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Drug Treatment: GAO Study Reveals Abuse Allegations, Deaths at Residential Treatment Programs

The first federal look at "boot camps," wilderness programs, and similar programs aimed at troubled youth, including those sent away because of drug use, has found widespread allegations of abuse at such facilities. The Government Accountability Office study released Wednesday also examined 10 cases where teens died in those programs.

According to the study, in 2005 alone, 1,619 allegations of abuse were made against such residential treatment facilities. "GAO could not identify a more concrete number of allegations because it could not locate a single Web site, federal agency, or other entity that collects comprehensive nationwide data," the report noted.

The privately operated programs may or may not be subject to state regulation, depending on the state. There are no federal rules governing residential facilities for youth, something Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, may be preparing to change, but not quite yet.

"This nightmare has remained an open secret for years," Miller said in a statement. "Congress must act, and it must act swiftly." He has sponsored a bill designed to encourage states to enact regulations.

The GAO examined 10 cases between 1990 and 2004 where teens died at those facilities. Three of the victims were placed in the facilities by their parents because of their drug use.

In one case, a 16-year-old girl was sent to wilderness survival school because of depression and her parent's fears about her drug use. Her parents paid $25,000 to the facility operators, and $4,000 more to a "transportation service" who dragged her from her bed at 4am and deposited her in the middle of a hike in the Utah desert. The girl died three days later of heatstroke.

In the second drug treatment-related fatality, a 16-year-old boy was sent to a wilderness survival school because of his parents' concern about "minor drug use, academic underachievement, and association with a new peer group that was having a negative impact on him." He died of a perforated ulcer 31 days into the 90-day, $18,000 program after program staff ignored his repeated collapses and pleas for help.

In the third case, a 15-year-girl placed in a wilderness program because of a history of drug use and mental problems died of dehydration and heat exhaustion before her parents even made it back home. When they arrived upon their return from dropping off their daughter, a phone message from the facility awaited them. There had been an accident, the message said. But instead, the girl died after repeatedly collapsing on a strenuous hike.

Each year thousands of teenagers are referred for drug treatment, even after being caught once smoking marijuana. The drug czar uses teen drug treatment figures to argue that marijuana is a serious problem, but doesn't mention that most teens "seeking" treatment for marijuana are ordered there by courts or schools. Nor does he mention that when it comes to treatment facilities like those examined by the GAO, the cure can be infinitely worse than the disease.

Drug War Issues Youth - Criminal Justice
Politics & Advocacy Federal Government

Boot camps

All of the above-mentioned tragedies I am sure, are more than likely an underestimation of the number of fatalities that occur at those damnable facilities. I doubt if anyone is really keeping track. After all, they are drug users and do not deserve even a shred of compassion.
Of course, we all know that "compassionate conservatism" counts those deaths, injuries and physcic damage as positive results. They would pick a number (usually a large number and one that cannot be verified) that represents all the youngsters who have been "saved" from a life of recreational drug use and all that implies. Of course the implications of drug use stand somewhere between sticking a gun in one's ear and pulling the trigger to leading a non-productive, trouble-making life.
The fees that are charged by these Auswitch institutions pretty much tell the whole story. Why they exist and will continue to.

NATSAP

Since the programs may or may not be subject to state regulation, there are going to be the malevolent programs whose only aim is to make money. However, with that being said, there are the programs that truly do care for at risk youths. Consulting the NATSAP website will garner a lot of information before parents make the decision on whether or not to send their child on a wilderness therapy program.

Troubled teens treatment options

There are a large number of options are available to get rid of behavioral problems of troubled teens such as therapeutic programs, residential treatment centers, boot camps and boarding schools. Parents have to send their child to these based on the program they are using and child’s problem.

http://www.troubledteensearch.com/

Troubled Teen Help Options

There are various help options available for parents who are struggling to deal with their children. If the teen issues are critical, parents must take professionals advice to choose the best program for them.

Struggling Teen Treatment

Struggling teens causes lot of problems to their family and society. There are various treatment and help options for struggling teens. These help options are wilderness programs, boarding schools etc.

Troubled teen Help

Teenage behavioral can causes problems in social and academicals life of a girl. Prevention methods given in this article are important for every teenage girl and her parents. Boot camps are good place to enroll your troubled teen.

http://www.troubledteensearch.com/

Catherine

There are several drugs rehabilitation centers dedicated to help teen drug abuse problem. Parents can help their teens get rid of this problem, by sending them to these programs.

Teen Issues

Struggling teens can disturb their family and society. If the teen issues are critical, then immediate help from a professional or an expert should be taken.

Drug Treatment

This article is helpful for the parents who are planning to send their teens with drug addiction to drug rehabilitation centers. They help troubled teens to restore well.

Drug Abuse

Children in teenage usually experiment with drugs and alcohol. These abuse drugs such as inhalants, consume marijuana etc. To overcome this problem they can get assistance from drug rehabilitation center.

Wilderness progrmas

Wilderness programs are good for those teens who have some emotional or behavior problem. They provide therapeutic treatments to teens and encourage them. Wilderness treatment is a good option for troubled teens.
http://www.restoreteens.com/

Please delete industry spam above

If the people posting actually read the links or attended the hearings, they would have discovered that several of the deaths occurred at NATSAP programs and NATSAP does not police its members.

There are no safe programs in an unregulated industry: safety requires oversight and checks and balances.

federal programs/narconon

why do we not try different programs what are we trying to do to the youth look at utah's program very sucessful!!!

Drug counseling

The patient suffering from drug addiction firstly needs to go to the drug counselor. The drug counseling process is the treatment part of addiction in which the drug addict meets the counselor for getting necessary details about his illness and the remedies.
http://www.drugrehabscenters.com/

Teen Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens

There are many Therapeutic boarding schools for these types of troubled teens. Most of the private boarding schools don’t accept teens having severe addiction problems, but these boarding schools are very helpful in these cases.

real perspective on "treatment"

If anyone would take the time to read the related studies they would find that:

1. Alcoholism, which includes all drugs (legallity is irrelevant) was long ago recognized as a disease.
You can't "bully" someone out of alcoholism any more than you can bully them out of diabetes. Variations on this type of behavior modification model have been around since the 60's and have never had any noteworthy success.
2. To this point, the only method with any sigificant success rate is the utilization of the 12 step model. And even then, success rates on first attempt patients is modest at best.

The camps, houses, etc., of the type described above, are no more than huge money making opportunities for greedy, immoral, vultures, capitalizing on the fear and desperation of misinformed or uninformed parents. The programs that have had any kind of success are deeply routed in the 12 step approach to recovery. Boot camps are a very dangerous and extreme attempt to scare the disease out of a teen. Get help from an appropriately educated (MS or PhD), and licensed professional. Not drill sargeants. Parents, please do the research.

Drug Addiction

Hi,

There are some drug rehabilitation centers which offer free drug addiction treatment to people who can’t afford high expenses of treatment. This motivates people with low economic background to take treatment and get rid of addiction.Thank u

===========

detta

Addiction treatment and recovery resources for the addict and their families.

http://www.addictiontreatment.net

it's time

Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. We all know that drugs is very harmful to our body. Most people taking drugs are the teenagers. By the influence of their friends and some family problems. Guys it's not yet to late to stop using drugs. We can guide them in doing good thing. Drug addiction treatment can include behavioral therapy (such as counseling, cognitive therapy, or psychotherapy), medications, or their combination. Behavioral therapies offer people strategies for coping with their drug cravings, teach them ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse, and help them deal with relapse if it occurs. Consult the right person who can guide you to stop using drugs.
____________________________________
nelia

Suffering from an addiction. This website has a lot of great resources and treatment centers.

http://www.treatmentcenters.org

Troubled Teen ADHD Schools

ADHD Schools are very useful for hyperactivity disorders. They provide experienced advice about health, relationship and help struggling teenagers with professional approach. This site helps you to find out more information about various Troubled Teen ADHD Schools and programs for troubled teens.

Teen Program

Cocaine addiction is one of the most dangerous sorts of addiction. A person infected by this generally suffers from many psychological disorders like mental depression, anxiety, anxious and misery. They tend to behave differently and some time show violent behavior due to unavailability of drug. So it will advisable to send such patients to rehab centers for recovery programs and abuse treatments. People can attend recovery counseling which may happens once or twice in a week.
http://www.edrugrehabs.com/

Alcohol Rehabs

Drug rehabs generally start their treatment with the twelve step therapies that are considered as the best alternative treatment that is based on the spiritual guidance and counseling.

http://www.edrugrehabs.com/

Recovery Program

Drug rehab clinic it is a place for the individual where they can get rid of their habit of taking drugs with the help of the doctors and various other people in this clinic. It provides best medication and full support to help the individual to overcome this issue.

http://www.edrugrehabs.com/

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