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Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS) => Topic started by: WWFSMD on January 05, 2006, 10:39:00 PM

Title: Montana Legislators Pass House Bill 628
Post by: WWFSMD on January 05, 2006, 10:39:00 PM
From the NATSAP site.  The National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs

http://www.natsap.org/newsandmedia_news ... seBill.asp (http://www.natsap.org/newsandmedia_newspage_MontanaHouseBill.asp)

Montana Legislators Pass House Bill 628
Penny James, Explorations

Programs across the state of Montana recently united to pass ground-breaking legislation pertinent to therapeutic schools and programs statewide. In a nearly 6 month campaign, programs of different models, size, and perspective joined forces to educate Montana legislators about the components of House Bill 628. Program owners and employees, lobbyists, students and parents joined forces to teach Montana legislators about therapeutic programs and the life-changing impact such programs have on the students who attend, their families, the staff members that serve those families and the communities in which these facilities exist. Montana stood as one of the last spots in the nation where licensure, registration, and other regulatory components were not integrated into the state level government for all the different facilities statewide.

HB 628, sponsored by Representative Paul Clark and Senator Jim Elliott and supported by programs, was signed into law on April 19, 2005. Representative Clark and Senator Elliott hail from Sanders County in Montana ? an area ?rich? with programs that serve troubled youth. Representative Clark, in fact, is the owner of a small outdoor program for youth at risk. The fruition of this bill becoming law was not without considerable efforts on the behalf of program and school personnel statewide.

HB 628 proposes a new prototype of regulation and launches Montana into a process not seen by any other state in the nation. The fundamental shift in this law versus other regulatory bodies nationwide is the establishment of a state board (Board of Private Alternative Adolescent Residential or Outdoor Programs) which will implement a registration process for programs and will further study current regulations, industry standards, and the quality of alternative adolescent residential and outdoor care in the state. The state board will then report to the legislature in 2007 regarding potential licensure requirements.

The state board will be comprised of five members and each will be appointed by Governor Brian Schweitzer. Board members will consist of three representatives from programs and two members of the general public. The composition of this board will insure input from those in the field and will provide the necessary ?check and balances? with outside contribution. This board will fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor and Industry ? another break from the customary oversight seen in other states. Outside parties, including the state Department of Public Health and Human Services, stood in opposition to the bill favored by programs and stated a position that those who work in programs might not be able to provide the objectivity needed to insure quality of care.

Montana is, in many ways, a perfect place for such ground-breaking legislation. It is a Montana tradition to support licensing and regulations which are monitored by those engaged in the field. Montana programs are diverse in nature and many talented and nationally respected practitioners and professionals call Montana their home. There are twelve NATSAP member programs in Montana with three Montanans serving as current directors on the NATSAP Board. Some Montana facilities already fall under differing accreditation standards which require regular inspections to ensure high standards of care. Lastly, alternative residential and outdoor youth care facilities often contribute to Montana in other ways: they are environmentally friendly, non-extractive, and are most often located in rural areas which bolster the local economy.

Since HB 628 was signed into law, the Association of Montana Alternative Adolescent Private Programs (MAAPP), Inc. was formed by program and school personnel in the state. The mission of MAAPP is to ??enhance the standard of care, credibility, economic viability and stature of private alternative adolescent programs and schools within the state of Montana through education, advocacy, information and support for its members.? MAAPP Board members include NATSAP members John Mercer, Mission Mountain School, President; Penny James, Explorations, Secretary; and Linda Carpenter, Star Meadows at Hope Ranch, Treasurer. Also on the Board are Representative Paul Clark, and Jacqueline Rutzke, Spring Creek Lodge Academy. The Association of MAAPP has developed goals and objectives, ratified by its members, which include acting as a resource for the industry and an advocate to the state Board of Private Alternative Adolescent Residential or Outdoor Programs. Montana programs continue to demonstrate their commitment to collaboration, consensus, and education of those both within and outside the industry through the efforts of MAAPP.

Montana has a reputation of doing things in a distinct and innovative fashion. That is because Montana itself is unique ? both culturally and geographically. Therapeutic programs and schools across Montana contribute to the one-of-a-kind character of the state by serving youth from across the nation with Montana?s rich resources. Hundreds of struggling youth benefit from Montana?s character which is perfectly suited for self-exploration. The passage of HB 628 provides the opportunity for programs to continue to be creative and pioneering while ensuring a voice in regulations that will impact their students? well-being, safety and quality of care during time spent in a state known as ?The Last Best Place?.


WWASPS site on myspace:  http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseac ... 2618168257 (http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=messageboard.viewThread&entryID=10740525&groupID=101131503&adTopicID=16&Mytoken=1066AE8C-8F24-7075-6CCD8875281E0A2618168257)

He, who has nothing, and who himself belongs to another, must be defended by him, whose property he is, and needs no arms. But he, who thinks he is his own master, and has what he can call his own, ought to have arms to defend himself, and what he possesses; else he lives precariously, and at discretion.
James Burgh 1774

Title: Montana Legislators Pass House Bill 628
Post by: 69 on January 05, 2006, 11:03:00 PM
What a horribly written, Orwell-esque article.

Quote
HB 628, sponsored by Representative Paul Clark and Senator Jim Elliott and supported by programs, was signed into law on April 19, 2005. Representative Clark and Senator Elliott hail from Sanders County in Montana ? an area ?rich? with programs that serve troubled youth. Representative Clark, in fact, is the owner of a small outdoor program for youth at risk. The fruition of this bill becoming law was not without considerable efforts on the behalf of program and school personnel statewide.

Quote
The state board will be comprised of five members and each will be appointed by Governor Brian Schweitzer. Board members will consist of three representatives from programs and two members of the general public.

Me thinks something smells fishy here. So, the program creates legislation, then regulates itself. Doesn't seem like oversight to me.

This is a common tactic. If you are committing a crime, become the investigator. They pushed through legislation so they could now control the regulation. A very sly move. They beat the real child advocates to law by defeating real legistlation last year thorugh large cash donations and lobbying. Now, real and helpful legisltaion is almost impossible to pass.

Now they can claim their programs are in a regulated state, and most people will not think it's the programs regulating thesmelves.

This is a smokescreen.

Quote
Also on the Board are Representative Paul Clark, and Jacqueline Rutzke, Spring Creek Lodge Academy.

A SCL employee on a board that is supposed to be investigating itself? WHAT BULLSHIT!

This all makes more sense if you happen to catch this article last year:

Quote
Billings Gazette
from Associated Press


HELENA -- Spring Creek Lodge, a residential facility for juveniles affiliated with the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools, was listed as being among the top spending lobbyists in Montana during the 90-day 2005 legislative session. The Legislature only meets once every two years.

The spending report was complied by the state's political practices office.

In all, 411 special-interest groups and state and local governments spent $4.78 million to try to influence legislation. That is the equivalent of about $31,900 per lawmaker.

The total spending is nearly 47 percent more than the $3.2 million spent in the 2003 Legislature. Lobbyists spent $3.1 million during the 2001 session and $3.5 million in the 1999 Legislature.

Spring Creek Lodge spent $56,677 during the 90-day period, successfully defeating legislation which would have required therapeutic boarding schools to be licensed and regulated by the state.


This is the legislation they killed last year with their bribes. Can you believe this shit? An example of corruption to the highest level, right in front of our eyes. The press are completely fooled.

Why would a legitimate program, that helps teens need to spend that kind of cash to prevent legislation, only to pass their own a few months later... what is wrong with this situation? (and how many times have we seen this in dc politics)

This smokescreen legistlation is bought and paid for by WWASP. Un-fucking-believable. ::noway::

I guess we will not be represented until we can out-spend WWASP... god bless america.  :roll:

God is the...refuge of the incompetent, the helpless, the miserable. They find no sanctuary in His arms, but...a kind of superiority, soothing to their...egos: He will set them above their betters.
--H. L. Mencken, American publisher

Title: Montana Legislators Pass House Bill 628
Post by: Anonymous on January 06, 2006, 02:00:00 AM
QUOTE: "SCL employee on a board that is supposed to be investigating itself? WHAT BULLSHIT! "

You read it wrong. That's a different board.
Title: Montana Legislators Pass House Bill 628
Post by: 69 on January 06, 2006, 12:53:00 PM
The SCL employee is on another board, who advises the other board. Both boards share members. This is all one big happy program family.

Pointing one small error out in my post does not change the fact this is complete bullshit one bit.

The majority of the board (can out vote the public people every vote) are program employees. Do you get it yet? WHy not give 4 public members and 2 program votes? Hmmmmmmmmm.... maybe you should ask SCL why they spent nearly 60 grand to get this legislation.

Like I said: COMPLETE BULLSHIT!

The orientation of the public school in and of itself disenfranchises the poor.  It suggests that only the student can be held responsible for failure; the institution, because of its position and strength in society, is unassailable.
--Rodger Hurley

[ This Message was edited by: Exit Plan on 2006-01-06 09:54 ]
Title: Montana Legislators Pass House Bill 628
Post by: Anonymous on January 06, 2006, 05:44:00 PM
Montana is unique all right! The up and coming  mecca for child abusers. Cheap labor, lots of land and zero regulation. What a way to stimulate economic growth!
Title: Montana Legislators Pass House Bill 628
Post by: Anonymous on January 06, 2006, 06:15:00 PM
What can be done about this?