<p>Does anyone have ideas how to begin searching for schools when the student has Borderline Personality Disorder? What supports in particular?</p>
<p>I’m not sure I understand your question, but I would be looking for scholls with access to good mental health providers, perhaps including a psychiatrist and group therapy. Ideally on campus through covered provders at your health center, but also in a community where you can get to providers off campus, since some schools send kids off campus for some problems.</p>
<p>I’d start the way anyone else starts - based on location, size, and majors, and then call appropriate candidates and ask what accomodations / services they can give.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>LAC’s all the way. It sounds like you will need smaller class sizes and more personal attention. Also, large state schools with budget issues will not be a good match. Most of those have long waiting lists to see on campus therapists and psychologist. You can wait for weeks or months for therapy sessions as most of those campus services are underfunded and overwhelmed. Think public hospital emergency room waiting times for crisis issues and innercity HMO wait times for one on one non-urgent appointments. Not bad if your kid has no issues and is well adjusted. Terrible if you know your kid is going to need special attention.</p>
<p>^ what GeekMom said is what I was going to suggest. When you have a school that you just think would be a good match in general, that initial sense, call and find out which dept handles this, speak frankly with someone in charge there. It’s not just about having a good health care office, counseling, or crisis management- it’s also about how they will help him integrate, adapt and thrive, including socially. Once you learn what dept names these offices go by (could be student affairs, the dean of students, etc)- and some of their lingo- you’ll be able to target some of your own research.</p>
<p>Can the student live away from home? </p>
<p>Will you need to be within a quick drive to the school? </p>
<p>Could the student a danger to himself or others? (forget to take meds, be agressive, etc?)</p>
<p>Will the student have difficulties with sharing a dorm room and need his own room/bathroom? </p>
<p>My H has a cousin with borderline personality disorder and he needs a private dorm room, and the parents are within 2 hours of his school. When he takes his meds, he does fine. When he “forgets” his meds, then he’s had some issues.</p>