An investigation into conditions at four of the country's largest residential treatment facilities revealed shocking instances of abuse at the hands of staffers. If you or your student have faced abuse, neglect, or mistreatment at a special education facility, whether it is a residential or a day program, you have legal recourse options available. Get in touch with the Lento Law Firm to discuss what can be done and how the people responsible for such conduct can be held to task. Call us at 888-535-3686 or describe your case using this form.

Abuse and Horrible Conditions at Residential Treatment Facilities

Recently, a US Senate report found that children and adults with disabilities in residential programs were being subjected to shockingly high levels of abuse and neglect. The report stated that people in residential treatment facilities face physical, verbal, and sexual abuse at the hands of staff. The report was the culmination of a two-year investigation focusing on four of the country's largest residential treatment providers: Universal Health Services, Acadia Healthcare, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, and Vivant Behavioral Healthcare.

It found that instances involving excessive and unnecessary use of restraints and seclusion were commonplace, and residents were kept in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. In one case, a staffer who had been sexually abusing a child was moved to a different wing instead of being fired and continued to have access to the child. The report also stated that many deaths had occurred due to abuse or neglect, either as suicides or at the hands of staffers.

The report found that since the business model of these facilities relies on maximizing profit at all costs, they were set up to allow abuse and neglect to happen. Staffers were often found to be poorly trained.

Help is Available: Get in Touch with the Lento Law Firm

Understaffing, poor training, and the pressure to increase profits may lead to staffers behaving similarly even in non-residential special education programs, often resulting in neglect and sometimes child abuse. These programs are set up in a way that deprioritizes the well-being of residents or students in order to chase higher profits.

Students in special education programs, whether residential or non-residential, are often in vulnerable situations. These programs are supposed to provide extra support and resources in order for students to do well at school. However, a lot depends on the special education teachers and aides responsible for these programs. If they are not motivated to help students, students may end up being neglected or abused.

If this happens, students may be entitled to compensation and should not hesitate to report the abuse and even pursue legal action against the school district. The Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm is well-versed in all areas involving special education law and can help you understand your student's rights and the legal recourse they have. Our attorneys have years of experience in education law and can help you hold school administrators accountable for their actions.

Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or tell us about your case online.