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Provo Canyon School

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Provo Canyon School
Location
Map
Boys' campus: 4501 North University Ave, Provo, Utah 84604
Girls' campus: 763 North 1650 West, Springville, Utah 84663-5066

Provo, Utah

Utah

United States
Information
Funding typePrivate
Religious affiliation
Nonsectarian
Founded1971[1]
FoundersRobert H. Crist, and Jack Williams
StatusClosed
ClosedAugust 16, 2026 (2026-08-16)
CategoryResidential Treatment Center[2]
CEEB code450320
NCES School ID
A0503514 [3]
AdministratorDave Campbell (girls campus)
Grades3 to 12
GenderMales and females
Age8[4] to 17
Capacity225 (combined)
LanguageEnglish
Schedule type
Daily bell class rotation
ScheduleMonday to Friday
Hours in school day
5.5
Campuses2
Campus type
Rural
AccreditationsThe Joint Commission, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and Cognia:
WebsiteOfficial website

Provo Canyon School (PCS) was a residential treatment center serving students from primary through secondary education in Utah, United States. Founded in 1971, the school provided residential treatment and educational services to children and adolescents with behavioral, emotional, and psychiatric needs. The institution operated campuses in Provo and Springville and was owned by Universal Health Services from 2000 until its closure in 2026.

On July 17th 2026, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services revoked the licenses of both campuses following investigations into the treatment and safety of residents. Due to its licenses being revoked, the facilities have shut down.[5][6]

History

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Establishment

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Provo Canyon School was established in 1971 by psychiatrist Robert H. Crist and Jack Williams and began operating in Mapleton, Utah as a residential treatment center for boys.

In February 2024, investigative filmmaker Robert Bliss posed as a mental health technician at PCS. He secretly recorded inside the facility using hidden camera glasses. UHS of Provo Canyon filed a federal lawsuit against Bliss for wiretapping and breach of confidentiality. Bliss invoked Utah's Anti-SLAPP law (the Uniform Protected Expression Protection Act or UPEPA), asserting a First Amendment right to report on matters of public concern.[7] However, that September, Bliss agreed to a permanent injunction, agreeing to give up the video footage and to not publish anything he recorded at PCS.[8][9]

In June 2026, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services imposed restrictions on the Provo campus following an investigation into an incident involving a minor resident.[10][11] Investigators found that staff had failed to protect the resident during a physical assault, delayed emergency medical treatment, and failed to respond adequately to previous safety concerns.[12] The Springville campus was ordered to cease services by August 6, while the Provo campus was ordered to cease services by August 16.[13]

2020

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In September 2020, Paris Hilton premiered her YouTube Originals documentary This Is Paris.[14] in which she attributes her chronic insomnia to post-traumatic stress disorder developed as a result of being sent to four different troubled teen industry programs: CEDU, Ascent Wilderness Program, Cascade school, and PCS. After escaping from the first three, she spent 11 months at PCS in the late 1990s.[15] Hilton reported that she and other students were physically and psychologically abused.[16][17] Hilton also alleged that students were administered medication without informed consent, subjected to physical restraint, transported to the facility by a youth transport firm, strip-searched upon arrival, and placed in a seclusion room.[18][19][20] On October 9, 2020, Hilton and other former students organized a silent protest outside the school.[21][22]

In October 2020, Kat Von D said that she had been sent to PCS as a teenager. She said that she had initially been expected to remain for three weeks but stayed for six months. Von D alleged that she witnessed students being forcibly medicated, sedated, isolated, and physically abused. Von D wrote that she could not "call them schools because they're not schools; they're fucking lockdown facilities". Von D said that she was "spared of the sexual abuse and the physical abuse" but "definitely saw" it happen.[23]

2023

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In March, a student fight injured three people, including a staff member who later died; police investigated whether the assault contributed to his death. In April, police investigated a reported sexual assault following a referral from the Division of Child and Family Services.[24]

2026

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On August 15, 2026, YouTuber Ben Schneider, known as Reckless Ben, published an undercover investigation of the residential treatment center. Schneider and a friend, Sheldon Norcross, entered the Provo campus while posing as a prospective student and employee.[25] Schneider, who was 30, posed as a 17-year-old prospective student whose father wanted him admitted because of his purported "gay thoughts". He was accepted, and the facility sought approximately $49,400 in tuition for his first month. Norcross succeeded in being hired as a mental health technician, despite having a criminal background that should have prevented him from passing a background check to be able to work with young people.[9] The video, filmed secretly on cameras the two smuggled in, shows clips of "staff telling new employees that they hold teenagers in physical restraints 250 to 300 times a month," as well as the alleged verbal and physical treatment, isolation, inadequate education, and poor food conditions at the facility.[9] Schneider left the facility after two days by climbing over a fence. Staff initially contacted his supposed father about outstanding tuition fees, later also reporting his disappearance.[9]

Governance

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PCS was a private, for-profit residential treatment center. It was owned by Universal Health Services from 2000 until its closure in 2026.[26]

On July 6, 2026, Utah Department of Health and Human Services announced that they had revoked the license for the residential treatment center, citing failure to maintain the health and safety of clients, for engaging in unnecessary restraint and aggressive physical contact with clients, failure to report critical incident occurrences within one day, failure to ensure clients were treated equally and failure to adequately train staff. The Springville campus was subsequently ordered to terminate all services by August 6, 2026.[27]

On July 17, 2026, Utah's DHHS announced it was revoking the license for its primary campus in Provo.[28] This was due to the facility failing to protect students from harm and abuse, for depriving students from water and rest, and for physical abuse. The facility terminated all services on August 16, 2026.[29]

On July 27, 2026, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Universal Health Services, which operated PCS, had filed appeals.[30]

On August 16, 2026, the PCS website began to display an "Open Letter to Our Community" detailing how they've ceased providing behavioral health services.[31][better source needed]

Curriculum

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Provo Canyon School provided year-round academic instruction to its residents. Its educational programs included special education, career counseling, and competitive sports. The school was accredited by the Northwest Accreditation Commission.[32]

Notable alumni

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  • Paris Hilton – media personality and businesswoman; at age 16, she attended PCS for 11 months and was released in early 1999, around the time she turned 18.[33][34][35][36]
  • Kat Von D – tattoo artist and television personality; at age 15, she attended PCS for six months in 1991.[37]
  • Benjamin Schneider – YouTuber and investigative content creator; at age 30, he attended PCS for two days in 2026 while posing as a 17-year-old student.[38][39]

Notable staff

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References

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  1. ↑ Caring for kids with special needs: Residential treatment programs for children and adolescents. Princeton, NJ: Peterson's. 1993. p. 446. ISBN 9781560791683.
  2. ↑ Levenson, Michael (July 7, 2026). "Utah Moves to Close Teen Treatment Center Accused of Abusing Girls". The New York Times. Retrieved 2026-08-31.
  3. ↑ "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Provo Canyon School". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
  4. ↑ Miller, Jessica (September 20, 2020). "Provo Canyon School's history of abuse accusations spans decades, far beyond Paris Hilton". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on 2022-12-31. Retrieved 2024-08-31. Kayla Smith was 8 years old when her parents, in coordination with her California school district, sent her to Utah in 2010.
  5. ↑ Tombs, Jeremy (July 31, 2026). "Families scramble to find alternatives after Provo Canyon School closes". FOX 13 Salt Lake City.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ Jones, Abigail; Hobson, Amelia (July 17, 2026). ""DHHS also revokes license of Provo Canyon School's Provo campus for failing to protect clients from harm and mistreatment"". cite news ABC4. Retrieved 2026-09-25.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ UHS of Provo Canyon, Inc. v. Bliss, 2024 WL 4279243 (U.S. District Court for the District of Utah September 24, 2024).
  8. ↑ "UHS of Provo Canyon v. Bliss, No. 2:2024cv00163 - Document 41 (D. Utah 2024)". Justia Law. Retrieved 2026-09-04.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Schreifels, Jessica (August 19, 2026). "YouTuber 'Reckless Ben' went undercover at Provo Canyon School. The program is now weighing action against him". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
  10. ↑ Loftin, Josh (June 18, 2026). "Strict conditions placed on Provo Canyon School license by Utah regulators". Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  11. ↑ Jones, Abigail; Trauntvein, Sorina (June 18, 2026). "'Strict conditions' placed on Provo 'troubled teen' facility after staff allegedly failed to report medical incidents". KTVX. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  12. ↑ Schreifels, Jessica (July 17, 2026). "Utah closes Provo Canyon School's original campus, saying it used abusive discipline, unnecessary restraints and humiliated kids". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  13. ↑ Hobson, Amelia (July 6, 2026). "DHHS revokes license of Provo Canyon School's Springville campus amid lawsuit over misconduct and neglect". KTVX. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  14. ↑ Kambasha, Michelle (September 15, 2020). "This Is Paris: Hilton documentary puts the reality in reality TV". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  15. ↑ Miller, Jessica (August 22, 2020). "Paris Hilton says she was abused while at Utah facility for 'troubled teens'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  16. ↑ Yasharoff, Hannah (December 10, 2020). "After alleging abuse at her old school, Paris Hilton isn't backing down". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  17. ↑ Nolan, Emma (January 19, 2022). "Paris Hilton Reveals 'Living Nightmare' of Provo Canyon School in Podcast". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2022-10-10. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  18. ↑ Leasca, Stacey (August 22, 2020). "Paris Hilton Breaks Silence Over Abuse She Claims She Experienced at Boarding School". Yahoo Life. Glamour. Archived from the original on 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  19. ↑ Kaufman, Amy (September 15, 2020). "Surviving abuse bonded Paris Hilton and these four women for life". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 2165-1736. OCLC 3638237. Archived from the original on 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2020-09-15. At Hilton's home in August 2019, the women spent 12 hours bonding over their PCS experiences. Lincicum recounted how, upon arrival, she'd been made to squat and cough "like a criminal hiding drugs in your vag." Because of prior sexual trauma, she refused, and said that employees then held her down and stripped her.
  20. ↑ Dunphey, Kyle (May 12, 2022). "After championing teen treatment reform in Utah, Paris Hilton meets with Congress to push for national oversight". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2022-10-10. Retrieved 2022-10-10. The bill, which was later passed unanimously, prevented treatment centers from using "cruel, severe, unusual, or unnecessary practice on a child" including strip searches or a body cavity search — routine exams for Hilton at the Provo Canyon School, she said.
  21. ↑ Mccombs, Brady; Whitehurst, Lindsay (October 9, 2020). "Paris Hilton protest calls for closure of Utah school". KSAT-TV. Associated Press. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  22. ↑ Corinthios, Aurelie (October 9, 2020). "Paris Hilton Planning Peaceful Protest of Utah School with Survivors of Alleged Abuse". People. Archived from the original on 2020-10-10. Retrieved 2020-10-10.
  23. ↑ Ushe, Naledi (October 6, 2020). "Kat Von D says she went to same 'tortuous' boarding school as Paris Hilton, suffered 'major PTSD'". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  24. ↑ Harkins, Paighten (May 16, 2024). "Provo Canyon School staffer died after campus assault — one of several recent police calls to Springville facility, records show". The Salt Lake Tribune. ISSN 0746-3502. Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  25. ↑ "Reckless Ben infiltrates school linked to Paris Hilton abuse allegations". The Express Tribune. August 16, 2026. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  26. ↑ Story, Louise (August 17, 2005). "A Business Built on the Troubles of Teenagers". The New York Times. ISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Archived from the original on 2023-03-25. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  27. ↑ Hobson, Amelia (July 6, 2026). "DHHS revokes license of Provo Canyon School's Springville campus amid lawsuit over misconduct, neglect". KTVX. Retrieved 2026-07-07.
  28. ↑ Mailloux, Mallory (July 17, 2026). "Utah officials shut down embattled Provo residential treatment facility". Deseret News. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  29. ↑ Jones, Abigail (June 17, 2026). "DHHS also revokes license of Provo Canyon School's Provo campus for failing to protect clients from harm and mistreatment". Yahoo News: KTVX Salt Lake City. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  30. ↑ Schreifels, Jessica (July 27, 2026). "Controversial Provo Canyon School is fighting to stay open". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  31. ↑ "provocanyon.com". Retrieved 2026-08-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ↑ Scribner, Herb (August 24, 2020). "Paris Hilton says she was abused at a Utah school when she was a teenager". Deseret News. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  33. ↑ Schreifels, Jessica Miller (August 22, 2020). "Paris Hilton says she was abused while at Utah facility for 'troubled teens'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  34. ↑ Roberto, Melissa (August 22, 2020). "Paris Hilton details alleged abuse at Utah boarding school for the first time: 'Continuous torture'". Fox News. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  35. ↑ Knutson, Jeff (December 7, 2003). "The Real News – Paris Hilton: I need a disguise". University of Illinois Chicago Flame. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  36. ↑ "Paris Hilton's teen lover threatens to expose their love letters". Thiandian News. November 15, 2007. Archived from the original on 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  37. ↑ Krause, Amanda (October 5, 2020). "Kat Von D says she was 'kidnapped and locked up' at the same boarding school Paris Hilton attended". Business Insider. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  38. ↑ Severino, Ericka (August 19, 2026). "Reckless Ben Infiltrates Celebrity Teen Rehab Facility and Exposes Illegal Practices, Causing It To Shut Down". Fashion times. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  39. ↑ AOL (August 17, 2026). "YouTuber Reckless Ben goes undercover to expose school linked to Paris Hilton's abuse allegations - AOL". AOL. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  40. ↑ "Key to His School's Success? Its God, Founder Says". The Los Angeles Times. July 13, 2003. p. 21. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
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40°10′40″N 111°38′21″W / 40.17778°N 111.63917°W / 40.17778; -111.63917

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