Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) may send him home

[Tezzie]

It's been a long time since I posted but I need some suggestions. difficult child started a residential treatment/school program just after school started. We were up front with them regarding all difficult child's undesirable behaviors, gave them the school IEP, BiPolar (BP), his therapist's number, etc. Apparently they need to reinvent the wheel.

Anyway, some of difficult child's 'old' behaviors, like threatening to kill himself & running away have resurfaced. In addition, we're getting vibes from the Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) that they may not be able to work successfully with him to make any progress.

His being kicked out of there would be terrible. Having had him gone for ~ 6 weeks, I don't want him back here. Not sure what else is out there, not sure if we now need to get a CHIPS petition & start working with social services or if we can find another Residential Treatment Facility (RTF).

Any of you Midwest parents, if you have any local suggestions, please PM me. Anyone else, I'm open to all ideas.

Having him home for any length of time now would not be good. He certainly shouldn't go back to the high school he left.

I feel terrible in that I don't miss him & don't want him home. I guess I'm still remembering all the negatives. He does have some great qualities but it's so hard to keep them in view.

Thanks for your ideas.

Tezzie

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Tezzie,

Sorry things are feeling so hopeless. Why, after six weeks, are you feeling the Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) can't help your son? Is it something they said or the way they are handling his treatment?

Have they completely reevaluated him? Have they tried a medication wash? How much therapy is he getting there? Sorry that I seem to have a lot of questions.

I'm sure there are mamy here who understand the relief you feel not having to deal with him every day.

Sharon

 

[timer lady]

Tezzie,

Is or isn't this a treatment facility? There are some "facilities" that are looking for a good "cure" rate & your difficult child, being a true difficult child may be screwing up the marketing, if you will.

Now that I'm over the cynicism, what did this Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) say they could handle? Did they evaluate your difficult child before agreeing to admit him? Being honest with behaviors & such is totally different from being a part of said behaviors.

I've had PCAs I've interviewed think "yea, I can handle that - she must be exaggerating". Never the case & it blew up in everyone's preverbial face.

It this a level 7 facility - locked with a school on site?

Just a few questions. Though I'm not sure of many of the Residential Treatment Center (RTC)'s in Wisconsin - I know of a few superb facilities in MN.

 

[Stella Johnson]

So sorry to hear the Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) isn't working out. I hope you can find a solution soon.

Steph

 

[busywend]

What is it that they have tried? Are they thinking due to the suicidal thoughts they do not want the liability? Can't they admit him to psychiatric ward for a few days and then bring him back to Residential Treatment Facility (RTF)?

 

[Tezzie]

Thanks for the thoughts. Here's some clarification.

Perhaps it is not a true TREATMENT facility in the psychiatric ward sense. He lives there on the campus in a house with 7 other boys, 2 house parents & 3 Resident Assistants. Adults rotate who's on duty, always at least 2-3. Social worker for each house who works with groups of the boys daily & meets with each kid weekly.

They have a point system for daily chores, school work, behavior that earns them privileges.

The house he is in is the only non-court ordered residence on the campus.

He is still lying, possibly stealing, threatening others & has resurrected running as his way to deal with what he doesn't like.

They are having difficulty with the threats to others, & the running primarily. According to their regulations, they have to follow a kid who runs which for difficult child is just going to make him keep going. If he could be left alone, he wouldn't go farther than ~ a block away & would come back on his own.

They called once during his second week there to tell us they didn't think they could continue to work with him if he couldn't de-escalate quicker & start making better choices. (I thought that was why we had sent him there, to work on those things!!!)

So anyway, I'm feeling frustrated, guilty, depressed & looking for other options.

I don't even want to think what he would be like without medications so I'm not in favor of a medication wash, although, he needs prescriptions as written, not generics... I know he is getting at least 1 generic now.

Not sure how a psychiatric ward would help since when he isn't pushed, he approximates a normal kid.

We see him tomorrow so we'll get the most recent update.

Tezzie

 

[busywend]

The psychiatric ward was only for when he threatens suicide.