Merkley’s Bipartisan Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act Now Law

Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley celebrated that his bipartisan bill to provide greater oversight and data transparency for institutional youth treatment programs was signed into law at the end of December. Merkley co-led the bipartisan Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act with Texas' U.S. Senator John Cornyn and Alabama's U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville.

"Without oversight, residential treatment for troubled teens can turn into abuse. This bipartisan bill shines a light on the 'troubled teen' industry and its horrifying cases of lasting scars, broken bones, psychological damage, sexual abuse, and even death," said Merkley, the lead sponsor of the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act in the Senate. "Our bill is a huge first step in restoring accountability, ending abuse, and ensuring best practices. A child seeking help should never be harmed-we must ensure every child receives the very best care."

Paris Hilton, a survivor of institutional child abuse in the so-called troubled teen industry, led reform efforts with lawmakers to prevent abuse and protect America's youth. During a Capitol Hill press conference in December, Hilton shared her two-year ordeal with the troubled teen industry, including strip searches, isolation, beatings, and restraints, and used her platform to speak out on behalf of thousands of survivors across the nation.

Merkley's Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act:

• Implements urgent recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) including the development of robust information-sharing systems among states that also promote the dissemination of best practices for identifying and preventing institutional child abuse.
• Directs the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to consult with representatives from the Administration for Children and Families, the Administration for Community Living, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and other relevant federal agencies to -
  • Produce a comprehensive detailed map of the complex web of youth residential programs across the country.
  • Develop and publish recommendations to aggregate youth residential program data, develop and utilize risk assessment tools, and support the development and implementation of educational training resources for professional personnel in relevant fields.
  • Conduct a study on the use of restraints, seclusion, and other restrictive interventions in youth residential programs.
  • Assess the effectiveness of these interventions, identifying best practices for their use, and determining the impact they have on the mental health and well-being of youth.

The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act unanimously passed the Senate and passed the House with bipartisan support.

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