Opinion ID: 1272595
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Michelle H.

Text: Michelle H. and Natalie H. are the children of Mark and Rie H. Michelle H. was born on February 15, 1991. In March 1994, a Hawaii DOH psychologist who examined Michelle concluded that she had mild Autistic Spectrum Disorder (or Pervasive Developmental Disorder). [2] The DOH psychologist made a number of recommendations to address Michelle's limitations, including enrollment in the Hawaii DOE's Preschool Program, use of numerous autism-specific approaches, and assignment of an extra aide to work one-on-one with Michelle in the classroom. According to the Hawaii DOE, the psychologist's recommendations to deal with Michelle's autism were never implemented because of difficulties . . . in getting appropriate personnel as well as appropriate funding. In April 1994, the Hawaii DOE performed its own academic and psychological evaluation of Michelle to determine her early special education needs. The Hawaii DOE found Michelle eligible for early special education services under the IDEA because of chronic emotional impairment, not because she suffered from an autism disorder. The Hawaii DOE developed an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) for Michelle, including placement in a fully selfcontained special education classroom on a regular school campus for an extended school year with special education and speech therapy services. Michelle's IEP was updated at regular intervals through 1998, but the recommendations remained substantially unchanged. No representative from DOH attended any of the IEP sessions to discuss mental health services. In April 1997, the Hawaii DOE changed Michelle's eligibility category from Emotional Impairment to Autism. The Hawaii DOE reassessed her IEP in January 1998, after the diagnosis changed. The recommendations in the new IEP remained nearly identical to those made before the change in diagnosis and included no additional individualized services related to autism.