Legislation that will enlist the federal government in reforming the troubled-teen industry is now heading to the desk of President Joe Biden.
The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act cleared the House with an overwhelming majority Wednesday, after passing the Senate unanimously last week.
The bipartisan bill mandates a federal study, with a report issued every two years for a decade, on the prevalence and scope of child abuse and deaths in youth residential programs. The study will also examine the existing regulations and professional standards that govern the programs, and make recommendations on how federal and local authorities can improve their oversight.
The bill’s passage is the culmination of years of activism by child welfare advocates and survivors of the troubled teen industry — a constellation of boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness camps and ranches for children with emotional or psychological…
