Unsilenced CEO Meg Appelgate fights for HB 218 in Montana
In March, Unsilenced CEO Meg Appelgate traveled to Montana to speak at a hearing for the Montana Senate about HB 218. While there were dissenting opinions about the bill in the hearing, Meg passionately pleaded the case that children’s safety and lives were worth more than perceived red tape.
HB 218, brought by Rep. Laura Smith of Helena, allows unmonitored phone and video calls between parents/caregivers and young people in these programs, clearly prohibits sexual and physical abuse, protects youth who report abuse to authorities, and increases inspections to twice a year with at least 50% of children interviewed to ensure that abuse is identified.
House Bill 218 passed the Senate with majority, bipartisan support on April 18. When signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte, it will provide youth in Private Alternative Adolescent Residential or Outdoor Programs (PAARP) basic protections from abuse.
PAARPs are oftentimes for-profit programs, often in Montana’s more remote areas, that advertise an alternative option for children experiencing behavioral or educational challenges. Issues of abuse and neglect at these programs have been highlighted by Montana’s news outlets over many decades.
Meg herself spent three years in a Montana PAARP program as a child. She states, “I never reported the abuse I experienced because I was not allowed to have an unmonitored phone call for over a year and a half. By the time I was out of my program and felt strong enough to report my experiences to authorities, the statute of limitations had expired. After graduating from the facility, I earned my degree in psychology from Carroll College. Following that, I started my career in the nonprofit sector, which led me to be the co-founder and CEO of Unsilenced, a nonprofit dedicated to stopping child abuse in congregate care programs.”
There are four takeaways for this commonsense legislation:
- The fear of being retaliated against is well-documented amongst survivors of congregate care facilities, so it is often difficult for individuals to come forward. It is dangerous to assume the plethora of abuse allegations spanning the last 30 years are false and unsubstantiated solely because people are too scared to press charges or the statute of limitations runs out before they are able to hold abusers accountable. This fear of retaliation caused Meg and so many others to not ask for medical help when they needed it during their time in the program, which has led to long-term medical conditions that are irreversible.
- Despite the widespread support of this bill and acknowledgment of its necessity by legislators, some Montana state senators have attempted to justify the alleged maltreatment of children in programs with the youth’s circumstances leading to placement. This highlights the discrepancy between the expectations that legislators, taxpayers and caregivers have about programs and the reality that survivors report. The former expects ethical and evidence-based mental health treatment, while hundreds of survivors tell firsthand accounts of traumatizing, abusive experiences by nonprofessional program staff.
- A bill aiming to help protect youth from abuse is not a game, and we should not be keeping score. Children’s lives are at stake. Despite one senator’s narrative about wayward youth, most young people entering these facilities do not arrive in shackles and are not admitted under a court order. Those placed in programs most commonly come from their homes and are privately placed by their caregivers, or via the school system due to learning difficulties or behavioral issues. They arrive feeling scared, abandoned, estranged from their support system, and desperate for connection. They struggle with mental health issues, perceived behavioral problems and familial/educational challenges.
- Regardless of why young people are in these programs, one thing remains consistent: children are ripped from their communities and support systems. This alone can have lasting and traumatic effects on a developing brain. Ensuring ongoing support and connection with caregivers during such an extended absence from the home is vital in preserving the familial bond. Any disruption to this bond, such as the recording or monitoring of conversations, can interfere with the parent-child relationship.
At the end of the day, let’s choose not to keep score, but to prioritize kids and their families with commonsense legislation that helps shine a light on what is an often dark and abusive industry.