HELP! Court ordered punishment for school trunancy from Anxiety - Anxiety Message Board

SuzyO · 01-17-2008, 08:26 PM

My son has Anxiety causing him not to attend school.

The County where we live, wants to place him in a correctional facility for 90 days for truancy from school.

Last school year he did a 30 day stay in a group home for troubled kids, that did not help in the long run of helping him with his anxiety. from K - 8th grade he was in the high potential classes at school, and from this day he has never been in trouble with the law or drug use.

What can I do to get the court to understand Anxiety is a mental health disorder and he should get mental health care and not punishment for his anxiety disorder.

singer78 · 01-17-2008, 08:30 PM

Make an appointment with your doctor and have the doctor help evaluate him.
Definitely get involved. Your son's whole life is at stake. These are formative years, and he needs you to intervene and help him out so he can live a productive life.
The best of luck to you & your son.
You sound like a good mom!

P.S. In the meantime, you should probably call the County Courthouse and try to get them to understand your plight.

SuzyO · 01-17-2008, 08:54 PM

I had taken him to his GP, and he was taking prozac. When he was court ordered the 90 days, when arriving at the camp, he ended up hospitalized and placed on Lexapro & Buspirone. And is getting counceling for the anxiety, while trying to attend school.

And the County Social worker still want to place him, she just does not understand the issues with anxiety. We are scheduled for court next Wednesday.

singer78 · 01-17-2008, 10:13 PM

Can you get your son's GP involved?
Would he/she possibly write a note, saying that your son has anxiety, and that placing him in a correctional facility would be the most absolute worst thing?

Have you thought of home-schooling?
Surely, there's some way around this.

The County Social worker doesn't sound very compassionate at all.
What a shame.

tigger2211 · 01-17-2008, 10:40 PM

WHAT??!! Thats insane!! Not to mention, its probably not doing a THING for his anxiety! Poor guy! I would totally home school. Especially, if you can't find someone to drop this and just get him into a councellor on a regular basis. I wish you the BEST of luck! Anxiety is a HORRIBLE thing to live with. I understand what he's going through.