Article about parent who couldn't take it anymore...

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Bedard for this chilling and sad article about a family in

Maine:

Autistic Man’s Dad Decided to End it All

April 29

Autistic man's dad decided to end it all

By Hench dhench@...

Staff Writer

For McLatchie, caring for his autistic son, , was a demanding

full-time job. He worried what would happen if he were gone.

Police say that apparently was why he shot his 22-year-old son with a shotgun

Tuesday in the driveway of the family's home in Gray, then shot himself. The

state medical examiner confirmed Wednesday that the deaths were a

murder-suicide.

Police say McLatchie, 44, left two notes: one expressing fear about his

son's future care, the other with financial information for his wife, ,

's mother. At the time of the shooting, she was working at a school for

children with developmental disabilities.

Police got a 911 call summoning them to the home. They believe the call was made

by McLatchie just before the shooting.

Caring for people who are autistic can be an extremely stressful job and take an

immense toll on even the closest of family members, experts say. At the same

time, state services for adults with cognitive disabilities like autism are

limited, and often have waiting lists.

McLatchie may have recently become too old for school-based services,

which end at age 21.

People who know the McLatchies declined to talk Wednesday about the family's

circumstances. Students of severe autism, however, said it can be a challenge

for families to provide constant care for a child with extensive needs.

" A lot of times they're non-verbal, meaning they have very limited

communication, " said andrin, associate professor of special education

at the University of Southern Maine and coordinator of the abilities and

disabilities study program. " If you can't communicate well, you're more prone to

have behavioral problems, much more acting out behavior, because they're

frustrated. "

Low-functioning autistic people can need help with basic personal hygiene and

bathroom needs, and many can't entertain themselves for even short periods, she

said. " It's kind of like, nonstop, being with a very young child who doesn't

take a nap, " andrin said.

There can be costly medical issues that are not covered by insurance,

particularly if coverage was not available because the autism was a pre-existing

condition, she said.

Getting help is difficult, especially after children grow out of school-based

services.

" It can be a one- to two-year wait list to get into a day treatment program, and

it can be that long or longer to get into a group home, " she said.

Parents often fear that when they die, there will be no one to care for their

disabled children.

Dionne, director of programming and administration for the Autism Society

of Maine, said that knowing what services are available and accessing them can

be a challenge.

" If you have a child with non-verbal, self-abusive behaviors and a lot of

sensory issues (who) is getting no services because they are out of school,

think about dealing with that 24-7 as a stay-at-home dad, " she said.

" The stress level is high. I can say that as a parent " of an autistic child,

Dionne said.

The state Department of Health and Human Services lacks funding to serve every

disabled person who needs them, and must prioritize.

All people with cognitive developmental disabilities should have access to case

management services, said Jane Gallivan, director of the Office of Adults With

Cognitive and Physical Disabilities in the DHHS.

" If someone was in significant jeopardy and really needed to leave their family

home, we would help them to transition into a home outside their family home, "

she said, in circumstances including complex medical issues or exhausted

parents.

But there has been a waiting list, she said.

" The residential settings are costly. We have to make sure we've given those

precious dollars to the individuals in greatest need of those services, "

Gallivan said. If someone cannot care for themselves and has no family to

provide that care, the state is obligated to take them in.

The Legislature approved additional funding for this year, so some new

residential slots will open up this summer, she said.

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Bedard for this chilling and sad article about a family in

Maine:

Autistic Man’s Dad Decided to End it All

April 29

Autistic man's dad decided to end it all

By Hench dhench@...

Staff Writer

For McLatchie, caring for his autistic son, , was a demanding

full-time job. He worried what would happen if he were gone.

Police say that apparently was why he shot his 22-year-old son with a shotgun

Tuesday in the driveway of the family's home in Gray, then shot himself. The

state medical examiner confirmed Wednesday that the deaths were a

murder-suicide.

Police say McLatchie, 44, left two notes: one expressing fear about his

son's future care, the other with financial information for his wife, ,

's mother. At the time of the shooting, she was working at a school for

children with developmental disabilities.

Police got a 911 call summoning them to the home. They believe the call was made

by McLatchie just before the shooting.

Caring for people who are autistic can be an extremely stressful job and take an

immense toll on even the closest of family members, experts say. At the same

time, state services for adults with cognitive disabilities like autism are

limited, and often have waiting lists.

McLatchie may have recently become too old for school-based services,

which end at age 21.

People who know the McLatchies declined to talk Wednesday about the family's

circumstances. Students of severe autism, however, said it can be a challenge

for families to provide constant care for a child with extensive needs.

" A lot of times they're non-verbal, meaning they have very limited

communication, " said andrin, associate professor of special education

at the University of Southern Maine and coordinator of the abilities and

disabilities study program. " If you can't communicate well, you're more prone to

have behavioral problems, much more acting out behavior, because they're

frustrated. "

Low-functioning autistic people can need help with basic personal hygiene and

bathroom needs, and many can't entertain themselves for even short periods, she

said. " It's kind of like, nonstop, being with a very young child who doesn't

take a nap, " andrin said.

There can be costly medical issues that are not covered by insurance,

particularly if coverage was not available because the autism was a pre-existing

condition, she said.

Getting help is difficult, especially after children grow out of school-based

services.

" It can be a one- to two-year wait list to get into a day treatment program, and

it can be that long or longer to get into a group home, " she said.

Parents often fear that when they die, there will be no one to care for their

disabled children.

Dionne, director of programming and administration for the Autism Society

of Maine, said that knowing what services are available and accessing them can

be a challenge.

" If you have a child with non-verbal, self-abusive behaviors and a lot of

sensory issues (who) is getting no services because they are out of school,

think about dealing with that 24-7 as a stay-at-home dad, " she said.

" The stress level is high. I can say that as a parent " of an autistic child,

Dionne said.

The state Department of Health and Human Services lacks funding to serve every

disabled person who needs them, and must prioritize.

All people with cognitive developmental disabilities should have access to case

management services, said Jane Gallivan, director of the Office of Adults With

Cognitive and Physical Disabilities in the DHHS.

" If someone was in significant jeopardy and really needed to leave their family

home, we would help them to transition into a home outside their family home, "

she said, in circumstances including complex medical issues or exhausted

parents.

But there has been a waiting list, she said.

" The residential settings are costly. We have to make sure we've given those

precious dollars to the individuals in greatest need of those services, "

Gallivan said. If someone cannot care for themselves and has no family to

provide that care, the state is obligated to take them in.

The Legislature approved additional funding for this year, so some new

residential slots will open up this summer, she said.

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...