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October 2005
Teen Help Industry Press Conference
Mental health professionals stood side-by-side with survivors of treatment abuse at a press conference in Washington, DC.
Robert Friedman, chairman of the Department of Child and Family Studies at the University of South Florida, and representatives from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law were in the nation's capitol encouraging lawmakers to approve H.R. 1738.
The bill, introduced by CA Congressman George Miller, would regulate all teen behavior modification programs.
According to an aide, Congressman Miller decided to write the proposed legislation after reading ISAC Corporation's WWASPS Crime Report.
The report details various illegal activities (allegedly) committed by the largest group of unregulated teen programs in the states.
Ken Kay, President of WWASPS, who has been quoted as saying education is not required by those who "treat" children, spoke to the Salt Lake Tribune after the conference.
Ken even provided an example when he referred to Dr. Friedman and the professionals from Bazelon as "clowns" and "wackos."
Click here for the full article.
Frankly, Ken...I think you could have done better than that.
Doodiehead or boogerface would have really hurt their feelings!
Gather 'round, kiddies (and adults too)! You can learn a valuable lesson from Uncle Ken -
If you don't have anything intelligent to say, just call people names.
October 19, 2005
Thayer Learning Center - Missouri
Nearly a year after the death of 15 year-old Roberto Reyes, Missouri authorities have said they don't plan to charge Thayer Learning Center or its owners with any crime.
Click here to read the full article.
Despite evidence indicating that Roberto lay ill and dying and received NO medical care for nearly a WEEK, Caldwell County Prosecutor Jason Kanoy, says he doesn't see evidence that anyone committed a crime that caused Roberto's death.
Yes, you read that right.
A previously healthy, strapping teenager is so sick that he is too weak to pull himself off the floor and onto a cot. He's defecating on himself. Staff members are dragging him around since he can't walk.
Staff members could have called 911.
They could have called his parents.
While they were DRAGGING the sick boy, staff members could have dragged him to a car and taken him to the hospital.
Instead, they accused Roberto of "faking it" and left him to die.
Yet, the prosecutor sees no evidence of a crime.
Let's look at how things work outside of the teen help industry - in a world with laws that protect children, that is.
Let's say my teenager was ill for almost a week.
So ill he couldn't walk.
So ill he couldn't pull himself off of the floor and into his own bed.
So ill he couldn't even try to get to the bathroom.
I decided he was faking it and did absolutely NOTHING to help him.
Then he died.
I would be arrested before I could say "I want my lawyer!"
My other children would be in foster care.
My entire life would be dissected by the media, CPS, local law officials, etc.
But in the world of teen treatment, kids die from medical neglect and no one is held responsible.
The remaining children are left in the care of the same people who let another child die.
In the world of teen treatment, authorities can't even get inside some facilities without permission from the owner/abuser.
Why is that?
Could it be because the owners of Thayer Learning Center, John and Willa Bundy, are Mormon and have the support of the local Mormon church?
Could it be because Thayer Learning Center is the largest employer in the town and has the support of the locals, including the Sheriff?
Could it be that no one cares about a teenager that wasn't quite living up to his parent's expectations?
I suspect it's a combination of all 3, but it doesn't really matter.
A child is dead.
His parents are grieving.
And it's back to business as usual inside Thayer Learning Center.
October 2, 2005
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