Re: Anika

February 24, 2005

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It does sound like a good situation for Anika. I hope (and pray)

that she takes advantage of this opportunity to grow and change, and

that you have the opportunity to get strong, and have a much needed

respite from your bp dtrs actions.

>

> Big hugs and prayers said on behalf of the grandma in Canada. My

> heart goes out to you. What a sad position for a litle child to be

> in. My 14 year old daughter is safe at the State hospital after

> spending 12 days at United adolescent unit in St... The plan

is

> for her to stay at the state hospital for 5 weeks while waiting

for

> her spot at the CRTC (Childrens Residential Treatment Center) in

> Minneapolis to open up. This will happen March 21st. The really

> good news is that we have insurance to support this

recommendation.

> I have been told that we have 100% coverage with no co-pay.

> (prayers going up and prayers answered). The average stay at the

> CRTC is 9-10 months. I went to tour this place yesterday. I was

> impressed. The facility itself is not new but is very adequate.

(It

> is a former dorm for nursing students at Abbot Northwestern

Hospital

> in MPLS.) The program houses 20 kids, mostly girls, average age

15.

> They mostly come from intact families and go back to their

original

> family. They have issues with depression, anxiety, self harm and

> repeated hospitalizations. Most have borderline traits and over

50%

> are on antidepressants. This sounds like a program tailor made

for

> my daughter and I am hopeful that this will help. This program was

> actually recommended for Anika exactly a year ago but at the time

we

> could not fathom that she could not do well in the very good home

> that we have to offer her. We also did not have the right kind of

> insurance to support this. We are now on board with this plan.

> Actually this is the recommendation of United Hosp, their Docs and

> social workers and her social worker from our county. We asked

what

> would happen if we did not agree and we were told that we would be

> taken to court and we would be sharing custody of our daughter

with

> the county. This is not a reflection on our parenting, but an

> indication of how far Anika has pushed the envelope. She hates

being

> at willmar but she did it to herself. Major bummer for her. I am

> enjoying the freedom of living with well behaved teens. God is so

> good.

February 25, 2005

Dear ,

Your post sounds like you have found a good program for Anika. I

know it's hard to have your daughter away from home for such a long

time.

In 2002, my husband and I sent our daughter to a residential

boarding school for teens with emotional problems and she was there

for ten months. It was a very hard program for her to go through,

the school was locked down, with behavior modification and lots of

counseling. Every privilege was earned, kids became proud of their

achievements and mentored for those just coming into the school.

Plus they took accredited high school classes. When she came home to

live with us again, she was a changed person. No, life was not

perfect and she did have some anxiety and depression which was

handled with meds, but one thing definitely was different: She knew

that she loved her family and wanted a relationship with us, and

would do anything to keep her relationship positive. That was a

major hurdle for us.

I hope and pray that your daughter too really uses the benefits of

her time while in her residential program and that she can

consciously make the changes she needs in her life so that your

family can heal.

Carolyn

>