Advice needed....

[klmno]

1) The current cm at school has told me at previous IEP meeting that I have to sign the iep if we sit and discuss things and agree or else difficult child's past iep "expires". So, what do I do exactly if I don't want to commit to anything until I've had a chance to take the iep home and review it? Do I say in the meeting that I "think" ABC is ok but I'd like time to review and think about it first? (I can't get an advocate- PEATC has told me there are no advocates in my area who are familiar with difficult child's sort of needs.)

2) I've been trying to get county help due to fincial and difficult child's mental health issues at home. For various reasons that have been posted about in threads on General, the most feasible way is to get the sd (principal/cm) to recommend a "county team" so I can get county funding to pay for assitance or to get difficult child in an Residential Treatment Center (RTC). The principal insists that this must go through an IEP meeting and result from IEP team recommendations but that she isn't comfortable recommending it because difficult child is not giving them problems at school.

However, difficult child has missed 20 days of school already this year and over half have been due to a continuous worsening of mood cycling. The funding coordinator of our county says the school can recommend the team due to difficult child's absences. The principal says she can't because the absences are due to mental health. Any suggestions? We (parents) are not allowed to ask for the team themselves- it has to be recommended by 1 of 3 agencies and a wall is preventing me from accesss to county mental health approach and I'm trying desparaely to avoid having to go thru courts because difficult child is on a suspended sentence so they might automatically revoke the suspension and skip any effort to use the county team.

One of the members of the iep team emailed this morning and said she had to leave by 2:900 tomorrow so could we make the meeting at 12:00 instead of 1:00. The principal apparently inadvertently copied me on another email she meant only for that lady because principal responded to her by saying "it was a blessing in disguise because it would keep the meeting at 1 hr max". Then, principal sent email out to all team members saying we needed to keep the meeting at 1:00 and we should be finished by 2:00.

We are supposed to cover typical iep issues as well as difficult child's absences. Obviously, the principal doesn't really want to deal with it. I expect that at most, they will propose putting difficult child on homebound. They tried that before when they put difficult child on a long term suspension and after about a month of try to get homebound lined up- the teacher never showed up but lied and said she did but that I wouldn't let her in house. But, I can't agree to homebound because I can't stay home and supervise difficult child all day- I need to be at work so I can earn money to pay bills. difficult child might need Residential Treatment Center (RTC), even though his behavior at school is not bad this year.

Are my reasons above grounds for me not agreeing to homebound placement thru IEP?

Any other suggestions?

 

[JJJ]

Ask them if they are familiar with the federal law regarding IEPs and the protections that students with disabilities are legally entitled to. His IEP does not expire. The only way to be discharged from special education is if (1) the parent demands it in writing or (2) the IEP team completes an assessment that finds that difficult child's disability is no longer negatively impacting his education.

Of course the fact that his disability is causing him to miss 20 days of school in the first half of the year is having a negative effect on his ability to access his education.

Just keep repeating, "Homebound is the Most Restrictive Environment. difficult child is entitled to be educated in the least restrictive environment."

You might want to hit reply all on that accidental e-mail and say "I understand that Mrs. X needs to leave at 2:00pm. If we have not reached an agreement on difficult child's iep by that time, I am willing to continue meeting even though Mrs. X needs to leave. If we are not able to reach a conclusion, I am willing to suspend the meeting and we can reconvene at any of the following times: (list 3-4 times you can meet)."

If you want and don't think it will backfire, add "I am hopeful that we can work together to find the least restrictive environment that meets difficult child's educational needs as his school anxiety is clearly having a negative educational impact due to the current iep's inability to address his need for additional supports to attend school on a regular basis."

You district sounds like a joy

 

[klmno]

Oh- it's a great part of the county if you have money but no issues...

Is Residential Treatment Center (RTC) considered more or less restrictive than homebound? What if I can't get him stable with assistance from fapt? Principal keeps saying it's a mental health issue- go to mental health. I can't. This is where we are with it. He's getting therapist and psychiatrist privately- at most that would be what mental health would do. I need assistance that can only be gotten from fapt. It might be Residential Treatment Center (RTC) but I'm happy to try out patient extra assitance first. But, it will take crisis tema in-home at times, it will take either difficult child going on medicaid or financial and child care so I can work full time hours. That really won't work either because I can't work 40 hrs/week and attend therapist/psychiatrist with him and if he's living with me I pretty much have to stay involved in his mental health rtreatement.

 

[klmno]

The mmore I think about it- it seems like a case where sd could refer the county team, but they won't because they can sit there and point the finger to a different agency. They know I'm in a situation where I can't go fight them due to time and money to get them to do it. However, they are not abiding by the law because they were supposed to have done something by difficult child's 10th absence. And we're on his 20th absence today.

 

[Ropefree]

Go to the meeting and hear what they have to say. THen present the TEAM with what the problem is at home and what you need for the indivigual education plan team to do to aid this FAPE IDEA IEP learner.
The mental health piece is not some big mystery and if the district does not Know have a specialist or services the fact you son needs what he needs would be THEIR
obligation.
HAve you called the doe state head of Special Education and the head of the pyscology dept? Those two people can give you some ideas as well as the fact that you are needing assistance you are not readily recieving will interest them. You can use your best skills in pr to gather support as you are eloquent and you do a very good job on this site.
Compse a letter to attach the e-mail sent to you by mistake and submit a formal complaint with the complaint as listed in the IEP booklet you are given at every IEP meeting.
Bring a letter formally requesting another IEP meeting to give to the PRinciple at the one you are preparing to attend.
/go ahead and sign the IEP but above your signature write in the conditional pressure to sign is based on the threat that legally obligated services(which are inadiquate in current IEP) "will expire" and that your qualified dependant minor
is at risk at this time due to neglect at this school.
OR something...somthing true and poinant.
With the document in hand at that point require that you will need this xeroxed befor you will be leaving with your copy...or take it and tell them you will have the coppy made and return with it asap.
Then leave.
Have quetions to ask that are relavent to your learner and ask them one by one .

As a single parent myself ( current statistica are 40% of households today are single parent households) in my sons current scnool the teachers and such are mostly younger and if they have children they are young.
Specificly ask the conselor what in home services you can get right now. You do need help. A respite for example. ANd if I remember correctly your son was dealling drugs? How about some rehab type help?
I agree that it is inapropriate for you to have no safe supervised location for your son while you are working. You need that. CAnces are so do other parents with not disimialar issues. Or just for safty these days.
KLMNO...good luck. Get clear about which battles and be keep it simple.
Open with this line, if you like, when a family member has a mental illness the father abandons his family...and so does every one else.
GEtting throught the teen years is the hard part. `Give this the serious concern that is needed now.

 

[Sheila]

The IEP in effect today until the new one is signed or until 10 days after the meeting wherein the parent refused to sign. Ck your state regs