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Psych hospital won’t treat school stabbing suspect

By WTOP Staff

JOE MANDAK
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A psychiatric hospital has cited security concerns in its decision to refuse treatment to a teenager awaiting trial on charges he stabbed 20 fellow students and a security guard at his high school.

Westmoreland County Judge Christopher Feliciani agreed with defense witnesses at a Friday hearing who said 16-year-old Alex Hribal, of Murrysville, needs intensive inpatient treatment at a mental hospital. Hribal has been held at the county juvenile detention center since the April 9 rampage at Franklin Regional High School.

Defense attorney Patrick Thomassey, the judge and District Attorney John Peck met in chambers after the hearing and believed they had settled on a suitable facility. Other psychiatric hospitals had rejected Hribal, saying he was too young or because he remained in custody on attempted homicide and aggravated assault charges, Thomassey said.

But the facility they chose, Southwood Psychiatric Hospital in Upper St. Clair, later reversed course, a decision first reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“Southwood had security concerns,” the judge told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “Counsel for defendant is investigating other options. If a facility is approved, the defendant will be transferred and the court order stands and remains in effect.”

A Southwood spokesman didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

“I’m at my wit’s end,” Thomassey told the AP. “It was explained that he was in custody. Then this guy calls the court yesterday and says, ‘We can’t take him.'”

Peck and his psychiatric expert, Dr. Bruce Wright, disagreed with defense experts that Hribal may be developing schizophrenia and, instead, proposed keeping Hribal in the juvenile facility but allowing him to visit a psychiatrist or having one brought in to treat him.

“As Dr. Wright said, treatment begins with the person wanting to begin treatment. He’s been offered treatment more than once by detention officials, and he declined,” Peck said Tuesday.

Thomassey denied that at Friday’s hearing and said the boy now knows he needs mental health treatment.

Marsha Levick, the deputy director and chief counsel at the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia, said cases like Hribal’s are rare. But she said, Pennsylvania courts “have been able to facilitate entering into special contracts for kids who have special needs.”

Levick cited the case of Miriam White, an 11-year-old Philadelphia girl who stabbed a 55-year-old hairdresser who was walking her dog in August 1999. The girl told authorities she knew she wouldn’t have to return to her foster home if she stabbed someone.

When authorities couldn’t figure out where to house the girl, a judge found a juvenile treatment center in Texas. The girl eventually pleaded guilty to third-degree murder when she was 18 and is serving 18 to 40 years in prison.

Miriam wasn’t moved to a mental hospital, but Levick said her case “represents the notion that judges can sometimes do things that seem like one-of-a-kind solutions.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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