Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus
10/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/25/2024 13:33
Pennsylvania to Terminate Contract with Kooth, Says Scialabba
Oct. 25, 2024
HARRISBURG - Rep. Stephenie Scialabba (R-Butler) announced the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is terminating its contract with Kooth, a London-based online platform that claims to offer mental health treatment to school-aged children in Pennsylvania without parental knowledge, involvement or consent.
The termination comes early, with the department citing its ability to "terminate … if the Commonwealth determines termination to be in its best interest." The contract was originally set to expire on June 30, 2025, with the possibility of a renewal.
A major concern Scialabba has cited is the fact that alleged mental health counselors on the platform do not provide their real names, instead going by names such as "pigeon" or "sparrow" with associated pronouns, and thereby preventing anyone from checking their credentials. Scialabba added there is no age or identity verification required for access to the platform, and there are documented instances where middle-aged adults could speak to children who are 14 years of age, unbeknownst to parents and guardians. Scialabba describes the platform as a predatory platform on a variety of levels.
"This revelation is a significant win for Pennsylvania's parents," said Scialabba. "They serve as the nucleus and foundation of a family. When children displayed concerning behavior within Kooth's chat space, the child's school was notified instead of parents. As a mother, it became abundantly clear that this obscure practice was both alarming and ill-advised. Anytime sensitive discussions take place about topics such as suicide or gender ideology, parents need to be front and center to have these talks with their children. Thanks to the outcry and outrage, Kooth will no longer be a threat to our children or parental rights in the state of Pennsylvania. I am very thrilled to see this come to fruition."
In 2022, Pennsylvania became the first state in the country to award a statewide $3 million contract to Kooth. As a champion of parental rights, Scialabba introduced House Bill 1804 to require school districts to notify parents if they intend to enter a contract with Kooth; mandate specific, informed parental consent for their child to access the platform; share the records with the parents without requiring a Right-to-Know request; and permit parents to sit in the room with their child while using it.
The company, which located one of its headquarters in the borough of Forty Fort in Luzerne County, provided its services to 30 school districts in the Commonwealth.
The termination will go into effect on Saturday, Nov. 16. According to DHS, all unused funds will be returned to the state.
Editor's note: Kooth is also being investigated in California. The story can be accessed here.
Representative Stephenie Scialabba
12th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Nate Temple
717-260-6396
[email protected]
repscialabba.com/ / facebook.com/StateRepSS
The termination comes early, with the department citing its ability to "terminate … if the Commonwealth determines termination to be in its best interest." The contract was originally set to expire on June 30, 2025, with the possibility of a renewal.
A major concern Scialabba has cited is the fact that alleged mental health counselors on the platform do not provide their real names, instead going by names such as "pigeon" or "sparrow" with associated pronouns, and thereby preventing anyone from checking their credentials. Scialabba added there is no age or identity verification required for access to the platform, and there are documented instances where middle-aged adults could speak to children who are 14 years of age, unbeknownst to parents and guardians. Scialabba describes the platform as a predatory platform on a variety of levels.
"This revelation is a significant win for Pennsylvania's parents," said Scialabba. "They serve as the nucleus and foundation of a family. When children displayed concerning behavior within Kooth's chat space, the child's school was notified instead of parents. As a mother, it became abundantly clear that this obscure practice was both alarming and ill-advised. Anytime sensitive discussions take place about topics such as suicide or gender ideology, parents need to be front and center to have these talks with their children. Thanks to the outcry and outrage, Kooth will no longer be a threat to our children or parental rights in the state of Pennsylvania. I am very thrilled to see this come to fruition."
In 2022, Pennsylvania became the first state in the country to award a statewide $3 million contract to Kooth. As a champion of parental rights, Scialabba introduced House Bill 1804 to require school districts to notify parents if they intend to enter a contract with Kooth; mandate specific, informed parental consent for their child to access the platform; share the records with the parents without requiring a Right-to-Know request; and permit parents to sit in the room with their child while using it.
The company, which located one of its headquarters in the borough of Forty Fort in Luzerne County, provided its services to 30 school districts in the Commonwealth.
The termination will go into effect on Saturday, Nov. 16. According to DHS, all unused funds will be returned to the state.
Editor's note: Kooth is also being investigated in California. The story can be accessed here.
Representative Stephenie Scialabba
12th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Nate Temple
717-260-6396
[email protected]
repscialabba.com/ / facebook.com/StateRepSS
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