Hi jalura99,

Sorry to hear that your daughter hasn't been feeling well. This is a trying time for both her and you, I'm sure. I would definitely get some sort of protection in place for her. The process of getting a plan in place can take a while, so be patient. I wouldn't be too quick to pull her out of school and go the online route, especially if she has friends there. I would try to work with the school first.

Here is a link that may help you in deciding where to go from here:

http://www.jbrf.org/edu_forums/issues.html

Her psychiatrist or therapist can help you decide what sorts of accommodations she may need. The school may even want one of her clinicians to come to a meeting to discuss their recommendations. Her clinicians may have contact information for mental health advocates in your area who can also help you with the IEP process. I would call your school district administrative offices to find out the district's policy on long medical leaves. She may need to make up some of the work.

Here is another link that may help you and your daughter navigate the territory of bipolar disorder in teens:

http://www.thebalancedmind.org/?gcli...FUcaQgodKlVmGg

They used to be called the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation and are a very well respected organization.

Kudos to you for doing what you need to do for your daughter. I wish my parents had gone to bat for me back when I first got sick. It was a long time ago, though, and these legal protections didn't exist. My own daughter, now 13, has had an IEP in place since first grade. The IEP will grow and change with your child and is not set in stone. I don't know much about 504 Plans, but my impression is that they are more for academic difficulties than emotional or behavioral ones.

I wish your family well.