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Straight, Inc. and KHK
survivors protest locally
Posted by Media Release
July 15, 2008
 Numerous
Straight, Inc. and Kids Helping Kids survivors, along with other
concerned activists, traveled from 5 different states and the
Greater Cincinnati area to participate in the July 11, 2008 protest
in Milford, Ohio. The group protested Kids Helping Kids, a Pathway
Family Center (aka Pathway Family Center, PFC and/or KHK), a
behavior modification teen treatment facility which is not only the
current renamed version of Straight, Inc, it also still uses the
STRAIGHT, Inc. treatment modality.
The protesters’ mission was to
express opposition and to educate local residents about the
“treatment methods” used by PFC, methods which this group believes
pose a substantial risk of harm to children. Specifically, the
protesters strongly object to, among other things, the use of
coercive thought reform, isolation from parents, peers and society,
unlicensed host homes, unqualified peer staff, unnecessary and/or
disproportionate punishments, and the denial of basic human rights
such as total bathroom privacy. Additionally, the demonstrators are
extremely concerned about children having Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder and other serious mental health issues caused by their
ordeal in Pathway. Repeated reports to state agencies of systematic
abuse and other improprieties have also been ignored for years.
This protest comes on the heels of
the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelming approval of H.R.
6358, The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of
2008. Recent congressional investigations uncovered thousands of
allegations of abuse, neglect and youth deaths in private teen
behavior modification facilities in the United States. This
legislation aims to protect youth in all private treatment
facilities, including Pathway Family Center.
The rocky start of the protest
itself did not deter the determined activists from sharing their
message. One Pathway official (Monica Mertens, according to Pathway
insiders who spoke with protesters) displayed unprofessional conduct
by confiscating one of the protestor’s signs. PFC officials also
summoned Miami Township police twice. The first time was to remove
protesters from the far side of the driveway who occasionally
crossed it without blocking incoming traffic. The second time,
participants were later told, was an attempt to stop protesters from
videotaping the public event. Demonstrators did comply with law
enforcement’s request to stay off to the sides of Pathway’s entrance
but were never asked to stop filming. In spite of these incidents,
the peaceful protest resumed without further confrontation.
At the demonstration itself,
protesters carried and displayed numerous signs including “Coercive
Thought Reform is Not Treatment,” “KHK Tortured Me,” and “Close PFC
Now”. Many drivers showed solidarity either by honking, giving the
thumbs up or by shouting “Thank you! My friend (or relative) was in
there. This place stinks!” In addition, many passersby stopped, took
literature and were given the free DVD set of the congressional
hearings and KHK news footage. Even former clients of Straight and
KHK, with no previous knowledge of our protests, no prior contact
with activist survivors, saw the protest and stopped to speak with
survivors. Both supported our efforts.
As the event was winding down,
current PFC peer staff/graduates initiated peaceful discussions. At
times the talks became a bit heated and emotional. Certainly there
was much disagreement. But for the most part, both sides remained
civil.
At the end of the day, the
exhausted survivors unanimously agreed that this event was nothing
less than a smashing success and felt rejuvenated by the interest
from the community. All participants vowed to continue their quest
to educate the community about the harmful Straight Inc treatment
model used by Kids Helping Kids, a Pathway Family Center. Their
mission is to protect children from these harmful treatment methods.
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