Residential Placement

A couple approached me about their son. It seems that the school has decided that the child needs residential placement. Their solution is to have their police give the boy "tickets" and send him to jail. That would certainly be a residential placement but it would not be an appropriate placement for a teenager who is severely emotionally disturbed and mentally retarded with autistic tendencies. I met with the boy. He does not make eye contact. He is very slow. His parents want their child to receive an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. And, that's the law. We've requested an A.R.D. meeting but, so far, the school has not responded. We will probably end up filing for a Due Process Hearing in a week or two. I'll keep you informed.

Deaf Parent/Hearing Child

I am working with a father who is deaf and his child who can hear but is emotionally disturbed. Unfortunately, the father will not make a good witness because he cannot "keep his cool". He gets very angry at the school and tends to yell at them. If that happened in a hearing, I'm afraid we would not prevail. The hearing officer would dismiss the father as a hothead. So, I'm trying to solve their disputes through the hearing process.

The Student with an Emotional Disturbance

Rather than list many more cases that are in the process of resolution, let me just say that most cases involve children with emotional disturbances. Schools seem to be lost on how to deal with them. It is difficult. Proper training of staff through inservices and workshops is the key. Also, schools must be flexible and develop programs to adapt to the needs of the child (not expect the child to adapt to them). Something I have noticed, a real problem, is that the schools are reluctant to allow teachers to attend continuing education workshops during the school term. Any teacher who works with children who have special needs must receive ongoing instruction on the newest techniques. If a teacher works with a child or children who are emotionally disturbed, that teacher should be allowed to receive the training s/he may need in order to protect the teachers, aids and other children.

Please understand that not all children with emotional disturbances are dangerous. However, many are dangerous even if they have no ill intent. Teachers must be trained, and that training must include suicide prevention, an understanding of the most commonly used medications and how to de-escalate inappropriate behaviors. Teachers should also know the law.

Most schools want to send their diagnosticians, their supervisors and their other administrators to workshops. Then these administrators are then charged with the task of training the teachers. The problems with this approach is that:

1. it seldom happens, and
2. even if it does happen, the information is secondhand.

Transportation

I was also asked about resources to adapt an automobile for a woman with multiple sclerosis. In lieu of that idea, the man who asked the question would like a van with a lift for this woman. I really do not know of any resources for adapting motor vehicles. I do know of organizations that help adapt homes by providing money for ramps, widening doorways, etc.

Take care.