Saturday, February 06, 1988Rehab Program Cited For 56 Violations A drug-rehabilitation program for teens might have taken its get-tough theory too far. KIDS of El Paso County Inc. will be forced to close its doors April 12 unless they correct 56 violations cited by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, said ***, legal counsel for the Austin-based agency. KIDS of El Paso is a program styled after Alcoholic Anonymous that treats young people with drug and alcohol problems. It also offers treatment to those with eating and behavioral problems. The 2-year-old program has been the target of criticism because of its so-called harsh techniques. At least six teens ran from the program last year. The board of inquiry of the state licensing agency recently completed a nearly year-long investigation of complaints made by a local attorney and former clients of the program. The program's deficiencies, *** said, were in the areas of abuse and neglect of' clients and in the program’s admission and discharge policies. "The only action we (commission) can take is licensing action, but we want to give the program a chance to come into compliance with all 56 violations," she said. The directors of the program *** and *** did not return telephone calls made by the *** on Friday. ***, founder, president and clinic director of KIDS Centers of America Inc., said the program is designed to be tough on substance abusers. *** was in El Paso two months ago. He discounted complaints made by some former clients of the program that many youths were kept in the program against their will. "The program is tough, but it is not designed to by punitive," he said. ***, a local attorney, filed several complaints in March 1987 with the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. *** alleged clients were physically and emotionally abused. "It's unfortunate it took 11 months to get to this stage, but it shows that the system, although slow, is inevitable," *** said. "Everyone is in favor of helping kids with drug problems provided they are treated in a humane and enlightened manner and not in a manner consistent with medieval times," *** said. ***, 18, has told the *** he felt "trapped" during the 13 months he was in the program. He said teens in the program are stripped of their clothes and forced to sleep on the floor. "We were encouraged to scream obscenities at each other . . . . If you don't comply or if you rebel - you are thrown to the ground and restrained."