So
I was just reading an interesting piece called “Protecting Teens in Crisis: Constructive Oversight of Programs”, in which a number of
significant concerns were raised about what is called the “struggling teen
industry”. Put bluntly, it seems that there are a number of institutions
(mostly in the USA as far as I can tell) that may be or may have been involved
in a number of non-therapeutic or perhaps even abusive practices, all in the
name of “therapy” or “treatment”. Indeed one of the phrases used in the piece
was “stories of mistreatment, abuse and even death…”
Wow. Shocking.
An American professor is quoted as saying
that these concerns need to be addressed using state regulations and licensing.
This makes sense for sure. I am personally astonished that such a regulatory
framework is not apparently in place. How could “treatment” settings operate
without oversight and standards of care?
However, this is not enough. Not by a long
shot. Reading about some of what passed as “treatment” makes me shudder. It
sounds brutal and harmful, not therapeutic and helpful. So, where do people who
offer these “treatments” (whatever they are) dream them up? Who has studied
these so called “treatments” and what have they found? Are these interventions
helpful? Are they useful? Do they work? Are they safe?
In short, what is the scientific evidence for
the so called treatments being used? And here, let me be very clear. We need
strong, hard scientific evidence. This not the same thing as “best” evidence.
“Best” evidence can be what someone thinks is a good idea shared with some
other people who think it’s a good idea. It may even be a well-intentioned
idea. But, the road to hell is paved with good intentions (as the saying goes).
So – bottom line. Show me the evidence.
--Stan
