“LSI does great work with families as well as kids”

February 13, 2012

Eastern Iowa – Last autumn Brandie rooted for her twelve-year-old son Wylie from the sidelines at every middle school football game.

“Wylie really loved playing,” she said. “He made new friends. We all went to his games, and it was nice.”

Those natural childhood experiences would have been hard to envision just two years ago.

Wylie twice stayed at LSI’s Beloit Residential Treatment Center in Ames, which provides 24-7 mental health services for children with severe emotional or behavioral disorders.

“He had been in trouble at school, and we didn’t know what else to do,” said Brandie. “He was arrested four to five times for assaulting teachers at school.”

Brandie turned to Beloit, hoping her son could find success there instead of in a detention center.

“If he had to be away, I would rather it be a place like Beloit. I could sleep at night knowing he was safe and getting good care there.”

While at Beloit, Wylie learned communication, coping and anger management skills to help him succeed at home, in school and in the community.

“Before, he didn’t do well communicating with his mouth,” Brandie said. “Instead, he would lash out. Now with repetition and constant skill development, we can talk about it if he’s frustrated. I see a lot of growth, partly because he’s maturing and also because of the therapy he’s had.”

Wylie, recently diagnosed with autism, is more stable at school this year, with zero arrests and fewer discipline issues. Beloit’s on-campus and public school options helped, said Brandie.

“The lower learning program was amazing for him,” she said. “It was like having treatment all day, and even if he had problems, he could come back the same day if he got it together.”

Brandie’s family also attended family therapy sessions and a family weekend at LSI.

“It was pretty informative,” she said of the weekend sessions. “There were good tools and resources, and we could spend some quality time with him. I love that LSI respects kids, and they do great work with families as well as kids.”

Playing football was a big step, but long-term independence for Wylie is Brandie’s ultimate goal.

“I just hope he can find success in the real world,” she said. “I want to make sure he gets the opportunity to be in an apartment on his own and make it through school. We’re working on the life skills and training for him to accomplish that.”

Now that’s a playbook for success.

Read more about residential treatment.