Moving to ATL with special needs kids (Atlanta, Douglas: 2013, rent)

[babeums06]

My husband and I are thinking of moving to Atlanta in early to mid 2013. We have 4 kids, 2 are special needs. By that I mean trachs, g-buttons, hearing and speech impaired, get private duty nursing, etc. I know it seems crazy to move with all of that, but we are ready for something different. We are in Fort Worth Texas, and have been our whole lives! Anyway, my husband does IT for the county hospital and I am a stay at home mom. We are trying to figure out what counties/areas have good schools for what our kids need, have affordable homes (we will probably rent at first), and how to start the process of meeting the kids medical needs (nurses, medical supplies, insurance). Also, how the schools handle hearing/speech impaired kids. So far, I have read that Cobb, Douglas, and Fulton are good for schools and housing. If anyone has any info, it is greatly appreciated!

[Mattie]

I have a good friend with a special needs child(he has CP). She regularly travels from the Athens area to Scottish Rite for his treatments, and I would suggest you keep that hospital in mind when you are looking for housing. Her son is enrolled in a Watkinsville school, and she is very happy with it, but the commute for medical care is draining.

[berkeleylake]

I don't have first hand knowledge to help you but this question has been posted here before just for more specific questions than yours like what challenges your children have.

I have heard from others on the southside, for public school systems, Fayette county is somewhat accommodating for special needs kids. On the northside, Cobb and north Fulton have good school systems, but not sure about your needs specifically. Gwinnett county might be another good alternative. Your husband will want to be near his work as the traffic here is quite challenging, so options are there.

Greatschools.org is a good place to research for specific school systems as well.

[babeums06]

Both of my SN kids are hearing impaired; they have a BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid), they have jaw issues so they can not move their mouths to speak, the jaw issues also are the reason for the trachs and g-buttons. In school, they have FM systems, communication devices, and both know/are learning sign language.

[Brian]

Atlanta Speech School :: a comprehensive educational center for children and adults with hearing, speech, language, or learning disabilities.

Atlanta Area School for the Deaf

Both schools above are day schools, not residential schools.

Many school districts in the Atlanta area have special education programs for the hearing impaired, you should contact school districts in each county you are interested to get more info.

[lastminutemom]

Atlanta Speech school is a private school that probably won't be appropriate given the level of your children's needs. Do you use Katie Beckett waiver? How hard/easy is to get in Texas? It can be very difficult/stressful here. Plus there may be changes to medicaid coming here. Do not assume that services will be good here -- unless private insurance is covering it for you. The level of coverage from medicaid can vary from state to state.

Do you depend on extended family for support? If so, can you easily give that up? I have one child with special needs, less significant than your two, and when he was younger it was really tough going.

As to schools, how old are your special needs children? Are they mainstreamed at all? Mainstreaming is becoming more and more common here (and everywhere) even if not appropriate.

Keep in mind that GA has a dismal track record in terms of students with disabilities. Less than half graduate from high school.

[babeums06]

I have never heard of a Katie Beckett waiver, so I'm assuming Texas doesn't have it. Both of my kids are mainstream. My daughter is 6, my son is 4.