Troubled Teen Industry Litigation

Across the country, thousands of parents send their children to treatment facilities marketed as educational and therapeutic programs for children struggling with emotional or behavioral issues. With polished presentations, slick brochures, and promises of mental wellness, these facilities mislead families and the children sent to take up residence, suffer the consequences. Known collectively as the “troubled teen industry,” these residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, boot camps, and wilderness programs claim to rehabilitate teens with behavioral challenges.

The troubled teen industry is a $23 billion private, unregulated industry composed of hundreds of programs across the country operating beneath an umbrella of approximately a dozen large entities. Under the misguided guise of “therapy,” vulnerable young people are subjected to physical, emotional, and psychological abuse. They are often neglected, placed in unsafe, unsanitary conditions, or abused sexually. They face forced labor, a lack of education, medication abuse, and damaging isolation from family and peers. Survivors suffer serious impacts, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, trust issues, and physical manifestations of injuries. Some have even died.

Holding Troubled Teen Facilities Accountable

Justice Law Collaborative has been fighting not only for individual justice, but legislation that has and will dismantle the harmful practices employed by troubled teen facilities. We understand well the systemic abuse and wrongdoings that have been reported publicly through the news and documented by survivors stories including The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping, Hell Camp, and Teen Torture, Inc. These documentaries pull back the curtain on programs that promise education, behavioral therapy, and mental health counseling, yet rarely deliver those services.

The voices that have emerged to sound the alarm come from broken humans who were forced or placed in these facilities, completely cut off from their support networks. The tragic results speak for themselves. In 2024, within days of Teen Torture Inc.’s airing on HBO/MAX, one of the primary survivors interviewed (Evan Wright, who also authored The Seed: A Memoir about his time in a TTI facility), died by suicide.

Through negligence and wrongful conduct, these facilities and programs entrusted with the safety of children inflict great suffering on the residents and their families. Justice Law Collaborative attorneys Kim Dougherty and Kelly Guagenty represent survivors of troubled teen industry abuse and work tirelessly to expose these institutions. Attorney Dougherty also serves as co-chair of the American Association for Justice’s (AAJ) Troubled Teen Industry Abuse Litigation Group, founded to assist attorneys from across the country in their efforts to investigate and litigate cases against troubled teen programs, facilities, wilderness camps, and their respective parent organizations.

Survivors deserve legal advocacy from attorneys who understand what they’ve endured and one committed to holding these programs accountable. Our efforts to date speak volumes.

Justice Law Collaborative’s Role in Troubled Teen Industry Lawsuits

Commonly Asked Questions:

What Is Troubled Teen Industry Abuse?

Abuse in the troubled teen industry takes many forms: isolation, forced labor, sleep deprivation, physical restraint, humiliation, and denial of medical care. Survivors often report long-term trauma including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and trust issues. Many parents are unaware of the egregious abuse as residents in program are prevented from communicating with their families or their correspondence is reviewed and sabotaged by employees in charge. If you or a loved one experienced abuse at one of these facilities, you may have legal grounds to file a lawsuit.

Can I Sue a Troubled Teen Facility for Abuse?

In most instances, yes. You can sue a troubled teen facility if you or your child suffered abuse, neglect, or serious emotional distress while in their care. Claims may include negligence, assault, false imprisonment, and violation of state and federal laws. Survivors can pursue compensation for physical injuries, emotional trauma, and other damages.

What Are My Legal Options as a Survivor?

Survivors of troubled teen industry abuse may file civil lawsuits against the facility, its staff, and even the organizations or individuals who recommended or funded the placement. In some cases, criminal charges may also apply. Justice Law Collaborative investigated patterns of abuse across multiple programs, providing grounds for class action or mass tort litigation. If you are wondering, “How do I sue a boarding school for abuse?”—you’re not alone.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?

Each state operates beneath its own statute of limitations, which dictates how long you have to file a lawsuit. Some states allow extra time for survivors to come forward, especially if trauma impeded or delayed their ability to report. Justice Law Collaborative provides free consultations to discuss all the variables associated with your specific case.

Why CONSULT WITH A LAW FIRM WITH Troubled Teen Industry EXPERIENCE?

This area of law requires specialized knowledge about the deceptive practices used by various facilities, the trauma they inflict, and how they hide abuse behind "treatment." Justice Law Collaborative is a trauma-informed litigation practice, with on-staff social workers and counselors available to support clients and our team members.

Trauma-Informed Approach

Justice Law Collaborative takes a trauma-informed approach to representing our clients which centers around five key principles to ensure that survivors feel respected, dignified, and in control:

  1. Safety

  2. Trustworthiness

  3. Choice

  4. Collaboration

  5. Empowerment

We recognize the signs of trauma in survivors, understand the far-reaching effects of trauma, and identify potential avenues for healing. This means we do not just represent survivors in court and in settlement negotiations. We frequently provide additional support that our clients need such as referrals to therapists, in pursuit of administrative hearings, in contact with law enforcement, and in other arenas. Our legal advocacy is grounded in attention to our clients’ well-being and healing and intended to empower clients’ pursuit of justice. 

If you or someone you love was abused in a troubled teen facility, you are not alone and contact the attorneys at Justice Law Collaborative (Kim Dougherty or Kelly Guagenty). Your voice matters, and we are here to help you take it back.