Facility profile California
Behavior Research Institute
Behavior Research Institute was a residential treatment center in Sunland, California. It operated from 1977 to 1986.
Lawsuits
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Corbett v. Regional Center of the East Bay, Inc.
Plaintiffs filed an action under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act to protect a minor's educational placement and funding at a residential facility. The Department of Social Services sought clarification on whether a preliminary injunction prevented them from pursuing a license revocation action against the facility. The court ruled that state licensing authorities may proceed in good faith with license revocation proceedings under state law, provided the actions are not used as a ruse to alter the student's placement in violation of federal law.
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Corbett v. Regional Center for the East Bay, Inc.
Plaintiffs sought a preliminary injunction to prevent a community agency and state department from unilaterally terminating funding and changing the residential and educational placement of their handicapped son at a behavioral research facility. The defendants had acted to relocate the youth due to concerns regarding safety and the use of restraints following medical incidents. The court evaluated whether it had jurisdiction under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act to regulate non-educational agencies providing related services and ultimately denied the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction.
News coverage
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Former student speaks out against electric shock devices used at Mass. facility
A former resident of a Massachusetts residential treatment facility reported the use of electric shock devices on youths at the program. The account describes the devices as a form of physical restraint employed by staff members.
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Judge Rotenberg Center has history on its side as FDA looks to ban electric shock therapy
A lawsuit was filed against Foster Development Agency alleging a history of abuse and safety violations at its group home in Boston. The complaint cites incidents of physical restraint and seclusion used by staff. The case seeks accountability and reforms to protect residents.
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Patrick fights Rotenberg shock therapy decree
The state of Massachusetts filed a motion to challenge a 1987 settlement that allows the Judge Rotenberg Center to use electric shock therapy on residents with developmental disorders. The motion argues that the practice is no longer consistent with contemporary medical standards and seeks to bring the facility under state regulatory oversight. The Center maintains that the shocks are used to prevent self‑harm and aggression, while disability advocates and former patients call the treatment a form of torture.
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After a Troubled Past, Autistic Home Reopens
The article reports on the reopening of the Behavior Research Institute, a facility for autistic children that has faced longstanding allegations of aversive therapy, including physical punishment and restraint. It details state investigations, a death of a resident, and subsequent licensing conditions imposed to restrict punitive practices. The piece presents the facility’s perspective on its methods while noting ongoing scrutiny from state officials and advocacy groups.
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Closed After Northridge Fire : Autistic Youth Institute to Reopen--in Sunland
The Behavior Research Institute, a residential center for autistic youth, was closed after an arson fire in April 1986 and is slated to reopen at a new Sunland location. State officials approved a provisional license, restoring state funding, while an ex‑employee was arrested on multiple charges related to the fire. The institute has announced that all physical punishments have been discontinued.
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DISCIPLINE RULING AT AUTISM FACILITY
A court issued a ruling concerning disciplinary practices at an autism treatment facility in New York. The decision addressed the facility's use of restraints and the oversight responsibilities of state regulators.
1 more article
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SCHOOL'S USE OF PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT AS THERAPY IS CHALLENGED
A legal challenge has been filed against a private therapeutic school that employed physical punishment as a form of treatment. The lawsuit alleges that the school's practices violated state regulations and posed safety risks to the children enrolled.