Just got an email from SpEd Dir

[Shari]

Our county agency has what they call and intra-agency board. Consists of people from JO, childrens and family services, county health department, youth services, educational services, a private mental health agency, the university mental health service department, and the regional center/county agency.

What is supposed to happen is someone makes a referrel to this board (with parental consent) and this board gets together and looks at a kiddo or family and offers what services/ideas they or their agency can provide to support this kiddo or family.

I just got an email from SpEd Dir wanting to make this referral. Thing is, the only ones in that list above that AREN'T already involved is child and family services, and possibly JO (there is still no report on Wee on file there).

At the end of the 2009 school year, we had a round table discussion with Wee's docs at the university. And they didn't implement a single one of the suggestions made. I have no less than 15 letters from professionals that work with Wee that have the same basic requirements for working with Wee...things we are still trying to get implemented. Why would I want to do this again?

I think something is up.

 

[KTMom91]

It doesn't sound good to me...I wonder what they're thinking.

 

[klmno]

This is what I referred to in a previous thread as a "county team". It isn't so much about who;'s there- it's about them having access to funding that the individual agencies don't. I'll try to explain- in my son's case, he needed services not provided by Department of Juvenile Justice funding. That's isn't the same as saying he couldn't get these services THRU Department of Juvenile Justice- just that the "people" had decided that the portion allocated specifically for Department of Juvenile Justice services would only be spent on service A, B, or C, and my son needed service D. Department of Juvenile Justice - or any of the agencies- and recommend then that the case goes to the county "team". The team has access to a bigger pool of funding. Whatever reps are there from agencies the kid doesn't need just doesn't really get involved. It's law that each agency have a rep there though. It's the fact that a member from each agency forms this team that allows them to access the bigger money. That's how I was trying to get difficult child's placement in a Residential Treatment Center (RTC) and funding for it, initially. I think this could be a good thing. What they are telling you is that the sd doesn't have resources to educate your child and they know it. They also know they HAVE to but it will take more resources and they don't have approval or funding for them. This is how they access it. You need to be agreeable but make sure you attend- the parent has a right to attend in most cases. If you refuse this, it will most definitely come back to haunt you if you try to take the sd to due process. This path will keep you in the loop and allow you to continue advocating for what you think Wee needs. And there will be a bigger pool of funding to get more services- whether at school, community for social skills, etc.

So, in my son's case as example, Department of Juvenile Justice funding won't cover Residential Treatment Center (RTC) but the "team" can approve to pay for Residential Treatment Center (RTC) and Department of Juvenile Justice handle it. Your county "team" can approve more funding to the sd that would specifically go to a certain service/services for Wee. So he would be getting the service thru the sd- they were the path to it and they will be the ones engaging in the service as well.

I hope I made that clear. My brain is overloaded this week.

The down side is that depending on what service they determine he needs, they can take over the lives of your whole family.

 

[Shari]

That's the other thing, K. The email is written that this is a service "to Wee and your family"...they don't even mention being a party at the table. It says "the district feels it would be very beneficial for Wee and your family to participate in this program."

 

[slsh]

I'd be sorely tempted to send a certified letter back to sped dir, thanking her for her suggestion, and pointing out that all of those agencies are already involved, aside from CFS and JO, and since SD has yet to implement strategies from the round table with university doctors, you feel it would be a waste of time to reinvent the wheel yet again.

This smacks of pass the buck, especially since they haven't implemented the prior recommendations. Put the focus on the family, distract you with miscellaneous garbage from other agencies, and SD gets to keep on not educating Wee.

on the other hand, your refusal will probably be another mark in the "noncompliant parent" column.

What do advocates think of this?

 

[Marguerite]

I'd modify what you suggest, slsh. "Thank you for your suggestion. It certainly would be worth merit, if all other opportunities had been exhausted. We will certainly try it, WHEN it has been shown that the ideas already put forward by previous expert round table discussions, after having been implemented, do not work. However, many suggestions have been made by many professionals, but none have yet been implemented. To now request further brainstorming sessions when the outcomes of previous brainstorming has yet to be actioned, is putting the car before the horse. Once the school consistently actions the recommendations already made and then it is shown to not work despite the best efforts of those involved, then it will be time to take up your kind suggestion. Until then, I doubt tat the various groups involved would thank us for calling them in too soon."

Put it kindly, politely but firmly - "First take the log out of your own eye so you can see clearly to take it out of your brother's."

(I refrain from prefacing it with "you hypocrite").

Marg

 

[CrazyinVA]

I think this could be a good thing, as long as it's supplemental to what's already going on, and not in place of what's going on. Don't let up on the Special Education folks or the principal for a minute. As k pointed out, in our state, such a team is the best avenue for funding for alternative placements (and sometimes, the only avenue). For me, they helped get Youngest into a therapeutic day school, and finally an Residential Treatment Center (RTC) when the school system wasn't able to because of limited funding. They were able to open more doors (and more bank accounts). Maybe you could research your own local team's powers before deciding? Ask the advocates their opinion?

 

[klmno]

I don't know if it works the same there, but the sd would most definitely have someone there whether they specifically lsited it or not. It is always a rep from each major agency for a kid. Now, here if you go about it this way the parent stays involved. If you don't go about it this way, the sd can take it and meet without you and then come back and tell you what they will do and you will be a noncompliant parent if you don't go along with it. Yes, if it's written in an IEP and the school can't provide it with their own pool of funding, they can go to the team and ask for additional funding from the "bigger pool" in order to provide that service. But since they aren't /haven't done that already, chances are they won't and you sure can't trust them to. That's another reason I think you are a heck of a lot better off going with an Iep and documentation in hand. These are the people who can get something done. Trust me on this- they don't want to dip into the bigger pool if one specific agency should be dealing with it from their own pool. These people can and will determine who is responsible for funding each thing. Shari, you cannot afford not to go, in my humble opinion. They will pursue another avenue without you being in the loop, I am afraid. This way you have a voice. This team is right under the head county authorities and then the state. They can make heads roll- in the sd and everything. All services pertain to funding, funding gets allotted by boards, boards are set up by government officials. That's just the way it works. If your son EVER ends up in juvie court or this goes to due process, all of this will most likely come out.

Here, the state gives each county a certain amount of money for each specific agency. That county/agency decides what services to spend it on because it's never enough to provide everything. Thus, difficult child on parole could only get a mentor. Then, the state set up funding for at-risk youth and that is set aside as the "bigger pool". When you feel that the sd should go get something else because what they have isn't enough and the sd tells you they don't have the resources, this team does have the resources and this is why the sd is recommending it. Except your sd is basicly saying they think Wee needs more than even the iep says or they can provide within that sd or else they would have just gone and ask for the money to provide what's in the iep. This is their appropriate method and allows them to get other agencies involved without calling police all the time.

The state has the authority over each jursidiction's team and they give them money to act as a board and provide necessary services for at-risk youth. This is outside the money specifically given for each agency to run their own system. A parent can only get in front of them if one of the agencies has recommended the child. If the parent doesn't go, it can come back to haunt you. If you go, you are not put on the hot-chair. It works a little more like an IEP team but you don't have quite the weight- still- it gives you a chance to discuss things and present what you have.

When I went (I begged for it LOL!) they tore in to difficult child's PO that was such an incompetednt PITA. They wouldn't provide anything for difficult child though because they said she should have already been acting on all of it. She could have gone herself and ask for additional funding for difficult child to get other services but of course, she decided herself that he didn't need them. This is what I'm saying, Shari, if you don't go, you leave all that funding and political battle, etc, in the hands of the sd.

 

[Shari]

I guess I'll also add that this is the 3rd day of the 3rd week that he has had 80% or better on his behavior and compliance charts every day.

Week 1 was with Mr Para/Teacher's sole support.
Week 2 was, according to principal, mostly with SpEd Teacher, very limited time with paras.
This week, SpEd Teacher is still his primary support person, and she is implementing prelim strategies offered from the outside agency that did the FBA - utlizing mood regulation and sensory breaks, and putting together a visual schedule, has designated a cubby in each classroom he is in for him to "hide" when he gets overwhelmed - the things we've been asking for.

Coincidence?

I guess they don't expect it to work long term? I don't know.

And let's not forget that this district had 4 successful months with him last year in the resource room, 1:1 with the SpEd Teacher. Why can't we just do what works?

According to our county case manager, the school can't make this referral without parent's consent. But I am concerned about what you are saying, K, so I will be finding out more about this. If this provides them funding, then they need to say that. Not that the family needs more help. Most all of those agencies have been involved for years, and most have been in my home. Most have helped purchase equipment that is in my home. They've seen the accommodations we've made to exist with Wee, and there's days that downright hoover, but for the most part, we are living our lives. We go into the community. Wee participates in activities with his peers. It may be modified or adapted somewhat, but he is largely successful at them.

Do his issues exist only at school? No. Not by a long shot. That's just the only place he goes that isn't managing them...

 

[ML]

I agree with what Marg suggested. I like the word pictures she creates and it puts the owness back on them.