The following is from my HEAL e-newsletter today.
From Angela S.
HEAL Coordinator
We were able to persuade a mother just in the nick of time against sending her child to Sorenson's Ranch in Utah! The "escorts"
(paid kidnappers) were to arrive at 3am Friday night/Saturday morning. She is looking into local alternatives and planning to keep her son home and out of institutions.
I spoke with Sarah Dyson (of the Congressional Committee on Education and Labor) again today. She wanted to clarify that she is the Committee on Education and Labor liaison regarding the "teen help" investigation and that Rep. George Miller is "heading up" the investigation. She had received a number of e-mails and was concerned that there may be a misunderstanding. Also, she had initially stated that individuals should contact her with accounts of abuse, but, now, would prefer that statements be sent per the action alert we have on the website at: www.heal-online.org/teen.htm (and as seen below). Or, she would like HEAL to act as a clearinghouse for statements. HEAL is happy to collect statements to forward en masse to Sarah, but, we understand that some may have reservations about sharing their stories with any third party and therefore encourage those people to contact the Committee on Education and Labor per the action alert below and on the website.
Tell the Committee on Education and Labor Your Behavior Modification Program Survivor Story: I spoke with the person heading up the Committee on Education and Labor <[
edlabor.house.gov]; investigation
into the teen "help" industry, by telephone on Tuesday (yesterday). He/she asked that we keep his/her personal contact information off of the website or any internet website. If you would like his/her specific contact
information, please contact:
heal@heal-online.org<mailto:heal@heal-online.org> subject: Letter to Congress on Teen Programs.
.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Submit Your Personal Story or Family Story of Victimization to:
US House of Representatives
Committee on Education and Labor
Majority Office
2181 Rayburn House Office Bldg
Washington, D.C. 20515
phone: (202)225-3725
In the Event of a Hearing (again, no hearing is scheduled at this time):
Submit a "Statement of Purpose" to the above address. Explain that you would like to testify at any hearing regarding the teen "help"/residential
treatment industry. Include information on who you are, what program you or a family member was in, and what you'd like to say at any hearing.
Please note that members of the public are given 1-3 minutes (in general) totestify at any legislative hearing. And, note that submitting your personal
or family story per the information above will be filed as part of the
hearing and included in the public record. It may be more effective to
submit your statement in writing than to plan to testify. There will be
limited time and a limit to how many people can testify in person. Also,
there may be no hearing on this issue at any time. It is a vague possibility
at this point. There is nothing scheduled at this time. So, it is likely
best if you submit your story in writing to be included in the public record
as opposed to requesting to speak at a non-existent hearing at this time.