Panel OKs new wilderness-therapy rules

WASHINGTON — The House Education and Labor Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create stricter rules — and penalties — for wilderness therapy programs, boot camps or similar programs, with several provisions modeled after what is already being done in Utah.

The bill stems from the Government Accountability Office's reported cases of abuse, neglect and even death in these programs, including five deaths in Utah. Parents whose children died and former participants themselves have told the committee about problems they experienced. GAO testified last month that some of these programs use deceptive tactics when talking with parents looking to enroll their children.

"Today we are taking the first step towards finally ending the horrific abuses that have gone on for far too long in residential programs for teens," said Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif, who introduced the bill last month. "With children's health and safety at risk, this federal role is a necessary recognition that we are dealing with an emergency and we cannot wait for states to act. Ultimately, however, the states will be primarily responsible for carrying out the work of this bill."

The committee approved Miller's substitute amendment that made technical changes to the bill and the committee approved the bill 27-16. As approved, the bill would do the following things:

• Prohibit physical, sexual, and mental abuse of children enrolled in such programs as well as require that participants get adequate food, water and medical care.

• Establish new staff training requirements.

• Authorize a toll-free hotline for people to call and report abuse, among other provisions.

• Call for the Health and Human Services Department to create a Web site with any abuse information connected to a specific program.

• Programs would have to better explain staff roles and responsibilities to parents looking for more information on sending their children to the camps or therapies.

• Provide $50 million per year through 2013 to HHS to carry out the provisions.

States have three years to set safety and other standards created in the bill once it is signed into law, if Congress passes it.