| Schools,
Programs, & Visit Reports - Aug, 1992 Issue
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Renewal Centers
A Resource for the Learning Disabled Substance Abuser
Kim Davis-Hetrick, Admissions
(215) 536-9070
Debbie Schadler, LD Services
(215) 723-0666
Quakertown, Pennsylvania
Tom Croke visit, July 15
(412) 532-0490
Renewal Centers,
Quakertown, Pennsylvania, appears to have closed a major service
gap for learning disabled students with substance abuse issues.
For years, I have been frustrated by the difficulty of finding
appropriate services for a severely learning disabled youngster
who is in need of intensive substance abuse treatment and
assessment for longer term care.
Historically, treatment
centers have fallen short in three areas: (1) There is a didactic
portion of the traditional treatment which depends upon ability
to read a text or absorb a lecture, in a manner which learning
disabled youngsters cannot do. (Many places, at long last,
have put the written texts on tape, but that is usually the
extent of accommodation to learning disabilities.) (2) Most
are not getting appropriate Learning disability support in
their home schools, and have not had proper diagnosis. Yet
the short term substance abuse programs are generally unable
to assess such difficulties properly. (3) The on-site school
or educational program is rarely staffed with anyone with
learning disabilities competence.
A very small unassuming
treatment center in Quakertown, PA, known as The Renewal Centers,
may provide an answer. An affiliate of Quakertown Hospital,
The Renewal Centers contracts with Teach Me Tutoring, of Souderton,
Pennsylvania, to provide educational services for residents.
With three on-site teachers, all special education certified,
one dually certified as a cognitive therapist, The Renewal
Centers can both provide educational service appropriate to
the needs of the learning disabled, and provide in-depth learning
disability assessment so a proper educational plan can be
written. While alternative media for the didactic portions
of treatment are still limited, the Teach Me Tutoring staff
will consult with clinical staff on best approaches to use.
Debbie Schadler, Director Of Teach Me Tutoring, assured me
that there are no extra charges for a full LD assessment during
treatment, although classroom time may be impinged.
The Renewal Centers
is fairly typical in the way it approaches treatment, with
a competent caring staff, in a beautiful converted farm building,
primarily serving a local population. The offering for learning
disabled youth is a unique help for short-term treatment,
or for immediate placement for holding and assessment while
you select an appropriate longer term resource. I hope you
will take advantage of it.
Copyright
© 1992, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper
publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
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