First Focus Campaign for Children applauds Congress for passing the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act (H.R. 2995/S. 1351) by a vote of 373-33 and sending it to President Biden’s desk for signature. We have long supported this bill and other efforts to prevent abusive practices in youth residential treatment facilities. This bipartisan bill, introduced by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and John Cornyn (R-TX), is an important first step in addressing the systemic failures that have allowed abuse and neglect of youth to persist in these facilities.
“We are pleased to see Congress take action to protect children in residential treatment facilities by passing the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act. The impact of this systemic neglect and abuse on children is profound and long-lasting, and it must not be tolerated. Congress has taken a critical first step that will shed light on the practices of these facilities and prevent future abuse,” said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus Campaign for Children. “It is long past the time for policymakers to come together to address this issue and ensure that every child receives the care, support, and protection they deserve. Only then can we truly say we are fulfilling our duty to safeguard the well-being of our nation’s children.”
These facilities, which receive significant federal funding from Medicaid, the child welfare system, and private health insurance, are intended to provide specialized care for children with serious emotional and behavioral health disorders. Pervasive instances of abuse, however, have been reported by youth themselves and detailed in a report based on a two-year investigation the Senate Finance Committee undertook at the direction of Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR). The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act would establish an interagency Federal Work Group on Youth Residential Programs to support and implement best practices regarding the health and safety, care, treatment, and appropriate placement of youth in youth residential programs; improve data transparency by recommending a national database to track treatment of youth; and require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on the use of restraints, seclusion, and other restrictive interventions in youth residential programs.