Paris Hilton has celebrated after Utah regulators revoked the licence of Provo Canyon School's Springville campus, a teen behavioural treatment facility she has long criticised over abuse allegations from her time there as a teenager. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services said the campus must end services by 6 August 2026 and is barred from accepting new enrolments, following findings tied to health and safety failures.
I’ve been waiting years to write this. The place that hurt me, and countless children before and after me, will no longer be allowed to operate. The children inside are going to be removed 🥹The dream I’ve had to protect future generations from the abuse I endured is finally… https://t.co/ZpWH4xO0dY
— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) July 7, 2026
The media personality, entrepreneur and This Is Paris documentary subject reacted on X after the decision, writing: 'I've been waiting years to write this. The place that hurt me, and countless children before and after me, will no longer be allowed to operate.' She added that 'the children inside are going to be removed' and said her dream of protecting future generations from the abuse she endured 'is finally happening'.
Paris Hilton Marks a Survivor Victory
Hilton has become one of the most recognisable voices calling for reform in the so-called troubled teen industry after speaking publicly about her experience at Provo Canyon School in the late 1990s. In her 2020 documentary This Is Paris, she alleged she was subjected to physical, emotional and psychological abuse while enrolled at the facility. Her advocacy later expanded into legislative campaigning, public testimony and survivor-led calls for stronger oversight of youth residential programmes.
In a statement after the licence revocation, Hilton said: 'For more than 50 years, children came forward with stories of abuse, neglect and trauma.' She added: 'The state confirmed what survivors have known all along: Provo Canyon School failed the children in its care.' Hilton also said 'the little girl in me who was told she would never be believed' felt validated by the decision.
The state action follows a series of regulatory findings involving the Springville campus, with officials citing 'chronic, ongoing noncompliance' with applicable rules and requirements. According to state reporting, the concerns included staff-to-client ratio issues, unnecessary restraint, aggressive physical contact, neglect of care and background-check problems dating back to 2025. A separate Provo campus remains licensed but has conditions placed on it, which makes the Springville licence decision a targeted regulatory move rather than a full closure of every facility under the Provo Canyon School name.
Utah Orders Campus To End Services
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services said Provo Canyon School's Springville campus has 15 days to request an administrative hearing. If the revocation stands, the campus cannot apply for a new licence for five years. Officials said the facility will remain open until the August deadline to allow families and guardians time to move children safely, rather than forcing an immediate closure without placements arranged.
Before the revocation, Utah regulators had already placed immediate conditions on another Provo Canyon School licence following a May 2026 incident that investigators said revealed severe safety failures. The department said staff failed to protect a minor resident during a physical assault and delayed emergency medical care by contacting a non-medical transport company instead of calling 911. Division of Licensing and Background Checks Director Shannon Thoman-Black said at the time: 'No child should ever be harmed in programs meant to protect them.'
Provo Canyon School's executive director Tim Marshall said the school disagreed with the state's decision and was reviewing its options. 'We disagree with the state's decision to revoke Provo Canyon School's Springville Campus license and are evaluating all available legal and administrative options, including an appeal', he said in a written statement. He added that the school's priority remains 'providing safe, high-quality care and support for adolescents and their families'.
Supporters Praise Hilton's Advocacy
Respect to you Ms Paris....All these years later and you've remained committed to speaking out about your experience and trying to help others/prevent others from also being harmed. 🙏🏻🤍 that takes courage. pic.twitter.com/1xbuxwA982
— 🩺traumanurse🏥 (@rnsian8) July 7, 2026
Online, Hilton's post quickly became a rallying point for supporters who framed the licence revocation as a hard-won advocacy milestone. One fan wrote: 'Your documentary on this was so emotional! Congratulations on this, just goes to show change can happen!' Another said: 'Your story and impact was so important for this, thank you, Paris.' Hilton reposted several supportive messages, amplifying the sense that the decision was being received as a survivor-led victory.
Others praised the long-term impact of Hilton's public campaign. One commenter wrote: 'This is amazing! I'm so proud of you, your inner child, and the legacy you've created.' Another added: 'There's nothing more noble than protecting children. Well done.' A separate supporter said Hilton's 'voice, power, and the family you created' had helped make the world safer for 'voiceless children'.
For Hilton, the moment lands years after she turned personal trauma into public advocacy. Her reality TV fame, business empire and pop culture visibility once made her one of the most photographed women in the world, but this chapter has recast her platform around institutional accountability. As the Springville campus faces its August deadline, Hilton's message to survivors was clear: silence did not win.
