out-of-home placement - April Chapman

Tag: out-of-home placement

29
Apr
2013

Ignite Phoenix

So much going on! This weekend I was able to present at Ignite Phoenix 14 on the topic “Parenting A Mentally Ill Child.” Ignite events are held all over the country and have become increasingly popular. Anyone can apply to be a speaker on a topic they are passionate about, but they only choose eighteen. The catch is you only have five minutes to speak, so your message needs to be focused and powerful.

There were a few reasons this event was so important for me. First, as many of you know, I have been a speaker for years on social media and mobile technology, but this was the first time God gave me a platform to speak on something from my personal life. I feel like it is God’s true calling on my life, with my big dream being to speak to women encouraging them in their faith, regardless of circumstances.

The second reason I was excited to speak at this event was because it is so far reaching. It was a sold out event, filling 850 seats plus it streams live to many more. After the show, they post everything on YouTube, which also get a lot of views. I felt like my message could really get out there. Don’t worry…I will be posting it here as soon as it is up on YouTube. (UPDATE: It’s already been posted. I’ve included it at the bottom of this post.)

The night of the event went really well. We had some crazy and funny topics being presented such as Chicken Personality Disorder and OMG Fighting Back Against Hyperbole. I was near the end of the event with one of the more serious topics. As much as I love to make an audience laugh, my topic was the one that made them cry.

After the event I had the privilege of meeting other families who have faced similar struggles. It’s encouraging to speak on a topic that seems to be “taboo” in our culture and yet find so many people that either relate or who are filled with compassion and an eagerness to help.

I also want to update you all on how Jerilyn is doing in Texas. Fabulous! She got to use the Rope Course last week and, of course, impressed everyone with her ability to climb absolutely anything. Most days I talk to her she sounds stable and she really enjoys the school there. She is still having her ups and downs and hasn’t been able to hold on to a roommate, usually because she ends up getting upset at them. I know she still isn’t participating in group therapy sessions either. However, she is doing better overall, which is the goal. Baby steps, baby steps. Thank you again for all your prayers.

I want to end this post the same way I ended my speech: “Let’s stop the silence. Let’s start talking about mental illness. My daughter needs this conversation to start. Don’t let it end here.”

please install flash

09
Apr
2013

Jerilyn’s In Texas

categories: Jerilyn

It’s been an extremely stressful week and it’s time to unload it here. I was told about two weeks ago that Jerilyn was approved to head over to the San Marcos Treatment Center in Texas. We were just waiting on one last local residential treatment facility to deny her before we could proceed with the final details with San Marcos.

Then, about a week ago, we got the final denial, which ironically opened all the doors we needed opened. She was going to San Marcos! Transportation was worked on and late Wednesday night I found out I would be flying Jerilyn into Austin on Friday.

As soon as we made it to the campus, I knew this was the right place for her. It is tucked away in a wooded area. Jerilyn saw two deer as soon as we arrived. The campus is set up like a camp with buildings all over and walkways connecting them. There are two female dorms and two male dorms, children are placed based on age and diagnosis into the best fit for them. There is also a cafeteria, doctor’s offices, therapists, and a ropes course. The ropes course is huge and is used multiple times a week by the therapists with the children, teaching trust, among other things. The therapist I met while doing the intake told Jerilyn they could take walks outside together while they talked.

They spend a lot of time outdoors and try to discourage dependence upon electronics, many of which they don’t even allow. I think this will be the perfect place for Jerilyn. Fighting to get Jerilyn the help that she needs has been a difficult, exhausting process, but I feel it has all paid off. Every time a door was shut in my face, or I was pushed off to someone else, while Jerilyn was only struggling more and more was because we needed to get to this solution. Without the failures or continual denials, we wouldn’t even have this option. God had a better plan all along. Thank you God that you are El Roi, the God Who Sees. You see what our family is going through, you see, not only the Jerilyn of today, but the Jerilyn of tomorrow and you know the best way to meet her needs.

Let me encourage you today…if it looks like every door is being slammed in your face, remember it’s because you haven’t made it to the door where God plans to show you a miracle yet. Just keep knocking.

17
Mar
2013

Still Hospitalized

categories: Autism, Jerilyn

Jerilyn is still inpatient at the behavioral health hospital. Today makes three weeks. There are a lot of agencies and people involved in her care, and I’m encouraged to know they are sending representatives out to check in on Jerilyn. The inpatient psychiatrist decided after the first week, and after taking Jerilyn off all of her meds, that he was then going to release her.

You may interpret this as good news. It was not. His very limited view of Jerilyn consisted of two meetings with her, one in which she refused to even speak to him. His future outlook for us was bleak, stating she would be in and out of psychosis throughout her life and that we would need to accept she would require 24-hour care.

It is extremely frustrating to me that a psychiatrist can have such an arrogant attitude when he has had such limited interaction with a patient. Not all psychiatrists are like this, but those who aren’t, are in the minority, at least in my experience.

Once he told me they were releasing her without any med to regulate her mood disorder, I made a couple calls and apparently all the different agencies, including DDD and Magellan, came down hard on the hospital. All of a sudden, they stopped talking about releasing her and instead we got approved to start a new medicine.

The thing about Jerilyn is when she is in a new environment she has a “honeymoon” period where her behaviors are better than normal and she stays fairly compliant. Unless a hospital is willing to wait it out, they won’t see what we see regularly. After two weeks in, the “honeymoon” was over and she became non-compliant, refused to take meds, and ended up having a major meltdown where she kicked a few holes in their walls. Yep. Honeymoon over. Reality has hit.

We have another big CFT meeting on Tuesday that will be held at the hospital itself. Jerilyn has been approved for a RTC (Residential Treatment Center) by Magellan and this next week will probably consist of meeting with any of the four RTC’s in the area willing to consider taking on Jerilyn. I’ve been told, by others involved, the likelihood of any of them accepting Jerilyn is very slim, based on her high level of need. If this turns out to be true, we may be looking at out-of-state options.

Although Jerilyn has said once or twice that she wants to come home, she most often is saying she wants to live in a hospital. I struggle to understand why anyone would want to live in a hospital but my best guess for Jerilyn is it is where she feels safe. She needs the intense structure a hospital with a constant 24 hour rotating staff can provide. Also, the “real world” has a ton of moving components all the time, which can be tough for anyone to handle, but Jerilyn’s capabilities are limited and there are too many uncontrollable factors out here. Those uncontrollable factors such as a

rainy day,

sisters who aren’t perfect,

the need to wait her turn, or

the desire to be treated like a teenager even though she is mentally and emotionally a small child still.

Either myself, or my sister, Kim, have been visiting with Jerilyn at least every other day. It’s challenging since this hospital won’t allow anyone under 13 to visit, or even sit in the waiting room, which means that I have to have someone here watching Ainsley and Daisy so I can go see Jerilyn. Visiting hours are only from 6:30 – 7:30 pm, but with travel time it takes about two hours. Both my brother and sister have dogs/cats so I can’t drop Daisy off there. Sometimes, I really wish I was still in Florida with my awesome supportive friends I could always count on. I feel like an island out here in Arizona. Ironic isn’t it….I actually lived in Fleming Island, Florida….but this Arizona desert is my island since I so often feel alone. I especially want to get out there to see Jerilyn as frequently as I can since we don’t know if the next chapter for us includes an out-of-state placement.

I’m going to ask you to please keep praying for the right placement for Jerilyn. One that can handle both her physical and behavioral health issues with love and compassion.

23
Feb
2013

ER Slumber Party…Sort Of

categories: April, Autism

….Only discrepancies are that you get no slumber and it is no party.

Tonight I sit in a tiny ER patient room hoping and praying that tomorrow will bring an admission into a behavioral health hospital for Jerilyn. She has been struggling and honestly, could have been admitted a couple weeks ago, but behavioral coaches had just started working with her and I wanted to give this solution a chance. Actually, what I wanted to do was prove that “behavioral coaching” was going to fail so that the ‘Powers That Be’ residing over Jerilyn’s out-of-home placement would wake up!

Exactly what I said would happen, happened. She became increasingly non-compliant with the coaches. No incentives, no consequences move Jerilyn once she has made up her mind. It was a short school week since they had off for President’s Day on Monday. Nevertheless, Jerilyn was non-compliant three out of the four mornings for school. Meaning…she wouldn’t get up and go. I had TWO behavior coaches there to help and still…nothing.

Sidenote: All you parents of normal kids who are thinking to yourself…well, you just need to give her better consequences…trust me, we’ve tried whatever you are thinking. 🙂

What she probably needs is an out-of-state placement because apparently no residential treatment centers in state can meet both her autism needs as well as her behavioral health needs. Of course out-of-state means out-of-budget to these agencies so we have to try and fail every other avenue before they will consider what those of us who understand Jerilyn best, already know.

During the worst meltdown yesterday in this room, she lashed out at me verbally for a good 15 minutes before her behavior coach suggested I take a walk. I left and only made it a few feet before I saw the looks of pity/understanding from the others outside the room. One of the guys told me to hang in there. Oh no…he showed compassion. I can stay strong as steel until compassion hits my heart and then I can’t stop the tears. Strangers bringing me tissues and patting my shoulder help and make me cry harder all at the same time. Mostly I am just so sad that Jerilyn needs more help than I can give her. I honestly don’t take her words seriously, it’s the pain behind them that kills me. She doesn’t want to be alive because her world is filled with pain and overwhelming challenges that neither her, nor I, can just wish away.

When I came back to her room, she was so sad. “Mom, I didn’t mean the things I said. I don’t know why I can’t stop. I’m so sorry.”

“I know Jerilyn. It’s okay. I forgive you.”

This time and next time.

Please Lord, open up a placement for Jerilyn that is going to be a safe environment for her with a doctor who has wisdom and discernment. If there is a medication out there that would help her, please lead us to it. If there is a out-of-home placement that would improve her quality of life, please help us find it. Bind Satan from his relentless attacks on her and on our family. Strengthen us. Surround us with your warrior angels. Supply us with your peace that passes understanding that we might be witnesses to the truth of Isaiah 43:2.

When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.

09
Feb
2013

Mama Bear Is Getting Ready To Roar!!

categories: April, Autism

I’m not going to lie to you. Life has been super hard lately. Prepare for a lot of acronyms in this post. I have been fighting a battle since November with DDD (Department of Developmental Disabilities) and Magellan, the insurance company that covers behavioral health services for Jerilyn. We applied for an out-of-home placement called a RTC (residential treatment center) in November. Jerilyn’s psychiatrist suggested a TGH (therapeutic group home), which is a level below the RTC, mainly because he felt like there were a lot of kids in RTC’s who were really just delinquents, not children suffering from mental illness like Jerilyn.

However, during the whole approval process with Magellan, their own doctor stated they would approve the TGH (still with me?? Therapeutic Group Home), but made a note that Jerilyn most likely would not be accepted into any because her needs are too intense. In the notes, their doctor said that a RTC would need to then be considered at that time, although likely with the same results. Yes…too intense for a TGH or RTC and the teams that works there, and they wonder why I’m struggling over here by my lonesome.

Fast forward to now and a million meetings I’ve had with our team, which includes people like her behavioral therapist, DDD Coordinator, Intensive Case Manager, Magellan representative, company doing the Functional Behavioral Analysis, the respite or habilitation company, and our Family Support Partner. We’ve had to move these to our large dining room table to fit everyone at this point!

Jerilyn is in desperate need of hospitalization again, but I’m not sure what to do. As an in-between service (“in-between” = the time it will take to get big wigs in each of the companies to develop an out-of-home placement solution) we are receiving a “wrap-around” care solution. This means behavior coaches will be coming in and out of my home daily to help with Jerilyn.

I really wish I had the freedom to write all of the things I really want to say, but I don’t, so I’ll just say pray for Jerilyn. She is in a very rough place. One of the main reasons we need to be in some type of residential care (that actually knows how to care for children like her) is because we need to undergo another med change and these can be brutal, both for her and then of course, for us.

She is in a place of asking to return to the hospital, which is a big indicator of how much help even she feels she needs. Please pray for wisdom and discernment for us. The hospital we usually go to has a SIX PAGE wait list to get in and I’ve heard that others in the area have the same right now. UGH!! Our country needs mental health reform!!!! They have thrown out the possibility of sending her out-of-state to a place more suited to her needs, which I am fine with, my main concern is getting the RIGHT placement to get her the help she needs and deserves NOW!

Next week, I will begin the process of contacting congressmen and senators in our state, trying to get them to make a call on Jerilyn’s behalf. I’ve heard this can get things moving a little quicker. For some odd reason they don’t want the spotlight on their failures to provide adequate care for a child. :Pondering: You don’t want to make Mama Bear mad because this Mama can fight when I need to. Having a psychopath for an ex will teach you how to not back down from a fight, if nothing else! I am fixin’ to reign down some terror if solutions don’t start appearing soon.

Let me try and at least end on a good note….Daniel is flying into town today and will be with us for a month which we so desperately need and have been looking forward to! Hopefully he brings some much needed peace in here as well. 🙂

10
Jan
2013

Still Waiting…

categories: April

The last time I wrote, we hadn’t heard back from the third and final, therapeutic group home for Jerilyn the insurance company had approved. Well, we did. They wouldn’t take her. They said they didn’t think she would fit in well with the current group of girls already there. Three strikes.

Now what? We are still in desperate need of an out-of-home placement for her. Her Intensive Case Manager called for an emergency Child-Family-Team (CFT) meeting but then she forgot to put it on her calendar and didn’t show. I guess the “emergency” wasn’t emergent enough. Also, just found out some other vital information she never relayed which would have helped with another placement. Needless to say, we now have a new Intensive Case Manager.

They are now discussing higher level facilities and have even thrown out the option of an out-of-state placement because they are struggling to find a place that can meet Jerilyn’s high level of needs. When an area with four million people like Phoenix can’t find a place willing to take on the Jerilyn challenge, you start to doubt whether anyone will step up to the plate. Okay…enough negative thoughts…let’s turn it around….God has somewhere specific in mind for this special child of His and he will move mountains (or have her get in a plane and fly over all the mountains surrounding this desert valley) to get her there. Right??

Please continue to pray for the right solution for our family. Jerilyn flat out refused to get on the bus parked in front of our house for school on Tuesday and it’s not like you can pick up a 5’3″, 110 pound child and put her on it. She’s grounded to her room all week and all electronics are prohibited. It’s hard to make any consequence stick well enough for her to learn a lesson, but I’m hoping.

We have had a lot of other crazy chaos going on around here the last few weeks, so I am making a promise right now to update you more by Monday. (I’m trying to build in my own accountability.) :Geek-Girl: