A leaked audio recording from a National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) meeting urged residential programs to hire lawyers and not allow Protection & Advocacy organizations access to non-public portions of their programs.

We are disturbed by the statements made by NATSAP Executive Director Megan Stokes in this recording. Protection & Advocacy organizations protect the civil and human rights of youth and ensure those with disabilities are not mistreated. In September, following the premiere of This is Paris, the Utah Disability Law Center announced a state-wide investigation into youth residential treatment facilities. Unfortunately, these organizations often face challenges accessing records and speaking privately to youth locked in these facilities. Given this recording, we better understand why.

As a community, we must demand transparency and cooperation between organizations to protect these youth. Megan Stokes urged programs to call instead of email her so that nothing could be discoverable in court. NATSAP programs, what are you trying to hide?

“For such an organization to operate on the public promise of making sure programs are safe for children, only to privately advice those very same programs to avoid cooperating with record requests, to cover themselves and shirt accountability… it is a breach of ethics and a moment of revealing. We can hear for ourselves where their motives lie,” states a Child Advocate in the Salt Lake Tribune article about the recording.  

Share the recording on your social media accounts with the hashtags #BreakingCodeSilence #NATSAP.

Link to recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akgy3IAPbEU&feature=youtu.be .