Where is the best/worst place to live (Autism/special needs programs)

[keegans_mommy]

We are facing something similar but with Tiffany's Asperger's. I talked with the vice principal of her new Middle School and he's told me that we have to basically jump through tons of hoops and THEIR standards before they will life a finger to help her!

So if they find her to somehow, be magically non-asperger's by their standards or not severe enough, they won't help her and she's lost in the huge school she's going into on monday.

I told Brian that if that happens, I am homeschooling her and that is final! The school failed her last year and it will NOT happen this year!

[SoftBumBaby]

We're about to enter the public school system in Southern California, about 20 miles east of Pasadena. I'll let you know how Colin's school goes. He starts this Tuesday (he turned 3 in July).

I'll try to remember this thread and will let you know my first impressions this week. If I forget, PM me!

Also, anybody who lives in the Northeast, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SPEAK UP! I am very curious about this since I grew up there but moved away last year (not because of DS, though).

[Five Green Beans]

I thought id would toss out my area Pittsburgh PA, we too have some great unniveristys & hospitals there are also a few childrens institues, center for creative playthat has autisic groups (and acomodations) that is open to all kids its a lot of fun we go alot and I have seen gorups there I know ther are some schools for the blind and other types of special schools around here. I am speaking just based on observations around town I dont personally know of anyone using any type of services. I would though check into the easter seals they have schools and services (the have a center in pittsburgh) I dont know anything about services through the actual public school systems other than head start which im not sure is what you are looking for but im pertty sure that the easter seals provides services for all ages and I think its based on a sliding scale based on income or low or no cost type of service.

I hope you find what you are looking for

[rowynne]

Apparently the school district we just moved to has such GOOD services, that they have people moving into the district JUST so their kids can get the services. Today is the first day of school so I know know HOW good it is yet.

[janelyb]

I live in Northern California and there are lots of great ABA programs and school districts here. My child has special needs but not autism, from what I understand Placer County seems to have a good rep with people I've met in the area with autistic kids some of the cities that are in placer county are Roseville,Rocklin and Auburn I think...out of those Roseville is probably a better choice as far as school districts go. We also have a regional center who often pays for ABA therapy after age 3.
http://altaregional.org/

Many other moms I've met online live in Southern California and I have heard good and bad about different areas. If you wanna email me offline with specific so cal cities I can ask a few of my southern cali friends what they think.

Now I live in Sacramento County and it isn't necessarily the best but it's not the worst either....well we aren't too far from OR where your family lives a 10 hr or less drive and a 1 hr flight.

BTW we also have the MIND Institute which is big here on helping find a cure/link to autisim.
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/

Good luck!

[SandyG]

david went to specail PREK in miami for amonth and it totally sucked his disability is only speech though and some social skills. they do have for only autistic children but honestly i dont have a clue how they are .
he goes here now : www.angelsreach.org. I LOOVE IT!!! for the summer he fluorised soo nicely. we do pay for it though but honestly i dont mind paying for it.
the 1:2 ratio costs $275 a week
the gifted 1:6 ratio is $120. david goes tot he gifted as he only needs verbal and speech therapy. the high functioning group (1:2) ratio they get OT, ST, etc. he goes there for just this week and last week. i wanted something intensive as we going to chicago for 5 wks and he wont have ANTYHING over there. i have tricare ins and he gets some speech therapy in miami childrens hospital. ihave to pay copay only . its only once a week for 30 min though.
sorry i cant help with free stuff. public shool sys here stinked. i pulled him out. btw, i know some of the kids that go to this school have grants. you can always find out wehre to get thiese grants.

[FunnyMonkey]

My friends son is diagnosed with autism spectrum. When he was younger (starting age 3 I believe) they lived on bainbridge island (a 30 minute ferry ride from seattle) - she felt it was a good program with early intervention, small classes & lots of one on one time. Now that he is a little older, she found that some other districts in the seattle area had larger programs & more experience with autism & ended up moving into the shoreline district b/c of their excellent programs. I've heard (thru her) that many districts in the seattle area have very good programs.

I've heard portland/oregon isn't so great with their social programs & schools programs because they do not have enough funding aka very low taxes. I don't know if that is true or not, but definately check into it. Vancouver washington is right across the bridge from portland, maybe they have a good school district? Your dh could commute to portland from there very easily.

Good luck in your search!!

[i0lanthe]

Originally Posted by mommalilac I thought id would toss out my area Pittsburgh PA

Hey I'm in Pgh with high functioning autistic kiddo. I don't know about school districts beyond preschool... my impression is there are decent ones and "omg I am *so* moving" ones.. I mostly hear the venting, kwim? But anyway. In PA if you have autism you can get on medical assistance via "the loophole" and then m.a. covers wraparound therapy, as well as the speech therapy we're getting weekly at Childrens ... but... I just read on the local yahoo support group that the state is low on funding and going to try to make people pay premiums. Again. I guess this doesn't affect the preschool intervention stuff through school districts (and again some are apparently sucky and some are good, I'm reasonably happy with the one he's in, 'cause, well, free preschool) but that's only a few hours a week with a little bit of one-on-one speech.

[Namaste]

California.... you wouldn't want to come to So.Cal (too expensive) but we do offer one of the highest rates of early intervention, etc. Seriously. We are a liberal/hippie state where those programs rate high, kwim?

Good luck in your search.

[teachermama]

Originally Posted by janelyb I live in Northern California and there are lots of great ABA programs and school districts here. My child has special needs but not autism, from what I understand Placer County seems to have a good rep with people I've met in the area with autistic kids some of the cities that are in placer county are Roseville,Rocklin and Auburn I think...out of those Roseville is probably a better choice as far as school districts go. We also have a regional center who often pays for ABA therapy after age 3. http://altaregional.org/ Many other moms I've met online live in Southern California and I have heard good and bad about different areas. If you wanna email me offline with specific so cal cities I can ask a few of my southern cali friends what they think. Now I live in Sacramento County and it isn't necessarily the best but it's not the worst either....well we aren't too far from OR where your family lives a 10 hr or less drive and a 1 hr flight. BTW we also have the MIND Institute which is big here on helping find a cure/link to autisim. http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/ Good luck!

I live near Sacto. also and as far as I know (having experiences both personally and through former students) the MIND institute is one of the top centers for autism reasearch/ study and therapy in the nation. While I don't have an autistic child, I know first-hand of some of their MANY services and they are FANTASTIC!! It's also done through insurance or on a sliding scale (meaning you pay what you can afford).

As far as schooling you would have the right to have your son placed in the least restrictive environment. I taught K the past four years and had an austistic student mainstreamed into my room for the full half day program. He went to speech on campus after kindergarten and had OT and PT a few times during the week also after school (through Easter Seals and the MIND institute I believe). The district also paid for this child to have a full time aide in the classroom daily and continues to pay for this service now that the child has gone on to first grade. (He is on a modified day on the first grade program however.) His parents had to jump through many hoops to get him placed but he is a "groundbreaking" student for our district because of the services he is getting and I hope his entry into our school will pave the way for many more to follow. I truly fell in love with this little guy and had SUCH a rewarding experience with him in my classroom.....now I don't hesitate to bring his situation to light for other parents because it is possible for these children to excel and succeed in regular ed. classrooms with their peers.

Good luck with your move and check into the MIND institute, along with Alta Regional. Exceptional agencies!!!