disAbility Law Center of Virginia Sues Hallmark Youthcare for Violating Federal Law
Media Contact
Colleen Miller, Executive Director
Colleen.Miller@dLCV.org | (804) 225-2042
Richmond, VA — Following ten days of turbulence, the disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV) filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of Virginia on Wednesday to hold Hallmark Youthcare accountable for violating federal law and skirting accountability.
On July 5, 2026, 8 girls eloped from Hallmark Youthcare, a Psychiatric Treatment Facility for children in Goochland County. While those girls were quickly brought back to the facility, 5 more children escaped the very next day. News reporting and incident reports coming from the facility point to a clear reason—the kids at Hallmark do not feel safe.
Just three days after the second elopement, dLCV staff went to Hallmark Youthcare to assess the facility and speak to these children about their care and treatment. Despite having the federal authority to do just this, Hallmark Youthcare’s CEO, Elyssia Stratton, turned dLCV staff away. Ms. Stratton assured dLCV that they would give us their reasons for denying the visit in writing within 24 hours. That follow-up never came.
dLCV made numerous attempts to follow up with Hallmark Youthcare to arrange a visit and interviews with the affected children. However, the facility remained silent, and in violation of dLCV’s federal access authority. On July 15th, dLCV took definitive steps to hold Hallmark accountable for these violations by filing a lawsuit.
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“It is incredible that these facilities will pay hundreds of dollars in attorney’s fees but won’t pay $15 an hour for staff to supervise these kids,” said Colleen Miller, dLCV’s Executive Director. “All they had to do was let us in the door to talk to these children and find out why they were so scared.”
About the disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV):
The dLCV is the Commonwealth’s Protection and Advocacy Program, tasked with providing a wide range of services to Virginians with disabilities. dLCV’s is to advance independence, choice and self-determination; protect legal, human and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect and discrimination of people with disabilities through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation.
Identifying client information in public report has been edited for privacy and confidentiality purposes.