Sacramento Standard

Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) announced that her bipartisan legislation, Senate Bill 1043, the Accountability in Children’s Treatment (ACT) measure, has unanimously passed out of the Assembly Human Services Committee. Celebrity advocate Paris Hilton and her nonprofit organization 11:11 Media Impact are sponsoring the measure.

The act proposes greater transparency for children and young adults living in facilities licensed by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), by requiring information related to the use of restraints and seclusion rooms to be accessible to the public.

Amendments were added to further strengthen the bill, offering additional layers of accountability, transparency, and a pathway for youth voices to be heard. These amendments will require CDSS to investigate each time a restraint or seclusion room is used at a Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP). Additionally, The Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson will act as an advocate for children restrained or secluded in these facilities by amplifying their voice and collecting their statements during the reporting process. Furthermore, the Department of Social Services will be required to publish data reported by STRTPs on their use of restraints or seclusion rooms every six months.

“Accountability and transparency regarding the care of our most vulnerable children is an absolute must in the state of California,” said Senator Shannon Grove. “Our children deserve the highest level of care and we must ensure they receive it. I am honored to stand with Paris Hilton, a survivor of the troubled teen industry, to advocate and support children in treatment facilities across our state."

"I am incredibly proud to support SB 1043, the Accountability in Children’s Treatment measure,” said celebrity advocate Paris Hilton. “As someone who has personally experienced the devastating impact of the troubled teen industry, I know firsthand the importance of transparency and accountability in treatment facilities. This bill is a significant step towards ensuring that no child in California endures the trauma of being restrained or secluded without proper oversight and public awareness. Thank you Senator Shannon Grove, Chair Assemblyman Alex Lee and members of the Assembly Human Services Committee for your dedication to protecting children in California’s care!"

Background on out-of-state facilities highlights why SB 1043 is needed:

Previously, California sent children to out-of-state facilities with the goal of getting them urgently needed treatment. Numerous reports surfaced about vulnerable children being abused at these facilities.

In response to these abuses, AB 808 (Stone, 2021) was introduced to eliminate placing foster youth in out-of-state treatment facilities and created the Child’s Continuum Pilot Program for foster youth care. This measure was passed within budget bill AB 153 which decertified out-of-state facilities and required all California youth return by January 1, 2023. Governor Newsom allocated $8 million to bring home remaining youth from these treatment facilities immediately and utilize funding for recruiting foster families and bolstering health and behavioral support services.

Currently, Short Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTPs) serve as alternatives for out-of-state treatment facilities. Although these facilities hold higher standards of care, seclusion rooms and restraints on minors still occur which require reporting to CDSS; however, this information is not currently accessible to the public.