Considering residential placement for 14YO
Hi,
I am currently researching residential facilities for my fourteen year old daughter who has experienced mental illness/psychosis since the age of nine. She is approaching her 15th birthday and I believe she is going through more challenges than we can address. Her father and I have tried for years to get her the help she needs. I would say we made some progress with local agencies , however, I am concerned that we don't have enough diagnostic clarity to make our next move. We have requested an IEE from the school district, which has been approved but we are having a very difficult time finding an assessor who can answer our questions.
In considering residential, I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with Victor treatment Centers in Santa Rosa. Also, if you know of any dedicated, skilled, professional, out-of the box-thinking professionals for further evaluation, I would appreciate your recommendations. The center has a school, North Valley, and a "group home" nearby.
Thank you
Parent Replies
I'm really sorry to hear you are going through this. My kid is in residential and I talk to a lot of parents whose stories sound like yours. Many kids go through multiple diagnoses on the way to placement. I don't know about Victor Treatment Ctrs but I do know that the age of consent in CA is 12. That is, over the age of 12, they can check themselves out. Twelve. Yes, I know but that's the law. Check with the RTC and confirm this, but it was why we had to send him out of state. If you can spring for it, I'd recommend a good educational consultant. Not cheap but they know many programs and can help you figure out which one would be best for your kid. I can also recommend Willows in the Wind, a support group for parents with kids like ours. There's a lot of specific information and guidance in that community. And no judgement.
Some of the residential programs in Utah are very good. We didn't find anything in CA. PM me if you have any questions.
I can highly recommend an educational consultant (he's also a therapist) who is very knowledgeable about residential options for teens. We have worked with a lot of professionals and he is outstanding in his thoughtfulness and compassion and ability to connect with teens/young adults. His name David Heckenlively http://www.integratedteen.com/ I think it would be worth talking to him. He's in Walnut Creek and we are in Oakland but worth the drive. Good luck.
Hi
this is a tough road for any parent. I suggest contacting Willows in the Wind a local group for parents whose kids are needing, in or have graduated RTC. There is also a Facebook group WTRSS ( wilderness therapy and Residential Support). These groups provide support and a huge wealth of knowledge. I do also recommend an Educational Consultant if you can afford it. The good ones find the right fit for your child along with the best therapist there and help facilitate the process with the District and placement. Someone above mentioned David Hickenlively and we had a very unpleasant experience with him. There are many ECs and those groups I mentioned above are great resources