In 2010 we tried to get Chris into a medical placement to help adjust his meds, to no avail. I posted about it https://criscollrj.com/2010/05/23/the-brick-wall/ . After that in 2011 we did manage to get a waiver and group home placement (in 2012), and I’m so grateful. I also can work for Chris there which is a blessing, as I can still spend time with him and see how he’s doing. But we never were afforded at that time a medical adjustment placement, to see if we have the best mix of medicines possible for him. Soon he is seeing a sleep expert, and I hope we get some answers there. His sleep and behaviors are all over the place.
I will add that prior to that, in 2004, we did receive a med adjustment, with the urging of his psychiatrist. He was just 13 then and had a 10-11 day stay. He had good results after that that lasted two years. But as an adult he did not get a med adjustment placement.
However, posting this for a friend of mine (below) who is having similar trouble placing her son, but he is only 9!! You would think it would be easier to get help for a child than an adult! Sharing to bring awareness and hopefully more ideas for help for her, and changes to the system….
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Hello,
I have a bit of a long story that people need to know about. I live in Duncan, OK. I need someone to listen and bring light to this devastating situation. My family is being failed by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and lack of services available for children with Autism in this state. I hope that by getting the word out, some change will come and my son will be given the help he desperately needs. Some background:
My son is 8 years old. He has severe Autism and is nonverbal. He is globally developmentally delayed. He is also very aggressive. Sometimes his triggers are apparent and sometimes he just snaps. He is nearly 5 feet tall and weighs 90+ pounds. He has been aggressive since he was 2 years old. He has been getting more and more destructive the last 6 months or so. On July 14th, my fiance and I took him to Shadow Mountain in Tulsa in hopes that he would be admitted to their inpatient program because his aggressive tendencies were becoming increasingly worse. After driving all the way to Tulsa, we were told that even though they could see that he needs help, they couldn’t help him because he was “too delayed” and with him being nonverbal, he wouldn’t be able to participate in therapy. We were heartbroken but used to being told that there was no help. Services in Oklahoma are TERRIBLE for Autism, especially severe Autism.
On July 16th, my fiancé’s mother was sitting with our children when my son completely lost it. He attacked his Nana and his baby sister. They were both left with bleeding wounds from bites all over their bodies. He had also bitten a portion of his 3 year old sister’s ear completely off. Police and EMS were called. Both of my kids along with their Nana were taken to the hospital. DHS became involved. We were told that night that our kids had to be separated. They were not allowed to be under the same roof. By the time we got to the hospital, DHS had already had my daughter released to go home with her Nana. They made sure that she was gone before we could get there. Duncan Regional refused to keep my son because “he wasn’t their responsibility.” DHS made it very clear that my daughter couldn’t be in the same house as my son. The worker told my kids’ Nana that if she found out that we had been allowed to see our daughter and our son was present, she’d have our little girl taken away. Continue reading “things seem to have not changed much in 6 years…”