A Little Girl in Danger: This Is America’s Health Care Crisis
This story is just one story, one picture about why we shouldn’t just “blame the parents” when their kid does something horrible. Remember there are thousands of other stories like this with families across the world.
She is also funny, charming, kind, and the very prettiest little girl in the world. When we visit her at her RTC, her favorite thing to do is put tiny ponytails in my husband’s hair and put makeup on him. She loves to sing and she loves presents: getting them, giving them, and making them. When her psychosis is quiet enough to allow her to be present, she has a sharp sense of humor and a stunning awareness of herself. She is, ever so slowly, learning to live with and manage her illness.
But she’s not safe yet, and in fact, she remains a danger to herself and others. Aetna Value Options has informed Kirsten that Pickles must be discharged Thursday, December 27, 2012, because she has reached her baseline and she will never get any better. The RTC has told Kirsten that she has no option except to take Pickles home and register her in the neighborhood school.
There are no aftercare provisions in place.
No psychiatrist.
No psychologist.
No respite care.
The education specialist at the RTC told Kirsten that Pickles won’t get a specialized classroom placement until she “fails” in a regular classroom setting.
Post and headline pulled from No Points for Style, please read and share liberally.
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About The Author
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts is founder of Support for Special Needs and has been a regular contributor since its inception in May 2010. A mom to two kids with special needs, she didn't want other parents to feel what is the often isolating world of raising a child (or two!) with disabilities. Her kids had kidney transplants at the age of eight and will need liver transplants in the future as a result of ARPKD/CHF. They both have vision disorders and learning disabilities.
This is just so much crap.
Except that schools aren’t the place for the mentally ill. And in many, many EU countries, the family would be pressured into putting the child into an institution, not kept at home, despite the wonders of state-supported medical care. I read the original piece, as well as the mother’s blog and wonder where the father is.