quick question.

[Ktllc]

I've just told the school disctrict that Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and Occupational Therapist (OT) will be with me at the follow up meeting once the school evaluation is done. I did not ask permission, just asked wether we could set up a date and time in advance (instead of doing the day of the evaluation) in order to accommodate everyone's busy schedule.
Now, the Special Education director wants my permission to talk to the Occupational Therapist (OT). ??? I know the Occupational Therapist (OT) is on my side, but why would she want to talk to her without me being here? Why would she want to talk to her before the evaluation is even conducted?
I did resquest that the school evaluation include sensory test and spatial/visual tests as those are problem areas for V. Would that be the reason they want to talk to her? But still, why would they do that??
I DO NOT trust the Special Education. She has been nthing but headaches and NO help.
Give permission or not?

 

[somerset]

My cautious opinion is that it is a good thing. If the Occupational Therapist (OT) is on your side, that is. And I don't think it's necessarily a bad sign, either, that the Special Education wants to talk to the Occupational Therapist (OT). I think a helpful Special Education person might do the same thing. I don't have direct experience with this kind of thing yet, so don't rely on my opinion. Just my two cents!:smiles:

 

[Tiapet]

I understand you don't understand the Special Education but my question is why not give permission? Especially if Occupational Therapist (OT) is on your side. I can't think of any reason you wouldn't want them to talk, and it may not be that they really do literally want to talk to Occupational Therapist (OT) either. They may just be requiring the permission much like when you sign authorization paperwork for release of information. Occupational Therapist (OT) is also going to be with you at meeting.

 

[Malika]

Hi. Forgive me for being simplistic, but would it be possible to ask the sp ed lady why she wants to talk to the Occupational Therapist (OT) before you give permission or not? You might find it an illuminating conversation.

 

[Ktllc]

Malika, LOL. You're right, I thought about it but she takes everything so "personal". Just to give you an example: she gets offended when I use certified with return receipt mail. It is just to have a paper trail, and she would rather just have phone conversation (no record of it...).
I know I sound paranoid, but she gave me some good reasons to be. Bottom line, I cannot trust her. She will do everything to do nothing for V (crazy I know). husband does not want to give her permission to talk to our Occupational Therapist (OT) without me being present.
I fear to set a precedent if I give her permission. The evaluation is in over a month and she did not even use proper channel to ask permission. She sent me an e-mail instead of mailing the permission paper or attaching the permission paper as a doctor to the e-mail. Her reason to bypass proper channel: it will be faster.
What's the hurry? mail within the same town only takes 1 day.
It appears she does not like to put things on paper black and white. And I'm the opposite.
Our Occupational Therapist (OT) used to work with the school if I recall correctly. I'll talk to her in the morning during V's therapy. See what she thinks. She is aware of the question anyway since the Special Education already e-mailed her (cc her on the e-mail she sent me), which once again does not seem quite right....

 

[InsaneCdn]

You're on the right track... Occupational Therapist (OT) is on your side, so discuss with Occupational Therapist (OT) and see what comes back from that side.

 

[TeDo]

The evaluation is in over a month and she did not even use proper channel to ask permission. She sent me an e-mail instead of mailing the permission paper or attaching the permission paper as a doctor to the e-mail. Her reason to bypass proper channel: it will be faster.

Too bad. "Proper" channels are there for a reason. Keep a copy of the email.

It appears she does not like to put things on paper black and white.

Because she can't deny what is in black and white. Because then she's held accountable. .

Our Occupational Therapist (OT) used to work with the school if I recall correctly. I'll talk to her in the morning during V's therapy. See what she thinks. She is aware of the question anyway since the Special Education already e-mailed her (cc her on the e-mail she sent me), which once again does not seem quite right....

If you have not signed a release (from Occupational Therapist (OT) or the school) for them to discuss V with Occupational Therapist (OT), then she just violated confidentiality laws. THAT is not okay.

Definitely talk to Occupational Therapist (OT) and let them know that you're concerned and why. Make it clear that IF you do give permission, you are doing so reluctantly. If Occupational Therapist (OT) is "on your side", you need to be honest with them about your concerns regarding the school. If you do give permission, it needs to be a written release with the REAL date on it, not one back-dated to cover SpEd's BIG oops and YOU fill in the time period it is good for. I don't know that I would do a standard "one year from date" type release. If SpEd is anything like our school staff, keep things strictly need to know WHEN it's NEEDED.

 

[susiestar]

I would tell her that of course she can talk to the Occupational Therapist (OT), but not unless you are present or she is discussing something other than your child. She can have the Occupational Therapist (OT)'s report - that you will deliver to her and read first so that she only gets the pertinent parts. If she has more questions, she can write them out and give them to you and you will pass the appropriate ones on to the Occupational Therapist (OT) an deliver the appropriate answers to her.

Your instincts and your husband's instincts are telling you that NO is the right answer. DON"T let "manners" guide you to go against your instincts. Period. so what if she thinks it is rude? She has EARNED that distrust and rudeness and no way does she have the right or the need to question this professional about your child with-o your supervision. PERIOD.

She can, of course, ask the questions at the IEP meeting. What could she want to know that would be inappropriate to ask in front of ALL of the people at the IEP meeting?

Don't trust her. She will twist whatever is said to do what she wants it to, which is to make it so she doesn't have to help your child. She wants the talk to be with-o you so she can ask things she knows she shouldn't, and she wants her boss and coworkers to not be there for the same reason.

The times we make the biggest mistakes are when we don't follow our instincts, those little voices or gut reactions. They are NOT minor, they are are best and earliest warnings.

 

[buddy]

A release is not a release is not a release... you can specify what they discuss. Especially when schools talk to medical people. I worry about third party information (like a diagnosis from some other doctor that is something that goes to the Occupational Therapist (OT) but not something that the Occupational Therapist (OT) has direct knowledge about...and just general mistakes that happen when one report gets summarized in a new setting then again and again until I find out that I had a drinking problem when I was pregnant with my adopted son...just gets nuts)....

SO, I tell them to write their questions down and I am happy to have them be fully answered by the professional they are wanting to talk to. That way you know it will be related to the assessment and issues at hand, there is no he said she said, and they wont forget important information that the Occupational Therapist (OT) will give them.

remember my school psycho hated that but too bad, I was offering totally open communication but just asking it be in writing.

I always qualify my ROI signature.... "limited to information directly related to sensory integration techniques and ...." whatever your issues are....for the coordination of treatment.

It is probably a good thing but this person needs to get on board and start following due process guidelines. It could end up really costing their district a lot of money if they screw that up.

 

[DammitJanet]

I recently had to sign a bunch of releases and as I was going through them I was reading the names, some made perfect sense. psychiatrist...ok, Medicare and medicaid...ok, Value Options...ok, former therapist...ok, then came a few I was iffy about and I hesitated. One was social security but I couldnt figure out how that could hurt me so I said okay to that. Then came the one I said absolutely no to because there is no reason for them to send it. Social Services. I am not in contact with my local DSS for any reason other than to do recerts for medicaid which is a federal program and the local agency doesnt need my therapy notes. They have no need to know who my therapist is, if I am even going to therapy or what goes on there. They dont even need to know what my diagnosis's are. All they need to know is SS declared me disabled. So no...I didnt sign that form. I told them to shred it. I will not share information with DSS.

I used to work there and I have no interest in my old coworkers looking in my file to get more dirt on me.