David's Story Part 20:Planning Ahead

1/20/04
To Ruby

David wanted to talk yesterday about his "third year" (2005-2006). You know he had said before that he might want to stay with us that year, take a couple of classes at the high school and then graduate. He does not think he wants to go to Job Corps to do both trade and school; he says that he does not think he would like bouncing back and forth like that. Yesterday he said that he was also thinking that by that time he might not want to live at home either. He would be 18 and then 19 years old and usually people have more freedom and by that time he would not want to live at home. Even if we did not give him a curfew it would be strange ... Hubby often ends up sleeping on the sofa in the living room and he would disturb him coming in.

Anyway, we talked about two different options. I told him that if he was still with us it was at least possible that he could change rooms with Brian which would give him more separation from us. He wanted to know if the agency would allow him and Andrew to have rooms on the same floor like that. I told him I thought that after he had been here two years it was probable. He seemed somewhat reassured by that but wanted to know if the agency would still support him, since he was still going to high school, but in his own apartment.

We talked about it for a while and eventually I summed it up saying, "You will be 18 so it is not a matter of asking for permission. If you want to move out you are allowed. What you need to know is what transitional services you would be eligible for. Based upon what happened with Carl I would expect that Ruby would help you to get housing vouchers which pay, I think, about 1/3 of your rent. She would help you to find an apartment where they would be accepted and they would probably keep paying your medical bills. Ruby would keep helping you access services and she might be able to buy you some clothes. I don't know if there is anything else that they would pay for, but I am pretty certain that they would not give you any money directly." I told him that I was just speculating and that he needed to have this conversation with you.

I am pleased that David is thinking about this. Carl never wanted to think about transition. He wanted to pretend it was not going to happen. David is thinking about what he wants and asking intelligent questions about what other people will do for him and what he will need to do for himself.

1/20/04
From Ruby

Thank you for the update. He is thinking which is good. You gave him good information. Thanks again. See you soon. Ruby

David failed every single class is sophomore year. His birthday is in February and he would turn 18 in what should have been his senior year. Given that he had learning disabiities no one ever thought it was a good idea for him to take to English classes at one time or even take an overload. He never liked any of the options: stay with us a third year; go to the alternative high; go to Job Corps; get a GED. Officially he chose to stay with us, but he always expressed concern about how much freedom he would have.

David's Story Part 1: The Beginning
David's Story Part 21: Lobbying the Senate