The state of Utah has revoked the license of the Provo Canyon School, a boarding facility where socialite Paris Hilton has spoken about experiencing abuse as a teenager. The state’s action, effective Monday, cites the school’s failure to “provide applicable health and safety services for clients.”
The decision by the state’s Department of Health & Human Services follows a series of noncompliance issues identified at the school’s campus in Springville. These citations, some dating back to 2025, include inadequate staff-to-client ratios, improper restraint and physical contact with a client, neglect of care, and insufficient verification of employee information and background checks for applicants. In May, state health officials imposed temporary restrictions after reporting that staff did not seek immediate medical attention for an injured student.
Provo Canyon School has 15 days to request a hearing before the department. The state has mandated that all services at the campus must cease by August 6.
Hilton, who spent nearly a year at the school in the late 1990s, has been a vocal advocate for reform in the “troubled teen industry,” a network of for-profit residential centers for adolescents with behavioral issues. Utah has historically played a significant role in this industry. She alleges that staff members at the school subjected her to physical abuse, inappropriate surveillance, and solitary confinement.
"For more than fifty years, children came forward with stories of abuse, neglect, and trauma,” Hilton said in a statement. “Today, the state confirmed what survivors have known all along: Provo Canyon School failed the children in its care."
Hilton has testified before Congress and state legislatures, contributing to the passage of protective laws in Utah and 15 other states. In June, she attended the school to support families who had filed lawsuits alleging mistreatment of their children.
The school is currently under new ownership. Its administration has stated that it cannot comment on incidents occurring prior to the ownership change, including Hilton's experiences.
Provo Canyon School is described on its website as a psychiatric residential treatment facility for individuals aged 12 to 18. The school did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.