Oregon Senator Sara Gelser’s bill SB-749 is a common-sense law that enacts basic protections for families that utilize education consultants as a means of placing youth in residential facilities. These "consultants" often prioritize profit over the interests and welfare of their clients and it is time we regulate them! 

These consultants have hired lobbyists to fight against SB-749 and we must make sure our voices are heard. Help us by sending committee members an email now! 

Subject Line examples:

• 'Please Vote YES on SB 749 to improve youth safety’
• 'Vote YES on SB 749 to protect consumers from bad actors in the Troubled Teen Industry"

Email Copy: 

Dear Senators, I am writing to you today to urge you to vote YES on SB 749. This bill is vitally important in protecting youth and families from unscrupulous actors who prioritize profit over the interests and welfare of their clients while providing “educational consulting” services. 

Currently, there is NO regulation of education consultants. They are not required to have a 2 year degree or any training in mental health or trauma-informed care, yet they present themselves as the experts in guiding families to parse through treatment methodologies and mental health outcome data. Families are in crisis when they contact these agents and trust them to provide sound, accurate, honest information. 

Despite the complaints you have received from educational consultants and others in the industry who currently profit from this system, SB 749 is a simple, common-sense law that enacts basic protections and costs a fraction of the amount these consultants earn from a single client. SB 749 will also ensure parents are informed whether the program they are considering for their child has a license to provide mental health or substance use treatment as parents are often NOT made aware of this information. 

Importantly, the bill does not in any way limit parents from using consultants, nor does it limit their ability to consider residential care for their children. It does provide protections to parents and youth by ensuring they have all relevant information to make an informed decision about enrollment.

For all of the above reasons, and especially due to the traumatic experiences that survivors have endured at the recommendation of unregulated educational consultants, I urge you to vote YES on SB 749. Thank you. 

Send this email to: 

Sen.katelieber@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.timknopp@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.cedrichayden@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.duanestark@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.WlnsveyCampos@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.annawilliams@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.ElizabethSteinerHayward@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.betsyjohnson@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.danrayfield@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.fredgirod@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.davidgomberg@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.gregsmith@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.dickanderson@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.lewfrederick@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.jeffgolden@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.chrisgorsek@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.billhansell@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.timknopp@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.katelieber@oregonlegislature.gov; sen.kathleentaylor@oregonlegislature.gov; thisisparis@parishiltonentertainment.com