*ltlnitzd ?rms 0%2natr WASHINGTON. DC 20510 June 27, 2018 Director Scott Lloyd Office of Refugee Resettlement Administration for Children and Families US. Department of Health Human Services Mary E. Switzer Building 330 ST SW Washington DC 20201 Dear Director Lloyd, We write today to express our concern about the report that the Of?Ce of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) continues to contract with companies with a history of abuse and neglect. The Center for Investigative Reporting has reported that Shiloh Residential Treatment Center has been sued for forcibly injecting children and adolescents with powerful medications in order to sedate them instead of for therapeutic purposes. These are the same facilities that are currently accepting unaccompanied immigrant children. While we recognize the majority of centers are not involved in abusive and negligent treatment, even one offending center deserves our scrutiny. I urge ORR to investigate these horrific reports and terminate any contracts with facilities found to be engaging in even one inhumane and medically unacceptable practice. Reports from all over the country Texas, Florida, New York, Maine, Minnesota, Virginia indicate that children and adolescents, some as young as 9 years old, are being exposed to barbaric treatment, sometimes resulting in death, in ORR contracted facilities.1 These children have been subject to medical neglect, with caretakers refusing to treat children for burns, broken wrists, and sexually transmitted diseases.2 These children have experienced sexual assault and abuse from other children and those charged with their care.3 There have been reports of physical abuse and corporal punishment, including hog-tying, beatings, the use of unnecessary restraints, and placing bags over the heads of children.4 Moreover, there have been reports to suggest that unaccompanied immigrant children and adolescents are being singled out and treated worse than other children and adolescents in these centers based on their race.5 They are said to be subjected to racial slurs and discriminatory treatment in addition to the multitude of abuses outlined above.6 ??l-lxhibil: Vol?Z?liixs?Ll LT?agus? Tilinml l1: lps: Lars?wiIll?histories tinns/ l8-storyimtn? 2 3 litrps1/funmv. reveal"ewsnruiarl :lliusg?llggatiyngj 4 . I 8-smwi1lml 6 11: 3 E1111 According to legal documents, children and adolescents held in custody at the Shiloh Treatment Center, a government contracted facility located outside of Houston, TX, are being physically held down and forcibly injected with drugs multiple times a day.7 One child was reportedly prescribed 10 different shots and pills, including 4 different drugs, a Parkinson?s medication, 2 seizure medications, a nerve pain medication and antidepressant, and a cognition enhancer without any medical justification.8 These extremely potent medications can pose serious risks even when prescribed in the course of diligent medical treatment. Side effects range from vomiting to permanent tardive dyskinesia (tremors) and difficulty breathing.9 Some of these medications have even been linked to sudden cardiac death.10 These medications have such high risks they must be administered with the utmost care and understanding of the patient?s medical history, yet court documents indicate orderlies were given broad discretion to decide when and how much medication to administer to these children seemingly without regard to the health concerns or potential interactions among medications.11 Furthermore, these reports indicate that these children and adolescents were sometimes coerced into taking the drugs with the threat that they would otherwise not be released to their families or told that the drugs were merely vitamins.12 The abhorrent practices outlined in these reports are not the first instances in which complaints have been filed against these facilities. There are hundreds of documented violations dating back to the early 19903, and numerous state?level investigations have already taken place.13 ORR has only terminated contracts with two facilities, and continues to renew contracts of negligent facilities despite the existence of serious substantiated allegations.14 For one such company in Texas responsible for building newest tent city in Tornillo, state inspection reports recorded over 50 Violations during the past three years, including 13 high risk failures like the atrocities described above including physical abuse and medical neglect.15 Shelters that do close simply reopen under new names with new million dollar government contracts.16 At least $1.5 billion dollars have gone to companies operating homes facing serious allegations of child maltreatment.? In response to these reports, ORR must immediately conduct a review of all facilities that are currently under contract to house unaccompanied immigrant children and adolescents to ensure that no child or adolescent within its custody has been subjected to the vile practices detailed above. The full investigation must determine which of these facilities have allowed abuse and neglect, and once identified, we demand that ORR terminate all funding and contracts. Additionally, it appears 3 ii ?115'. :m f?Eiljti?ltlgign- fu claims: 9 tongs? side-cf [?hcls/ Ll Ifg?lelf 359; litti'rs?. '0 366 3.3. 111mm: 3' pincg m-ncl?j?mn?r? 13'11344" '1 drugs luwsmr?clmmaf '2 litipm? miectcti-wil?h-drugs?luwsuir clgiimsf ?3 ?g'ul'Z-Lixs ?fi-l?nycs?l EiFJ-i?Iiliunl Lions/ '4 mlim?lS 15 Iii/[Mfg] fscott liq-yd '6 ?7 to that ORR is currently accepting grant applications for shelters and several other types of facilities for unaccompanied alien children until Friday, June 29, 2018. ORR plans to award $500,000,000 to 20 facilities over three years (FY 2019?2021, starting October 1, 2018). We demand that each new application be thoroughly scrutinized for any prior record of abuse and neglect and included in the investigation. 1. What are policies for approving and re-approving facilities (?contracted facilities?) for the care of unaccompanied children? 2. What is process for investigating allegations of abuse and neglect at contracted facilities? 3. What is process for investigating complaints made to ?led with state agencies about contracted facilities? 4. How does ORR require contracted facilities to notify ORR of instances of suspected abuse or neglect, complaints made about the facility, or other grievances (including those lodged by children or their families)? 5. What are policies for the administration of medication? 6. How are parents consulted before any medication is administered? 7. What are policies on the use of force and use of restraints? Sincerely, Mm Chris Van Hollen United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand United States Senator 6m Olga/CE . Tom Udall Cory A. Booker United States Senator United States Senator Edward]. Markey Patty manly 0 United States Senator United States Senator my 2mm 00104 Mazie K. Hirono Sherrod Brown United States Senator United States Senator Eliza]: th Warren Unite States Senator Lax/?? Richard Blumenthal United States Senator 7W Tammy uckworth United tates Senator Aanchar United States Senator Kamala D. Harris United States Senator Thomas Carper United States Senator Bernard Sanders United States Senator 741/4, Tim Kaine United States Senator Bill Nelson United States Senator