Post by juliette21 on Apr 12, 2016 11:33:51 GMT -5
I hear you, we are fortunate enough to live a good school district as well and they drag their feet on everything too. It sometimes feels like pulling teeth getting anything timely from them, but then my care team crows about how amazing the school system is and how it's nothing like next town over district where they have to be forced to do everything. And here I am thinking I feel like I have to force everything already!
We are waiting on a speech eval for DS2 and because it's "so late in the year" we might not make it before the end of the school year. I was told this in mid-March. :?
I'm sorry you might have to wait so long. We use private therapy and it still took in excess of 6 months between requesting the assessment and getting services. I definitely feel for people who rely on EI because private therapy isn't available to them.
For the record, this is why I generally advise people request an eval as soon as they think there might be a delay...because it can take SO LONG to get services. I'm not implying that you didn't do that btw....even if you do everything right it can still take forever....
I hear you. Going through ECI was one of the most frustrating parts of my whole life. We got our evaluation done relatively easily but it's basically impossible to qualify for services. The school district was actually much easier to work with. They determined that ECI let us down and they pushed us through the system very quickly. I mean, it still took two months from my first phone call to the start of services but that IS quick in the school world.
That said, it's hard to KEEP services. Once they determined that DD would do just fine communicating in Kindergarten we were pushed off our IEP so fast my head is still spinning. I am so, so, SO grateful to DH's company of having such great insurance. We would have been lost without private therapy.
I'm sorry you might have to wait so long. We use private therapy and it still took in excess of 6 months between requesting the assessment and getting services. I definitely feel for people who rely on EI because private therapy isn't available to them.
For the record, this is why I generally advise people request an eval as soon as they think there might be a delay...because it can take SO LONG to get services. I'm not implying that you didn't do that btw....even if you do everything right it can still take forever....
FWIW, I requested an eval when we were living in Texas at about 23mo. The wait for that was a month, so her first was just shy of her 2nd birthday. It was a 2.5 hour evaluation with a SLP and a diagnostician and we were told she qualified that day, were assigned a therapist who called me within a week to schedule her first session.
We found out that same week we were moving and it seemed disruptive to start therapy when we'd be leaving a month or so later. By the time we got to DC it was just before Thanksgiving, so really nothing was going to happen until after Christmas anyway. I called my first week back to work January 11.
This obviously seems pretty par for the course, but I wasn't exactly sitting around on my hands.
Yep, moving sucks. We had great care in FL with no wait lists, then moved to CO and had to start the whole referral process over again (different insurance carrier), and it took forever. But we also have a great clinic here that is close to home and daycare and is in the same system as C's other specialty providers, so it was worth the wait. But damn.
The process takes so long because there is a shortage of professionals. My district of 50,000 students is served by 50 speech paths, 25 school psychologists, 6 occupational therapists, and 3 physical therapists. All so these people could make more money in the private sector but choose to work in public education. It is hard, stressful work with little appreciation. I know parents want services immediately but that isn't how the process works. I know you're just venting but it pisses me off to know that parents are complaining about people who are busting their asses to help kids.
Evidently there's no funding issues, staff shortages, incompetent district leaders, or completely fucked district policies. Just specialist and therapists dragging their asses to screw over kids.
The process takes so long because there is a shortage of professionals. My district of 50,000 students is served by 50 speech paths, 25 school psychologists, 6 occupational therapists, and 3 physical therapists. All so these people could make more money in the private sector but choose to work in public education. It is hard, stressful work with little appreciation. I know parents want services immediately but that isn't how the process works. I know you're just venting but it pisses me off to know that parents are complaining about people who are busting their asses to help kids.
Evidently there's no funding issues, staff shortages, incompetent district leaders, or completely fucked district policies. Just specialist and therapists dragging their asses to screw over kids.
I don't think anyone is blaming the therapists or even the schools. I am 100% blaming the lack of funding for special needs services. Of course that is the issue. No one in this thread is saying the therapists are to blame. Come on now.
ETA: Our therapists were great. But the SLP was only at our elementary school one day a week. That's it. Clearly not her fault but that does mean kids that need help may not get it because their needs aren't as severe as someone else's. It's frustrating for the therapists and administrators, too.
Man, our EI Birth to 3 program is not through the school district, so it only took about 6 wks. BUT I have to call the district today, as we were told by the pedi yesterday that he needs another eval and possibly more therapy.
Yeah, definitely not blaming the therapists. They are some of the most caring people I know. I'm so honored that C gets to interact with his SLP on a weekly basis.
I just wish the care (not the therapists, but the system) was more accessible and navigable. I have great insurance and a lot of free time to make phone calls to track down referrals or whatever. There are a lot of people who work FT (or even multiple jobs) and don't have the insurance coverage that I do, and I really feel bad for how hard it must be for them to navigate this system in order to get services for their kids.
It is in no way shape or form the therapists' fault though. They are amazing professionals.
The process takes so long because there is a shortage of professionals. My district of 50,000 students is served by 50 speech paths, 25 school psychologists, 6 occupational therapists, and 3 physical therapists. All so these people could make more money in the private sector but choose to work in public education. It is hard, stressful work with little appreciation. I know parents want services immediately but that isn't how the process works. I know you're just venting but it pisses me off to know that parents are complaining about people who are busting their asses to help kids.
Evidently there's no funding issues, staff shortages, incompetent district leaders, or completely fucked district policies. Just specialist and therapists dragging their asses to screw over kids.
You know, it's actually GOOD for the public to complain about public services, because it can make YOUR job easier down the road. Our vote may lighten your load. Our voice may raise concern that you may have a difficult time raising yourself. It's no different than complaining to a district about class size, right? (FWIW we paid more for the state's birth to 3 speech therapy than we would have for private therapy. Like - 75% more. So we actually pushed money into the state vs. taking ourselves to a private practice.)
ETA: Not 75% more. $40 / month vs. over $300 a month.
Denver Public Schools are generally crappy (with some exceptions) and I had excellent & prompt EI services for 2 kids 4 years apart (year round too). The same therapist did both my younger 2 so they have good retention too. Don't think they are always related. I got extra services (sleep therapist, nutritionist) after the initial evaluation just from the PT or OT requesting it from the case manager. I did contact them pretty early, as soon as I noticed a delay & had to push my Pediatrician a little bit for a referral.
The process takes so long because there is a shortage of professionals. My district of 50,000 students is served by 50 speech paths, 25 school psychologists, 6 occupational therapists, and 3 physical therapists. All so these people could make more money in the private sector but choose to work in public education. It is hard, stressful work with little appreciation. I know parents want services immediately but that isn't how the process works. I know you're just venting but it pisses me off to know that parents are complaining about people who are busting their asses to help kids.
Evidently there's no funding issues, staff shortages, incompetent district leaders, or completely fucked district policies. Just specialist and therapists dragging their asses to screw over kids.
You know, it's actually GOOD for the public to complain about public services, because it can make YOUR job easier down the road. Our vote may lighten your load. Our voice may raise concern that you may have a difficult time raising yourself. It's no different than complaining to a district about class size, right? (FWIW we paid more for the state's birth to 3 speech therapy than we would have for private therapy. Like - 75% more. So we actually pushed money into the state vs. taking ourselves to a private practice.)
I agree with you. It's just frustrating to be in the trenches and to read all the comments. I wish more people went to board meetings and wrote letters to legislators with their concerns. But that rarely happens.
I actually came in this thread several times because I understand and OP's frustration from the parent's point of view. But the multiple responses about it being so terrible and someone actually said their team was dragging their asses and it pissed me off. EVERYONE is frustrated with the process. Your teams/committees likely have very little input on procedures.
Sorry, redwino ... I just called 5 different numbers for out district. Early childhood services, our local elementary school, our superintendent, the works. And no one answered at any of those numbers. Not a one. So while I hear you, it's really rough for parents who are already emotional about their child's delay to navigate the system.
The district website has ZERO information available for me.
Post by broadsheet on Apr 12, 2016 12:28:02 GMT -5
Yes, there is a shortage of professionals but that doesn't mean parents shouldn't voice their valid concerns. We are constantly told the importance of early intervention therapies, yet walls are put up so we can't access them without a diagnosis. And we can't get a diagnosis without an evaluation, so we are left in this purgatory where we know our kids need help, but we can't access it. I think therapists are miracle workers but I am also really effing frustrated about the wait lists that many SN families are experiencing.
FWIW my daughter was referred at age 4 for an ASD evaluation in July and we are still jumping through hoops to complete the process.
Post by juliette21 on Apr 12, 2016 12:32:19 GMT -5
I think my response was the one redwino is upset about, since I said "drag their feet."
I'm sorry to upset you, but on the other side I have a child who is having a hard time with his speech and is acting out aggressively in his preschool to the point where the daycare director said if we don't get an answer soon he may get put on a behavior plan and if he has so many offenses he will get kicked out. I promptly scheduled an assessment for him with the public school early childhood development center, and after failing the screening in mid-March I was told we may barely even get a full evaluation for him before end of school year which was 3 months away from that. Once we get the evaluation, if he does qualify for services he won't start receiving them until after the summer break, so a full 6 months since the assessment.
I am in no way blaming the actual therapists, but being made to wait 6 months for a 3.5 yo to get help with speech is frustrating to say the least. Something is wrong with the system. He is so young that a 6-month delay is doing a disservice to him to wait that long. I agree with PP that there needs to be more conversation around this so maybe we can speak up and advocate for changes in the system, or at least in the intake process, so more kids aren't left waiting months and months for critical services.
She's still young enough to go through birth-3. My school district doesn't pick up until 3 and even then both kids were evaluated well before 3 for the transition from birth to 3.
Just so you know that both my kids are on the spectrum and both have had private PT/OT/ST since the school only deals with the education piece so you probably will still want to go privately as well. As far as the diagnosis opening doors...my insurance is exempt from offering any coverage for ASD. That sucks right there.
juliette21 it was your comment that set me off. I didn't tag before because im on my phone and couldn't find you.
I truly understand the frustration. The system is broken. Intakes are pushed back because an intake usually starts a timeline clock. So intakes aren't completed until there is actually somebody available to work the case. Evaluatikn procedures are usually dictated by higher ups who haven't worked a referral or provided services in years, if ever. Then it trickles down to the actual specialists and they have to deal with it the best they can. It sucks to be in the person telling a parent you can't meet for 2 months but if that's the next available slot, there's nothing I can do.
CloudBee call the districts main number and tell the secretary you want to speak to the special education department. Someone in that office can get you to the right person. I have no idea why no one is answering the phones in your disteict. That's actually not a complaint I hear in my area.
Every state does their Birth to 3 program a little differently.
I'm sort of surprised you are working with the LEA prior to age 3. In my state, like many others EI is under the umbrella of Human Services rather than DOE. Typically, EI is an easier group with which to work relative to a school district.
Are they following the 60 instructional day timeline mandated under IDEA? When we bridged DS to public school, they were out of compliance based on that timeline, but did give me all the services and supports DS's psychologist and I felt he'd need. I signed the consent to evaluate/received at copy of the procedural safeguards in mid-February and signed his IEP during the Christmas party. But the school took care of him from his first day in September.
if you are self insured, Autism Coverage Mandates probably don't apply. If you get a dx, you can apply for non-means tested Medicaid.
kkfeb04, we made the case that speech- specifically pragmatics was an educational need. DS never needed OT or PT, so that wasn't a hill for us. A kid who doesn't understand peers' communication- verbal and nonverbal- can't work effectively on group projects which are a critical piece to preparing for college and the modern collaborative workplace. We did MGW Social Thinking- life changing stuff. Came in handy just this week as DS and another student in his recent history class are doing a research project together.
We live in one of the top districts in NJ and it still took forever to get evaluated from EI to the special preschool! The county (who runs our EI program) put the paperwork in right when he turned 2.5, and they literally did his evaluations in the month leading up to his 3rd birthday! Thankfully it was a quick turnaround process (which legally, it has to be as he was allowed services in our district the day he turned 3) but still!
Post by leonard131 on Apr 12, 2016 13:25:23 GMT -5
Considering what county I think you live in that is just shocking to me that they don't work over the summer. I am in AA on the MD side and our schools are crappy for the most part (some very good ones sprinkled in) and our EI system is year round, was awesome and they were pretty quick too.
Sorry, redwino ... I just called 5 different numbers for out district. Early childhood services, our local elementary school, our superintendent, the works. And no one answered at any of those numbers. Not a one. So while I hear you, it's really rough for parents who are already emotional about their child's delay to navigate the system.
The district website has ZERO information available for me.
I just happened to see this and wanted to relay that it's spring break for our school districts, in case you didn't know, so that is probably why there was no answer. You would think they would change the outgoing message, though!
In my experience, the quality of school district is NOT predictive of how good your EI services will be. In Chicago, the evaluators were so great, the process was done and someone was in my home in two weeks, and DD1 got great services.
In my fancy town in NJ, it took forever to get evaluated, then it took forever to get a decent therapist. The first two seemed completely incompetent.
Keep plugging away and advocating; it's so great when your child finally gets the help they need!
Sorry, redwino ... I just called 5 different numbers for out district. Early childhood services, our local elementary school, our superintendent, the works. And no one answered at any of those numbers. Not a one. So while I hear you, it's really rough for parents who are already emotional about their child's delay to navigate the system.
The district website has ZERO information available for me.
I just happened to see this and wanted to relay that it's spring break for our school districts, in case you didn't know, so that is probably why there was no answer. You would think they would change the outgoing message, though!
Thank you!
I left multiple VMs. General school mailboxes, and with individual people Not a one had a message telling me they were out this week. Goodness.
Swizz, I'm in Nova and had the exact same experience with the EI process for DS. He was evaluated and found eligible for services but the process took 8 months from start to finish because of summer break. He turned 3 in the fall (first week of school) and was able to start the county's ECSE program. His teacher was amazing and 2 years later he is in mainstream kindy sharing an aide. Feel free to PM me and I can give you more specifics on the process. I think we may be in the same county.
My kids qualified for services at 18m and their EI therapy began at 23 months because the process dragged on and because there are no EI services during the summer, in my area either. It was such a frustrating time. I feel really bad for those families unable to go to private therapy.
I don't blame the SLPs. My only complaint in that area was that we were assigned to one who was legit terrible. But she was the only terrible one we've had (out of 8). EI refused to move us to a different therapist and that pissed me off. All the other therapists I could tell we're working so hard and were just swamped. The amount of paperwork they deal with shocked me. What a collosal waste of time. It's like they're forced to plan for each family to sue.
My son went through EI and we now just wrapped up the eval process for CPSE through the school district. There is literally nothing that makes me as irritated, angry and Mama Bear as the process they put us through to get help for our kids.
I am so sorry so many of us have to fight and wait... And fight and wait.
We were approved for OT last week and I have called every provider in the county only to be pretty much hung up on as they say " we don't have anyone to see you". It is insane.