Last week we had the opportunity to meet with Paris Hilton, who candidly shared her experiences spending eleven months at Provo Canyon School. She has joined forces with Breaking Code Silence to share the stories of young people who have been harmed by rogue practices within the “troubled teen” industry.
We know that historically, some facilities have engaged in conversion therapy practices on LGBTQ clients by deploying discredited behavior modification techniques. Often these are conducted by people who are not state-licensed therapists. We also recognize that there are many thoughtful therapists and care-providers who adhere to state regulations and properly follow medical and therapeutic best-practices. We are grateful to those care centers who truly have young people’s best interests at heart.
Our concern is directed toward institutions that are still deploying outdated and dangerous policies and procedures. In particular, we are concerned about homophobic and transphobic practices that could further endanger clients and violate the new regulations issued by the Utah Board of Psychologists and adopted by Governor Gary Herbert this past January.
If you have been subjected to conversion therapy or suffered abuse within a teen institutional facility, we want to hear your story.
Utah has crafted important new regulations, now let’s take the next step and ensure that kids are protected in fact, as well as law.
