Skip to main content
If you were sexually abused at a youth residential behavioral treatment center (YRTC), please contact us. We want to help you seek justice.
Submit here for your free & private case review.
"*" indicates required fields
Youth Residential Treatment Center Sexual Assault
Were You Abused at a YRTC in Illinois or Michigan?
Youth residential treatment centers (RTCs), or facilities (RTFs), were supposed to be places of care and rehabilitation for struggling kids. Instead, many have become warehouses of neglect and sexual abuse, putting vulnerable youth at risk of devastating harm to rake in more of the federal funds provided annually.1 Survivors of SA in these centers are speaking out – and so can you.
In Michigan and Illinois alone, a number of YRTC lawsuits have exposed systemic sex abuse within live-in facilities operated by mega healthcare organizations overseeing dozens of locations. These cases reveal the darker side of an industry built on broken promises and internal failures, yet they also offer a pathway to justice.2
If you survived sexual abuse in one of these facilities, you are not alone. We want to help you reclaim your voice, seek justice, and hold those responsible accountable. We are here when you are ready to tell your story.
“I wouldn’t wish my situation on anybody. I hope that justice is granted for the pain and suffering we all went through as kids.”
– Michael Moss, Chicago YRTC survivor
Begin Your Lawsuit Here
Who Enters YRTCs – And Why Are They Vulnerable?
As a teen, you may have entered a youth residential treatment center (YRTC) for many reasons, including:
- Mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, PTSD, or an eating disorder.
- Behavioral issues such as acting out or struggling to follow the rules.
- Survivors of trauma, including abuse, neglect, or unstable family environments.
- Substance use or addiction.
- Court-ordered placements resulting from juvenile offenses or family court rulings.
These facilities are designed for young people with significant emotional and psychological burdens. The level of vulnerability makes adolescents and teens easier targets for predators who exploit their pain, isolation, and powerlessness.
You were supposed to be protected. Instead, you were let down in the worst way possible.
The Alarming Reality of Abuse in Youth Residential Treatment Centers.
Such centers – once seen as places of care – have become breeding grounds for systemic sexual abuse. Hundreds of survivors have reported abuse by staff, including guards, nurses, chaplains, and even janitors.
Despite growing awareness, many sexual assault survivors still suffer in silence.
What Facilities Are We Focused on Right Now?
Under the umbrellas of Acadia, Sequel, UHS, Devereux, and Vivant, here are some of the facilities we’re focusing on in Illinois and Michigan:
Illinois:
- Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services
- Chicago Lakeshore Hospital
- Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital
- Hartgrove Hospital
- Lake Behavioral Hospital
- Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Health Center
- Montrose Behavioral Health Hospital
- Rice Child and Family Center
- Riveredge Hospital
- Rock River Academy
- Streamwood Hospital
- The Pavilion
- Timberline Knolls
- Turning Point Youth Center
Michigan:
- Beaumont Behavioral Health
- Cedar Creek Hospital
- Detroit Behavioral Institute
- Forest View Hospital
- Harbor Oaks Hospital
- Havenwyck Hospital
- Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
- Lakeside Academy
- Starr Commonwealth
- StoneCrest Center
If you or someone you know was abused in these or a similar facility, it’s time to take action. Contact us now to learn how you can pursue a youth residential treatment center lawsuit.
Contact Us Privately Here
Why Speak Out With a Youth Residential Treatment Center Lawsuit?
1. You deserve to seek justice.
2. Your voice can create change.
3. Together, we can help stop the cycle of sexual abuse.
Telling your story, even though incredibly hard, is crucial to creating change because it exposes systemic institutional abuse. Survivor-led cases like the YRTC lawsuit have already led to facility closures, reforms, and accountability measures in Illinois, Michigan, and beyond. But the fight is far from over.
How A Case for Justice Can Help.
Making the decision to come forward is brave, but you don’t have to do it alone. A Case for Justice provides survivors with compassionate, experienced legal support to explore options and file lawsuits. Our services are always free – we’re here to help you, not charge you.
And we only work with lawyers who operate on contingency, meaning you either win a financial award or positive verdict when the case is resolved or you owe your attorneys nothing.
We have successfully fought for survivors of abuse in cases against:
Speak Out – Your Courage Matters.
We know firsthand what feeling powerless is like; your voice – just one voice – is a force for change. Sharing your story is hard, but it’s also powerful. When survivors come forward, they expose systemic abuse, demand accountability, encourage other survivors to come forward, and protect future generations from harm.
If you are a survivor, remember that A Case for Justice is here to help you, not charge you. We never charge for our many services, and we are accessible to you throughout the entire process. Please get in touch with us when you’re ready, 24/7/365.
Contact Us Here in Strict Confidence
Sources
-
Tyler Kingkade, “Michigan children still placed in Sequel facilities after death,” NBC News, November 6, 2021.
-
Jan Eastgate, “The Kids Are Not Alright” Report Confirms Profit is Put Before Troubled Teens’ Mental Health & Safety,” Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR), February 21, 2022.
-
Staff, ‘I Wouldn’t Wish My Situation on Anybody’: Hundreds Say They Were Abused at Illinois Juvenile Detention Facilities,” Associated Press, September 24, 2024.
-
Ibid, Tyler Kingkade, NBC.
