New - Needing help and/or advice

[Jean0307]

Hello. This is my first post to the board. I have found this place in my search for answers this morning online.

I am trying to find anyone who might be in the state of Texas and who might have some insight into their laws for 17 yr olds.

We are new to Texas so we are not sure of how this law of 17 works here. Our daughter is bipolar and has a long history. HShe is violent and towards myself and my husband. She has a history of crying suicide when she doesn't get her way or she wants to be removed from our home.

Her recent stunt is that she stole some pills and took them to school, taking them during 6th period yesterday. The pills were Hydrocodone. At this point we know that she took them but the doctors say the test don't show just how much as of last night when we left the hospital. She also told them that she drank Vodka and a beer before going to school. We have no beer in our home for her to drink. The Vodka bottle is kept in the freezer and we measure it after each use. The level is the same as the last time we used it and it still has vodka in it and not water. The water would have frozen. So we know that she is lying on that in that she didn't drink the alcohol at home.

Long story short, we refused to sign her into psychiatric care because we have dealt with this so many times that we believe it was a manipulation and a way to get what she wants. She has done this about 12 times in the last 2 years. She has been in numerous short and long term facilities since she was 13, a total of 18. We are financially bankrupt because of the things she has done, placing her in acute care when she really didn't need it.

My question is this, does anyone know anything about a 17 yr signing themselves into psychiatric care in Texas when a parent refuses to sign them in. What happens? Does CPS get involved and look at the parent for abandonment? Are we responsible for the finalcial aspect of the stay even though she signed herself in? We just don't understand TX law and honestly don't know where to turn.

Any advice or help that anyone could give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading this.

 

[susiestar]

I have no idea what the laws are, just wanted to send some support. I think most of us have kids who flat out refuse psychiatric care, so we have figured out that many states will not let us force them into care, and many states will not let us SEE their hospital records with-o written permission.

I wish I had words of help, but I offer sincere sympathy.

Do you have a plan for what will happen when she turns 18? What you will and won't do for her?

I totally understand how tough it is.

Hugs,

Susie

 

[Marguerite]

Sorry I can't help with the laws but someone should be along soon. I know a number of parents on this site are struggling with bipolar, either in themselves, their kids, or both. In the meantime, why not find some local legal authorities and ask them? Pick as many brains as you can.

Have you had a word to her teachers as to whether there were any tests, tasks or homework assignments due? Sometimes the stressors of school can trigger an extreme, "I will do ANYTHING to get out of this" reaction. Or there could be some social issues with other kids - the teachers or even classmates might have an idea.

I've not been above using other kids as spies on difficult child 3's welfare - sometimes the other kids dobbed in school staff, sometimes they explained a bullying episode that difficult child 3 didn't have the language skills to explain. And sometimes they talked about their own stress levels with the workload.

It could at least give you a clue as to her timing.

I hope you get the answers you need, fast.

And I like that trick with the vodka in the freezer - we do it too, but not to monitor it, only to make sure our (adult) kids develop a taste for REAL vodka and orange (juice) and not the freely available commercial orangeade and cheap vodka. That way they will be less inclined to overindulge away from home, we hope.

Basically, teach them to love Benedictine, Cointreau and single malt scotch and they'll never want to drink rotgut. And they won't be able to afford to binge!

Marg

 

[slsh]

Goodness - usually it's the other way around (parents wanting kiddo admitted and kiddo refusing). While I don't know about Texas specifically, most states have a much lower "age of consent" for psychiatric treatment (12 in IL) and therefore she actually has to consent to any treatment anyway. The way the law in IL is worded, I don't even have to be notified of treatment in the first 24 (or 48?) hours, even though I'm his guardian and the financially responsible party. Because I tend to expect the worst, I would guess that since she is under 18 you are going to end up being responsible for the bill even though *you* didn't consent to treatment. That age of consent for psychiatric care is a real Catch-22.

However, one thing I would do (I also have a son who is a manipulative frequent flier at hospitals) is contact your insurance company *ASAP*, assuming you have some form of inpatient psychiatric coverage, and let them know what your take on the situation is. I have yet to run into a hospital who would continue to hold onto a patient (obviously assuming the patient isn't truly clinically and acutely in *need* of hospitalization - thank you's certainly spent many months in total being "stabilized" simply because insurance said they'd pay for X weeks) once they've been notified by the insurance company that there will be no reimbursement. Of course, the insurance co is going to also get clinical info from the hospital but... I would certainly contact them. Hopefully the HIPAA (confidentiality) laws won't mess you up too badly in this effort.

Good luck - I'm really sorry you're going thru this but I can totally relate.

 

[Hound dog]

I don't know Texas laws either. But I'm sure someone will be along who does.

I just wanted to welcome you and send you some supportive (((hugs))). :flower:

 

[SnowAngel]

Welcome. I would get ahold of a local hospital social worker, the non-emergency police department and a mental health provider in your area. They can better help you with your questions with your states laws. You may want to get in touch with an advocate as well.

Good luck. I will post more if I find something.

 

[Star*]

Do you want her out of your house?

What is the goal you're trying to achieve here?

Sorry for your troubles, and I'm sure we can help - just need a bottom line answer to what do you need.

We'll go from there -
Hugs
Star