Now that some things have been sorted out....

[timer lady]

As some of you may have read on general, the foundation that runs the 3 Residential Treatment Center (RTC)'s here in town plus many other services is shutting down those RTCs as well as their foster care services.

Saying that, it hits hard here in the tweedle household. wm is in a foundation foster home; kt is currently in one of those RTCs.

I believe that wm's foster mum & dad are currently being licensed with another provider & are going to see wm thru HS & beyond. Phew/whew. Foster care ends 12/31/09

kt will be discharged from Residential Treatment Center (RTC) mid January ~ Residential Treatment Center (RTC) closes 2/1/10.

I know that the Child Guidance Clinic is still alive & well; psychiatrist will still be around as well as mental health CM (though he may be gone by the end of 2010.)

NOW, if you don't mind I need to scream. I'm terrified from the loss of resources. Between tweedle dee & dum there have been 7 stays at Residential Treatment Center (RTC). When kt & wm began to spiral out of control I could count on mental health CM getting them admitted to Residential Treatment Center (RTC). These facilities & programs are the experts in Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) & PTSD; most of their clients are adopted/foster kids. Their expertise is widely accepted.

There are other resources in this foundation that we've taken advantage of; art therapy, day treatment, etc. All gone.

I'm beyond frustrated & a "tad" anxious. Me & parents of about 9500 other kids.

Thanks for the ear - just needed to get that out of my system.

 

[DammitJanet]

What happens to schooling if day treatment is gone?

 

[Star*]

Linda,

I think there are a number of us (self included and in less than a week I hope prayers are on the heavy side for us) that understand the meaning of - services ended. People see Dude and think - well he's 19, time to grow up. Physically sure. Emotionally he is no where near 19. Like the Tweedles and you, I'm also on pins and Needles - and except for DF alone. There won't be any place for us to turn to either. I have no family, and no funds. So I hear you loud and clear. I do have my health, which doesn't typically do well when Dude has been around.

I'm taking my own advice and I'm going to do the best I can and like Fran has said many times - prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

It's what we do. We Are Warrior Moms.

 

[DammitJanet]

Im telling you...this needs national attention. Im sick of tuning in every night to Prime News and Jane and Nancy Grace and hearing about the War on Women and Addiction. We need to have a Movement for the Mentally Ill or something like that.

 

[timer lady]

I know I'm not the only parent who's losing services left & right; I know there are many adults in the same situation.

I have a few ideas about contacting the media (there's been little said about this yet the impact is huge) & possibly trying to get parents together to bombard our senators, congress people with letters. It may help ... likely not.

I was just whining......so if any of you can suggest a good cheese to go along with this whine I'd certainly appreciate it.

 

[Steely]

I totally agree. I am sick of all of the media attention & money going to causes that pale in comparison to those of our mentally ill loved ones. I just wish I knew what to do.

 

[mstang67chic]

Not sure if I'll get a response but maybe if more of us did it, something may happen. I sent an email to CNN yesterday about this issue. Of course I forgot to copy what I wrote so I could post it but I basically said that it's hard enough getting good treatment and services for kids with mental illness. With the economy, facilities and agencies are closing which just makes it even more difficult. These kids need HELP, they are NOT going to grow out of it and what exactly do people think is going to happen when they grow up. I said that people need to know what's going on with this and they should please, please do a story on it.

Maybe if enough people did this, they would report on it and at least get it out there.