Expert: Joyce A. Anthony - 6/18/2009

Question
Hi, I have a question regarding my son who is now 13. For the last two years we have been in court for trauncy. My son has been diagnoised with Odd, anxiety, seperation anxiety, and finally Bipolar 1. He is on medication currently and has gone through many medication with each psy evalutaion. He has missed his 6th grade twice and has been in a behavioral program this year for school refusal. My frustration is with the court and mainly the school district. The court has revoked his supervision and has told us he will be taken wawy and put in residential facility. Last week at court they really don't know what to do. He does not fit the criteria for the juvenille dentention center and of course all other placemnt are very expensive. I have requested a case study over and over and each time they say he does not get any special services. When he gets to school he is fine. Although he struggles with studies and has a very hard time getting there. we do have a sleep study scheduled at the request of his therapist. I have been doind some research on line and I got information in the 504 plan. That was never suggested to us.I am so frustrated knowing this year he will be going to 7th grade I want to get him in a theraputic day school. All of the local ones he has to be palced by the school district. I am at the point I think where I need to file Due Process, but I wanted to ask if you had a suggestion that maybe I did not think of. The medication he is on now seems to help his moods and of course now being summer he does not have the pressure of school. I have been reading a book on Bipolar and I am new into it but I was hoping you would be able to shed some light. Thank You so much for your time.

Answer
Hi Laura:

Okay, you have the diagnosis and your son is on medication.  That is a good start.  There are three options open to you, one only as a last resort.

First, send a written letter to the Superintendent of your son's school district. In it state specifically that you want him evaluated for placement in an alternative school.  In the meantime, gather all your paperwork on your son, including a letter from his psychiatrist stating he would be better served in an alternative education program.

By law, the school district has to have a meeting with you and the school authorities. If you can get a psychologist to attend with you, that would help.

A second option would be to look into home schooling your son. This is an option that often works well with bipolar children.  If you do not want to be the teacher, there are cyber-school programs available in which he would be given assignments through the computer.

Finally, you could ask the courts to place him in an alternative program. This is the last resort, as often that means you have to give them custody of him-and that isn't good, especially if the only trouble he is having is truancy.

                          Joyce A. Anthony