Capitol Hill Briefing Either December 19th or 20th, 2009 Abuse of Youth in Residential Treatment
Note, this set of videos also appears on YouTube as a December 19th
Meeting entitled "Abuse of Youth in Residential Treatment -- A Call
to Action." If the videos embedded on this web site are withdrawn,
the duplicate videos at YouTube are here.
Part 1: Robert Friedman, PhD gives an overview of concerns
on the part of mental health professionals with regard to private residential
placement.
Description of the Problem from a Personal Standpoint: the Voice
of Young Adults and Parents. Dr. Behar introducing Presenters:
Paul Lewis
Kathryn Whitehead
Christopher Noroski
Nick Gaglia
Crystal Manganaro
Paul Lewis - Parent Advocate - Son Died in Residential Placement
Kat Whitehead, CAFETY Executive Director offers a critical look
on the issue of inhumane treatement of youth and shares her own experience
at Mission Mountain School (formerly in Condon MT).
Chris Noroski, CAFETY Vice President, describes his experience at
the Family Foundation School (Hancock NY), his work with CAFETY, and the
value of respecting youth as he pursues his degree in education.
Nick Gaglia, director of Over the GW, a film documenting his own
experience at a program called Kids of North Jersey shares with us the
systemic break down of himself and others in a program fueled by the 'War
on Drugs' craze of the 80's and 90's.
Crystal Manganaro, Surviving Parent of Son Matthew who died while
attending Lone Star Expeditions
Greg Kutz, Managing Director of Forensic Audits and Special Investigations
for the US Government Accountability Office describes reports from two
GAO investigations into the troubled industry for teens
Phil Elberg - Panel Moderator and Civil Rights Attorney
Cynthia Clark-Harvey, leading parent advocate, describes how the
negligence and deception of the Catherine Frier Wilderness Therapy Program
was responsible for her daughter, Erica's death from heatstroke and dehydration.
Brian Lombrowski, CAFETY President, gives an overview of concerns
on the part of former program participant with regard to private residential
placement in light of the recent Mount Bachelor Academy investigation (since
closure), unethical and inappropriately restrictive use of the residential
setting, and the expansion of programs using coercion/abuse and segregation
of struggling youth from their community.
Barbara Huff - Former Executive Director of the Federation of Families
of Children's Mental Health.
Phil Elberg, Civil Rights Attorney, offers his perspective on legal
challenges in bringing these private programs to justice and offers suggestions
on how to hold programs accountable from a legal perspective.
Maia Szalavitz - Journalist & Author of "Help at Any Cost"
Questions and Answers
Audience members, many whose family members have been abused in a program
setting, seek additional insight into the industry.