The state of Utah has revoked the license of a boarding school where celebrity Paris Hilton has stated she experienced abuse as a teenager. The action, which took effect Monday, was taken because the Provo Canyon School's Springville campus "failed to provide applicable health and safety services for clients."
The state's decision cites multiple noncompliance issues dating back to 2025. These include failure to maintain adequate staff-to-client ratios, improper use of restraint and aggressive physical contact with a client, neglect of care, and insufficient verification of employee information and background checks.
In May, state health officials imposed temporary restrictions on the school, noting that staff allegedly did not seek immediate medical attention for a student with serious injuries. The school has 15 days to request a hearing.
Hilton, who spent nearly a year at the school in the late 1990s, has publicly shared allegations of abuse, including physical beatings, being monitored while showering, forced medication, and solitary confinement. She stated that the state's action confirms "what survivors have known all along: Provo Canyon School failed the children in its care."
"Today, children still inside that facility know someone is finally coming to protect them," Hilton said in a statement.
Utah has been identified as a hub for the "troubled teen industry," a network of private, for-profit residential facilities for adolescents with behavioral issues. Hilton has testified before Congress and state legislatures across the U.S., advocating for laws to protect teenagers, which have been enacted in Utah and 15 other states.
According to the state's letter, all services at the Springville campus must cease by August 6. The school is under new ownership, and its current administration has stated it cannot comment on events that occurred prior to the ownership change, including Hilton's experiences.
In June, Hilton attended an event at the school to support families who have filed lawsuits alleging mistreatment of their children.
Provo Canyon School did not immediately respond to a request for comment.