In this powerful episode of the Grind It Up Podcast, we sit down with Leslie Hestwood to discuss the harrowing realities of navigating the special education and mental health systems. Leslie shares her personal journey as a mother advocating for her daughters, highlighting systemic failures, lack of transparency in federally funded programs, and the bureaucratic hurdles that often leave families searching for answers in the dark. From the exorbitant costs of private evaluations to the intricacies of IEP meetings, this conversation provides an essential look at the reality of special needs advocacy today.
The episode also touches on the host's personal battle with stage four cancer and the mission behind the Mauer Foundation, which aims to bring direct support to those in need with 100% transparency. Join us for a raw and honest discussion about resilience, the necessity of school district accountability, and the need for ground-up reform in our public services.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:01:32 - Fighting Stage 4 Cancer & Shooting Guns
00:08:45 - The Hidden Struggle of Special Education
00:18:59 - Why Special Education & Mental Health Reform is Failing Families
00:25:35 - The Brutal Reality of Special Needs Parenting
00:31:33 - Why Texas Schools Failed My Daughter
00:40:31 - The Harsh Reality of the Special Education System
00:45:36 - A Mother’s Raw Experience with Special Education Meetings
00:47:46 - Why the Disability Support System is Failing Families
00:53:58 - The TRUTH About IEPs
01:03:05 - Fighting the System
01:15:24 - Understanding Intellectual Disabilities
01:19:54 - Why Driving Styles Are Completely Different
01:28:26 - Mama Bear Activated
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Connect with the crew & never miss a beat: 🌐 Website: https://www.GrindItUpPOD.com 👕 Merch Store: https://www.ebay.com/usr/grindituppodcast 📧 Join the Email List: https://mailchi.mp/6b97945b07ba/grind-it-up-podcast Listen to the Podcast: ▶️ YouTube Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrindItUpPOD/podcasts 🎵 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4db1a4bf-a5ce-4eea-8206-da86c02dc0f6/the-grind-it-up-podcast 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0v26NGIP1PrK4XhXuBFvz2 🎵 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grind-it-up-podcast/id1848500132 Follow us on Social: ✖️ X (Twitter): https://x.com/GrindItUpPOD 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grindituppod 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/GrindItUpPOD 🗣️ Discord: https://discord.com/invite/6bQh4a8w4p ▶️ Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-7748108 ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@GrindItUpPOD 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/GrindItUpPOD 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@grindituppod