Unsilenced Project Inc.

Our mission is to stop institutional child abuse by empowering self-advocates to create lasting social change

The Troubled Teen Industry, which claims to “fix” struggling youth, warehouses an estimated 120,000-200,000 young people annually. Non-evidence-based approaches, including solitary confinement, physical restraint, sexual violence, and conversion therapy, are routinely used to control youth in these facilities. Furthering the confusion, marketing and fear-mongering entice vulnerable decision-makers to place youth in these facilities. Despite decades of confirmed abuse, youth are continually sent to these programs, highlighting the stark lack of education about the TTI and its abuses that exists in communities.

As an organization of survivors and allies, we are committed to promoting appropriate, healthy, and effective alternatives to programs within the Troubled Teen Industry. To foster better health outcomes without placement in the largely unregulated industry, we advocate for constructive alternatives that circumvent institutionalization for children and youth who are struggling with mental health and educational challenges. Utilizing education, awareness, community support, and policy change, Unsilenced aims to protect the civil, social, and human rights of youth.

Over the last year we have accomplished so much to be proud of:

Was awarded “Ally of The Year” by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network for our continuous advocacy.
Built an incredible and dedicated leadership team who are passionate about youth rights
Went to Washington DC with Paris Hilton to advocate for regulatory change in regards to legislation.
Assisted in information sharing practices with legislators that helped enable a Federal Investigation into the 4 main companies within the industry that have substantial patterns of abuse.
Have participated in dozens of media and news stories, including one that made it to the front page of USA TODAY on Dec. 8th, 2022
In 2022, 41 abusive troubled teen programs were shut down because of our communities and organizations advocacy efforts
We created the first ever Survivor Empowerment Support Groups for the community of survivors that is free of cost to help facilitate healing.

1) Funding for Project SPEAK (Survivor Prevention through Education, Awareness and Knowledge)- Project SPEAK will enter communities within Orange County, both physically and virtually, to educate caregivers, school and judicial systems, child placing agencies, healthcare professionals, and insurance companies on the Troubled Teen Industry. Our goal is to arm decision makers with the knowledge they need to promote equitable health, education, and treatment of youth In their communities. If we can prevent unnecessary institutionalization, then we can better protect the civil, social, and human rights of youth.

2) IT funding needs- Our program archive online is the largest program archive that exists and its goal is to create transparency of the decision makers in communities to better make decisions for youth. The archive consists os DHS Reports, lawsuits, survivor stories, media and news stories, and historical data. Each of the 100,000 documents we have in the archive costs money to make public and we have done this so far with our own personal funds.

3) Funding for Independence Packs- Providing Independence Packs to new survivors who age out of programs and are facing homelessness will allow us to empower them with essential tools, information, and helpful guidance on issues they may be naive to due to their time in a facility. Together, these resources will help survivors better re-integrate into society and help them start on their healing journeys. These packs will contain a backpack, hygiene products, a book about the TTI, gift cards, and a laptop preloaded with extensive resources to help guide the survivor as they navigate life outside of the program.

I’m very humbled by what the Unsilenced team has built over the last 8 months, and even more excited about where Unsilenced will go next! Unsilenced is paving a way to freedom for the youth of this nation by empowering advocates to speak up and be a change agent. And we’re only getting started.

We have established a stellar reputation in our community and with other organizations, donors, professional partners, and lawmakers. These assets enable us to lead the way in propelling this movement forward. The infrastructure we have built so far within Unsilenced will be an important building block in the programs and services we will begin to offer, and will maximize our social Impact. New and innovative projects, including Project SPEAK, our new survivor prevention program; expansive program archive, skilled program investigators, and informative state impact reports, we will finally be able to expand our reach Into communities so we can begin to de-pathologize mental health and adolescence.

We are already strong, but with a goal of healthy and strategic growth, we aim to further our Influence within communities. As you read through our plans, I hope you will consider being a future Unsilenced partner, volunteer or supporter.