County for Services

[Mom28GreatKids]

Hi everyone,

 

I have not been on the boards much lately, though I do read periodically and have benefited from some of the recent comversations. Was wanting to know if any of you have taken steps to get your DC qualified for services and/or funding through you county system for disabilities. If so, how has this worked and has there been any conflict with homeschooling? Thanks in advance.

[PeterPan]

See how much your county has.  Our county has a small stipend (under $1k/yr) and you have to qualify with multiple criteria.  It's all on their website, so hopefully your county puts the criteria on there too.  When I called, it was pretty straightforward: call, fill out a form, they interview, blah blah.  You might just give 'em a call.  They can point you to the spot on their website with the criteria and get you going.

 

Fwiw, our *county* services and our *state* funding are different, totally different.  For the state scholarship (specific to our state), you qualify with an IEP.  So just make calls and see what your options are...

[Mom28GreatKids]

I already had a conversation with their preschool service director.  She is a Play Project therapist.  She thinks he would qualify and be eligible for funding for therapy funding, gymnastic and swimming classes, and for her Play Project services.  I just need to jump through the hoop.  Just didn't know if they would be hostile to homeschooling.  I am tired of defending myself.  ;-) I do realize they are from different sources. She said these funds are available whether he has an IEP or not.  

 

Edited April 28, 2016 by Mom28GreatKids

[Lecka]

I think just ask! 

 

I hope they are not. 

 

If they really want you to come to public school, they should be buttering you up, anyway, lol. 

 

I think if anybody is rude to you, you should tell their supervisor, though.  I think sometimes they may not know how they are coming across, and it is the only way to change things for the next parents coming through the system. 

[Mom28GreatKids]

I think just ask! 

 

I hope they are not. 

 

If they really want you to come to public school, they should be buttering you up, anyway, lol. 

 

I think if anybody is rude to you, you should tell their supervisor, though.  I think sometimes they may not know how they are coming across, and it is the only way to change things for the next parents coming through the system. 

 

Well, I did tell her today that we homeschooled and she didn't react one way or another.  She seemed like she didn't care if we had services in the school. or not.  I have just been dealing with a retired school SLP for the last few months and the pressure for peer interaction and school attendance was getting to be too much.  We now have a new SLP and a PROMPT SLP, both much more amiable to homeschooling.  It has been nice not getting sidelined with school pressure each week.  Didn't want to open a new can of worms.  

[Lecka]

Yeah, you should not have to deal with that.

 

My son is in public school, and I have outside playdates brought up to me, too!  Not to the point it is irritating, but it is clearly on the list of things that people think are good and that I should be doing. 

 

But it sounds pretty professional if she was bringing that up every week.

 

Especially when there are siblings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My son learned to share at home with siblings more than he did at pre-school, too, in my opinion.  And I think he had really high-quality opportunities at home with siblings, too.

 

I liked his pre-school a lot, but it is not like it does as much as people will think sometimes. 

 

 

[Mom28GreatKids]

Yeah, you should not have to deal with that.

 

My son is in public school, and I have outside playdates brought up to me, too!  Not to the point it is irritating, but it is clearly on the list of things that people think are good and that I should be doing. 

 

But it sounds pretty professional if she was bringing that up every week.

 

Especially when there are siblings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My son learned to share at home with siblings more than he did at pre-school, too, in my opinion.  And I think he had really high-quality opportunities at home with siblings, too.

 

I liked his pre-school a lot, but it is not like it does as much as people will think sometimes. 

 

Yes, I kept thinking-- there are 10 people in the house, for crying out loud.  He is in a rich language environment every single day.  He interacts with his siblings, sees appropriate behavior, yada yada yada.  But for some, I think, public school is all they know, so they cannot fathom there to be another way.  And I am not completely against preschool if it is the right fit.  But, he isn't even pre K til 2017/18, so I feel like I have time to decide.  At one point she said that daycare would work too.  I was like, so I am supposed to take him to daycare and then what. . .  go to the mall???  :lol:  :confused1:  :lol:  Somehow daycare would be better than a loving home full of parents and siblings who love him.  Right. . .  :glare:

[Lecka]

She should have been telling you how lucky he is to be in such a good environment!

 

Otoh, it is a good sign if she thought he would thrive in daycare.  B/c a lot of kids who qualify for things do not thrive in daycare. 

 

But it sounds like it is that "just do this and everything will be all better" mindset that some people can have. 

Edited April 28, 2016 by Lecka

[PeterPan]

Someone was just telling me about Play Project!  It was at the Social Thinking workshop, and someone I respect introduced me to a bunch of the PP people who were getting trained and was highly complimentary.  It's probably good stuff!  

 

I would think that if the PP person is telling you the disabilities board in your area will fund it that she has experience with getting that to work.  You should do it!  No, I'll bet they don't give you any hassle on the homeschooling.  Remember, one other thing you're doing here is creating paper trail that makes the NEXT steps easier.  So it's actually more beneficial than you realize.

[Mom28GreatKids]

Someone was just telling me about Play Project! It was at the Social Thinking workshop, and someone I respect introduced me to a bunch of the PP people who were getting trained and was highly complimentary. It's probably good stuff!

 

I would think that if the PP person is telling you the disabilities board in your area will fund it that she has experience with getting that to work. You should do it! No, I'll bet they don't give you any hassle on the homeschooling. Remember, one other thing you're doing here is creating paper trail that makes the NEXT steps easier. So it's actually more beneficial than you realize.

Oh yes I have thought of this. She also said she uses DIR and at the time I knew I knew what that was but could not place it- but that is Floortime, right? I have read about the Play Project before and I like the approach a lot. FT also resonates with me. I did some internet stocking and this woman appears to share my faith as well, so it could be a win win. I am just having a hard time (typical homeschooling suspicion) of anything sourced from the government. Ha ha. I need to get over it.

[PeterPan]

Well since God instituted gov't (read Romans), I really don't have an issue with this.  I pay taxes, plenty of taxes, and I've never asked the system for ANYTHING.  I feel that society is better off when my son gets services.  When my ds gets interventions that help him become a contributing member of society, it's better for society.  And EARLY intervention is more effective and costs less than waiting and doing it LATER, when things have gone arry and gotten set in.  It costs less in the long-run.  So no, I have no issue with taking services, because I know it helps society in the long-run that we intervene now.  And as far as privacy, my lands.  They already have your medical records (thanks to increasingly socialized, gov't control medicine) and can see you sunbathing in the back yard with google.  What do you think you're keeping them from knowing?  You have no privacy already.  Having serious SN in private is NOT FUN.  Better to have them in public and get the help.

 

I've told you that our NUMBER ONE BIGGEST MISTAKE in all these years with ds was not bringing in EI, getting that paper trail early, getting full evals early.  I can't tell you how much hassle we've had.  Now that outside sources are reviewing our case, it has become clear he was CLEARLY diagnosable for years, clearly diagnosable from the paperwork, and we just hadn't made the move that would have gotten it done.  

 

So when you make that move to get that funding, you're pushing forward in that process.  It's a pain, but don't think in terms of the $1K or whatever your local board provides.  Think in terms of paperwork so you qualify for the larger amounts you're likely to need later.  

 

Or just be humble and say I pay taxes and I need help.  I really think it's hard for homeschoolers to say we need help.  We're so homebirth to homefuneral that we just can't ask for help.  We want to pick up a book and read it and solve our problems ourselves, when really sometimes we NEED to expand our village and let help in.  I'm STRONGER with more help.  I met with our IEP team yesterday, and they actually made him a really good IEP!  Now we might quibble if I were enrolling him, because I'd be wanting more hours with the intervention specialists, certified OG not just random people, blah blah.  But just as far as goals and really wrapping their brains around him and helping us roadmap where we COULD be a year from now with good intervention, they did a good job!  And that HELPS me!  I'm better with the team than without, even if it is sometimes a real pain in the butt.

 

I think you'll find that too.  All these people, for the most part, are in this because they actually care about kids and want to help you.  So EVERYONE you work with and bring in, for evals, for paper trail, for therapy, is going to teach you something.  

Edited April 29, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Mom28GreatKids]

I agree OhE. We are silly to think our lives are private in this country. Plus, we were military fo 20 years, so I am sure they know everything about us already. Ha ha. I am going to call Monday. I am waiting for the SLP to finish her report. That will need to go as it is the only document that actually carries an accurate dx. Thanks for helping me think it through.