NICOLE NAVEGA, MSW, LCSW
11939 Avalon Preserve Blvd
Fort Myers, FL 33908
401-663-0433

October 23, 2020

To Whom it May Concern:

As a long-time member of the board for Team Shawnie Advocacy Group and a veteran of running Adolescent Residential Treatment for over a decade and a seasoned Emergency Room Clinician in a Psychiatric Hospital, I’m writing to support the passing and full implementation of the Shawnie Bill.

Far too often I have seen children and families suffer from both sides of the spectrum: on the residential side with inappropriate placements and on the Psychiatric Hospital side with unnecessary wait times for children who were ready to step-down from Inpatient Acute Treatment to a lower level of care into residential treatment.   

We know the Shawnie Bill will:

1) Stop multiple psychiatric hospitalizations. 

2) Stop the violation of the federal law FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education), IDEA (Individuals Disability Education Act), will stop IEP (a legal documentation) from not being followed.

3) Allow for immediate treatment.

Please consider the consequences for children and their families of not passing this important legislation.

With deep respect and gratitude,