Sent Away From Southern California as a Teen: What Adult Survivors Should Know About Their Options

Maybe it started with a knock on your bedroom door before dawn. Maybe your parents told you it was a summer program, or a school that could "help." You may have grown up in Los Angeles, on the Westside, in Beverly Hills or Calabasas, in the San Fernando Valley, the South Bay or Orange County. And then, almost overnight, you were somewhere else: a wilderness camp in Utah, a ranch in Montana, a residential program in Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon or Washington.

Years later, you may still be sorting out what happened there. Many adults who went through these programs as teens describe the same thing: for a long time, they didn't have words for it. Some were told it was treatment. Some were told it was their fault.

This article is for you if you are now an adult, maybe in your 20s, 30s or 40s, and you are wondering whether what happened to you was wrong in a legal sense, and whether anything can be done about it now. It is a starting point, not a final answer.

What these programs are called

The "troubled-teen industry" is a loose term for private programs that take in young people whose parents were told they needed structure, discipline or therapy away from home. They go by many names:

• Wilderness or outdoor behavioral programs
• Residential treatment centers
• Therapeutic boarding schools
• Youth ranches and "emotional growth" schools
• Faith-based or "character" academies

Many teens were taken to these programs by a "transport" service, sometimes called "gooning," where strangers arrive, often at night, and escort the teen to the program, sometimes using force or restraints.

The name on the brochure matters less than what actually happened.

Does this sound familiar?

You do not need to check every box. Even one of these experiences may be worth talking through with a lawyer:

• Physical restraint. Being held down, put in holds, tied, cuffed or otherwise restrained, especially as punishment or for long periods.
• Isolation. Being placed in a room alone, separated from other kids for days or weeks, or forbidden to speak.
• Forced transport. Being taken from your home against your will, with or without warning, by people you didn't know.
• Cut-off communication. Letters read or censored, phone calls monitored or denied, being told your parents didn't want to hear from you, or being punished for telling the truth about conditions.
• Coercive "therapy." Attack-style group sessions, forced confessions, humiliation, being made to say you were the problem, or a "level system" that controlled food, sleep or contact with family.
• Sexual abuse. Any sexual contact by staff, or by other residents when staff knew or should have known, including invasive searches.
• Physical abuse. Hitting, forced exercise as punishment, exposure to extreme weather without proper gear, or withholding food or water.
• Medical neglect. Injuries or illnesses that were ignored, medication that was withheld or forced, or complaints that were dismissed as "manipulation."

If reading that list stirred something up, that is a normal reaction. Take a break if you need to. There is no deadline on finishing this article.

Who may be responsible

When harm happens inside an institution, more than one person or company may share responsibility. In institutional abuse cases, potential defendants can include:

• The program itself and the entity that operated it.
• Individual staff members who caused harm directly.
• Owners and parent companies, including investment or private-equity firms that owned or controlled a program and may have influenced staffing, budgets or policies.
• Transport companies that removed teens from their homes.
• Educational consultants who recommended a program to families, sometimes with financial ties to the programs they recommended.
• Licensing, accreditation or oversight bodies, in some situations.

Whether any of these can be held legally responsible depends on the facts, the documents, and the law that applies. That is a question for a careful case review, not a checklist.

Why the program's location matters

Here is something many survivors don't realize: the state where the program was located often shapes which law applies to a claim, even if you, your family and the transport company were all in California.

States have different rules on:

• How long a survivor has to file (and whether older claims have been revived)
• What kinds of claims can be brought, and against whom
• Whether there are special notice requirements, for example when a public agency was involved
• What damages can be recovered

Sometimes more than one state's law could apply. A teen picked up in Orange County, flown through Nevada and held in a Utah program may have connections to all three. Sorting that out early can matter a great deal.

For a closer look at California's rules, see our companion pieces on California law and out-of-state youth programs and time limits for childhood abuse claims in California. For Utah-specific context, our sister site has a guide on what Utah therapists hear about troubled-teen programs and another on delayed disclosure and whether it is too late in Utah.

Where Frank can help

Frank Stucki, Esq., MBA is a plaintiff's trial lawyer who focuses on institutional and troubled-teen abuse cases. He is licensed in California, Nevada, Washington and Utah, and he handles cases in those states.

Survivors from anywhere can reach out. If your program was in another state, such as Idaho, Montana, Arizona or Oregon, cases there are handled with local co-counsel licensed in that state. You do not have to figure out where your case belongs before calling. That is part of what a case review is for.

First steps you can take now

You do not need to have everything organized before you talk to a lawyer. But a few simple steps can help protect your options.

Gather what you have

Look for anything from that time, even if it seems small:

• Letters you wrote or received (including censored ones)
• Journals, workbooks or "assignments" you were made to complete
• Program handbooks, level sheets, contracts or enrollment paperwork
• Photos, emails, and any messages with family or other former residents
• Medical, school or transcript records
• Bills, receipts or bank records your parents may still have

If a family member has a box in the garage, ask whether you can look through it. Make copies and keep originals somewhere safe.

Write down what you remember

Names, dates and places fade. When you feel ready, write down:

• The name of each program and roughly when you were there
• Names or nicknames of staff, therapists, and transport workers
• Other residents who may remember the same events
• Specific incidents, as well as you can recall

It is okay if your memory has gaps or comes back in pieces. That is common for people who went through trauma. Write down what you can, and don't guess to fill in blanks.

Don't contact the program

It can be tempting to call the program, request your file directly, or post about them online. Please talk with a lawyer first. Contacting the program, its owners or former staff can alert them, can lead to records being handled in ways that hurt your case, and can expose you to more stress than you need. A lawyer can request records and preserve evidence the right way.

Be careful what you put in writing

When you reach out to any law office, including ours, keep the first message short. Please don't put sensitive details in web forms or emails. A name, a phone number and a good time to call is enough. The details can be discussed in a confidential conversation.

What a confidential consult looks like

A first conversation is a chance for you to ask questions and get honest answers. You can share as much or as little as you want. You set the pace.

Typically, a case review covers:

• Where and when you were in a program
• What happened, in general terms
• What records or witnesses may exist
• Which state's laws may apply, and whether time limits may be an issue
• What a case could involve, including privacy options

There is no obligation to move forward. Some survivors take time after a consult to think it over, talk to a therapist or loved one, or simply sit with what they learned.

Start a confidential case review at pchinjurylaw.com or call (310) 299-9PCH ((310) 299-9724).

FAQ

I was sent by my own parents. Can I still have a claim?

Possibly. Parents often enrolled their kids based on what programs, consultants and marketing materials told them. A parent's decision to enroll a child does not by itself give a program or its staff permission to abuse that child. Whether you have a claim depends on what happened and who was involved.

The program closed or changed its name. Is it too late?

Not necessarily. Programs sometimes close, rebrand or are sold. The people and companies behind them, along with their insurers, may still exist. A lawyer can look into ownership history and insurance.

I don't remember everything clearly. Will anyone believe me?

Gaps in memory are common among people who experienced trauma, especially as teens. Records, other residents and documents can often help fill in the picture. You don't need a perfect memory to start a conversation.

Will my name become public?

Privacy matters in these cases. Depending on the state and the type of claim, there may be ways to protect a survivor's identity in court filings. Ask about this during your consult.

The program was out of state. Do I need a lawyer there?

Not to start. You can begin with a confidential review. Frank handles cases in California, Nevada, Washington and Utah, and cases in other states are handled with local co-counsel licensed there.

A final word

What happened to you as a teenager was not a referendum on who you are. Whether or not you ever take legal action, you deserve accurate information about your options. If and when you're ready, we're here to listen.

Frank Stucki, Esq., MBA is licensed in California, Nevada, Washington and Utah; cases in other states are handled with local co-counsel licensed there.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Attorney Advertising.

Sources

• https://slcsurvivorlaw.com/resources/troubled-teen-programs-what-therapists-hear-utah
• https://slcsurvivorlaw.com/resources/delayed-disclosure-is-it-too-late-utah
• https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=340.1.&lawCode=CCP
• https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ194/html/PLAW-118publ194.htm