Re: North Metro PsychoEducational Program

[Guest guest]

In my opinion, that would violate LRE (Least Restrictive Environment). Also in my opinion, psychoed centers are no place for children with autism, and we certainly never advocate for placement in these centers, where seclusion and restraint is frequently utilized.

The district needs to provide your child with an appropriate placement during their evaluation, and it certainly should not be in a psychoed center. Do not agree. Tape record your meeting. If they do not have another placement, give 10 day private placement notice at public expense. Tell them if they cannot provide an appropriate placement, which the psychoed center is not, then they can pay for a private placement. Certainly the private placement where she was already making progress would be most appropriate.

Advocacy & Consulting Services - IEPadvocate4you Carol Sadler, Special Education Consultant/Advocate GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate 1105 Rock Pointe Look Woodstock, GA 30188 CarolSadler@... www.IEPadvocate4You.com http://iepadvocate4you.blogspot.com

"There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people." ---- Jefferson

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged. It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest and the special education attorneys that I often work with on educational matters. Please do not forward without my permission.

[Guest guest]

I would go and observe the classroom where they are recommending she be

placed, tour the school, and review their behavior management system

for children in that specific class. Some psychoed centers have

classrooms specifically for children with autism, and may use ABA as

well, so it really just depends on the specific placement. Placement

in an EBD classroom would most likely be inappropriate, however.

>

> My daughter is 6 years old and a nonverbal autistic who has up until

> Last year, attended a private school in Alpharetta ga. there she

> Received intense aba therapy and was progressing nicely. After

running

> out of money ,we had to withdraw her . she has now begun the

evaluation

> process for atlanta city schools . Parkside elementary , our school,

> Does not have a classroom to accommodate her so they want to send her

> to

> the North Metro Psychoeducational Program which has moved from the

> Margaret site to the old Marshall Middle school for 45 days

> to do her evaluations etc. I

> have heard very unsettling things about this place and desperately

> need feedback from people in the know. please respond ASAP.

>

[Guest guest]

PLEASE look for any other option ... There are appropriate ways your

child can be educated in the public school without being placed in a

psychoeducational center. These are not designed for children with

autism. You are welcome to call me.

Riggs

>

> My daughter is 6 years old and a nonverbal autistic who has up until

> Last year, attended a private school in Alpharetta ga. there she

> Received intense aba therapy and was progressing nicely. After

running

> out of money ,we had to withdraw her . she has now begun the

evaluation

> process for atlanta city schools . Parkside elementary , our school,

> Does not have a classroom to accommodate her so they want to send her

> to

> the North Metro Psychoeducational Program which has moved from the

> Margaret site to the old Marshall Middle school for 45 days

> to do her evaluations etc. I

> have heard very unsettling things about this place and desperately

> need feedback from people in the know. please respond ASAP.

>

[Guest guest]

I am a teacher with a psycoed center. My class is at a high school and the population of students I teach all have autism and have had severe behavior issues. With that said, I would encourage anyone to check out the program near you to see how it is run in your area. I don't know much(or anything for that matter) about other GNETS (that is what they are called now). I am proud of my students and the progress they have made and are making.Rosemary HickmanAugusta Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerryDate: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:16:56 -0000To: <autism-georgia >Subject: Re: North Metro PsychoEducational Program PLEASE look for any other option ... There are appropriate ways your child can be educated in the public school without being placed in a psychoeducational center. These are not designed for children with autism. You are welcome to call me. Riggs > > My daughter is 6 years old and a nonverbal autistic who has up until > Last year, attended a private school in Alpharetta ga. there she > Received intense aba therapy and was progressing nicely. After running > out of money ,we had to withdraw her . she has now begun the evaluation > process for atlanta city schools . Parkside elementary , our school, > Does not have a classroom to accommodate her so they want to send her > to > the North Metro Psychoeducational Program which has moved from the > Margaret site to the old Marshall Middle school for 45 days > to do her evaluations etc. I > have heard very unsettling things about this place and desperately > need feedback from people in the know. please respond ASAP. >

[Guest guest]

I really don't understand why blanket statements are being made about

ALL psychoed centers. Some are inappropriate for a child with autism,

as they do not have classrooms or services specifically tailored to

children on the spectrum. Others DO provide these services, and have

made tremendous efforts to hire autism specialists to set up their

program and staff their specialized classrooms with teachers with

experience and training in working with kids on the spectrum, and do

not mix EBD children in with their autistic population. SOME of these

centers ARE therefore the appropriate place for children with on a

certain functioning level. What is with the closed-mindedness around

ALL psychoed centers? Each should be judged on its own merits.

[Guest guest]

Maybe there are some PsychoEd centers out there that are better than others, I have just never seen one. Autism is neither an emotional or behavioral disorder and therefore children with autism should not be sent to a facility that was set up to address these issues. As for all the children with autism being educated together and "not mixed" with the children with an EBD label, I find this counterproductive in that children with autism need to learn social skills and language skills (verbal and non verbal), so why are we putting the children in a classroom full of other children that are not social and have little or no language skills? Children learn by doing and seeing. They need to be in a model rich peer environment. I realize this is not always an option but isn't this the goal??

So in closing, I don't feel like my opinion on GNETS is close minded, I've never personally encountered or heard of a psycho ed center that is appropriate for a child with autism. Yes, my child had a horrible experience in one, and I was lucky enough (or unlucky, depends on how you see it) to actually witness the abuse first hand done to my child. It's amazing what you see in those little viewing rooms when the teachers don't know you're there observing. Has this experience tainted my view of these facilities? Yes, probably so, as well as the countless other stories from other parents with similar or even worse experiences. I am truely sorry if I offended anyone in any way, but as an active advocate, I truely believe it is my obligation to share these experiences so others are informed. I know and greatly appreciate the many teachers and educational staff that dedicate their time and life to helping our children, my opinion is in no way a reflection of my feelings for teachers and staff. My opinion, and it is just what it is, an opinion, take it or leave it, is based on how the psycho ed centers are generally used to warehouse our children when they don't know what else to do, with very little educating going on

Moody

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" - Luther King Jr.

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGEDThis email may contain privileged and/or confidential information. Please do not forward this email without my consent. Any information given in this email is advice based on my knowledge & experience as a parent of a child with a disability, and my training as a special education advocate through the Georgia Advocacy Offices' Parent Leadership Support Project. I am not an attorney nor a medical professional and information given should not be interpreted as either legal or medical advice.

[Guest guest]

No 6 year old student belongs in a psychoed center. Please do not

agree to this 45-day placement. Many parents who have agreed to a

temporary placement have found out too late that the placement is

permanent. A great deal of money has been and is being spent by

parents in their efforts to get their children out of these centers.

Lora

>

> My daughter is 6 years old and a nonverbal autistic who has up until

> Last year, attended a private school in Alpharetta ga. there she

> Received intense aba therapy and was progressing nicely. After

running

> out of money ,we had to withdraw her . she has now begun the

evaluation

> process for atlanta city schools . Parkside elementary , our school,

> Does not have a classroom to accommodate her so they want to send her

> to

> the North Metro Psychoeducational Program which has moved from the

> Margaret site to the old Marshall Middle school for 45 days

> to do her evaluations etc. I

> have heard very unsettling things about this place and desperately

> need feedback from people in the know. please respond ASAP.

>

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know if least restrictive environment plays a role in this. Wouldn't the psychoed center be the most restrictive placement option for your daughter? Surely there is a school in north fulton county that has a program for students with autism.

Terri R. Benn

25Give praise to the only God. He is our Savior. Glory, majesty, power and authority belong to him. Give praise to him through Jesus Christ our Lord. Give praise to the One who was before all time, who now is, and who will be forever. Amen. Jude 1:25

Subject: Re: North Metro PsychoEducational ProgramTo: autism-georgia Date: Monday, September 1, 2008, 12:34 PM

No 6 year old student belongs in a psychoed center. Please do not agree to this 45-day placement. Many parents who have agreed to a temporary placement have found out too late that the placement is permanent. A great deal of money has been and is being spent by parents in their efforts to get their children out of these centers.Lora>> My daughter is 6 years old and a nonverbal autistic who has up until > Last year, attended a private school in Alpharetta ga. there she > Received intense aba therapy and was progressing nicely. After running > out of money ,we had to withdraw her . she has now begun the evaluation > process for atlanta city schools . Parkside elementary , our school, > Does not have a

classroom to accommodate her so they want to send her > to > the North Metro Psychoeducational Program which has moved from the > Margaret site to the old Marshall Middle school for 45 days > to do her evaluations etc. I > have heard very unsettling things about this place and desperately > need feedback from people in the know. please respond ASAP.>

[Guest guest]

Yes it is the most restrictive environment.Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerryDate: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 08:29:49 -0700 (PDT)To: <autism-georgia >Subject: Re: Re: North Metro PsychoEducational Program Does anyone know if least restrictive environment plays a role in this. Wouldn't the psychoed center be the most restrictive placement option for your daughter? Surely there is a school in north fulton county that has a program for students with autism. Terri R. Benn 25Give praise to the only God. He is our Savior. Glory, majesty, power and authority belong to him. Give praise to him through Jesus Christ our Lord. Give praise to the One who was before all time, who now is, and who will be forever. Amen. Jude 1:25From: lorallangley <llangleycharter (DOT) net>Subject: Re: North Metro PsychoEducational ProgramTo: autism-georgia Date: Monday, September 1, 2008, 12:34 PMNo 6 year old student belongs in a psychoed center. Please do not agree to this 45-day placement. Many parents who have agreed to a temporary placement have found out too late that the placement is permanent. A great deal of money has been and is being spent by parents in their efforts to get their children out of these centers.Lora>> My daughter is 6 years old and a nonverbal autistic who has up until > Last year, attended a private school in Alpharetta ga. there she > Received intense aba therapy and was progressing nicely. After running > out of money ,we had to withdraw her . she has now begun the evaluation > process for atlanta city schools . Parkside elementary , our school, > Does not have a classroom to accommodate her so they want to send her > to > the North Metro Psychoeducational Program which has moved from the > Margaret site to the old Marshall Middle school for 45 days > to do her evaluations etc. I > have heard very unsettling things about this place and desperately > need feedback from people in the know. please respond ASAP.>