‘Sent Away’ investigates Utah’s troubled teen treatment facilities and speaks with survivors, former staff, and whistleblowers
The teen treatment industry is a multi-million dollar business, appealing to parents as options to send their troubled teens for behavior modification, treatment for disorders, drug use, and other issues. Survivors and whistleblowers have spoken out against such facilities with allegations of abuse, mistreatment, and even reported deaths. Despite abhorrent reports and documented incidents, these places continued to operate without regulations or legislative intervention in Utah. Last year, one law was finally passed, hopefully marking the first of additional future safety reforms.
In “Sent Away,” APM Reports, KUER, and The Salt Lake Tribune investigate how the government did not enforce or prioritize safety at over 100 programs in Utah. Survivors from the centers will share their stories firsthand all season in this weekly podcast. Stream the series from the first episode to learn more about treatment centers in episodes under 30 minutes each.
Survivors share their backgrounds and journeys to the youth treatment programs in Utah. Many of their trips started the same way, involving a surprise nighttime “kidnapping” where they were forcefully transported to the center with their parents’ consent and of course, against the teens’ wills. They also recount the kinds of “treatment” they received upon arrival and the traumas they’re still dealing with today.
Utah’s teen treatment programs range in kind and size. There are smaller group homes in suburban areas like the Integrity House. In episode 2, hear from former Integrity House staff members, survivors, and what resulted when a whistleblower reported them to the state.
Over 20,000 children have attended these centers in Utah since 2015. Some kids are sent from wealthy families, while others are sent from foster care. Utah also has wilderness treatment programs with extensive nature hiking itineraries across deserts and open terrain. Other treatment facilities are horse ranches or boarding schools.
The podcast “Trapped in Treatment” also reports on the abuses faced by teens at treatment centers. The first season focuses on Provo Canyon School in Utah and brings awareness to reforms that still need to be made. “Trapped in Treatment” hosts Caroline Cole and Rebecca Mellinger accompanied Provo Canyon survivor Paris Hilton to a rally in Utah and recently spoke with Podsauce. They decided to create a podcast to empower victims and advocate for rights, as Caroline is also a survivor. Paris is involved in getting legislation passed as illustrated in her documentary, This is Paris, in addition to executive producing “Trapped in Treatment” and sharing her story.
“Sent Away” has released the first several episodes and will continue its reporting all season. Tune in for new episodes wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
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