ensure that the horrors she experienced as a teenager are not repeated for other children in need of care and support.
