Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008

Floor Speech

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Madam Chairman, I rise today to emphasize the need for standards and enforcement provisions that prevent and respond to allegations of child abuse and neglect at residential treatment facilities. These facilities include both public and private programs that serve teens with emotional, behavioral, and mental health problems; wilderness camps, boot camps, therapeutic boarding schools, and behavior modification facilities are all programs that serve this purpose. The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act, H.R. 5876, would require accountability and transparency from these programs. I strongly support this bill, which would help protect these vulnerable teens entrusted to their care.

Residential programs are meant to provide help and support to teenagers. However, in October 2007, the Government Accountability Office found numerous allegations of abuse, some of which led to death, connected to these programs between 1990 and 2007. Accounts of physical and sexual abuse have been publicized, although with difficulty given that these programs are not accountable to a Federal agency or other entity. It is unacceptable for Government to facilitate this secrecy. Parents trust that residential facilities will keep their child safe and care for their children properly; however, it is often found that this is not the case. I am proud that we are taking steps to implement Federal guidelines for treatment and care for these vulnerable youth.

H.R. 5876 works to end this abuse by enforcing national standards that provide for the basic health and safety of children, along with disseminating information about programs that will help ensure compliance. The bill requires States to inform the Department of Health and Human Services of incidences of child abuse, neglect, and fatalities at covered programs; it also requires HHS to investigate any allegations and will be authorized to financially penalize programs for these offenses. A Web site will summarize information on programs and any problems they have had, including whether the problems occurred under the same management but different program names. In addition, there will be a toll-free hotline to report child abuse and neglect at covered programs. I encourage Congress to fully support H.R. 5876 and, in turn, support the teens that it has been created to protect.

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