As a 15-year-old, struggling with severe bullying, ADHD, adoption trauma, and undiagnosed autism, Meg became one of the unfortunate 120,000–200,000 youths who are funneled into the lucrative Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) every year. Over the next 3.5 years Meg was abused in two separate facilities that masqueraded as “treatment”.  Over two decades later, Meg Appelgate has evolved into an advocate, activist and passionate...

Unsilenced is a non profit organization that serves past, present, and future victims of institutional child abuse. One of the largest culprits of this abuse is the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), a network of unregulated and powerful congregate care facilities that claim to reform youth struggling with mental health or educational challenges. Instead of providing therapeutic services and education to at-risk youth, many young...