Provo Canyon School

Overview

Provo Canyon School is a private residential treatment program for adolescents historically operated in Provo and Springville, Utah. Since its founding in 1971, former students, journalists, and advocates have reported patterns of forced medication, isolation, physical restraints, and other mistreatment. Celebrity survivor Paris Hilton has publicly described abuse she says she experienced there as a teenager.

What happened

Public reporting and survivor accounts describe coercive “troubled teen” practices, including allegations of physical and psychological abuse and delayed medical care. In June 2026, Utah’s Disability Law Center complained to state regulators about conditions at both campuses. State investigators later cited failures to protect clients from harm, unnecessary restraints, and failures to report critical incidents as required.

Outcome / status

In July 2026, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services revoked the Springville campus license and ordered services terminated (reported deadline August 6, 2026). Regulators later also revoked the Provo campus license (reported termination deadline August 16, 2026). Civil lawsuits alleging neglect and delayed care have also been reported; treat unsettled claims as allegations, not proven outcomes.

Sources

Read more from these public sources:

This page summarizes publicly reported facts for context. It is not a legal filing or verdict summary.