Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => The Troubled Teen Industry => Topic started by: Deborah on September 18, 2007, 08:13:13 AM
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September 17, 2007
From Sharon Laney, President of NATSAP…
In February 2007, I became the President of National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. If you attended the 2007 Conference in La Jolla, you heard a lot about the Miller Bill. If not then I will highlight some of the points and issues of this bill.
Last year Representative Miller, California, who was a member of the Education committee, introduced a bill to "Stop Abuse of Children in Programs." Several advocacy groups have jumped onto the topic and bill. For us in Therapeutic programs and schools, we also want to stop abuse that has occurred with a very few programs within the Industry.
Representative Miller is now the Chair of the committee and the bill is currently with his Investigative Counsel. What is currently occurring is NATSAP, NAPHS, and OBHIC are working with Representative Miller on the language of the bill. He has been very receptive in allowing feedback. We are doing a lot of work behind the scenes to offer revisions to the bill that will deal with Abuse yet not hurt the Industry. As the current bill is written, it wants to move the Investigative Process from a State level to a Federal level. In our opinion, this is a state responsibility and should remain so. It also addresses Interstate Compact. If passed it could prevent a referral from Utah going to an out of state placement without going through Utah interstate compact then through the compact of the state where the program is located, prior to admissions. This will slow the admissions process completely and impact our Industry negatively.
In light of these challenges to our industry, I have requested and been granted, a flexible schedule that will allow me time to focus on NATSAP and the issues at hand. In order to fulfill my responsibilities as NATSAP's President, I will not concurrently maintain my duties as COO of Three Springs. I will continue my work on some Three Springs special assignments between my NATSAP duties. My day to day responsibilities have been delegated to very capable members of the executive management team.
I am not sure how long the critical NATSAP work will take. We are now thinking that these hearings may start sometime after the first of the year. In the meantime, we are starting to meet with other committee members as well as solicit help from the Independent Education Consultant organization and others.
I am grateful to be allowed time to work more closely with NATSAP in order to play an integral role in activities which focus on addressing the serious implications of the Miller Bill.
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Fucking hell... You know... I'm just not at all surprised.
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Sharon Laney, used to be the supervisor of the Group of Lisicha at Paint Rock Valley Boys. According to an eye witness account, about 15 or more years ago, she restrained a boy on the concrete in front of the dining hall. The boy had spit in her face and in turn she repayed him the favor after she wrestled him to the ground.
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Well, I washed my hands of CAFETY, A START...now Miller, which makes me kinda sad. He's asking the fox how to protect the chicken coop.
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Sighs... shit... I'm reaching for something inspiring to say here, but in the end all I can come up with is "I told you so."
Same old same old govermental two step to dance around the issues. If old Sharon Laney is so interested in running abusive programmes out of business she wouldn't have to go very far from her Three Springs office.
Ah well to hell with it.. wasn't expecting much out of congress in the first place so I can't say I'm all that dissappointed.
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Didn't Rosemary Tippet also formerly from Three Springs leave out with the same excuse.
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that has occurred with a very few programs within the Industry.
This about made me shit myself laughing.
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We need to get out and present the other side, don't let them steal this one.
Deborah, what's your view on this is it as bad as it sounds?
EDIT: Hell no, folks let's get on the phone with Miller and let him know that we don't want children put at risk for the sake of the industry that harms them - Millers Contact page (http://http://www.congress.org/congressorg/webreturn/?url=http://www.house.gov%2Fgeorgemiller)
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Guys?
Just because the president of NUTSACK says something doesn't mean it's true.
He might be sending things to Miller's office and Miller might be completely ignoring him.
DO NOT turn your backs on Miller- at least not yet. Find out FROM MILLER if he's stupid enough to believe NUTSACK's bullshit.
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Miller should already be very aware of NATSAP, given A START's enlightened view of the bastards and his tightness with that lot. All the same, Hanzo's right about contacting him.
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Land sakes, child! Did anyone tell those poor souls over at CAFETY? Oh, my, would you look at that, no one posts there anymore. Opie's not allowed over there either, because...well, they're a bunch of Izzy-hugging nabobs.
Land sakes, what can one say about such a bunch of mediocrities?
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I wouldn't get to riled up just yet. Its is true that Congressman Miller might be letting them call his office and send him letters. After all, how can he stop them? So, they think they are having their say, and he says (like they all do when you write them) thank you for your interest, I'll take your views into consideration. Rarely do they give a flying fig, and even rarer do they take such views into consideration. Especially, when the view is coming from a non-constituent, and from the opposing party. Miller knows this can not be left up to the states. That's what the bill is about. He also understands the abuses, and how all prevailing they are. He knows they are not limited to a few programs. He knows its the nature of the beast. He understands the issues. I don't think he is going to allow the industry to gut his bill. Our fight will be getting it through the house & senate, whole and intact and bearing its teeth.
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I wouldn't get to riled up just yet. Its is true that Congressman Miller might be letting them call his office and send him letters. After all, how can he stop them? So, they think they are having their say, and he says (like they all do when you write them) thank you for your interest, I'll take your views into consideration. Rarely do they give a flying fig, and even rarer do they take such views into consideration. Especially, when the view is coming from a non-constituent, and from the opposing party. Miller knows this can not be left up to the states. That's what the bill is about. He also understands the abuses, and how all prevailing they are. He knows they are not limited to a few programs. He knows its the nature of the beast. He understands the issues. I don't think he is going to allow the industry to gut his bill. Our fight will be getting it through the house & senate, whole and intact and bearing its teeth.
Of course he knows the nature of the beast... Many others do too, and yet they willingly sign away their souls for money. At the end of the day, he's just another politician in my book, and I'll believe reform when I see it. Somebody else on this forum once said that child abuse has to be made politically unviable.
What if he sides with NATSAP in the end? Do you really trust a politician, especially when he can say (based on his authority) "we looked into this and there is no abuse"? He called the GAO investigation, and ultimately, whether it has any teeth is in his hands. You think the industry wouldn't find a way to buy a democrat? Do you really think they care who they pay off as long as they are in power? Campaign contributions are nothing more than legalized corruption... What is keeping Miller honest?
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Could the annoucement just be a cover up for Sharon leaving Three Spings????
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Could the annoucement just be a cover up for Sharon leaving Three Spings????
You never know. As crazy as some of the people are in this industry, maybe they never called Miller at all. (I'm lookin at you, Sue Scheff)
I'd have to agree with hanzo on this, though... I think the investigation maybe have gotten jacked.
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He does need to be aware of NATSAP's origins. I'll send on the original Wilderness Outcome Study that spawned the Beast. Miller's very aware of Erica Harvey's death, he needs to know the Catherine Freer/NATSAP connection. That would have an effect.
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Not to mention Provo Canyon School, Benchmark and Peninsula Village
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What if he sides with NATSAP in the end?
I'll be pissed
Do you really trust a politician, especially when he can say (based on his authority) "we looked into this and there is no abuse"?
So far he has been trust worthy. So far he is the only one even trying. I'll trust him until he proves I shouldn't. A statement from NATSAP isn't going to change that. If it came from his office, I'd be worried.
He called the GAO investigation, and ultimately, whether it has any teeth is in his hands. You think the industry wouldn't find a way to buy a democrat? Do you really think they care who they pay off as long as they are in power? Campaign contributions are nothing more than legalized corruption... What is keeping Miller honest?
His personal integrity? Thats the only thing keeping anyone honest. If he lacks it, then there isn't anything we can do about it. So far, he seems to be an honest man, angry at the outrage being carried out across the nation and doing what he can to try an stop the abuse.
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At this point I say take what you can get. Kids are dying at a regular rate, even small steps in the right direction might save lives. This is not an all or nothing situation.
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I'm apathetic with the original legislation in the first place. Not only is it relatively a toothless piece of shit it almost seems geared towards letting programmes slide more crap under the rug.
This legislation might be a step, but it could also be a step in the wrong direction.
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I'm apathetic with the original legislation in the first place. Not only is it relatively a toothless piece of shit it almost seems geared towards letting programmes slide more crap under the rug.
This legislation might be a step, but it could also be a step in the wrong direction.
Ummm.... Others who I also respect have said the same, I need to sit down with this bill and give it a good read.
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When you read it look for the clauses regarding enforcement and the funding of investigators.
George M. calls for, and I might be out of date on this one, for 50 million in funding for investigating programmes. Divided by 50 states that is a fairly paltry sum when you further reduce that number with salaries, office expenses, vehicle costs, gas, insurance, and so on and so forth.
I view the legislation as sort of a token legislation to appease the masses so to say without putting any real pressure on programmes. No doubt NATSAP is jumping up and down supporting this one with all their vigor as it wouldn't touch their contributing members in any meaningful way.
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50 million is better than what exists today which is what... fornits, cafety, PURE and a few small websites.
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This is the same government that pays 10 grand for a toilet seat. I'd think twice before having the government blow a largish chunk of money on yet another wasteful bureaucracy.
And please in the future don't mention the word Cafety in the same sentence as Fornits. The proper usage of the word Cafety looks something like this:
The biggest cock biting sell out pole smokers in the known universe, Cafety, says they spent two hours rinsing out their arses after giving up their anal virginity at the Nambla Fund Raiser for Equality In Youth Corn Holing.
Fornits replied, "Shit that just made me puke on my cat."
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Fornits and CAFETY are the same thing, one is more extreme than the other, that's all. You have much more in common that you do not.
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Fornits and CAFETY are the same thing, one is more extreme than the other, that's all. You have much more in common that you do not.
ABSOLUTELY NOT. Fornits doesn't have direct ties to the industry like CAFETY, which has a board member who is adamant in his support of Isabelle Zehnder. CAFETY would like to think it's "the same thing" as Fornits, but it isn't. Let them clean their house - give Alex at NYRA an ultimatum to sever his ties with CAICA, or cut him loose from CAFETY. There lies the major flaw of CAFETY - weak, ineffective decision making and the desire to please everyone, accomplishing nothing. Fence straddling fails, CAFETY is a prime example.
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Re. the "paltry 50 million," and the allegedly toothless wording:
- Not all states participate in this business equally. Utah would probably require a large chunk; Delaware quite a bit less.
- I might be wrong about this, but I imagine that it might be easier to increase the funding alloted for a program already in place that has demonstrated need, than to have to convince a lot of budget-conscious politicians that the industry warrants this kind of oversight, let alone exists in the first place.
- Regardless of funding, regardless of wording, getting an image of this industry percolating in people's brains can have nothing but good effect in the long run.