MO lawmakers recommend changes to end ‘cycle of abuse’ at unlicensed reform schools

Saying the measures are “meant to end the cycle of abuse,” a Missouri House committee released recommendations Thursday aimed at protecting children in the state’s unlicensed boarding schools.

The recommendations come less than two weeks after the Children and Families Committee heard testimony on abuse allegations from former students at the Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch in southwest Missouri, which is under investigation. State officials told the committee that Missouri has no oversight of facilities that claim a religious exemption to a decades-old licensing law.

That testimony led committee members “to conclude that Missouri has numerous facilities that have abused vulnerable children in their care with no state oversight for many years,” a news release from the Missouri House of Representatives said.

“The lack of oversight and enforcement has sent a terrible message that nobody cares about these vulnerable young people,” said Rep. Sheila Solon, R-St. Joseph, the committee chairwoman. “As lawmakers, it is our duty to do all we can to protect them and to take every step possible to ensure more children do not suffer similar abuse.”

Legislators expect to file proposed legislation in December to be considered when the General Assembly convenes in January.

“This is going to have some good momentum,” Solon told The Star.

The recommendations include requiring unlicensed Missouri facilities that care for children away from their homes — many who are from across the country — to submit a one-time registration with the Department of Social Services.

That process would include proof that fingerprint background checks were conducted on all operators, employees and volunteers. Failure to conduct background checks should result in misdemeanor charges and administrative penalties for operators of those facilities, according to the recommendations.

The committee also recommended that DSS maintain a report or public website where people can check on all facilities and find any substantiated abuse and neglect reports or other criminal complaints. And the committee said a facility that accumulates three substantiated child abuse and neglect reports should have its registration revoked and children removed.

Solon said in the news release that the committee endorsed the recommendations, which represent “common sense reforms that can and will protect the children who have been forgotten and neglected by our system.”

Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, called for last week’s hearing after reading The Star’s coverage of abuse allegations at Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch in September. Another report, detailing allegations at nearby Agape Boarding School for boys, was published Nov. 8.

Ingle, a former social worker with Missouri’s Children’s Division, submitted several letters of testimony to committee members from former students of Agape and Circle of Hope.

“This is how good policy and good legislation is crafted,” Ingle said Thursday. “By listening to all of the stakeholders, which is exactly what we did.

“I think we’re going to be able to really make substantial change, which we all should be aiming for.”

Amanda Householder, the estranged daughter of Circle of Hope owners Boyd and Stephanie Householder, has been leading the effort to expose abuse inside Missouri’s unlicensed faith-based boarding schools.

“This makes me so happy. It’s a step in the right direction,” she told The Star on Thursday. “I honestly never thought we’d see this day come, but here we are and I can’t even put it into words how happy I am we got Missouri to hear us and help us ensure Circle of Hope won’t be repeated.”

On Tuesday, the Cedar County prosecuting attorney said the Missouri Attorney General’s office will now help him in the Circle of Hope investigation and “prosecution of possible charges.” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson directed that move after hearing from prosecutor Ty Gaither late last week.

The Star began looking into Circle of Hope this past summer after authorities said they removed 25 girls from the ranch in mid-August. The Star’s investigation found that DSS had substantiated four reports of abuse since the faith-based boarding school opened in 2006.

One report was for neglect, another for physical abuse and neglect, and two were sexual abuse allegations. The Householders have denied that those incidents occurred and are fighting the allegations in court.

In making its recommendations, the House Children and Families Committee said it was careful to balance “the need to protect children and freedom for parents and religious teaching.”

“The committee also strongly believes that no Missouri governmental entity should interfere with a parent’s right to place a child with an organization that shares their same desire in program requirements, curriculum, personnel, ministry, teaching, instruction, or enrollment,” it said.

Ingle spoke with many former students from Circle of Hope and Agape. Reading their stories in The Star and their shared letters of testimony helped committee members realize why change was needed, she said.

“It was important for everyone on the committee to understand the scope of the problem and that it was systemic and not an isolated event,” she said.

Ingle said she knows it was difficult for these former students to speak out.

“It wasn’t just them coming out with their stories and revisiting all of the trauma they endured,” Ingle said. “But they are doing it so it doesn’t happen to someone else. … The courage they’ve shown in putting future generations and other people ahead of themselves is commendable.

“They should be very, very proud of themselves. I know that I am.”

This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 11:42 AM.