From Inside Edition.

Late last year, Disability Law Colorado took the rare step of publicly reporting that they found dangerous and abusive conditions for children and teens at Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center.

Disability Law is an advocate, empowered by federal laws, for the mentally and physically disabled. Southern Peaks provides intensive mental health services for children and teens who suffer severe psychiatric disabilities and trauma, according to its website.

The agency’s report chronicled multiple inspections, and extensive interviews with children, parents and court-appointed guardians. It contains numerous allegations of excessive force being used against young patients, unsafe living conditions, and only sporadic mental health treatment.

At Southern Peaks, children reported being told, “You’re a piece of crap.” One boy said he was told to “go kill myself.”

Parents and advocates say Southern Peaks runs like a prison instead of a treatment center.

"Children have gone as far as cutting themselves, drinking cleaning fluid and hanging themselves from trees" to get out of Southern Peaks, the report says.

Inside Edition Digital’s Deborah Hastings spoke to parents and advocates about the complaints against Southern Peaks.