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Bill introduced to regulate residential programs claiming to help LGBTI youth
An effort to crack down on controversial residential programs that claim to help troubled youth – including those who are LGBTI – reached Capitol Hill on Tuesday (14 July).
US representatives Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Florida, introduced a bill to reform and regulate these programs nationwide which would include no exemptions for religious-based groups.
The members of Congress were joined by the Los Angeles LGBT Center and Survivors of Institutional Abuse (SIA).
‘It isn’t ‘treatment’ to withhold food and water from a youth,’ said LA LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean. ‘It isn’t treatment to beat a teenager. And nothing should ever be considered treatment that involves denial of medical care, solitary confinement, electric shocks, or public humiliation. That’s not therapeutic. That’s child abuse.’
Jean said that is exactly what’s happening throughout the country because residential programs that claim to help troubled teens are operating without necessary and appropriate oversight.
SIA has reported the deaths of more than 300 people who are linked to these programs. Since it is common for these programs to re-open in another state under a different name after they are forced to close, federal legislation is considered essential.
Said Schiff: ‘We cannot ignore reports that young people have died and thousands have suffered abuse at the hands of those who run and work at residential treatment programs under the guise of providing critical therapy and rehabilitation services.’
The congressman said the legislation holds all residential treatment programs accountable for instances of child abuse and increases the transparency of these programs so that parents can make informed and safer choices for their children.
‘Families that turn to these treatment programs for help, often as a last resort, must know that their kids are safe and in the care of professionals,’ Schiff said.
The effort has garnered the support of two-time Oscar winning actress Sally Field who is the mother of a gay son.
‘I can only imagine the horrible grief of the thousands of parents who misplaced trust in programs for ‘troubled’ teens has resulted in the abuse and even death of their kids,’ said Field, honorary campaign chair of the Protect Youth from Institutional Abuse campaign. ‘ … We must pass common sense, bipartisan legislation to regulate this multi-million dollar industry and protect all children.’
In March, the LA LGBT Center and California State Senator Ricardo Lara announced the introduction of the Protecting Youth from Institutional Abuse Act which passed the California State Senate by a vote of 35-1 and will now go to the State Assembly for a vote.
The post Bill introduced to regulate residential programs claiming to help LGBTI youth appeared first on Gay Star News.
Greg Hernandez
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