Paris Hilton, a reality TV star, spoke out about the abuse she allegedly suffered as a teenager in youth residential treatment facilities. She shared her harrowing experiences before the House Ways and Means Committee, advocating for Congress to reauthorize federal funding for child welfare services and enact reforms to the system.
In her testimony, Ms. Hilton revealed the physical and emotional abuse she endured during her time in these facilities, leading to severe post-traumatic stress disorder. She detailed incidents of being medicated against her will, sexually assaulted, restrained, and subjected to solitary confinement. She also mentioned that her parents were unaware of the mistreatment she was facing.
A recent Senate Finance Committee report uncovered widespread abuse in youth residential treatment centers operated by major behavioral health providers. The report cited instances of civil rights violations, including sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, as well as unsafe conditions and inadequate treatment.
Ms. Hilton called for the reauthorization of Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, which supports child welfare programs focused on preventing abuse and neglect. She also advocated for the passage of the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at improving youth residential programs.
During the hearing, Tori Petersen, a public speaker and author, shared her own traumatic experiences in the foster care system. She emphasized the importance of community support for children in foster care and proposed reforms such as enhanced oversight, youth advisory boards, and increased kinship care.
Members of the House committee agreed that reforming the child welfare system was necessary, with bipartisan support for updating funding streams and protecting children in foster care. The importance of family and community support for vulnerable youth was a central theme of the discussion.
As of September, there were approximately 369,000 children in the U.S. foster care system, with a portion residing in institutions or group homes. The need for comprehensive reform to ensure the safety and well-being of these children was a key focus of the hearing.
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