autistic help (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake: 2013, insurance, daycare)

[kylesmom061903]

hi,

My son was newly diagnosed with highly functioning autism and I am looking for ways to help fund our therapy expenses and also I need to find services to help deal with a public school system that refuses to cooperate. We live in Franklin and are considering a move to VA BEACH or Chesapeake to better help our son. He has been receiving speech therapy once a week and now the doctor wants 2-3 times a week plus occupational therapy. The Franklin public school system denies my son is autistic even though his PCP, speech therapist,daycare teachers, family and Eastern VA medical school Doctor knows he is.

thanks for the help,
kim

[ellar]

This won't help you much with the public school system, but I recommend you look into the Discovery program run by the National Institute of Learning Development based in Norfolk National Institute for Learning Development- One Student At A Time.. What's great about this program is that your child can see the same person to address multiple issues (rather than going to a bunch of different therapists). It also aims to correct learning issues by retraining the brain. I've seen the methods used make a tremendous difference in my daughter's life. Good luck!

[shellytc]

check out Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy It is law community that deals with special needs and how to deal with school systems. Very useful.

[Alirea]

Hello Kim.

I sympathize with how frustrated you most feel with the schools and how taxing this can be. One unfortunate truth, schools almost never do more than twice a week of any therapy in the cases I have seen. Of course, I am new to the area since Sept., but I have seen parents of very severe children struggle to get more than one time a week from the schools. It is just they already over work their therapists so they just can't agree because it would mean hiring another therapist and they can't or don't want to find the funds.

Since this is the case, the schools will usually explain that the therapist recommendations are carried over by his regular teacher. They just expect you will use your private insurance to get the therapy your son needs because they view anything more as medical and not educational. The truth is your son will get more from private therapy if the therapist instructs you with what you can do on a regular basis. When you look at it, a hour or even two max a week really isn't a huge amount of time to work with a child and get tremendous results. The reality is they usually aren't doing the full time that is on your child's IEP either. They are just too overworked and their aren't substitutes for therapist unless you find an amazing school. The real goal of the school therapist is to reassess what will help your child in school and make sure his teachers know how to put it in to place.

That being said, I think the schools have it all wrong. It is not a medical issue and an "appropriate education" should be what helps our kids reach their potential. There should be a therapist checking in with every child at least once a day in my opinion because without constant oversight I don't think the help gets carried over. And things can change dramatically with some of our kids depending on the day. A daily quick re-evaluation is completely necessary. Don't feel as if you are doing anything wrong if you can't get the schools to agree. I think it is just a set of bad circumstances that make it so difficult to get more than once a week therapy. However, there is no question in my mind that they are doing something hideously wrong in denying you OT. If your son needs it to be educated, whether it is for hand strength and grip or for sensory issues, they are responsible to give you at least once a week.

Also, please remember to be careful about leaving one town for high hopes in another. It is the "grass is greener" danger. We made that mistake a few times in the past. The quality you will get is only as good as that particular administration for the school you are placed in even though the overall town may be great. But, on the other hand, I do believe that both Chesapeake and Virginia Beach would have a much better chance of offering your son the education he deserves. And if not there, there are two private schools for Autism in Virginia Beach if that is an option for you. Just choose what area you end up in and know what schools will be your choices before you even look at houses. If you need more input on areas in both towns, I could point you to more specific info. Once you settle on an area you can talk to the school and even see it if they are nice. It will save you a lot of time and raise your chances of a positive move. This is just from experience though.

Just for some quick recommendation, write a formal letter to your town's special education director addressing what issues you are having.
GET either the director or their direct assistant to attend a meeting. We had done this in the past and it does help unless you get a bad director.
Plea your case logically and as unemotionally as you can when at meetings... preferably have some one else do it because it is very hard to do. It is our children's future at stake... how can we not be intense.

Thus second, find an advocate. A lawyer can usually get a school at least part way to your goals, but it cost a bit. The very fortunate thing is there are a few free or low cost advocates around this area(not sure in Franklin though). The schools will be less apt to deny anything you are due if someone who knows full well how to fight them on it is standing by your side. Even if it is a friend you call your advocate and she just sits and takes notes for you, it will make them pause and feel a bit of anxiety if they are in the wrong. Sometimes they don't like witnesses. An advocate can be anyone, but you should let the school know only the person's name and they are your advocate before they attend. The support can be so wonderful after the meeting too and feeling like someone else heard and understands.

And third(the most important), put everything in writing. I know how hard it is to find time to do it, but in reality it saves time in the long run. If they schools think you know what you are doing, you have a lot of power on your side. Just keep that in mind. I hope these quick tips help. Boy, time flies by when I get rambling. lol

If you want to connect with more parents in the Hampton Roads region for support, resources, and ideas, look around for programs in Chesapeake and Norfolk. I found out you can't post anything for support groups on city-data last night despite it being non-profit. lol Kind of silly if you ask me, but they just don't want to have any "advertising" at all. I guess with all the spammers that is what has come of the internet. There are a very few things to offer support in the area for autism, but if you look to the military(Portsmouth this Fall) or the two programs I know of(one is national in Norfolk and the other is a small group in Chesapeake), you will find a few meetings and conferences coming up. Hope this helped some. Email me anytime.
I can offer more details if you want them. Have a wonderful weekend.

Best Wishes,
Heather

[Mrs. Lindo]

I have a teenager with hfa (autism). The Virginia Beach Public School System has not been very helpful at all with him. If I didn't teach him at home, he probably would'nt know anything.

[Pikantari]

My daughter has Aspergers Syndrome, we are in Suffolk, and she has been in a program called SECEP for about 4 years now, it is wonderful. Also look into the Autism Society of America, Tidewater Chapter

Info for Suffolk, maybe she can direct you..

Sandra Albert 5392388

albert dot sandra @ secep dot net

[Mrs. Lindo]

Thank you Cinderobyn.

[Pikantari]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Lindo

Thank you Cinderobyn.

your welcome...

[AutismVA]

Hi Kim,

I agree w/the previous post-ers on (1) the Wrightslaw website -- it's a keeper -- and Atty Pete Wright resides in Va (Deltaville). Good and encouraging articles and advice there as well as a references to various really good publications you should get to further educate yourself. One other thing I would do if I were you, is find an educational ADVOCATE -- a person who (usually, but not always) works for free or little money, knows the ins-and-outs of your school system (or can find out easily), is very familiar w/Autism and Autism spectum disorders, issues affecting our kids, kinds of educational interventions, therapies, etc., that are often needed, etc. One place to start might be the Tidewater chapter of the Autism Society of America website -- there's quite a bit of info. there -- you can call someone at the Endependence Center (listed on the Tidewater ASA website-- Autism Society of America - Tidewater Chapter 261 - Resource Directory (http://www.tidewaterasa.org/resourcedirectory.html - broken link) ) and they can also point you in the right direction. There may be another parent in your area who's "been through the mill" w/the school system there in Franklin, and who could at least go w/you to your child's IEP mtg(s). That in itself is often a great help -- when the school system sees you're going to stand up for your/your child's rights and fight to get what's needed, and have a witness with you. Very important to have someone (esp. another who knows your child/Autism ) with you at the meetings w/the school system-- esp. when you're "starting out" !! ALso, Tape record your meetings. You ARE allowed to do this -- just you should let someone (your child's teacher) in the school system know that you will be bringing a tape recorder -- if you don't they can request you make copies of your tape recording.... once you let them iknow you're audiotaping the mtg., they'll usually record the mtg. too. That's ok. At least you have a record of what was said. Also, talk to the Va. Dept. of Education folks in Richmond. They have an office of folks just for taking questions and complaints from parents on special education issues -- you can ask them about things the school personnel told you at a meeting, for ex., and find out if what the school folks told you was true or false -- then you can do something about it. Sometimes (you) filing a state complaint (VDOE also tells you how to do this on their website) against the school system if they're not complying w/state or federal spec. ed. law is what it takes to get the LEAs attention! Don't sign any educational plan that you disagree with -- if the school system won't budge, neither should you, if you're convinced they're wrong or not providing FAPE for your child. They will pressure you and try their best to get you to sign what they "offer" to do -- Don't -- Please call VDOE and talk with someone there -- Not that they're going to be able to help you directly or immediately, but at least you've been doing what you can to find out and learn "what's what." Some telephone numbers for VDOE spec. ed. technical assistance/complaint specialists is: for TIdewater area, Patricia Haymes, ph: 804-786-0116 (may be another person for Franklin, but she or someone else there would be able to guide you); another number to try: 804-225-2711/225-2013. Google the VDOE's website, and locate Special Education. You should also read through the Special Education Regulations and understand them -- so you can know if the school system is complying with state & fed. spec. ed. law, policies, with what they say and do. I have a child with "high-functioning" Autism (AS) for years -- and have been round the block w/the school system here. Hope this helps!

[Mrs. Lindo]

Thank you for the info AutismVA.