Protect Families From System Abuse – Support the Bound by You No More Act

The Issue

Across the United States, many families report experiencing serious failures within family courts, child welfare systems, hospitals, and other government-funded institutions responsible for protecting children and vulnerable populations.

Parents—especially domestic violence survivors, homeschooling families, single parents, and other vulnerable individuals— frequently report experiences such as:

lack of due process in family court proceedings

unnecessary or poorly investigated child removals

retaliation after reporting abuse or misconduct

failure to recognize coercive control and emotional abuse

harassment or intimidation connected to institutional systems

long-term family separation and parental alienation

These systems have extraordinary authority to make life-altering decisions about families. When accountability and training are inadequate, the results can be devastating for parents and children alike.

The Bound by You No More Act calls for national reform to increase transparency, oversight, and survivor-informed training within systems that interact with families.

Why This Petition Was Created

This petition was started by Katie M. Merritt, a mother, survivor, author, and civil rights advocate who reports experiencing years of legal and systemic challenges while attempting to protect her children from abuse.

Katie states that during proceedings across New York and Pennsylvania she experienced repeated institutional failures, including:

denial of meaningful opportunities to present evidence

reliance on inaccurate or unverified reports

violations of confidentiality protections for domestic violence survivors

decisions that resulted in long-term separation from her children

Despite filing complaints and legal actions seeking accountability, she reports that her concerns have not received meaningful investigation.

Katie’s experience reflects concerns raised by many families across the country who believe the systems meant to protect them sometimes operate without sufficient transparency, oversight, or accountability.

What the Bound by You No More Act Calls For

Federal Investigation and Oversight

A federal review of patterns of misconduct and civil rights concerns within systems that interact with families, including:

family courts

child welfare agencies

hospitals and mandated reporters

foster care systems

government-funded organizations serving families

This investigation would focus on identifying systemic failures and ensuring that agencies operate within constitutional protections.

Stronger Due Process Protections

Parents deserve fair and transparent legal proceedings when decisions affecting their children are being made.

The Act calls for stronger enforcement of constitutional protections under the 5th and 14th Amendments, including:

access to evidence used in court proceedings

the right to present a defense

fair and impartial hearings

safeguards against retaliation for filing complaints

Family courts must operate with the same commitment to fairness and due process expected in all areas of the justice system.

Mandatory Training on Coercive Control, Emotional Abuse, and Parental Alienation

Many professionals within courts, hospitals, and child welfare systems receive limited education on the complex dynamics of domestic violence.

The Bound by You No More Act calls for mandatory education on:

coercive control

emotional and psychological abuse

post-separation abuse tactics

stalking and harassment dynamics

parental alienation and family separation

trauma-informed responses when working with survivors and children

Improving education for professionals can help prevent misidentification of survivors and ensure that abuse is properly recognized.

Survivor-Led Certification Training

The Act proposes the development of survivor-led certification training programs for professionals working in government-funded systems.

These programs would be developed through Katie Merritt Consulting, which focuses on advocacy, survivor education, and systemic reform.

Training programs would include education on:

domestic violence dynamics

coercive control and emotional abuse

parental alienation

trauma-informed communication

civil rights protections

ethical investigative practices

preventing retaliation against reporting parents

Including survivor perspectives helps ensure training reflects real-world experiences and improves professional understanding of complex family situations.

Protection for Homeschooling Families and Other Vulnerable Populations

Many homeschooling families and vulnerable parents report being subjected to unnecessary investigations or scrutiny despite complying with the law.

The Act calls for improved training and policies that protect families from discrimination based on:

educational choices such as homeschooling

poverty or housing instability

disability

survivor status in domestic violence situations

single parenthood

Families should not face investigations simply because they live or educate differently.

Addressing Concerns Regarding Federal Child Welfare Funding

Advocates and parents have raised concerns about the structure of federal child welfare funding programs such as the Title IV‑E Foster Care Program, which provides funding to states for foster care services.

The Bound by You No More Act calls for a review of these funding structures to ensure they prioritize:

family preservation when safe and appropriate

prevention services for families

transparency in funding decisions

stronger accountability for agencies receiving federal funds

Federal programs should support the well-being of children while maintaining respect for family integrity whenever possible.

Accountability for Harassment and Retaliation

Many parents report experiencing continued harassment or intimidation connected to individuals involved in their cases—even after those cases have ended.

These reports include concerns about:

stalking or monitoring

retaliation after filing complaints

intimidation for speaking publicly about systemic failures

The Act calls for stronger oversight and independent review processes to investigate complaints involving misconduct by employees of courts, agencies, or other government-funded institutions.

Families should feel safe rebuilding their lives after legal proceedings conclude.

Survivor Support and Community Resources

In addition to advocacy and training, Katie Merritt founded Peony Personal Shopping and Services, a survivor-informed support service designed to help individuals and families access practical resources during difficult life transitions.

Community-based initiatives like this demonstrate how survivor-led support can complement broader systemic reform.

Why Reform Matters

Family courts and child welfare agencies make decisions that affect the lives of millions of children and parents.

With that power must come transparency, accountability, and professional training that reflects the realities families face.

The Bound by You No More Act seeks to promote reforms that:

protect civil rights

improve professional training

strengthen oversight of government-funded systems

protect families from retaliation or discrimination

ensure that child welfare systems prioritize both safety and fairness

Stand With Families

If you believe in:

protecting civil rights

improving accountability in family courts

protecting domestic violence survivors

recognizing coercive control and emotional abuse

fairness for homeschooling families

transparency in child welfare systems

Please sign and share this petition.

Every signature helps raise awareness and push for reforms that protect families nationwide.

Signed,

Katie M. Merritt

Founder, The Power of Pain Brand

Founder, Katie Merritt Consulting

Advocate for Family Rights and Survivor Justice

 

Supporters who want to do more can join my survivor-led advocacy training to educate agencies and communities.

http://thepowerofpainbrand.org