Family battling Children’s Hospital to bring teen home for Christmas

[CathyinTexas]

Jennifer Pelletier speaks about 5 minutes in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3tbzOiIXG4

 

[Linda7NJ]

Good grief...again with the circus.


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[Gardenlady]

There's like, 8 or so people there paying attention to the gathering, and he is screaming in that bullhorn. :facepalm:

 

[Gardenlady]

I'm sorry, I can't take anything they say seriously when they claim she is being "tortured". Good grief.

This reverend needs to find a new career.

 

[Linda7NJ]

There's like, 8 or so people there paying attention to the gathering, and he is screaming in that bullhorn. :facepalm:

The bulk of folks were waiting for the bus or just passing by....lol ...looks like the rest was fringe media.


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[CathyinTexas]

The bulk of folks were waiting for the bus or just passing by....lol ...looks like the rest was fringe media.


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I feel for Jennifer, Justina's sister, and she is brave to put herself out there and risk ridicule. She loves her sister.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I feel for Jennifer, Justina's sister, and she is brave to put herself out there and risk ridicule. She loves her sister.

On that I have no doubt. I feel for her too. I just wish she could find the inner strength to stop the circus, welcome the *new* team and even the possibility Justina's ailments may have a psychological component...and her Justina's parents do the same. If she can't convince them...She could still be a SAFE place for her sister to land.

All IMO


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[jjenny]

Reading about poor children that are actually abused, they complain about being abused. DCF does not remove them.
But Justina, they go all out.
And I don't believe for a second she was ever abused.
And look what DCF has done to her. First she is placed in a secure psychiatric ward, then in residential facility specializing in adolescents with psychiatric and substance abuse issues.
So, what gives?

 

[CathyinTexas]

On that I have no doubt. I feel for her too. I just wish she could find the inner strength to stop the circus, welcome the *new* team and even the possibility Justina's ailments may have a psychological component...and her Justina's parents do the same. If she can't convince them...She could still be a SAFE place for her sister to land.

All IMO


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I think she will need therapy to overcome the trauma from her ordeal. I have to believe that most people who criticize don't really know the facts of her situation.

 

[CathyinTexas]

Reading about poor children that are actually abused, they complain about being abused. DCF does not remove them.
But Justina, they go all out.
And I don't believe for a second she was ever abused.
And look what DCF has done to her. First she is placed in a secure psychiatric ward, then in residential facility specializing in adolescents with psychiatric and substance abuse issues.
So, what gives?

After following this case closely for months, my guess it is retaliation. These parents dared to question and assert their right to choose doctors and medical care for Justina. They took her to see Dr. Flores who had moved from Tufts to Boston's. The hospital would not let him see her. He actually did come into see her before she was moved to Bader 5 and was escorted out of her room quickly. This type of thing has gone on for a long time and the doctors, DCF, all those involved, probably have never had parents refuse. Even after they took their daughter they wouldn't submit because the parents believed they were harming their daughter by taking her off medication, and refusing her doctors to see her. It is a show of power, that all these professionals have over us, but it is wrong.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I'm not buying it's some vast conspiracy for Children's to acquire lab rats.

I believe her parents continued behavior, stance and attitude have put this child in the position she's in.

 

[CathyinTexas]

I'm not buying it's some vast conspiracy for Children's to acquire lab rats.

I believe her parents continued behavior, stance and attitude have put this child in the position she's in.

If people look at the facts in this case, and connect the dots, they may see the possibility. I don't see it as a conspiracy, but of taking advantage, opportunity for their own agenda.

 

[wendiesan]

I'm wondering just how that all went down. I doubt very much it was suggested by anyone other than her parents to place her in a private school setting. I'm thinking it was a battle that probably included threats of a lawsuit. IMO that's just my gut feeling.

Edited to add....
From the globe:

"She had been born prematurely and had struggled with learning difficulties in public school for years. Then, in early 2012, her parents persuaded the local school district to pay for Justina to attend an expensive private school for children with learning disabilities. Justina loved the school and formed close friendships. When her mounting fatigue made it too difficult for her to walk several hundred yards to the cafeteria, her friends took turns eating with her in a classroom."

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/12/15/justina/vnwzbbNdiodSD7WDTh6xZI/story.html

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Thanks for answering Mybelle's question regarding who paid for Justina's private school--ie., the local school district. It'll be interesting to find out if she'll be able to continue at that school when she's repatriated to the state of Connecticut.

Just continuing the discussion about the IEP process, and in light of your comments regarding who would suggest where Justina should be placed, I thought this information might be useful.

"If your child is determined to be eligible for special education services, you will begin the team process of developing an IEP to meet the specific needs of your child. The IEP is a written plan that describes in detail your child's special education program. Some key elements of a child’s IEP include the following:
␣ Present levels of educational and functional performance;
␣ Measurable educational goals linked to present levels of academic and functional performance for the coming year and short-term instructional objectives derived from those goals;
␣ Evaluation procedures and performance criteria;
␣ An explanation of the extent, if any, to which your child will not participate in the regular education class, the general education curriculum or extracurricular activities;
␣ Modifications and accommodations your child needs to participate in the general education curriculum including nonacademic and extracurricular activities;
␣ Special education and related services required by your child including transportation and physical and vocational education programs;
␣ Recommended instructional settings and a list of people who will work with your child to implement the IEP;
␣ The date services will begin and end, and the frequency of the identified services;
␣ The length of the school day and year; ␣ Statement of accommodations and modifications needed to facilitate CMT/CAPT, or district-wide
testing;
␣ Recommendations for participation in alternate assessments (if needed); and
␣ Transition service needs."
Page 4
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Special/Parents_Guide_SE.pdf

Since some posts seem to place significant stress on the fact that Justina was receiving her education in a private, rather than a public, school, I thought some readers might be interested in the kinds of special education programs are offered by private schools.

The Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, has published a guide to 56 approved private special education programs.
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Special/Priv_SpEd_Progs.pdf

Thumbnail descriptions of the programs are followed by faculty and contact information.

Parents of children who are in special needs programs may find additional support from their peers in organizations like the Connecticut Parent Advocay Center. http://www.cpacinc.org/

IMO, the quality and content of the IEP which had been established for Justina in Connecticut has formed the opinion of what the Justina's parents will accept as a meaningful education.

On behalf of Bader 5, BCH has responded that Justina received tutoring. http://foxct.com/2014/04/25/mass-state-official-wants-justina-pelletier-in-connecticut/

[According to BCH's Helping With Your Child's Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Practical Guide for Parents, typically children in Bader 5 will have from 9 - 12, M-F, focused on school. This is provided by one tutor for school-age children and another for adolescents. In an 18 bed facility, assuming that children will be at different ages and at different points in their education, each tutor will be involved in planning lessons for from one to eighteen children. For instance, at a time when each tutor plans for nine children, they may have nine plans to deliver during slightly less than three hours. Which is roughly 20 minutes of individual attention per child each day. https://www.childrenshospital.org/~/media/BCH/PDFs/parentguide.ashx] Bader 5 is not a long term facility, and the tutoring design would reflect the typical stay of two weeks.

Justina's education during her stay in Bader 5 will probably once again be a point of contention at the next court hearing.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Edited link not permitted?




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[wendiesan]

Which link was edited?

 

[Linda7NJ]

Which link was edited?

The one I tried unsuccessfully to post.

If you ever try to post something and part of the address comes up "*****" it's not allowed to be posted here...

So I had to go back and remove it.


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[wendiesan]

The one I tried unsuccessfully to post.

If you ever try to post something and part of the address comes up "*****" it's not allowed to be posted here...

So I had to go back and remove it.


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Thanks for explaining.

 

[1&2&3]

From Wendiesan:

[According to BCH's Helping With Your Child's Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Practical Guide for Parents, typically children in Bader 5 will have from 9 - 12, M-F, focused on school. This is provided by one tutor for school-age children and another for adolescents. In an 18 bed facility, assuming that children will be at different ages and at different points in their education, each tutor will be involved in planning lessons for from one to eighteen children. For instance, at a time when each tutor plans for nine children, they may have nine plans to deliver during slightly less than three hours. Which is roughly 20 minutes of individual attention per child each day. https://www.childrenshospital.org/~/...entguide.ashx] Bader 5 is not a long term facility, and the tutoring design would reflect the typical stay of two weeks.

BBM
This is very enlightening and alarming! Justina was not receiving education any where close to what she was accustomed to. And it clearly states that Bader 5 is not a long term facility! What the he77 was going on with BCH to keep her when the normal stay is two weeks? This case gets deeper, sadder, and something stinks to high heaven! JMO

 

[Donjeta]

You can largely blame the family for the length of Justina's stay in Bader 5 imo.

She was transferred into Bader 5 in April last year and they would have been ready to discharge her in June but the family torpedoed that.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/12/15/justina/vnwzbbNdiodSD7WDTh6xZI/story.html
http://c.o0bg.com/rw/Boston/2011-2020/2014/03/25/BostonGlobe.com/HealthScience/Graphics/SCAN.pdf

 

[Morag]

I think she will need therapy to overcome the trauma from her ordeal. I have to believe that most people who criticize don't really know the facts of her situation.

I have to believe that people who don't criticize the family also don't really know the facts, either.