Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) is pleased to announce her bipartisan legislation, Senate Bill 1043, the Accountability in Children’s Treatment (ACT) measure, has passed off the Assembly Floor. Celebrity advocate Paris Hilton and her nonprofit organization 11:11 Media Impact are the sponsor of the measure.
California’s short-term residential therapeutic programs (STRTPs) serve children and young adults who need an increased level of care, and these treatment facilities have the ability to use restraints and seclusion rooms if the facility believes the patient is a danger to themselves or others.
These facilities are required to report all restraint and seclusion room use to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). The department is then required to put this information online and make it available to the public. However, the information has yet to be posted online and made publicly available. SB 1043 will require CDSS to publicly post this critical data, including each incident report. The Accountability in Children’s Treatment Act addresses the shortfall of the department not publishing the data for the public access.
“I am proud that my bill, The Accountability in Children’s Treatment Act, just passed off the Assembly floor and is heading to the Senate for a final vote," said Senator Grove. "It has been an incredible honor to work side by side with advocate Paris Hilton to protect California’s most vulnerable youth in treatment programs.
My bill will ensure children who are living in California’s short-term residential therapeutic programs (STRTPs) receive the highest level of transparency in their care. With these facilities already having the ability to physically restrain children or put them in a seclusion room, my measure will only further promote California’s commitment to accountability in our children’s care.”
SB 1043 will move to the Senate Floor for a final vote by the end of this week.