Michigan House Panel Advances Bill Banning Restraints in Teen Transport
Michigan House committee unanimously approves bill banning restraints and nighttime pickups by companies transporting youth to residential programs.
LANSING, MICHIGAN — A Michigan House committee has approved legislation to prohibit transportation companies from using restraints and blindfolds when picking up children for residential treatment programs, part of what lawmakers describe as a multibillion-dollar “troubled teen industry.”
The House Families and Veterans Committee voted 11-0 on Tuesday to advance House Bill 5514 to the full House for consideration. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan), would ban the use of blindfolds, hoods, handcuffs, and other forms of restraint during youth transports to residential childcare facilities.
The legislation also would prohibit companies from picking up youths during nighttime hours between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., addressing what critics call “legal kidnapping” practices within the industry.
Targeting Industry Transport Practices
According to Unsilenced, a nonprofit organization supporting survivors of the troubled teen industry, residential programs often recommend transportation services that use forceful tactics. The group said the process frequently involves seizing youths in the middle of the night and restraining them with handcuffs.
“How is simulating a kidnapping going to help a child who is at risk?” Cavitt said in a statement. “These tactics are clearly hurting kids, and our efforts to step in should not be controversial. We need to put a stop to this.”
The committee’s action followed testimony delivered in mid-March from individuals who experienced the transportation practices firsthand. Lawmakers said the legislation targets abusive practices within residential childcare programs that operate as part of the troubled teen industry.
Next Steps for Legislation
If approved by a majority of state representatives, House Bill 5514 will move to the Michigan Senate for further consideration. The unanimous committee vote indicates strong bipartisan support for regulating an industry that advocacy groups say lacks sufficient oversight.
The Unsilenced organization has documented the lack of regulation around transportation practices used by companies that work with residential treatment facilities. These services are frequently recommended by the programs themselves, creating what the nonprofit describes as a problematic relationship between facilities and transport companies.
The legislation represents Michigan’s effort to address concerns about methods used to transport minors to residential treatment programs. Supporters argue the current practices can traumatize children who are already struggling with mental health or behavioral issues.
