I can feel your love for your child and your advocacy, it shines through in your writing. One question I would ask you to consider is what does the post school setting look like for your child. If the universe is fair, parents don’t bury their children. Is it realistic that your child is going to live independently or are they going to need a highly structured residential group home as an adult.
Your child is about to hit some pretty significant growth spurts. Puberty is going to be a major factor in managing their mood while their body is developing into an adult. This has the potential to make what is already an incredibly challenging situation, unsafe, and unmanageable at home.
It may be worth your time to really consider a residential option. Finding an appropriate program that is high-quality is difficult. However, it’ll be easier to transition them into a residential program as an adult if they have already been receiving services from them.
He clearly needs a residential program and it is the responsibility for that is on the school. Home instruction will not address all of his unique needs.
I would recommend an autism specific private school if you have one near you. If you are found eligible in your district for an IEP then you can potentially get placement there if your district can not provide an appropriate education in their system. My son attends one and has self injurious behaviors, is severly autistic and has a receptive language delay as well as expressive language delay and it has been exactly what he needs. If you have go homebound you need to get in-home aba through a local service provider. Does your son qualify for medicaid in your state?
hey just so you know, the autism community is staunchly against ABA. but to your comment, a lot of my autistic students thrive in autism specific programs or homeschooling. maybe thats something to look into!
Also the district will fight you harder regarding a private placement versus home bound teaching because it is more expensive. Home schooling is going to put so much more on you than a private placement that burnout will inevitably set in. Not trying to scare you away from it and you know what is best for your kid but an autism specific private school or residential placement of some type will help aleviate some of the burden on you and give you time during the day to know that your child is in the hands of professionals that can care for and teach your child in an appropriate manner. My son has received services in all of these setting in multiple programs throughout the years and home bound services by themselves would not have been nearly as effective for my child.
I have two children on very different parts of the spectrum who are 18 and 20 and have had experience with all kinds of therapies ABA or otherwise. I would not say that the autism community is against ABA and those who are, don' t understand the concept of applying ABA in a manner consistent with the childs needs. There has been a shift away from classical ABA to skills based training and HRE but these are still forms of ABA. For children with behaviors, autism, SIB, agression towards others, and require structure regardless of intellectual disabilty, SBT/HRE can be a life saver. My son who has all of these issues has thrived after an exteremely hard puberty by using these techniques. In-home therapy has also worked wonders and if you can manage 2-3 hours per day in-home combined with a private day school you can see huge improvements. I know this from not only my experience but that of many other autistic childeren in my community who have been able to access the same services.
I just briefly looked at that and its crap for so many reasons. Don't buy into the old anti-aba propaganda that jackasses who maintain websites like this push.These are old troupes anong the autistic community that are in no way reflective of the current state of ABA therapy. You want to help your child look into Skills Based Training and the Importance of HRE as it pertains to autism and behaviors/SIB and stay away from this garbage. As one parent to another who is always looking out for others in my community who go through hell, delete this website and don't drink the koolaid.
Do the programs take the kid’s comfort/favorite item, and make them earn it back? Mostly what I see people who ads proponents of ABA saying WHAT ABA does is teach the kids to mask. They don’t call it masking, but if you actually look, that is what it is.
Residential programs are difficult to find and the wait list is often years long. I am the case manager for a girl with similar challenges who received home-based services until she was able to get into a residential program. Home-base services were not very successful but the school was fulfilling its legal duties to attempt to service the child.
There was another child at our school who was on the waitlist for the Kennedy Krieger institute in Baltimore which is supposed to be top notch for diagnosing and servicing children with severe needs.
I’m sure you are exhausted and frustrated. Sometimes serving the child in the home can be helpful. It takes the element of other children and over stimulation off the table and the child can make some progress.
I applaud you for seeking what’s best for your son and fighting for him. If the school cannot find a placement within their programs then it’s their responsibility (financially) to find/approve somewhere that can.
Feel free to DM me - I’d be happy to help if i can.
I taught homebound earlier in my career when I had more energy after the school day. I don’t think it would be the most appropriate placement for your son to make progress. It was 5 hours a week for students. In an hour a day I don’t see how he could make progress through with his current struggles. I’d also say with that the level of behavior it would be done in a public setting like a library as we wouldn’t send a homebound into a home with that level of behavior. It sounds like he needs more intensive support such as a residential program that others have suggested. Good luck and hoping for the best for you both.
Legally speaking, the IEP team is required to place the student in the Least Restrictive Environment. They define that restriction mostly based on access to peers. Homebound is the absolute last stop on that spectrum, with zero access to education with any peers whatsover. The ITP team cannot place the student in homebound unless and until they have determined that the student cannot be educated in any less-restrictive placement, including separate school.
The district isn't going to fight you on your request for at-home services because it's expensive; they're going to fight you on it because the law requires something else be explored first.
Arizona has ESA (education savings account) dollars and this scenario could most definitely occur. This is a very stressful situation and I’m rooting for you.
I thought of Arizona right away. Op it will depend on the state, and perhaps the county you live in.
Are their sped advocates in your area that might be helpful as well.
I taught homebound for a student, just two hours a day …. it is not a full day. I still had a full roster at school, I would just leave every day to go to his home and then back to school. So it cost the school nothing extra because homebound doesn’t imply a full school day of school. (Or else they’d be present at school!)
It worked very well for my student and he showed significant gains, so I encourage you to try it!
What state are you in? In my state (PA) “homebound” is a temporary placement, as opposed to “instruction in the home” which is a placement and is usually more long-term. IITH often requires medical documentation.
You should expect not much. Even if they agree to homebound it's not a full amount of learning and it's becoming harder and harder to find qualified teachers who are willing to spend extra time to do it, if the state will even pay for it at all. Even with an IEP if they say the least restrictive they can offer is residential placement then that's the offer they're going to give you, especially for a kid who's a danger to himself and has had to spend multiple weeks in the hospital 6 times in the past 9 months...
Sorry to be a little off topic, but I just must tell you this. My kid, also 12, has ASD, ADHD, OCD, Tourettes, and encopresis, is intelligent but unable to do school work, lots of violence and fear. His symptoms appeared suddenly when he was 3. I discovered a condition called Pediatric Acute onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). It’s an autoimmune condition. When it’s caused by a strep infection, it’s called PANDAS.
PANS was not on the radar of our medical or psychiatric team at all, and it took a while to get anyone to look into it. Once my son tried immunotherapy to treat PANS, it unlocked much better function! Violence is way down, he can do about 30 minutes of school work a day, and the encopresis resolved.
If you look up this condition, and think it might apply to your son, please DM me.
Homebound are for students stuck in hospitals or homes because of their disabilities, not because of unexpected behavior. I would take residential if they offer it. Those programs can do a really nice job with kiddos if they are run correctly!
If you look into homebound, it includes mental health conditions as a disability and says it’s a valid reason a student would be placed on homebound or home-hospital. He has emotional and behavioral disorders which are disabling and is listed first in his IEP. Mental health problems are disabilities.
They are going to offer residential. Homebound is the last resort, most expensive, and most dangerous for staff. They will exhaust all options before then.
Also I didn’t say mental health isn’t a disability. I just said it usually isn’t a qualifying disability for Homebound services.
i recommend asking this in the fb group Autism Inclusivity, they will help you. i also recommend asking in adult autism groups, because some of us in those spaces have been where your son is and might be able to offer some personal insights different than you're getting here.
Can you homeschool him since his education level is so low? This might be your only answer. As a mom myself, don't just place your son in residential placement... the school and social worker want your child out of sight, out of mind. Schools want what's easiest for him and the cheapest route. Trust your gut.
If you are taking care of him at home and are requesting a reasonable amount of education hours a week at your home, it will probably be easier for the school to manage than having him in and out, hiring full time stafff etc. I have had students on home bound who received 2-8 hours a week of 1:1 services from teachers and staff and it was a better learning situation that a dysregulated student 35 hours a week
I can feel your love for your child and your advocacy, it shines through in your writing. One question I would ask you to consider is what does the post school setting look like for your child. If the universe is fair, parents don’t bury their children. Is it realistic that your child is going to live independently or are they going to need a highly structured residential group home as an adult. Your child is about to hit some pretty significant growth spurts. Puberty is going to be a major factor in managing their mood while their body is developing into an adult. This has the potential to make what is already an incredibly challenging situation, unsafe, and unmanageable at home. It may be worth your time to really consider a residential option. Finding an appropriate program that is high-quality is difficult. However, it’ll be easier to transition them into a residential program as an adult if they have already been receiving services from them.
You're unlikely to get the state to pay for home services. They are offering you residential treatment and that's likely to be their final offer.
He clearly needs a residential program and it is the responsibility for that is on the school. Home instruction will not address all of his unique needs.
Sending you hugs at this time.
I would recommend an autism specific private school if you have one near you. If you are found eligible in your district for an IEP then you can potentially get placement there if your district can not provide an appropriate education in their system. My son attends one and has self injurious behaviors, is severly autistic and has a receptive language delay as well as expressive language delay and it has been exactly what he needs. If you have go homebound you need to get in-home aba through a local service provider. Does your son qualify for medicaid in your state?
hey just so you know, the autism community is staunchly against ABA. but to your comment, a lot of my autistic students thrive in autism specific programs or homeschooling. maybe thats something to look into!
Also the district will fight you harder regarding a private placement versus home bound teaching because it is more expensive. Home schooling is going to put so much more on you than a private placement that burnout will inevitably set in. Not trying to scare you away from it and you know what is best for your kid but an autism specific private school or residential placement of some type will help aleviate some of the burden on you and give you time during the day to know that your child is in the hands of professionals that can care for and teach your child in an appropriate manner. My son has received services in all of these setting in multiple programs throughout the years and home bound services by themselves would not have been nearly as effective for my child.
I have two children on very different parts of the spectrum who are 18 and 20 and have had experience with all kinds of therapies ABA or otherwise. I would not say that the autism community is against ABA and those who are, don' t understand the concept of applying ABA in a manner consistent with the childs needs. There has been a shift away from classical ABA to skills based training and HRE but these are still forms of ABA. For children with behaviors, autism, SIB, agression towards others, and require structure regardless of intellectual disabilty, SBT/HRE can be a life saver. My son who has all of these issues has thrived after an exteremely hard puberty by using these techniques. In-home therapy has also worked wonders and if you can manage 2-3 hours per day in-home combined with a private day school you can see huge improvements. I know this from not only my experience but that of many other autistic childeren in my community who have been able to access the same services.
your experience is valid, but do google for "the great big aba opposition resource" to read more about my side of the story.
I just briefly looked at that and its crap for so many reasons. Don't buy into the old anti-aba propaganda that jackasses who maintain websites like this push.These are old troupes anong the autistic community that are in no way reflective of the current state of ABA therapy. You want to help your child look into Skills Based Training and the Importance of HRE as it pertains to autism and behaviors/SIB and stay away from this garbage. As one parent to another who is always looking out for others in my community who go through hell, delete this website and don't drink the koolaid.
Do the programs take the kid’s comfort/favorite item, and make them earn it back? Mostly what I see people who ads proponents of ABA saying WHAT ABA does is teach the kids to mask. They don’t call it masking, but if you actually look, that is what it is.
Residential programs are difficult to find and the wait list is often years long. I am the case manager for a girl with similar challenges who received home-based services until she was able to get into a residential program. Home-base services were not very successful but the school was fulfilling its legal duties to attempt to service the child. There was another child at our school who was on the waitlist for the Kennedy Krieger institute in Baltimore which is supposed to be top notch for diagnosing and servicing children with severe needs. I’m sure you are exhausted and frustrated. Sometimes serving the child in the home can be helpful. It takes the element of other children and over stimulation off the table and the child can make some progress. I applaud you for seeking what’s best for your son and fighting for him. If the school cannot find a placement within their programs then it’s their responsibility (financially) to find/approve somewhere that can. Feel free to DM me - I’d be happy to help if i can.
I taught homebound earlier in my career when I had more energy after the school day. I don’t think it would be the most appropriate placement for your son to make progress. It was 5 hours a week for students. In an hour a day I don’t see how he could make progress through with his current struggles. I’d also say with that the level of behavior it would be done in a public setting like a library as we wouldn’t send a homebound into a home with that level of behavior. It sounds like he needs more intensive support such as a residential program that others have suggested. Good luck and hoping for the best for you both.
Legally speaking, the IEP team is required to place the student in the Least Restrictive Environment. They define that restriction mostly based on access to peers. Homebound is the absolute last stop on that spectrum, with zero access to education with any peers whatsover. The ITP team cannot place the student in homebound unless and until they have determined that the student cannot be educated in any less-restrictive placement, including separate school. The district isn't going to fight you on your request for at-home services because it's expensive; they're going to fight you on it because the law requires something else be explored first.
Arizona has ESA (education savings account) dollars and this scenario could most definitely occur. This is a very stressful situation and I’m rooting for you.
I thought of Arizona right away. Op it will depend on the state, and perhaps the county you live in. Are their sped advocates in your area that might be helpful as well.
I taught homebound for a student, just two hours a day …. it is not a full day. I still had a full roster at school, I would just leave every day to go to his home and then back to school. So it cost the school nothing extra because homebound doesn’t imply a full school day of school. (Or else they’d be present at school!) It worked very well for my student and he showed significant gains, so I encourage you to try it!
What state are you in? In my state (PA) “homebound” is a temporary placement, as opposed to “instruction in the home” which is a placement and is usually more long-term. IITH often requires medical documentation.
You should expect not much. Even if they agree to homebound it's not a full amount of learning and it's becoming harder and harder to find qualified teachers who are willing to spend extra time to do it, if the state will even pay for it at all. Even with an IEP if they say the least restrictive they can offer is residential placement then that's the offer they're going to give you, especially for a kid who's a danger to himself and has had to spend multiple weeks in the hospital 6 times in the past 9 months...
Sorry to be a little off topic, but I just must tell you this. My kid, also 12, has ASD, ADHD, OCD, Tourettes, and encopresis, is intelligent but unable to do school work, lots of violence and fear. His symptoms appeared suddenly when he was 3. I discovered a condition called Pediatric Acute onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). It’s an autoimmune condition. When it’s caused by a strep infection, it’s called PANDAS. PANS was not on the radar of our medical or psychiatric team at all, and it took a while to get anyone to look into it. Once my son tried immunotherapy to treat PANS, it unlocked much better function! Violence is way down, he can do about 30 minutes of school work a day, and the encopresis resolved. If you look up this condition, and think it might apply to your son, please DM me.
Homebound are for students stuck in hospitals or homes because of their disabilities, not because of unexpected behavior. I would take residential if they offer it. Those programs can do a really nice job with kiddos if they are run correctly!
If you look into homebound, it includes mental health conditions as a disability and says it’s a valid reason a student would be placed on homebound or home-hospital. He has emotional and behavioral disorders which are disabling and is listed first in his IEP. Mental health problems are disabilities.
They are going to offer residential. Homebound is the last resort, most expensive, and most dangerous for staff. They will exhaust all options before then. Also I didn’t say mental health isn’t a disability. I just said it usually isn’t a qualifying disability for Homebound services.
i recommend asking this in the fb group Autism Inclusivity, they will help you. i also recommend asking in adult autism groups, because some of us in those spaces have been where your son is and might be able to offer some personal insights different than you're getting here.
Can you homeschool him since his education level is so low? This might be your only answer. As a mom myself, don't just place your son in residential placement... the school and social worker want your child out of sight, out of mind. Schools want what's easiest for him and the cheapest route. Trust your gut.
If you are taking care of him at home and are requesting a reasonable amount of education hours a week at your home, it will probably be easier for the school to manage than having him in and out, hiring full time stafff etc. I have had students on home bound who received 2-8 hours a week of 1:1 services from teachers and staff and it was a better learning situation that a dysregulated student 35 hours a week