Ohio Lawmaker Demands Stronger Protection for Children in Residential Treatment Facilities
An Ohio lawmaker has warned that shutting down residential treatment facilities accused of abuse and neglect will not be enough to protect children unless stronger monitoring and reporting systems are introduced.
State Representative Crystal Lett raised the concerns while discussing House Bill 811, which would require the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health to revoke the licences of facilities with repeated serious violations, abuse or neglect.
During a legislative committee hearing, Lett cited investigations by The Marshall Project into Fox Run Center for Children and Adolescents and Mohican Young Star Academy.
The investigations uncovered allegations of child abuse, injuries and failures in reporting incidents to state authorities.
At Fox Run, at least 40 police-related incidents between January 2022 and June 2025 were reportedly absent from state records. A subsequent state investigation identified no violations despite being unable to establish whether all required incidents had been reported.
Lett proposed assigning independent professionals to children in residential facilities, allowing them to report suspected abuse or neglect directly to police and regulators.
Disability Rights Ohio President Kerstin Sjoberg supported stronger monitoring but questioned whether professionals would respond urgently when children reported harm.
Child welfare advocate Addison Torrence also called for clearer communication between law enforcement and regulatory agencies to prevent repeated abuse.
Lett maintained that protecting children requires more than closing facilities, stressing that repeated violations must never be treated as administrative problems while children’s safety remains at risk.
