Group homes for behavioral/mental health issues

[mstang67chic]

I just heard about a facility that provides services for children and adults with mental health issues and thought I would share. They aren't completely national but do have locations throughout the country. If anyone is interested pm me and I'll give you the website. From what I've read so far they seem promising.

[mstang67chic]

Kaz, I sent you a pm with the web site.

[mstang67chic]

Just an FYI....after more checking, the site I found only has locations in Indiana and Georgia. But if anyone from those areas or neigboring states are still interested, let me know.

[SearchingForRainbows]

I'm also very interested in the website even if they only have facilities in Indiana and Georgia. I would greatly appreciate it if you would send me the web address too. Thanks! WFEN

[mstang67chic]

WFEN, I sent you a pm.

[uncle dad]

Hello I work in a Group home also female adolescents...I am generally new at this business but I have a degree in Social work.What I find interesting is the lack of cooperation of these girls I realize they have issues but it seems as though they dont wnt to get along..I usually tell them about the Rodney King incident many years ago..My pet saying for them is hey u know what Rodney King says... >cant we all get along<..I am hoping to reinforce them to realizing they they should strive to get along..in all relationships..Anyway I hope to continue in this field as I am only a few months in this field..The girls are all sweethearts but I say they are a result of bad parenting..

[TexasTornado]

hmmmm........typical response here-eh? Typical. You do realise there are parents on this board dont you???LOLOLOLOL
Luvz,
Tammy

[mstang67chic]

No one here will deny that there are kids out there who truly are the result of bad parenting and we are in NO WAY saying that any of us are perfect. With that said though........Those of us that are here have kids (of all ages) who have various and multiple dx's, drug issues, developmental issues, mental health issues, etc. Some of us have spent years trying to find help for their kids in whatever form that may be. We have spent years doing behavior modification in many, many forms be it behavior charts, tough love, counseling, therapy (family and individual), pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, neuropsychs, in home therapists, you name it, someone here has/is/will be doing it. We have advocated for our kids till we are blue in the face, fought with schools over IEP's, 504's, battled against reluctant school districts for services, dealt with truly incompetent professionals, questioned ourselves over and over, shed gallons of tears and endured abuse from our kids that would make your hair turn white. Some of us have even gone as far as fought for and won services not only for their child but for others as well when there was literally nothing in their area for special needs kids. And by special needs, we do mean special needs kids. Autistic, seizure disorders, mental illnesses of all kinds (yes, they do exist in kids), chemical imbalances of the brain, drug addicts, severly traumatized children from foster care. This board is not only a wealth of information and advice for parents such as us but also a Godsend in the way of support. So for someone to come here, to our haven as it were, and use the much heard and much hated words "bad parenting" is, with all due respect, insulting, demeaning and downright ignorant. I apologize if that is offensive to anyone here but it's true. I applaud your decision to further your education and earn your degree however if this is the field you are interested in using your degree for, and "our" kids are the ones you choose to work for, my advice to you is open your mind and look around. Find out the background on these kids before you judge. What you hear from the kids is rarely, if ever, the true version of their lives and why they are where they are. If you continue down your path with that type of complete blind trust in what "your" girls are telling you, you will be in for a very rude awakening at some point along your journey.

[Dammit Janet]

Mustangchk you said it so well.

Uncle Dad, I hope you didnt mean to imply that all children in out of home placement are there because of bad parenting because if that is your view, you need to spend a heck of a lot more time on your course work. I realize social workers tend to see a certain percentage of the population but that isnt representative of all children in care. My son was in group homes, many times he was the only child there that DSS didnt have custody of. I was not a perfect parent but parenting didnt cause my sons mental illness.

I had many conversations with my sons case manager about the differences in girls group homes versus boys group homes. Girls homes are by far more difficult to manage. This does not mean that the kids come from bad parents but that girls are more manipulative in their behaviors than boys. Its just a fact of life.

You need to talk to some psychologists, psychiatrists and some therapists that deal with children with behavior disorders and not rely on what the kids tell you. Even so called normal teens tend to think their parents are idiots during the teen years.

[SearchingForRainbows]

Uncle Dad,

I found your comment about bad parenting extremely disturbing. I am in total agreement with what Mstang67chic and Dammit Janet have already said.

I hope our cyber family can help you understand that your current viewpoint is very narrow minded. WFEN