Paris Hilton Joins Lawmakers to Advocate for Transparency in Youth Treatment Facilities

In a significant move to address issues concerning troubled teens, Paris Hilton has teamed up with California state lawmakers to push for legislation aimed at promoting transparency in youth treatment facilities. The bipartisan bill supported by the media personality and heiress of the Hilton Hotel seeks to enforce more openness in the operations of short-term residential facilities catering to youth dealing with substance abuse and behavioral issues.

The proposed bill, backed by Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove and Democratic state Sens. Aisha Wahab and Angelique Ashby, aims to compel these youth treatment centers to provide comprehensive information regarding their disciplinary methods, including the use of restraints or seclusion against minors. It specifically mandates these facilities to promptly inform both parents and the state whenever they employ restraints or seclusion rooms for minors.

Under the bill, facilities would be obligated to report various details such as the specific disciplinary actions taken, the reasons for their implementation, and the responsible parties who approved the plans. Moreover, the state department regulating these facilities would be required to make these reports publicly available and update the database on a quarterly basis.

Paris Hilton's Testimony

Paris Hilton testified in a legislative hearing, recounting her traumatic experiences as a teenager at a facility in Utah. She emphasized the need for urgent actions to prevent more children from enduring similar mistreatment, stating, “Our current system designed to reform, in some horrific instances, does the exact opposite. It breaks spirits and instills fear, and it perpetuates a cycle of abuse. But today, we have the power to change that."

The California bill received bipartisan support and passed the committee, marking a significant step towards ensuring greater accountability and transparency in the treatment of troubled youth. Hilton's advocacy for more oversight and regulation of teen treatment centers stems from her own experiences of physical and mental abuse during her teenage years.

These efforts align with Hilton's previous advocacy work, including her instrumental role in passing a bill in Utah to impose stricter oversight over youth treatment centers in 2021 and her involvement in advocating for federal reforms in Washington, D.C. She has also contributed to legislative changes in at least eight states to protect minors.

Between 2015 and 2020, California sent over 1,240 children with behavioral issues to out-of-state facilities due to the lack of locked treatment centers for youths. However, reports of abuse and significant licensing violations at these facilities prompted legislative action, leading to the formal ban on out-of-state residential centers in 2021.

As a result, minors with behavioral issues are now being sent to in-state short-term residential centers, established in 2017 to replace group homes. Nevertheless, these facilities are currently not mandated to share essential information regarding the use of seclusion rooms and restraints, as well as the incidents of serious injuries or deaths resulting from these methods.

Advocating for Change

Paris Hilton, through her company 11:11 Media, is sponsoring the legislation and has described it as a "game changer" that would bring to light instances of child abuse at youth residential treatments and hold these facilities accountable. In her advocacy, Hilton emphasized the significance of transparency, stating, "This would have been so helpful to myself and so many others to have known what was happening behind closed doors."

Senator Grove highlighted the vulnerability of children at these facilities, particularly foster youths who have previously been sexually exploited, underscoring the importance of increased transparency and accountability to protect California's children.