I have multiple reports of physical abuse at a troubled teen facility. Every government office I have contacted has told me that they don’t have jurisdiction.

The parents sign an agreement acknowledging that their children may be restrained or injured. There is basically no accreditation - only the Joint Commission, which is a private organization that will give their seal of approval to anyone who will fork over the cash. It takes Medicaid and gets school free lunch - so it’s taking government money, but not accountable to the government?

It’s a “partial hospitalization program.” Not a hospital enough to be regulated as a hospital, not a school enough to be regulated as a school… you can just buy a building, call yourself this, and no one can stop you from doing whatever you want?

The people running it did used to run a hospital for the state - they were shut down after they killed a kid. I believe they’ve killed a kid this year, based on conversations with former employees, but I don’t think anyone had the authority to look into it?

I forwarded a few accounts of abuse to Aetna, who cover services there, but this is the email I got. I’m not a member.

I’ve been trying to get this facility investigated for more than a year. I’ve contacted journalists, I’ve filed Open Records Requests, talked to multiple child advocacy organizations, CPS, the state medical association… the answer I keep getting is “we can’t do anything about it, we don’t have jurisdiction.”

I don’t understand why it’s legal to run essentially black box torture facilities for children.

  • otacon239@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    Yeah, I should have prefaced that. His storytelling is some of the strongest I’ve read and it opened my eyes to the lengths they go through to hide their actions and how adults will write it off as tough love, claiming these are all exaggerated stories. I’ve tried to tell friends and even some of them initially dismissed it.

    I’ll add a note.