Category Archives: Mental Health / Disability

Extended School Year and COVID-19/Compensatory Education

The Extended School Year (ESY) is fast approaching and in the current environment there are few certainties. In Illinois, students who are eligible for extended school year will receive services remotely. There will be no in person instruction. The standards … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Autism, Current Events, Due Process, Education Law, General Information, IEP Meetings, Learning Disabilities, Mediation, Mental Health / Disability, School Discipline, Special Education / School Law, Transition Planning, Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Extended School Year and COVID-19/Compensatory Education

School Refusal

Over the years, I have worked with many families struggling to cope when their child or adolescent refuses to go to school. Typically, by the time parents call my office, the issue of school refusal is already a crisis. There … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Current Events, Education Law, General Information, IEP Meetings, Mental Health / Disability, School Discipline, Special Education / School Law, Transition Planning | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on School Refusal

Support For a Non-Minor Child with a Disability

1 in 59 children are diagnosed with autism according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 750 ILCS 5/513.5 is the statute that governs the support of an adult child with a disability. This is an increasingly common issue … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Autism, Current Events, Divorce & Custody, Education Law, General Information, Juvenile Law, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health / Disability, Residential Placements, Transition Planning | Tagged | Comments Off on Support For a Non-Minor Child with a Disability

Thinking About Transition to High School for Students with IEPs and 504 Plans

At this time of year, elementary and middle schools schedule what are called articulation or transition meetings for students who will be moving on to a junior high or a high school. The purpose of this article is to provide … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Education Law, General Information, Mental Health / Disability, Reflection, School Discipline, Special Education / School Law, Transition Planning | Tagged , | Comments Off on Thinking About Transition to High School for Students with IEPs and 504 Plans

Apps for Divorcing Parents

It centralizes communication and helps with organization. Even for divorcing or divorced parents it has been my experience that the apps provide a less emotional vehicle for communication. Using an app can also limit the he said, she said phenomenon. … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Divorce & Custody, Education Law, General Information, IEP Meetings, Juvenile Law, Learning Disabilities, Mediation, Mental Health / Disability, Reading Interventions, Special Education / School Law, Transition Planning, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Apps for Divorcing Parents

Autism and Police Interaction

Over the past several months I have had several cases of young people with autism who have been involved with the police for a variety of reasons. In my practice this is not an uncommon situation. However, I wanted to … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Autism, Current Events, Education Law, General Information, Juvenile Law, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health / Disability, Transition Planning | Tagged | Comments Off on Autism and Police Interaction

October is National Bullying Prevention Month – October 23, 2019 is Unity Day

Bullying is an issue that our office deals with routinely. Students with disabilities can become the target of bullying as well as neurotypical students. This is a tough issue and one that doesn’t lend itself to simple solutions.  Witnessed Bullying? … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Autism, Current Events, Education Law, General Information, IEP Meetings, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health / Disability, School Discipline, Special Education / School Law | Comments Off on October is National Bullying Prevention Month – October 23, 2019 is Unity Day

Private Placements

The Fourth of July is over and summer always seems to move into fast forward. There is little down time despite school being out of session. Unfortunately the issues of children and teenagers with disabilities aren’t confined to the nine … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Autism, Due Process, Mental Health / Disability, Residential Placements, Special Education / School Law | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Private Placements

The Cost of Getting What You Need: Many Children Left Behind

This is my 17th year in this area of practice-notably special education law and other disability related areas of law practice. While I have always done a considerable amount of pro bono work, the need in recent years has been … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Autism, Current Events, Mental Health / Disability, Reflection, Special Education / School Law | Tagged | Comments Off on The Cost of Getting What You Need: Many Children Left Behind

Karma

Last week I received a call from a lawyer who had reviewed a CLE presentation I had done on School Discipline. He was handling his first expulsion case and wanted some advice. I was busy and thought for a brief … Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Posted in Juvenile Law, Mental Health / Disability, School Discipline, Special Education / School Law | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Karma