Arthur Perazzo's speech

Below is Arthur Perazzo's speech made at the Albany public hearing yesterday:

Albany 8-08-06
The following was not said at the meeting, however, page 2 was.

Good afternoon, I am Arthur Perazzo.

I want to thank all of you for permitting me three minutes of your valuable time. It is true that this meeting could have been avoided if NYSED would have given the largest stakeholders, the parents and their children (who actually experience the aversives), time to speak at any of the previous meetings. It is also true that this meeting would have been unnecessary if NYSED had sent a fair and impartial representatives to the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center. A further opportunity to avoid this meeting at taxpayer expense was missed by NYSED when it did not have the professional courtesy of waiting for a response from the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center to the NYSEDrepresentatives biased report. However, none of these reasonable courses of action was taken, so here I am with less than 3 minutes to say how the Judge Rothenberg Educational Center turned my son’s life around by its use of a complete rewards/educational program which at time is supplemented by a temporary skin shock application. A school, by the way, that should be welcomed to open a branch in New York State.

Good afternoon committee members and esteemed professional who have never actually dealt with children who have very severe self-destructive and violent behaviors but nevertheless want to tell me what treatment my child should receive. I have taught in some of the most difficult neighborhoods in NYC and I have never come across such behaviors as the students at my son’s school exhibit. My name is Arthur Perazzo. I am a parent of a 20 year-old young man, Michael, who has high functioning autism with severe obsessive-compulsive behaviors. I am here to ask you to oppose legislation that would take away parents freedom to select appropriate, professionally recognized aversive treatment for their children. Five years ago if you had asked me what I thought about aversive therapy, I would have said that I don’t know much about it but I would be willing to look into it for my son only as a last resort. As a teacher and as a loving parent, only desperation would compel me to consider that type of extreme treatment. Well that time came about three years ago. Michael was hitting rock bottom in his second residential school. His history of numerous medications, prescribed by five very well known and respected psychiatrists in the field of developmental disabilities, positive behavioral therapies, hospitalization, special day and residential schools had been unsuccessful. I did not know if aversive therapy would work but I felt I didn’t have anything to lose since he was on his way to being warehoused in an institution.

The supplemental aversive treatment has succeeded where all other treatments have failed. I have seen life saving results of aversive therapy not only for my son but also for many others. Michael began this therapy three and a half years ago, after six months of positive only unsuccessful programming. Now his major behaviors (aggression, property destruction, non compliance) occur so infrequently that he seldom receives an aversive application. We are hopeful that in time he will be faded completely from the aversive treatment. His dramatically improved behavior has enabled him to benefit from his educational program and he is now preparing for the high school equivalency exam.

Michael’s current school uses this therapy in a very professional manner with many safeguards. These include court approval and monitoring, videotaping, parent approval, most times a two-person approval before an application is administered, close supervision by an experienced psychologist, and termination of aversive therapy as soon as it becomes unnecessary.

You, NYSED, have a choice, do you make these unnecessary, harmful regulations permanent, or do you allow the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center to continue a treatment program that in many cases has literally saved their children’s lives and made an education possible. A school that you should welcome in NYS. Thanks so much for your 3 minutes , patience and understanding on this very serious matter.

Recent television stories on JRC

1. Fox 25 segment, Sunday, July 2, 2006.
   Click here to watch the video clip.
   
   
2. CNN Anderson Cooper 360 segment, Tuesday, June 27, 2006.
   Click here to watch the video clip.
   "Usage of this CNN material does not constitute an implied or express endorsement by CNN."

Letter from Amy Levine, former JRC student

To whom it may concern:

Good afternoon, my name is Amy Levine. I am 21yrs old and a graduate of Judge Rotenberg Center class of 2004. Before JRC I was a very disturbed young adult; I was running away from home, getting into physical fights with my older brother, hanging out with dropouts and drug-addicted people my age and older, and living with and dating men ten to fifteen years older than me. My life was utter chaos. I was in and out of mental hospitals and put on several different medications. I went from my usual 145lbs (at 5'4 while I was 16-17yrs old) to 228lbs. I attempted suicide. My mother did not know what to do with me untill she did some research and hear of JRC. She liked the school immediately, first because they did not believe in psychotropic medications, and second because of the safety and security of the dvr cameras. Also, the school made it very comfortable for a student to be far aw ay from home: they decorated the rooms beautifully, they had a rewards system and they had a video game room in the school. I went with her to visit JRC before we decided together that I should go there. I saw two other schools in nyc before visiting JRC and they were dark, dreary, and scary - resembling castles. I had heard of many students running away from the NYC schools, and these schools also kept students on medication and did not decrease their dosage. At the time I was going on my 5th or 6th month at Gracie Square Medical Hospital's 4th floor mental unit. I was becoming increasingly depressed, overweight, and afraid that I might never come off of the many different meds that I was on; depakote, haldol, congentin, zyprexa, etc.
I felt that JRC was the only hope for me. Within the two years that I spent there I studied for the SATs, graduated with a full regents diploma from Fort Hamilton High School, and was accepted to Brooklyn College. Presently I am a sophomore at Brooklyn College where I major in Business Management and minor in English, and while in summer session at Brooklyn College I am also attending a CNA licensing course at the Manhattan Institute. I recently received my certificate in CPR and First Aid. I would like one day to manage a hospital. What I am trying to say here is that if it weren't for the Judge Rotenberge Center I don't believe I would have gone back to finish high school, or come off of the medication that was making me gain weight daily and go deeper into my severe depression. I believe that JRC saved me from myself, and they saved my life.

If there is anything else you would like to know about how JRC helped me, or if there is anything I can do to help keep JRC open, please let me know. I will be at the hearing in Albany on Monday.

Sincerely,
Amy Levine

Letter from Brenda Brazell, mother of a JRC student

The Bridge to Hope

My daughter Ester has been in Special Education since she was in the first grade. Ester is now a 15 year old girl. She has been diagnosed with being Emotionally Disturbed, Bi-Polar Disorder, and recently Diabetes. Ester has been given multiple medications throughout the years that have never modified her inappropriate behaviors. Ester has a second grade reading level and a forth grade math level. Ester’s behaviors became completely unmanageable and continued to escalate even at home.

I was a prisoner in my own home. Esther began to physically fight with her sisters. I was constantly on call because Esther would disappear for hours than days at a time. When she finally resurfaced at home. I would have her admitted to the hospitals to insure she was alright. On one occasion, I met with a parent who asked, if I ever heard of “The Judge Rotenberg Center”? I replied no. She gave me the number and told me to call.

After a long process, impartial hearing months later, my daughter was admitted to the Judge Rotenberg Center. The school incorporates a vegan diet. Esther has lost 40lbs. She is no longer on psychotropic medications. Esther is in classroom learning. Her skin is clear. She looks fantastic. The Judge Rotenberg Center has a 24 hour digital camera system to view the students behaviors at all times. The staff ability to inform me regarding Esther’s progress or regression is impeccable.

The level of care that the Judge Rotenberg Center provides cannot be compared with other residential schools within the New York State system. I’m a parent who speaks with families in my community. I know first hand that there is a strong need for the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center. Parents need to have options to have a choice to treat their children’s behaviors and disorders without the use of psychotropic medications. This school should be praised for the remarkable work they have done for my child. More children of New York City should have the opportunity to receive their care.

Sincerely,
Brenda Brazell

Letter from James and Phyllis Shields, parents of a JRC student

Click here to read a June 14th letter from Mr. and Mrs. Shields.

Letter from a former JRC student

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian A
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 5:04 PM
To: Israel, Matthew

Subject: Heres a copy of the letter I sent to members of the board of Regents

To whome it may concern:

My name is Brian J. Avery. I am a former student at the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, MA. I am writing to you today in support of the practices of the Judge Rotenberg Center due to the fact that their practices, although some of them may seem inhumane, have turned my life around.

In September of 1998, I was admitted to The Judge Rotenberg Center. I was on about five different Medications, although I cannot accuratley name them because I was young at the time. I was extremely aggressive, I would hurt myself, destroy property, be disruptive, and noncomplient. I would not do my school work and would spend most of the day in a small room laying on the floor.

After a little over a year of being at the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC), JRC introuduced aversives into my treatment plan. This, however, was used as a absolute last resort when positive-only programming was unsuccessful. The aversives JRC used for me was the contingent skin shock program, or the Graduated Electronic Decelerator (GED).

Since being placed on the GED, my major inappropriate behaviors went from the tens or hundreds in a week to zero per week. I was and still able to sit in a classroom throughout the school day and do all of the schoolwork assigned to me. As a result of the GED, I was able to eventrually transition back into the public school system and I graduated from High School in 2005. I am currently attending College in Florida.

I would like to urge all of you to allow JRC to continue to use aversive and to allow disabled New York students to be sent to JRC because JRC is a wonderful school and has changed the lives of hundreds of people (that I know of). Although the use of skin shock may seem cruel and inhumane, receiving a brief two-second shock is much more humane than being doped up on medication, being restrained all day, being injured due to health-dangerous beheaviors and whatnot.

Thank you for reading my letter and taking it into consideration. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me. My contact information is below.

Sincerely,

Brian J. Avery

Letter to Board of Regents from Ilana Slaff

Dear Regent:

I am a psychiatrist who is doing an autism fellowship. I have twin brothers and a daughter with autism. My brothers both have had life threatening behaviors. One attends the Judge Rotenberg Center and is doing well and the other is in New York in a residential setting where he is vegetating on multiple meds, too sedated to get out of bed to even go to a day program. He has had numerous side effects from his meds including involuntary movements, obesity and seizures in addition to sedation. The medications are also not contolling his behavior either and he has had numerous psychiatric hospitalizations.

Psychologists who advocate banning aversives for life threatening behaviors are also implicitly advocating for medication management, since medication will definitely be used without aversives. Psychologists do not have a medical background and are not trained in the use of medication. A psychiatrist can assess medication treatment failure in targeting symptoms or in evaluating side effects. A psychologist has no authority to do so. They have no authority to advocate a ban on aversives since they are not trained to compare the risk benefit ratio of aversives to medication.

My brother at Judge Rotenberg Center had life threatening side effects from his multiple medications including neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Furthermore he had sedation, obesity, drooling, delayed puberty and involuntary movements that became permanent. The medications also did not target his head banging well and he needed surgery to close his head and repeated suturing afterwards. An independent psychiatrist evaluated him who recommended the use of aversives and my brother has been off all meds and doing well for 17 years at the Judge Rotenberg Center. I do not understand why a psychologist with no training background in medication management should be allowed to override the psychiatrist who evaluated my brother and knew how to assess my brother's multiple medication treatment failures and judge that aversives were the preferred treatment for him. Any psychologist or anyone who makes recommendations based on a psychologist for the removal of aversives is going against the life and death decision made by the psychiatrist and needs to be held responsible for the results of their actions.

Sincerely yours,
Ilana Slaff, M.D.

Letter from Louisa and Robert Goldberg, parents of a JRC student

To whom it may concern,

We are the parents of a disabled child who is enrolled at the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC). We are writing in support of the school and how much good this program does for some very difficult children and adults. JRC became the only option for our son, now 25, who could no longer be treated at his prior placement, nor accepted by any other program, due largely to his behavior issues.

Our son, Andrew, is a complex individual. He requires special food and attention at mealtimes. He has seizures daily. He functions at a 3 year old level, and in addition, he is very aggressive towards others when even the smallest demands are made.

While living home, Andrew, at a young age, was placed in early intervention and day programs, and we were trained in and used behavior modification therapy. At age 9, these proved insufficient, and Andrew was put in residential care at Crotched Mountain in New Hampshire. This school provided him with both a residential group home and schooling. Initially, he did well, but at the age of 16, and after 7 years in a school that used traditional restraint techniques, behavior modification, and drug therapy, his behaviors became extremely dangerous - from attacking staff, hair pulling, biting, and tipping over furniture, etc. We could not have him home for visits as we feared for the safety of ourselves and his younger brother. He could no longer participate in school activities or field trips, such as Special Olympics, and he was sending school staff, trained in physical restraint, to the hospital on a regular basis. His life was a mere existence – alternating from “zoning out” or being aggressive towards people - depending on the level of drugs in his system. The staff who had once loved our funny, congenial son was now afraid of him.

As his behavior spiraled out of control, the doctors began adding psychotropic drugs to calm him down - he would be strapped to a papoose board for hours when he became aggressive. He remained at the group home in a drug-induced stupor, but even this did not stop his dangerous behaviors. The years of physical restraint techniques, and behavior approaches used by Crotched Mountain were now ineffective, and his behavior became so uncontrollable that the only option the school had was to expel him - the school told us we would have to agree to either have him dropped off at a local jail “for his own protection”, or to have him put in a psychiatric hospital.

We opted for the psychiatric hospital as the more humane option, but meanwhile we had to find a new placement for him. Working with the Newton school district, the Massachusetts Department of Education, and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation, we spent months calling and/or visiting dozens of residential schools in search of a new placement for Andrew, all to no avail. He was being turned down by one after another due to his behavior and complex issues. It was at the psychiatric hospital that someone mentioned JRC as an option. We were told they had a proven treatment program and that it may be a good option for Andrew. As it turned out they were the only program that would take him in.

Andrew has been at JRC for 5 years. The difference is like night and day. He no longer injures people, he is alert and happy, and is no longer restrained for hours at a time. Now, when necessary, his aggressive behaviors are treated in a quick and controlled manner by a mild skin shock, and he is redirected to the task at hand. He is well cared for and we are so glad to have our old son back and functioning as a real person.

It is important to understand that the students at JRC are a small percentage of those students needing special education that are very difficult to manage. Traditional therapies have not helped them, many programs have expelled them, and their families cannot keep them at home. Most people have not heard of, nor can they imagine the violent behaviors and/or the self-abusive behaviors these students demonstrate.

It has been shown many times that aversive therapy in addition to a positive reward program breaks the cycle of aggressive and self-abusive behavior. The students then begin to participate in academics, receive vocational training, live in community group homes, and are able to be part of their family again! We have seen this to work with Andrew, as well as other students at JRC. This is the ultimate goal for families and educators.

Aversive therapy, carefully monitored and controlled, must continue to be an option for struggling families. It is the least restrictive and most effective therapy for this small group of very difficult individuals, such as our son Andrew.

Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Sincerely,

Louisa and Robert Goldberg

Letter from Phyllis Birch, mother of a former JRC student

I have read two articles about the shock treatment at JRC. Today, in one of the articles it stated that the children were always being punished. This was stated by the person that heads the colition of children with disabilities.

My daughter Amy was at JRC in the 1990's. She was transferred there from the Brown and Sullivan residential placement in Suffield, MA. While in Brown and Sullivan, she did what she wanted when she wanted. My husband and I had to go sue the Town of Thompson, Thompson, CT to get the help she needed. She had been in a number of residential placements in Maryland. When we won our case, a member of the finance board said that the Special Education Administer should tell the town who the people were that had this child that was costing the Town of Thompson $150,000.00. He was told that it would cost the town $10,000.00 fine. He then responded that it would be worth to release our names. Of course they did not. Amy was place at Brown and Sullivan in Enfield first. Her first one to one person who was taking care of her was found drunk. Amy was the one who called the person in charge. He was fired. Amy moved to a group home in Suffield,CT. The Town of Thompson was paying Brown and Sullivan $150,00.00 for 24 hour one to one care. I was getting calls left and right. Amy through a refrigator at the one in charge. She destroy the inside of the house more than once. She was suppose to get help with her education with a tutor coming in. This did not happen until the last few months she was there. She did not have food in the house. I got a phone call stating she got a tattoo. This is while she was with Browns daughter. One to one care. I had conservatorship over Amy and her estate. This means Amy had no right to make decisions on her own. Then I was promise this would not happen. Then I received the second call that she got a tattoo. Besides all this there was drugs being used. Amy had admitted to it and I have lab results stating it. The last straw came when I received a phone call stating she had sex with the man who was taking care of. Her one on one caretaker. My husband went to the police station and we were told by the District Attorney in Enfield that Amy was over 18 she could make her own decision whether to have sex or not. Now the State of CT is paying $150,000.00 a year for a caretaker to have sex with the person he is taking care of. The District Attorney does not know what a Conservatership meant. All this going on while I had major surgery and being treated for Breast Cancer. I informed the Thompson School system. They said that a place in Hartford would be the only place that could handle Amy. I called them. They said that they would not be able to. I worked at Frito Lay in Killingly, Ct. They had this Dependent Connection to help with different needs. I found Judge Rotenberg Center thru them. If it wasn't for Judge Rotenberg Center Amy would be in a intitution. While at Judge Rotenberg Center Amy received her GED. She has her drivers liciense now. She did work for Foxwoods Casino and Mohegan Sun Casino before being injured at work. She is now disabled. She recently had a gastric bypass. She went from 400 lbs down to 194 lbs. In July she will have her excess skin from her abdomon. She is going to the local community college and hopefully will be getting employment in the near future. I give all the credit to Judge Rotenberg Center and Dr. Israel. There needs to be more places like this.

Letter from a former employee of the Judge Rotenberg Center

To whom this may concern,
I am a former employee of the Judge Rotenberg Center. I worked there as a certified teacher for almost two years, and then as an Education Quality Control staff. It was the most amazing experience of my life. I had the opportunity to see, first hand, the amazing progress that students made, both with the use of positive programming, and (when necessary) the use of the GED. As a classroom teacher, I had many high functioning students that were admitted to the program without any knowledge of self control. Many of them succeeded within the program with the use of positive programming. They learned that if they exhibited positive behavior, they would earn appropriate rewards. They could then sit in a classroom and learn material that they had missed out on for many years. Then there were some that were not able to succeed with positive programming. These students were the ones that the use of the GED was necessary. Once this method was put in place, these students were able to function in everyday life and be educated the way they deserved to be educated. I had students come to me at the age of 19 without the necessary skills to survive in the real world. Once placed on the GED, they were able to learn basic Language Arts and Mathematics skills that would help them survive in the real world once it was time for graduation.

When I left the classroom and obtained a supervisory position at JRC, I got to see the progress of the lower functioning students (Autistic, etc), as well as the higher function students. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen! I observed autistic students come in with extremely self abusive and aggressive behavior. With the use of positive programming or the GED (when needed) these students had the opportunity to experience the life they deserved. Many of them learned how to communicate with others because of their behavior programs. Their inability to communicate before arriving at JRC had a lot to do with the behaviors that they were exhibiting prior to their admittance.

I am in no means saying that all students with behavioral disorders should be placed on GED devices or even have to attend the Judge Rotenberg Center. However, the students that are placed at JRC are placed there for a reason. The reason is that there is nowhere else for these children/adults to go. Everything else has been attempted with the students and all of these attempts have failed.

In my opinion, if the use of this aversive technique is terminated, many students that may have a chance, will fail. My question is for people that are against this, are students that have the ability to succeed better off physically, mechanically, or chemically restrained for the rest of their lives? In my opinion, that is what will happen if the use of the GED is terminated and these students are sent elsewhere.

Letter from Pauline Higgins, mother of a JRC student

To Whom It May Concern:

I am the mother of a child that has Autism. My daughter at the present time is living at the Judge Rotenberg Center in Massachusetts where she is receiving skin shock treatment therapy for behavior modification. I am writing this letter on my daughter’s behalf because I know that many of the politicians in the State of New York do not agree with this form of therapy.

Before my daughter was sent to the Judge Rotenberg Center, she received a number of medications such as Resperdol, Ritain, Aldol, Vuspar, Topamax, and Seriquel. None of these medications worked. I also received services from several agencies in the Bronx to help me with my daughter and her aggression.

I got the point where I saw no hope for her or for myself. I was so overwhelmed with our situation and the fact that I could no longer handle her. Many of the agencies stop sending me help because of her violent behavior. Of the many Residential Habilitators that would come to my house to help, only one was able to try to control her. I could not even go outside with her for a walk or to buy necessary groceries because she would spit and hit strangers on impulse on the streets. Many times, I would get into arguments and altercations with total strangers because they did into understand why my daughter did what she did. She would also self-inflict injuries toward herself and become extremely aggressive and it continued to get worse. I could never have family or friends over to visit us because they were afraid of her. I was even banned from bringing her to a neighborhood McDonald’s because she posed many safety issues with the customers.

Since my daughter’s placement at the center, there has been a huge change in her behavior. She no longer self-inflects injuries toward herself, she is able to sit next to others without hurting them, and behave in a manner that she was not able to do before.

Please continue to help my daughter and others like her at the center from being sent back to New York. New York does not have facilities that can help and accommodate children like my daughter. I will appreciate any help you can offer me in this matter.

Thank you, sincerely,
P. Higgins

Letter from James Woolfalk, father of a JRC student

To Whom It May Concern:

My son James T. Woolfalk Jr. is an individual with some behavioral, cognitive and academic deficits. When James was 2.5 years old, he was diagnosed with a toxicity level of lead, which consequently caused some brain damage. When James began school, the problems began to materialize. James was in a small independent school in Harlem called The Children’s Store Front. The headmaster of the school felt James would benefit from taking medication Ritalin. The school would constantly ask me did James take his medication. I began to question; just taking the Ritalin wasn’t the answer. I had James evaluated for special education services. James was placed into the New York State Board of Education special education system. James was still not making any significant progress. I requested from the New York Board of Education, a more structured residential learning environment for James. No results. James dropped out of school at 16 years old and began experimenting with different kinds of illegal drugs. James, as a consequence of dropping out of school and experimenting with illegal drugs began to get out of control, my son and I would literally fight with each other.

James became extremely psychotic and as a result had to unfortunately be hospitalized on a psychiatric ward, which almost devastated my family and I. There was crying, crying and more crying.

After my son James was in the hospital and several tries in non-structured learning environment, the New York State Board of Education finally found the Judge Rotenberg Center.

James has been placed on the GED program at the school. He has significantly improved with his aggression, academics and non-compliance behaviors. I love my son and only want the best for him.

Sincerely,

Mr. James T. Woolfalk