Guidance, advice

pajamas

Member
It's been a long time since I've been here. My signature is 2 years out of date! (can someone can tell me where to change it in the new interface?)

CeCe is 17.4 years now and currently in hospital after heading for the kitchen knives to resolve a problem with Huck. He was the trigger, the real cause (I believe) was school anxiety - she was scheduled to start a new program tomorrow. Her violence has been escalating although she hasn't seriously followed through. Yet?

Skipping the long history (available on request), I'm looking for advice on what others had (successfully?) done when difficult children came of age. Her psychiatrist recommends that we try again for SSI (which we will do) and plan for a personal care home - which also came up with the hospital social services. Does anyone have experience with finding placements for young adults? other advice for the transition? It doesn't look like appropriate homes are easy to find, or affordable - and we are not in a position to commit our retirement to securing her care.

Thanks for your thoughts ...

(welcome specific suggestions from anyone in Atlanta via PM)
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Are you going for guardianship? Is she on SSI?

My son is getting services as an adult. Now he is not a behavioral problem so maybe it's different...he is considered developmentally delayed. In his case, he was given vocational direction, social security, a job in a sheltered workplace that actually developed into a real job, Medicare and Medicaid and he gets a caseworker who checks up on him. I do know that some young adults with mental illness live in homes where there is supervision, to the extent they are legally allowed to be supervised. These services cost you nothing. I think you should find your local "Aging and Disabilities" (they usually go together) and make an appointment. to ask what you can do. This is where I got my start, although the school helped a lot too. If she is still in school, call the counselor and set up an appointment. He should be very well versed in the services available for your daughter. You should not have to pay a dime for good services if she is deemed disabled and getting disability.

I want to add that my son is growing by leaps and bounds in this program and I believe he won't need a guardian in a few years (I am now his guardian). I really love these services.
 

1905

Well-Known Member
I have a cousin who is on SSI. After trying many things, independent living to long p-hospital stays, what they found to best is a day treatment center. It's covered by SSI, even the bus that picks her up at the front door. She lives at home but goes there every day. Research your options.
 

pajamas

Member
We are her guardians currently. As I looked into what it would mean to continue guardianship, it seemed a potentially expensive route with few benefits. She would object strenuously, would receive a court-appointed attorney, and in the end, would do what she pleases, but we'd have a continued obligation that husband and I are not up for. She lies, steals, and is increasingly violent if crossed. With guardianship, wouldn't we be responsible for her transgressions? We love her, but we no longer want to live with her unless there is a radical transformation, and she refuses to participate in any treatment attempts.

As to SSI, she was denied last year, but I think I can re-apply now. Her doctors support it, and also suggested the personal care homes, but I don't know how to pursue that. She does best in a highly structured environment, such as residential treatment. But because she does so well there, she is discharged fairly quickly as not meeting medical necessity criteria (3 times).

The suggestion on Aging and Disability Services is good. We've been working closely with the school - in fact, the new school that sparked the latest hospital round is a vo-tech program with an EBD therapeutic component.
 
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