The Institute of Living's Child and Adolescent Services are committed to providing services that support a child or adolescent while he/she is in the hospital.
All patients receive a minimum of two hours per day of educational programming, unless not clinically advised. Instruction is provided by the teaching staff of the Grace S. Webb School. The inpatient educational coordinator communicates with the student's home school, parents, and the unit staff regarding educational issues (pending releases).
Release / Communication
At the time of admission, the parent, guardian, or student over age 18 is asked to sign a release of information for the purpose of coordinating with the student's Local Education Agency (LEA). This may be the school where the student attends and/or the school system responsible for the payment of educational services for the student. The educational coordinator will FAX the release to the LEA asking the district to send pertinent records or to call the coordinator. The educational coordinator is available to discuss educational concerns with parents and staff from the student's home school and support coordination with the clinical staff. In some cases, a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting will be called.
Educational Program
For approximately the first 10 school days of inpatient hospitalization, students receive instruction within a small group on or near their assigned unit in the Donnelly Building. Instruction is planned so that all students benefit educationally at their individual level. At times school work is sent from the student’s local school program. Informal assessments may be done to assist in this programming. If a student is hospitalized for more than 10 school days, he/she is assessed to determine the student’s ability to benefit from increased education time, which approximates the public school schedule. This may mean increased tutorial services on the unit or attendance in the Grace S. Webb School.
At this time, the school system may be asked to call a PPT to develop the goals for this educational program. The Grace S. Webb School, also a secured program, is located within the Braceland Building, in close proximity to the Donnelly Building. There, students are assigned to the appropriate program– elementary, middle, or high school– in order to implement the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), in a therapeutic, full school day program. At the Grace S. Webb School, students are assigned an advisor who, with the educational coordinator, integrates the student's educational plan with any other Institute of Living departments, the school system, other agencies, and the parents. Clinicians at the Grace S. Webb School provide site monitoring and coordinate with the child’s inpatient clinician.
Additional Services
Staff of the Grace S. Webb School provide speech, language, and occupational therapy for any students who remain hospitalized for more than two weeks (or earlier if requested), and whose IEP requires those services. Requests for formal educational, psychological, speech/language, and occupational therapy evaluations may be made by the LEA (or other financially responsible party). Additional tutorial services are available for students who are restricted to the unit but clinically available for education.