mental health | The Law Office of Christina D. Ghio, LLC

Resources to Help Parents Get Through Six More Weeks of Social Distancing

By Christina D. Ghio|2020-04-14T14:17:22-04:00April 14th, 2020|COVID-19, Education, mental health, Parents|

The governor has announced that school is closed through May 20, 2020 and the Commissioner of Education made clear that closure through the end of the school year is possible. It’s April 14, 2020 and most schools have been closed since March 16. This means parents have been stepping up to the plate to educate their children at home for almost three weeks. It’s hard for adults to imagine continuation of “distance learning” for 6 or more weeks. For kids, that concept is even more difficult to grasp.

Eating Disorders and Special Education

By Christina D. Ghio|2020-02-28T15:06:54-05:00February 28th, 2020|Education, evaluation, IEP, mental health, Parents, Special Education, Special Education Services, Students with Disabilties|

It is National Eating Disorders Awareness week. People don’t often think about eating disorders when they think about special education, but eating disorders can have a significant impact on education. Eating disorders can impact cognitive functioning. Children with eating disorders often have co-occurring disabilities, like depression and anxiety.

Supporting Children Through Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment & Beyond

By Christina D. Ghio|2020-02-04T14:51:19-05:00February 4th, 2020|Education, IEP, mental health, Parents, Special Education Services, Students with Disabilties|

Today, February 4, 2020, is officially World Cancer Day. According to the National Cancer Society, about 11,050 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2020. When children are diagnosed with cancer, school takes a back seat as parents and doctors focus on medical treatment. When kids are ready to return to school, things may be different.

Upcoming Training: Emotional Disturbance – Advocating in the School

By Christina D. Ghio|2020-02-28T14:16:27-05:00October 2nd, 2019|Education, mental health, Parents, Special Education, Special Education Services, Training|

I am excited to present at SpEdConnecticut’s 12 week Special Education training series. My presentation, “Emotional Disturbance – Advocating in the School,” will take place on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 from 11 am to 1 pm.

Mental Health, Police, and Suicide Prevention

By Christina D. Ghio|2019-09-11T10:29:33-04:00September 10th, 2019|mental health|

September is suicide awareness month and I keep thinking about something I came across recently. As I often do when writing a blog post, I looked back at previous blog posts to see what I had written on the topic, in this case service animals.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQA) Youth in School

By Christina D. Ghio|2019-09-10T14:45:51-04:00July 23rd, 2019|Bullying, Disability Discrimination, Education, LGBTQA, mental health, Special Education, Special Education Lawyer, Special Education Services|

While June was officially Pride Month, the importance of creating safe, supportive and inclusive school environments for all children including LGBTQA students must a year-round effort. Evidence suggests that a school’s failure to provide a safe, supportive and non-discriminatory environment for transgender and gender non-conforming students can result in significant harm to the child.

Can kids with anxiety and depression receive special education services?

By Christina D. Ghio|2019-08-30T15:33:31-04:00October 10th, 2018|Education, mental health, Special Education Services, Students with Disabilties, Uncategorized|

Yes, they can! Schools often overlook children with mental health needs like anxiety and depression, particularly when those mental health needs that manifest themselves internally. Depression and anxiety are often invisible.

Why Service Dogs Matter

By Christina D. Ghio|2019-08-30T15:40:11-04:00October 27th, 2015|child advocate, Disability Discrimination, mental health, Service Animals, service dogs, Students with Disabilties, Uncategorized|

I think it is important for people to understand why service dogs matter. Service dogs help people with disabilities live with more independence than they otherwise would. They help in ways that those of us who live without disabilities and without the need for service animals can't fully understand and appreciate

Enough is Enough: End Unnecessary Restraint and Seclusion Now

By Christina D. Ghio|2019-08-30T15:41:48-04:00September 16th, 2015|child advocate, mental health, Restraint and Seclusion|

This week, the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) released videos of children being restrained and placed in seclusion at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS), the state’s locked facility for boys, and the Pueblo unit at Riverview Hospital, the state’s locked facility for girls. The videos are a disturbing reminder of how our state fails some of our most vulnerable children

Mental Health and Special Education

By Christina D. Ghio|2019-09-03T11:16:08-04:00May 6th, 2010|Education, mental health, Special Education|

According to National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, 13% of children ages 8 to 15 have at least one mental disorder. Mental illness can have a profound affect on a child’s educational experience. If your child is struggling in school because of his or her mental health needs, consider requesting an evaluation to determine if your child has special education needs.