A quick warning before we start the show.

This episode contains descriptions of mental and physical abuse.

Hi, I'm Jonathan K. Parton, welcome to K-PART.

Each year, thousands of young people are sent to congregate care settings to address behavioral

concerns or to receive psychiatric support.

Advertised as a solution for troubled teens, these facilities have become fraught with

abuse and mistreatment.

But the inattention to that mistreatment ended when Paris Hilton, who endured abuse at

four such facilities, went public, including at a congressional hearing on October 20th.

In this conversation, first recorded on October 21st for Washington Post Live, Hilton described

what she endured.

I was cut off from outside world, I couldn't tell my family because anytime I tried to

say anything on the phone, they would hang up and I would get punished.

It was the most traumatizing experience I've ever went through in my life and to this day

I have severe PTSD because of it.

Hilton is joined by advocate Caroline Cole and California Congressman Row Conna.

This unlikely trio talks about how they came to work together with the express goal of

bringing oversight and accountability where there is none.

Caroline Cole, Paris Hilton, Congressman Row Conna, welcome to Washington Post Live.

Thank you for having us.

Paris, let me start with you.

You went public with your abuse at Provo Canyon School in your documentary, This is Paris,

...