Out of Control Child With Serious Mental Health Issues-Please Help! sues

[RunningOnEmpty]

California - My husband's 15 year old daughter came to live with us 18 months ago (at age 13) because she was unable to get along with her mother. Mom warned us she was a handful of trouble, but we secretly believed Mom just wasn't a very good parent. Well, this child has turned our life upside down. After the first two months with us she became totally defiant, refusing to follow any rules/requests. She lied to us, about us, stole from us, snuck out the window at night, snuck hardcore criminal-type boys into the house at night while we were asleep, ran away for days at a time, refused to attend school... the scenario just got worse and worse. In Jan. 2001, we had her admitted to a psychiatric hospital, as a 5150, where they kept her for only 8 days. They diagnosed her with bipolar mood disorder and oppositional defiance disorder and sent her home with pills. We followed up with a psychiatrist and a couple of therapists, however, behavior became increasing worse. Every attempt to control her behavior or discipline her is met with contempt and hostility. She constantly threatens to kill herself and engages in self mutilation. The injuries she causes to herself are superficial, not remotely life threatening. We have had the police at our house about 15 times in the last 8-9 months because she is that out of control. She finally got her first arrest for battery on her 17 year old sister and was placed in juvenile hall. They let her out within a week on an electronic monitoring device and returned for sentencing in two weeks. During the two weeks house arrest, her behavior was so bad that the judge (thankfully) ordered her placed in a group home for 6 months. Within 24 hours of being placed, she ran away with another girl, got drunk, got a gang-style tatoo on her ankles and left the county with a 46 year old man, who she now says raped her. She was caught, arrested and placed in a new group home. She lasted only 7 days there before she started violating the rules, threatening the staff, mutilating herself, etc. They also found a utility key and hypodermic needles hidden in her room. As usual, she insists that she has done nothing wrong, that it is everybody else's fault. The real icing on this cake is that my husband just received a $4,000.00 bill from County Mental Health Dept. for "services rendered." No other explanation. We know that the county sends people over the juvenile hall to talk to her constantly, because she is always talking suicide. We have
private insurance, of which they are aware, however it appears they are not using it. Even if we forwarded the bill to our insurance, no way will they pay (if they'll pay at all) without more info than that! Can they do this to us? The child's Probation Officer has only been in his job for one year. He tells me that during this one year period, she is the worst kid he has ever dealt with. The most difficult. I read some of the Welfare and Institutions codes, and my interpretation was that they must exhaust all private insurance before charging the parents for "reasonable services." If they are doing psych evaluations on her 2-3 times a week, is this considered reasonable? She has at no time been hospitalized or had medication changed. She said they just come and talk to her. $4000.00 from 5 weeks in juvenile hall! We will go bankrupt in no time. I sent a letter to mental health asking that her psychiatrist and/or medical doctor be contacted if there are any concerns and requested they refrain from further "service." I am aware they are still providing services to her, despite the letter. What can we do? Please, we are desperate!

[Edited by RunningOnEmpty on 05-01-2001 at 11:05 PM]