SPRINGVILLE, Utah -- SPRINGVILLE, Utah (AP) - Paris Hilton went back on Monday to the Utah boarding school where she reported abuse as a teenager, marking another point in her extended push for changes in what is often called the troubled teen industry.

This visit saw Hilton voicing support for two families who launched lawsuits on Monday claiming their children faced mistreatment at Provo Canyon School, the same site where Hilton stayed for nearly a year in the late 1990s. The hotel heiress and media personality claims staff beat her, observed her in the shower, administered unknown medications and confined her naked in isolation.

“I dreamed of becoming strong enough, successful enough and powerful enough to come back and be the hero that I needed when I was a little girl locked inside,” Hilton said. “Today is that day, and I am not backing down.”

The school operates under fresh ownership now, and leaders have noted they cannot address events prior to the ownership shift, including Hilton's stay.

Hilton, 45, urged Utah regulators to close the school. She has shared her story before Congress and state lawmakers nationwide, aiding the passage of protections for teens in Utah and 15 other states. Utah has maintained a major presence in the troubled teen industry, a system of private residential centers for youth with behavioral concerns.

State health regulators placed temporary limits on Provo Canyon School in May, citing failure to obtain prompt medical help for a student with serious harm. The limits, which bar new admissions, are due to conclude on Thursday.

Aleah Corona, mother of the harmed student, claimed in the Monday lawsuit that the school failed to assist the 13-year-old right away after another resident struck his head on the floor. The boy suffered a broken jaw and brain trauma, she stated. A second family claimed their daughter endured intense stomach pain and nausea for over a week before proper care was sought, leading to kidney failure per their lawsuit.

The school noted it cannot discuss individual cases because of privacy rules.

“At Provo Canyon School, the safety, dignity, and well-being of those entrusted to our care are our highest priorities,” the school said in a statement.

Hilton walked toward the Springville campus with her middle fingers raised, informing The Associated Press she would not allow intimidation from a site where she once feared for her life daily.

She cautioned that parents, including her own, may be swayed by deceptive promotions that present such facilities as secure.

“These places really just prey on parents who are just looking for help for their children,” Hilton said. “I wasn't a bad kid, I was just sneaking out at night, getting bad grades. I had ADHD, so I wasn't doing well in school, but this was definitely not the place that I should've been sent. My parents had no idea.”