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September 15, 2008
NPR segment focuses on helping children cope with mental illness in college
In its Morning Edition program, NPR (9/11, Trudeau) reports that "sending your child off to college can be an anxious time...for parents of children with a mental illness."
In particular, "parents of adult children" worry that they "have no legal standing in their" children's "medical care."
The segment focuses on the Diehl family, of Nashville, Tenn., who "has worked hard to prepare their son for the move from home to college." Roger Diehl, age 18, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and depression. His parents have "already found a psychiatrist in Madison for Roger."
They have also consulted an attorney who recommended that Roger "sign a HIPPA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] release." In doing so, Roger "agreed to let his parents remain involved in his medical care, as they had been when he was a dependent.
For parents of adult children with mental illnesses, a HIPAA release is critical." And, by choosing to attend university in Madison, where the Diehls have extended family, Roger has a ready-made "social support network."
Related Links:
- "An Autistic Student's Journey To College," Michelle Trudeau, National Public Radio Morning Edition,
Posted by admin at September 15, 2008 12:00 PM