Who can afford it?

[lovesjazz]

I was researching residential treatment centers for DBT... The costs are outrageous andnot covered by insurance.  Is this disease only for the rich? Anyone have any other resources that are affordable?

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[krena]

I was doing research online today and came up with the same conclusion.  Anyone have ideas?

Last year we did 1 week detox (medical but no emotional/after leaving support), 1 week psych unit (diagnosed possible bp) therapists, psychiatrists etc - all said we needed long-term inpatient. (uninsured).  Eeeeek.

[runningonempty]

My daughter has been hospitalized four times since April, and now we have no insurance due to divorce.  She is only 14 and her illness is only getting worse despite therapy twice a week and meds.  Recently she had a psychotic episode and I am at the end of my rope.  I feel like my only option is to turn her over to the state so she can get help, but that seems like a nightmare in itself. She needs rt desperately, please any advice will be soo appreciated.

[lbjnltx]

if your children are under 18 years of age and live in the usa then there is a way to get rtc paid for.  under the "no child left behind" act public schools must educate every child in the us who is enrolled in their school district.  if the school district cannot keep them safe, keep the population safe from them, advance the students education then they must provide an alternative to the public school system.  the first step is to get with an education consultant and get an iep in place.  the pdocs and therapists need to be on board as well. 

there are lots of girls at falcon there on iep's!  some of them will stay until they are 18 or graduate.

lbjnltx

[Being Mindful]

Our D. was in RT for 14 months followed by 7 months of a therapuetic foster care. We have private insurance, yet it was running out. The RT encouraged us to apply to our county for assistance. She easily qualified so not only did they help to pay, they also provide services outside of residential, foster care, respite, skills workers etc. While the services are so, so, the financial assistance is huge. They require our D. to be on Medical Assistance too which pays whatever our insurance does not pay for mental and physical health. She's been hospitalized three times since June and there has been zero out of pocket for us. It was not an easy application process and takes time, but in the end she qualified easily.

At the RTC, most kids had some form of government assistance, most were not privately insured like we were.

[cleanandsober]

Our 14 yr old D qualified for Katey Becket Program (her Dr. recommended it).  All we had to do was get copies of all her medical records and send them to the state.  It took about 2 months, but they approved her.  (she had attempted suicide several times and was hospitalized in the county hospital, I think that's what it took to get her approved).  So now we have our private insurance and Katey Beckett program is supplemental.  It is the same as Title 19.  It also covers her meds.  Good luck to you.  Also we have social workers from the county come to our home weekly (free) which also helps.  (Unfortunately, our D was sexually assaulted by an adult and that is why we qualified for free social workers.)

[lovesjazz]

what about those over 18?

[Being Mindful]

what about those over 18?

My D. was transferred to adult mental health services and continues to receive services, plus medical assistance. The difference of residential at this point, is the pwBPD has to make the decision to go. When our D was a minor, we made the decision to send.

[Being Mindful]

what about those over 18?

My D. was transferred to adult mental health services and continues to receive services, plus medical assistance. The difference of residential at this point, is the pwBPD has to make the decision to go. When our D was a minor, we made the decision to send.

A bit more to clarify... .my D. transferred to county and state mental health services, from children's mental health services.

[thinking]

 lbjnltx - If and I mean a BIG IF you can get the school to admit they are unable to care for your child. My BPDd was treated so badly at school. I finally said enough! I am homeschooling her. After so many many many mess-ups they still insist my dd can be under there care 8hrs a day.

We have other children so we did not have tons of extra income whn this disease became major. I also cannot work full-time because dd need constant supervision and dh is not good at providing it. Not a judgement just a fact. I pay (with excellent insurance) $600 a month for therapy sessions/ group dbt and meds. Not including trips to her MD, pysch MD, and other neuro specialists. I am paying off over $20,000 in medical bills from last year alone. Our credit is going to $hat because we can't afford dh's student loan payments and no company cares that your child is sick when bills come due. I'm pretty sure we'll be heading to bankruptcy court sooner than later.

So my answer is yes, this is a disease for the rich.

[qcarolr]

Well, either for the rich or the very poor. My DD gain more access to services - though she did not choose to take advantage of many of them - when she became homeless. If you adult child has no violent legal history that helps even more. AND this depends on where they live - in our state the services change county by county. The county we live in has very limited residential services. Other counties have more offerings for residential services. They may not get the 'gold-star' options, but more and more there are DBT programs coming available. The hardest part is getting the BPDkid to get motivated to take part. They won't let them into the programs if they are not willing to put the work into it.

qcr

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[parent of bpd daughter]

Yes - I can relate - I am getting my tax info together now and hope that some of the $$ I've spent on BPDD 31yo therapy and meds can be deducted - when they're adults - no way to have ins cover anything...

I would be happy to mortgage my home or anything if she would only just agree to an "RTC" - but she would never so finding cash is only part of this problem.

I wish Ins Companies would just catch up with the world and start covering 100% of mental health - but then you have those quack dr's that will take advantage - so I guess

there's checks and balances for a reason

I can't even get life insurance outside of work because I'm on antidepressants... .Mental Health services are in the dark ages still - at least we stopped doing lobotomies

[lbjnltx]

lbjnltx - If and I mean a BIG IF you can get the school to admit they are unable to care for your child. My BPDd was treated so badly at school. I finally said enough! I am homeschooling her. After so many many many mess-ups they still insist my dd can be under there care 8hrs a day.

sounds like you may need to get an attorney who specializes in disability education or contact the state representative (can't think of the actual title) to go over your case and represent you at an iep meeting.

I pay (with excellent insurance) $600 a month for therapy sessions/ group dbt and meds. Not including trips to her MD, pysch MD, and other neuro specialists.

i get it!  same thing here... .everything goes under the deductible and by the time you meet the deductible the benefits are all used up!  ours is a major med policy and we pay $750/mth for dh, self, and dd15. ;p

I am paying off over $20,000 in medical bills from last year alone.

yep!  just made the last payment to the psych hospital that my then d12 was in for 2 weeks... .we were prequalified 2x prior to admission but when the bill came insurance denied the claim (except for the pdoc).  it took us this long to pay it off because we placed our d in the rtc for 9.5 months at $250 PER DAY!

Well, either for the rich or the very poor

as i was putting the final payment to the psych hospital in the mail box at the post office, my dd15 and a friend were in the back seat... .i told dd15 "this is the final payment... .we own you free and clear now! ... .her friend replied "we didn't have to pay anything because i'm on medicaid"... .so there you go. 

So my answer is yes, this is a disease for the rich.

even the rich can't buy a cure though it would make it much easier if we had unlimited resources for any and all available treatments.

i'm not rich by any means... .we spent all of our savings for rtc.  some people mortgage their homes, some people get low interest loans from places like Clark to pay for rtc and some use  what is available within the "system". 

let me know if you would like the official title of the state representative that advocates for special needs kids in the public school system.  i will email a friend from the rtc and post the info when i get it... .she said the one in her state (Illinois) "made it happen" after she fought with her school system for months... .and she worked for that same school system ;p

lbjnltx

[bpdmomma]

This may be a long shot and I don't know the age or sex of your child, but I just got a newsletter from McLean's Hospital in Belmont, MA about a residential DBT program for adolescent girls (up to age 19).  (If you're not familiar with McLean's it is a top-rate mental health hospital.)  The jist of the article, aside from the effectiveness of the program, was that they know that the program isn't covered by insurance so therefore isn't an option for some and that there are funds for scholarships.  The program is in East House 3--that may even be the name of it.  McLean's has another program, Hill Center for Women, also DBT oriented.  Not sure about funding for that one and not sure how long term it is.  My BPDd 19 was accepted there and our insurance would cover it.  (Sadly, the first time they had an opening they thought she was too critical and hospitalized her there at McLean's and then by the time they had another opening, she wouldn't go.) 

Well, good luck with everything lovesjazz!  Keep on plugging!

[lbjnltx]

here is a copy of the email from my friend whose d is at falcon ridge until she graduates/turns 18:

The lady who helped me works for the Community and Residential Services Authority -- an Illinois government agency.  She is excellent.

She knows Illinois law pertaining to IEP/residential placement.  If someone lives outside her jurisdiction she will put them in touch with another staff person on her board.  Her services are free.

 

check to see if there is such a title/service in your state.

best wishes

lbjnltx

[lovesjazz]

I noticed in looking up facilities, they are mostly for young girls or women... .not males... .any reason for that?

[lbjnltx]

males are likely to go into the legal system, females into treatment... .just my take on it.

[GameGirl]

I noticed in looking up facilities, they are mostly for young girls or women... .not males... .any reason for that?

Because BPD is a highly gender biased treatment.  Guys with the same symptoms get dxd as anti social.

[qcarolr]

Do we somehow excuse the female violence, and throw the book and the guys? My DD can be very violent - and the guys she is around are also violent. Lots of domestic violence going on in her life since she was at least 17. Yet, she has been charged with DV just as often as the guys, and in jail too. And her friends end up in jail too. Maybe the county I live in is an exception, or I am just overexposed to this female violence with the crowd DD has been around.

Geez - and I let these people in my house while they are on good behavior. I am nuts sometimes - just avoiding the confrontation potential maybe. Probably. When it's good, it's OH so good. When its bad it is horrid.  What nusery ryhme is that one from.

qcr

[GameGirl]

Do we somehow excuse the female violence, and throw the book and the guys? My DD can be very violent - and the guys she is around are also violent. Lots of domestic violence going on in her life since she was at least 17. Yet, she has been charged with DV just as often as the guys, and in jail too. And her friends end up in jail too. Maybe the county I live in is an exception, or I am just overexposed to this female violence with the crowd DD has been around.

Geez - and I let these people in my house while they are on good behavior. I am nuts sometimes - just avoiding the confrontation potential maybe. Probably. When it's good, it's OH so good. When its bad it is horrid.  What nusery ryhme is that one from.

qcr

No.  women go to jail too.  But they get dxd BPD and guys get dxd anti social.