AnnieO
Shooting from the Hip
Diversion hearing this morning... Bill asked them if they could order him to go for MH evaluation... Guess there were a BUNCH of regulations that went into effect May 1, and the answer was... NO.
Basically, unless he is a violent offender or thief or drug dealer... They can't help us... He's too old for anything they CAN do. The quickest they could get us in for an actual hearing with a judge to order ANYTHING, if he WAS one of the above, is 6-8 weeks. It's 15 weeks till Pat turns 18. As the diversion officer put it, Pat would have to be at least 6 MONTHS from 18 for the judge to NOT dismiss it.
She talked to Pat alone, and with Bill there. Asked about chores - the list we had "aren't my chores". (Same list we've had for YEARS, with age-appropriate modifications.) Asked about a job - he "looked at a few applications" but didn't fill any out. When asked what he was going to do when he turned 18, he didn't know and "would figure it out when the time came". What did his counselor have to say? "He told me to stop talking in riddles." NO DUH.
This kid is NOT stupid. He's seen what Belle had to go through, and come out the other side. BELLE HERSELF has explained it. He can actually paraphrase it, not just parrot it back.
He honestly does not think of the consequences his actions will have. I do NOT want to have him living on the street, but he has kind of forced our hand - I explained that if he went in for an evaluation, we might be able to get him supports, maybe financial, maybe a place to live when he turns 18... Nope. Says he doesn't have to.
I know, I know, I KNOW he needs help. But, honestly, if we can't GET him any help, and he refuses to help himself, what's left?
Basically, unless he is a violent offender or thief or drug dealer... They can't help us... He's too old for anything they CAN do. The quickest they could get us in for an actual hearing with a judge to order ANYTHING, if he WAS one of the above, is 6-8 weeks. It's 15 weeks till Pat turns 18. As the diversion officer put it, Pat would have to be at least 6 MONTHS from 18 for the judge to NOT dismiss it.
She talked to Pat alone, and with Bill there. Asked about chores - the list we had "aren't my chores". (Same list we've had for YEARS, with age-appropriate modifications.) Asked about a job - he "looked at a few applications" but didn't fill any out. When asked what he was going to do when he turned 18, he didn't know and "would figure it out when the time came". What did his counselor have to say? "He told me to stop talking in riddles." NO DUH.
This kid is NOT stupid. He's seen what Belle had to go through, and come out the other side. BELLE HERSELF has explained it. He can actually paraphrase it, not just parrot it back.
He honestly does not think of the consequences his actions will have. I do NOT want to have him living on the street, but he has kind of forced our hand - I explained that if he went in for an evaluation, we might be able to get him supports, maybe financial, maybe a place to live when he turns 18... Nope. Says he doesn't have to.
I know, I know, I KNOW he needs help. But, honestly, if we can't GET him any help, and he refuses to help himself, what's left?