Utah Revokes Provo Canyon School License Over Abuse Allegations

Utah has revoked the license of Provo Canyon School, a boarding facility where socialite Paris Hilton alleged she was abused as a teenager. The state's action, effective Monday, cites multiple noncompliance issues at the school's Springville campus.

The violations include failing to increase staff-to-client ratios, unnecessary restraint and aggressive physical contact with clients, neglecting care, and not verifying employee information or submitting background checks for applicants in a timely manner. State health officials had imposed temporary restrictions on the school in May after staff failed to seek immediate medical care for a student with serious injuries.

Hilton, who spent nearly a year at the school in the late 1990s, has been vocal about her experiences there. She alleges that staff members beat her, watched her shower, fed her unknown pills, and locked her in solitary confinement without clothing. Hilton has testified about her experiences in Congress and state legislatures around the U.S., helping pass laws to protect teens in Utah and 15 other states.

The school must terminate all services by August 6 and has 15 days to request a hearing before the Department of Health & Human Services. The facility is under new ownership, and the current administration has stated it cannot comment on incidents that occurred before the change, including Hilton's time there. In June, Hilton returned to the school to support two families who filed lawsuits alleging their children were mistreated at Provo Canyon.

Hilton released a statement celebrating the state's action, saying 'For more than fifty years, children came forward with stories of abuse, neglect, and trauma. Today, the state confirmed what survivors have known all along: Provo Canyon School failed the children in its care.' She emphasized her personal experience, stating, 'I was one of those children. I know what it feels like to cry for help and believe no one is coming. Today, children still inside that facility know someone is finally coming to protect them.'

Provo Canyon School has stated they disagree with the state's decision and are evaluating all available legal and administrative options, including an appeal. Shannon Thoman-Black, director of the division of licensing and background checks at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, said during a media briefing that the facility must close by Aug. 6. She also noted that the owners 'may not reapply for a new license for five years,' and the department continues to 'conduct weekly inspections and monitor for rule compliance.'