HOUSE PASSES TEEN RESIDENTIAL PROTECTION BILL

It's a start:

HOUSE PASSES TEEN RESIDENTIAL PROTECTION BILL

On February 23, 2009, the House of Representatives passed under suspension of the rules, by a vote of 295 102, H.R. 911, the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act. The bill, introduced by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), now moves to the Senate where no similar legislation has been introduced. In June 2008, the House voted 318-103 to pass the identical measure.

The bill, endorsed by the National Child Abuse Coalition, would set standards, with enforcement provisions, to prevent child abuse and neglect in teen residential programs, including therapeutic boarding schools, wilderness camps, boot camps, and behavior modification facilities. While residential treatment facilities designed to help children with extreme behavioral problems,
including substance abuse and mental health problems, may provide safe and effective services
to children and their families, many exist without any state monitoring or regulation.

The legislation would create new national safety standards for private residential programs enforced by HHS and the states, prevent deceptive marketing by residential programs, and hold programs accountable for violating the law. States, through provisions added to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), would be required to set similar standards of protection and investigate reports of maltreatment in these facilities. The bill increases the authorization for CAPTA to $235 million for each of fiscal year 2010-2014, to accommodate state responsibilities.

During debate on the bill, Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA), ranking Republican on the Education and Labor Committee which sent the bill to the floor, expressed regret that the legislation being considered under suspension of the rules barred an opportunity to offer amendments. He cited a particular interest in including provisions which would protect parental rights by ensuring that parents are fully informed of and involved with medical decisions made at these facilities.
McKeon said that he supported the bill, but he was disappointed that the process has been short-circuited.