a Program saved my Life

[Anonymous]

I wanted to provide my story as another side of the coin... not everybody has a bad time in programs!!! :beat:

I grew up in a good, middle class, suburban family.. with very caring parents. Around 3rd grade, I started getting into more and more trouble. Of course.. it didn't look like much, however over time it became more and more serious. By 6th grade I was already smoking cigarettes regularly and had begun using pot, and eventually became addicted. I cried, night after night, and vowed never to do drugs again. That lasted 6 months, until I could no longer say no to my friends. Of course, it didn't start with my friends.. it started with me, always does. By 7th grade I was using other and worse drugs too, and I kept getting into more and more trouble. Looking back to 4th grade... that was when my running away from home and school began. The school was so sick of me causing trouble... I even made my teachers cry.

I was so full of anger and addictions. I think my parents had their suspicions... every time they had me drug tested, I found a  new way to pass it using a variety methods. I ran away every time things didn't go my way... and my entire family was afraid of me at that point.

The very last time I ran away, the police had found me and brought me back to the police station and then turned me back over to my parents. That night was my last at home for a long, long time. My family had me escorted to the Program the next day. It really was the only way to keep the police... myself, and my  family safe. At that point, I had no fear of any kind of authority. It was my parent's last hope, of getting their son to do it. To this day I thank God .. and them, for sending me away. If I had been able to escape.. and I tried, I would probably have ended my life soon after that.

Long story short... I made it through, and I'm doing great! I am in high school, and will be in the graduating class of 2011. I am playing JV Football... running Track, and I am very involved in my church youth group. I am now a person that others can look up to. I even spent 3 weeks in May working at one of the program schools. It was so wonderful to be there and a great way of showing my gratitude by giving back.

I believe without these programs, I would most certainly not be here right now. I wouldn't have gotten to accomplish all these things that my family and I never thought would happen. They have truly saved my life.

[Anonymous]

1.  What school did you attend?
2.  Did the school utilize restraints?
3. When were you enrolled and when did you graduate?
4. What staff names do you remember?
5. What were consequences for rule violations?
6. Was an IEP [Individual Education Plan] written for you upon enrollemt?
7. Did staff evaluate your IEP with you on a weekly basis?
8. Were you required to participate in group therapy sessions?
9. Were you pressured/forced to discuss personal issues?

OR

This is another Ken Huey from CALO story.  I asked him to respond to viewtopic.php?f=9&t=28000 within the last hour.

[TheWho]

Thanks for sharing that with us, Guest.  This can be very encouraging to other families to read a few of the success stories vs just the failures.

[Ursus]

By 6th grade I was already smoking cigarettes regularly and had begun using pot, and eventually became addicted. I cried, night after night, and vowed never to do drugs again.

:roflmao:  :roflmao:  Oh... the trolls, the trolls.... 2/10

[Troll Control]

Thanks for sharing that with us, Guest.  This can be very encouraging to other families to read a few of the success stories vs just the failures.

...and a 0/10 for TheWho's "follow up" post...

[Anonymous]

By 6th grade I was already smoking cigarettes regularly and had begun using pot, and eventually became addicted. I cried, night after night, and vowed never to do drugs again.

:roflmao:  :roflmao:  Oh... the trolls, the trolls.... 2/10

It might be as funny as you think. But, if laughing at other people's problems gets you off, who am I to question that. In 2000, over 200,000 people entering a drug abuse recovery center said that marijuana was the primary drug that they abused.

[TheWho]

Remember when TheWho laughed at the story about the kid being duct taped and thrown into the ocean during a typhoon?
Remember how mad everyone got?  Wanted him banned?  So laughing at survivors stories isn’t unacceptable here on fornits it is only a matter of ones perspective.

[Anonymous]

Guest, don't answer the questions.

1. What school did you attend?
If you answer this they will attempt to find any kid who make any remark suggesting the place wasn't like a resort. If they can't find that kid, they will make it up and fraudulentally make claims against a program they know little to nothing about.

2. Did the school utilize restraints?
In public schools, when kids get into a fight, security and often armed police officers restrain and break it up. When this happens in a program, suddenly it's abuse.

3. When were you enrolled and when did you graduate?
This is an atttempt to figure out your identity, so they can begin their online smear campaign. Don't fall for it.

4. What staff names do you remember?
They have a particular blood lust for those who worked at a program.

5. What were consequences for rule violations?
To the fornits extremist, any consequence, no matter how tame, is abusive. They are idealists who believe teens should be allowed to run free, commit crimes, do drugs until they overdose, or even kill themselves without interference. These people are the extreme of the extreme, and like most extremists, they believe they are helping teens, while really they are hurting them.

6. Was an IEP [Individual Education Plan] written for you upon enrollemt?
They want to post your IEP, and humiliate you. They will tell you if you admit to being abused, they will take it down. These are some seriously deranged people we are talking about.

7. Did staff evaluate your IEP with you on a weekly basis?
For some reason to these extremists, this is abuse.

8. Were you required to participate in group therapy sessions?
Group therapy is considered abuse, as well.

9. Were you pressured/forced to discuss personal issues?
Talking about your issues, is also considered abuse. They are trying to get you to admit to these completely benign and typical actions that take place in schools and facilities across the world. They will claim this as their evidence you were abused, even if you claim you weren't, and begin the harassment of the facility.

[TheWho]

What schools require the IEP to be evaluated every week?  I though the meetings were held once or twice a year?  Once a week for every student would require a lot of manpower figuring a couple of hours per meeting, parents and therapists and teachers having to fly out every week to meet with staff.

[Anonymous]

What schools require the IEP to be evaluated every week?  I though the meetings were held once or twice a year?  Once a week for every student would require a lot of manpower figuring a couple of hours per meeting, parents and therapists and teachers having to fly out every week to meet with staff.

IEP also specifies short term goals and long term goals.  So, why wouldn't you evaluate goals on a weekly basis?  If you have well trained staff, devoted staff and quality management, then it would be a feasible task.  Goals can be discussed during group therapy sessions, meetings with therapists and discussions with front line staff [group counselors & coaches in CALO's case}.  There is no point in writing an IEP, if you're going to evaluate it once or twice per year.  Parents pay allot of money for these schools, so they should getting their moneys worth.  My previous statement is based from working with youth.  Having said that, I am not advocating for programs in any way shape or form.

[TheWho]

What schools require the IEP to be evaluated every week?  I though the meetings were held once or twice a year?  Once a week for every student would require a lot of manpower figuring a couple of hours per meeting, parents and therapists and teachers having to fly out every week to meet with staff.

IEP also specifies short term goals and long term goals.  So, why wouldn't you evaluate goals on a weekly basis?  If you have well trained staff, devoted staff and quality management, then it would be a feasible task.  Goals can be discussed during group therapy sessions, meetings with therapists and discussions with front line staff [group counselors & coaches in CALO's case}.  There is no point in writing an IEP, if you're going to evaluate it once or twice per year.  Parents pay allot of money for these schools, so they should getting their moneys worth.  My previous statement is based from working with youth.  Having said that, I am not advocating for programs in any way shape or form.

I see what you are saying.  The IEP sets goals and the staff will track these on a daily or weekly basis.  I know that many schools/programs will review these with the student on a daily or weekly basis depending on how critical the item is.  My experience is that if the child is seeing a therapist then she/he will track the goals and discuss them on a weekly/semi weekly basis. The program staff will also be assisting in tracking the students progress also.
The IEP meetings themselves take place annually or semi-annually.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is thewho jerking your chain.  Duh.

[Anonymous]

What schools require the IEP to be evaluated every week?  I though the meetings were held once or twice a year?  Once a week for every student would require a lot of manpower figuring a couple of hours per meeting, parents and therapists and teachers having to fly out every week to meet with staff.

IEP also specifies short term goals and long term goals.  So, why wouldn't you evaluate goals on a weekly basis?  If you have well trained staff, devoted staff and quality management, then it would be a feasible task.  Goals can be discussed during group therapy sessions, meetings with therapists and discussions with front line staff [group counselors & coaches in CALO's case}.  There is no point in writing an IEP, if you're going to evaluate it once or twice per year.  Parents pay allot of money for these schools, so they should getting their moneys worth.  My previous statement is based from working with youth.  Having said that, I am not advocating for programs in any way shape or form.

IEPs in our school district are reviewed usually twice a year. I get occasional reports showing "progress toward goals." A Functional Behavioral Analysis is a different deal - they are supposed to be very specific plans to deal with emotional and behavioral problems that interfere with school performance.

[TheWho]

What schools require the IEP to be evaluated every week?  I though the meetings were held once or twice a year?  Once a week for every student would require a lot of manpower figuring a couple of hours per meeting, parents and therapists and teachers having to fly out every week to meet with staff.

IEP also specifies short term goals and long term goals.  So, why wouldn't you evaluate goals on a weekly basis?  If you have well trained staff, devoted staff and quality management, then it would be a feasible task.  Goals can be discussed during group therapy sessions, meetings with therapists and discussions with front line staff [group counselors & coaches in CALO's case}.  There is no point in writing an IEP, if you're going to evaluate it once or twice per year.  Parents pay allot of money for these schools, so they should getting their moneys worth.  My previous statement is based from working with youth.  Having said that, I am not advocating for programs in any way shape or form.

IEPs in our school district are reviewed usually twice a year. I get occasional reports showing "progress toward goals." A Functional Behavioral Analysis is a different deal - they are supposed to be very specific plans to deal with emotional and behavioral problems that interfere with school performance.

Same with our district.  For behavioral problems which effect school performance we get a written report every day from the behavioral specialist and they record up to 12 data points (usually 1 or 2) each day to measure progress against a predetermined goal.  But for more generic IEPs a childs performance is report twice a year unless the child is not moving forward with his or her plan then it would vary based on need.

[Anonymous]

I cried, night after night, and vowed never to do drugs again.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, you're gay. I hope this saves you a couple more years of confusion.