Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Good thoughts being sent your way, Grace. Good for you, for taking action. Keep us updated on how it goes. BJ > > I am going to be writing a letter to the school district to dispute a > placement decision fr my 12 yr old son in a day treatment program (90 > minutes away) for behaviorally disordered kids (there is violent > behavior there, which shouldn't happen b/c I think a therapeutic > program would not let things escalate like that). At any rate it is > not correct for OCD and severe social anxety and my son's > psychiatrist thinks what we could call PDD thrown in (aspie/autistic > spectrum? Though it does not quite fit). > > The placement for which we underwent the IEP, for a small classromm > with non-acting-out type kids (some with OCD) was not offered in the > end, after all the time and evaluations. I suspect b/c they simply > did not have room, it takes only 6 children. > > So in looking for alternatives I found a learning center that is soon > to become certified as non-public school and they have a student > very smilar to my son and seem very accepting low-key and > knowledgeable, and work almost one-on-one with their kids, and close > parental involvement is welcomed. I'm going to ask for it as my > son's placment, listing the reasons why the other placement is > innapproriate along with a letter from our psychiatrist to back me > up. Maybe it won't be funded now, but once the facility becomes > certified that might change things (though the learning center does > have IEP placements from other districts-just not from ours which is > regarded as very unaccomodating that way). > > So just to update, and asking for good thoughts to back me up! > > nanct grace > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Good thoughts coming your way!! Now - has your son acted out at school or anything? Don't know why they are looking at day treatment if it's the same type program there as it is here. Perhaps because of availability of therapy type people?? Who knows! The kids I know in day treatment all have at-risk type behaviors at school. Good luck! > > I am going to be writing a letter to the school district to dispute a > placement decision fr my 12 yr old son in a day treatment program (90 > minutes away) for behaviorally disordered kids (there is violent > behavior there, which shouldn't happen b/c I think a therapeutic > program would not let things escalate like that). At any rate it is > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 My son has never once acted out, he has been described as compliant and sweet, however he did become, for the most, mute, and he did have some pacing, and he would sit hunched over his work not doing anything, sometimes with tears. We (school and I) actually did not work alot at accommodations or alternatives b/c at the time he was getting worse, I had the heart attacks (not related to him but maybe could have had something to do with the prior years stress of dealing with my daughter's life threatening eating-disorder-I still have no heart disease risk factors and had clear arteries, so continue to hope it was just a fluke) so I kind of let the ball drop in seeking accomodations and smoothing things over for him, he just stayed home, as I just had to be very stress free for a period of recovery. So he had homebound tutoring (did not work too well) and the school counselor suggested I initiate the IEP to get the small six-child classroom. Re the day treatment- they did offer the provision of daily therapy as one of the rationales for the day treatment placement, but I don't want him to receive daily and group therapy if it is not tailored to his more unique profile of needs. They also use the " points and levels " system for behavior modification which does does not strike me as appropriate for someone with avoidances due to OCD rather than for oppositionality. His psychiatrist agreed it would likely make his OCD worse and put that in her letter. They are just not qualified, imo, to work with kid with OCD and relatd spectrums. The small class (which we ended up not getting offered) would not be therapeutic, but would help him to accomplish some academics using his strengths and more tailored approach, and group him with some possible peers. I'd just as soom seek the therapay privately than rely on school-trained (?)staff. The other thing about day treatment is that thay have gang-related problems in the community/district where the day treatment is located (on same street as the county prison!) and that is another reason for out-of-school placements- kids who have been expelled or suspended. They have to be searched to enter the school premises, that would freak my son out. Most of the students are older b/c the placement is for 6th thru 12 th grades, however they say the younger and older kids are separated (it is just a row of trailers on concrete-no grass at all-which is another depressing factor) and they said my son would be separated from the acting-out kids. So to me that isolates him. I guess I have a long list of reasons why it is wrong and why they did not put enough thought into this but just needed to find him a placement. Maybe they thought I would just go along, but it seems obvious it is inappropriate and I would definitely homeschool rather then send him there. I'm sorry some parents probably do have to send thier kids there, it is just so obviously not a professional set-up. Thanks for your good luck wishes! nancy grace > > Good thoughts coming your way!! Now - has your son acted out at > school or anything? Don't know why they are looking at day treatment > if it's the same type program there as it is here. Perhaps because > of availability of therapy type people?? Who knows! The kids I > know in day treatment all have at-risk type behaviors at school. > > Good luck! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Hi , I add my good thoughts, and send you energy to help cope with this current situation, along with hugs too!!! It's really a problem we found to find appropriate environment for learning for these kids. They need support more than anything, and so often the places available have some seriously challenged kids with serious issues. Not exactly a helpful environment for someone with an anxiety disorder. I hope you are able to get the placement that is more suited in the other school. Fingers crossed for you. More Hugs! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 Doesn't sound very well thought out, Grace. Sounds downright scary. I hope they listen and work with you. Let us know how it goes. BJ -- In , " nmlinnen " wrote: > > My son has never once acted out, he has been described as compliant > and sweet, however he did become, for the most, mute, and he did have > some pacing, and he would sit hunched over his work not doing > anything, sometimes with tears. We (school and I) actually did not > work alot at accommodations or alternatives b/c at the time he was > getting worse, I had the heart attacks (not related to him but maybe > could have had something to do with the prior years stress of dealing > with my daughter's life threatening eating-disorder-I still have no > heart disease risk factors and had clear arteries, so continue to > hope it was just a fluke) so I kind of let the ball drop in seeking > accomodations and smoothing things over for him, he just stayed home, > as I just had to be very stress free for a period of recovery. So he > had homebound tutoring (did not work too well) and the school > counselor suggested I initiate the IEP to get the small six-child > classroom. > > Re the day treatment- they did offer the provision of daily therapy > as one of the rationales for the day treatment placement, but I don't > want him to receive daily and group therapy if it is not tailored to > his more unique profile of needs. They also use the " points and > levels " system for behavior modification which does does not strike > me as appropriate for someone with avoidances due to OCD rather than > for oppositionality. His psychiatrist agreed it would likely make his > OCD worse and put that in her letter. They are just not qualified, > imo, to work with kid with OCD and relatd spectrums. The small class > (which we ended up not getting offered) would not be therapeutic, but > would help him to accomplish some academics using his strengths and > more tailored approach, and group him with some possible peers. I'd > just as soom seek the therapay privately than rely on school-trained > (?)staff. > > The other thing about day treatment is that thay have gang-related > problems in the community/district where the day treatment is located > (on same street as the county prison!) and that is another reason for > out-of-school placements- kids who have been expelled or suspended. > They have to be searched to enter the school premises, that would > freak my son out. Most of the students are older b/c the placement is > for 6th thru 12 th grades, however they say the younger and older > kids are separated (it is just a row of trailers on concrete-no grass > at all-which is another depressing factor) and they said my son would > be separated from the acting-out kids. So to me that isolates him. I > guess I have a long list of reasons why it is wrong and why they did > not put enough thought into this but just needed to find him a > placement. Maybe they thought I would just go along, but it seems > obvious it is inappropriate and I would definitely homeschool rather > then send him there. I'm sorry some parents probably do have to send > thier kids there, it is just so obviously not a professional set-up. > Thanks for your good luck wishes! > > nancy grace > > > > > > > Good thoughts coming your way!! Now - has your son acted out at > > school or anything? Don't know why they are looking at day > treatment > > if it's the same type program there as it is here. Perhaps because > > of availability of therapy type people?? Who knows! The kids I > > know in day treatment all have at-risk type behaviors at school. > > > > Good luck! > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 , So sorry to hear about the district's decision! I agree whole-heartedly with you that this does not sound like a good placement for your son. In your challenge to the decision, it would be good to make it clear that your son is receiving appropriate therapy privately and therefore does no need the therapy they are offering. As you have pointed out, the therapy they offer is likely not appropriate for your son in any case. Do you have a student advocate already? If not, I can recommend an advocate we have worked with who is very experienced in working with kids with OCD and other mental health issues. She worked as an assessor for County Mental Health for years so knows the system very well. I'll be happy to provide her contact information if you contact me off line. Hugs to you and your son, Sinead ________________________________ To: Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 4:55:31 PM Subject: Re: school district My son has never once acted out, he has been described as compliant and sweet, however he did become, for the most, mute, and he did have some pacing, and he would sit hunched over his work not doing anything, sometimes with tears. We (school and I) actually did not work alot at accommodations or alternatives b/c at the time he was getting worse, I had the heart attacks (not related to him but maybe could have had something to do with the prior years stress of dealing with my daughter's life threatening eating-disorder- I still have no heart disease risk factors and had clear arteries, so continue to hope it was just a fluke) so I kind of let the ball drop in seeking accomodations and smoothing things over for him, he just stayed home, as I just had to be very stress free for a period of recovery. So he had homebound tutoring (did not work too well) and the school counselor suggested I initiate the IEP to get the small six-child classroom. Re the day treatment- they did offer the provision of daily therapy as one of the rationales for the day treatment placement, but I don't want him to receive daily and group therapy if it is not tailored to his more unique profile of needs. They also use the " points and levels " system for behavior modification which does does not strike me as appropriate for someone with avoidances due to OCD rather than for oppositionality. His psychiatrist agreed it would likely make his OCD worse and put that in her letter. They are just not qualified, imo, to work with kid with OCD and relatd spectrums. The small class (which we ended up not getting offered) would not be therapeutic, but would help him to accomplish some academics using his strengths and more tailored approach, and group him with some possible peers. I'd just as soom seek the therapay privately than rely on school-trained (?)staff. The other thing about day treatment is that thay have gang-related problems in the community/district where the day treatment is located (on same street as the county prison!) and that is another reason for out-of-school placements- kids who have been expelled or suspended. They have to be searched to enter the school premises, that would freak my son out. Most of the students are older b/c the placement is for 6th thru 12 th grades, however they say the younger and older kids are separated (it is just a row of trailers on concrete-no grass at all-which is another depressing factor) and they said my son would be separated from the acting-out kids. So to me that isolates him. I guess I have a long list of reasons why it is wrong and why they did not put enough thought into this but just needed to find him a placement. Maybe they thought I would just go along, but it seems obvious it is inappropriate and I would definitely homeschool rather then send him there. I'm sorry some parents probably do have to send thier kids there, it is just so obviously not a professional set-up. Thanks for your good luck wishes! nancy grace > > Good thoughts coming your way!! Now - has your son acted out at > school or anything? Don't know why they are looking at day treatment > if it's the same type program there as it is here. Perhaps because > of availability of therapy type people?? Who knows! The kids I > know in day treatment all have at-risk type behaviors at school. > > Good luck! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.