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.