The celebrity hotel heiress once known for her high-profile nightclub appearances has turned her attention to a much more staid venue: the California state Capitol. Paris Hilton is supporting Senate Bill , authored by Sen.
Shannon Grove R-Bakersfield and joint-authored by two Democratic lawmakers, which would require residential treatment facilities to report to parents and the state government when they use restraints or seclusion rooms in disciplining minors. Hilton has traveled to Washington, D. Today she is scheduled to testify in support of the new legislation in Sacramento.
Shannon Grove In a new documentary, Paris Hilton opens up about the physical and emotional abuse she suffered at a disciplinary high school. The bill aims to protect children and young adults housed in facilities licensed by the California Department of Social Services by mandating that the agency publish data on a public dashboard on its website reporting the use of restraint and seclusion rooms, including instances of serious injuries or death.
It would also require notification of parents or guardians when restraints and seclusion rooms are used on minors. California used to send foster youths with serious behavior problems to out-of-state treatment programs, but after numerous reports of abuse, a law barred these placements. Provo Canyon was sold over two decades ago and, after Hilton went public with her story, declined to comment on any allegations about events that took place before new ownership. Some youths are sent to these treatment programs by their parents; others are foster kids ordered to attend by the courts.
The so-called troubled teen industry dates back at least 50 years and refers to a network of programs that target teenagers struggling with issues including substance abuse, mental illness and problematic behavior. The programs typically cost in the same ballpark as college tuition, and despite having been at the center of many abuse and corruption scandals , the industry remains largely unregulated, according to the American Bar Assn.
