At the start of this year, the Missoulian published a series of stories looking at issues at more than a dozen residential schools in the state.

After reviewing board records, the newspaper found cases where unlicensed counselors cared for children with serious mental, emotional and physical needs; claims of grooming and sexual abuse; and more. Most of the programs are for-profit operations that charge as much as $100,000 per year.

Of nearly 60 complaints about programs made to the board over a dozen years, none resulted in any significant consequences.

Sands said Tuesday the Legislature failed to properly regulate the programs more than a decade ago when it set up the board because a lawmaker was involved with one of the schools.

"Because a member of the Legislature was running one of these facilities, they agreed to allow them to create a private board on their own to regulate," Sands said. "It has not worked well. It has been ineffective in regulating itself."

The health department already licenses and inspects about 72 youth programs around Montana around the state, Sands said, making the change a better fit.