I would call the HEAD of my county mental health board and ask what kind of services they have in place to help families with a child who is in danger of an out of the home residential placement to help the family keep the child at home. You sunk a lot of money into the wilderness program, so maybe they will take you seriously. Be persistent. Some boards have initiated wrap around services and MST programs for just that purpose. It's cheaper for them and more effective for the child.
I would also contact my state's advocate group for children's disabilities & special education needs to get support on addressing the school issues, which are almost always a factor. Does the child have an IEP or 504 plan? Is it adequate?
? Usually isn't. What is the school doing? Do you have an attorney who specializes in special ed law?
We found the wilderness program a good intervention to stabalize the acting-out destructively and get the child's attention for us. We went for an EG boarding school and it was a big mistake!!!!!!! The concerned posts you are reading are for real!
Circled back around and did the above. Not perfect, but better than a THOUGHT REFORM PROGRAM masquarading as a school.
I like the Waldorf approach to alternative education, but there was none near us.
Good luck.
< He's doing well in the wilderness program. But returning to his old life seeems certain he will fall back in old ways. I don't want to put him in a therapeutic school...they scared me before I saw this forum, now even more. He wants to finish school. Most regular boarding schools won't take him w/his past behavior and bad grades this year and his learning issues. He wants a boarding school where he can still have a life but get help w/ his learning differences. What would you all do if it was your kid?
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