Will Stimulus Payments Disrupt My Public Benefits?
March 24, 2021
South Shore ARC Autism Resource Center – At Last
December 1, 2016
As knowledge about autism has grown, along with medical and public benefits for autism, families have been struggling to create and navigate the safety net system all at once.
Now there is a group to turn to, a place to find answers and to share your own lessons learned with other families. Visit the South Shore ARC’s Autism Resource Center to see what they have developed so far and how you can help shape the Center.
Open Your Home and Grow Your Family
The South Shore ARC is looking for families who would like to host under the Shared Living program. This is a state program that matches up adults with developmental disabilities with “host families.”
If you would like to open your home and your heart, please visit the ARC’s Shared Living page.
Statewide Transition Conference for Parents
August 28, 2014
The Arc of Massachusetts is holding a transition conference for parents of children with disabilities between the ages of 14 and 22. Attendees will be able to choose from a variety of workshops focused on the best practices of creating seamless transitions from school into the adult world.
The conference will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 20th at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. Registration is $75.00 per person and includes breakfast and lunch, as well as all-day access to a “technology playground,” where attendees can learn about iPads, iPods, tablets, and the best apps to prepare children for adult life and independence.
Workshop topics include employment, benefits eligibility, financial seminars, transportation, housing, the parent role in the transition process, and more. There are over 25 workshops to choose from; each attendee may select four. The descriptions can be found here. JoAnn Simons, President of the Cardinal Cushing Centers of Massachusetts, will deliver the keynote address and Maria Paiewonsky, Transition Specialist at the Institute for Community Inclusion, will give the lunchtime presentation.
If you have a child with disabilities, this event is a must-do. The Arc of the South Shore can help defray the cost of attendance for qualified local families; contact Daryl Cook-Ivan or Katie Hanley at 781-335-3023. For general questions regarding conference registration, dietary concerns, or special accommodations, contact Pat Pakos of the Arc of Massachusetts at 978-440-7609.
Senator Elizabeth Warren Files a Bill to Raise the SSI Resource Limit
March 27, 2014
Department of Public Health Survey on Health Needs for People with Disabilities
May 20, 2013
Sailing for Special Needs Students this Summer in Marshfield!
May 2, 2011
Marshfield Recreation department is offering two separate days this summer for special needs individuals, ages 7 and up, to enjoy sailing. The boats will have 5 people in it (2 students, 2 parents, 1 instructor), so this will be a very intimate, private sail! The Marshfield Recreation Department is offering this at the Green Harbor Yacht Club, with funding generously provided by Green Harbor Yacht Club’s Vigneau Family Sailing Scholarship Fund.
This program is available to non-residents on a space-available basis. Find more info here (jump down to page 23 of the pdf).
Fair winds to you!
Does Your Special Needs Child Really Need a Guardianship?
October 19, 2009
Last week I gave a presentation to Weymouth parents of special needs young adults, and from our conversation, it was clear that the school system was telling them that when a special needs child turns 18, the family must obtain a guardianship. As I’ve written elsewhere, this costs money, involves lawyers, and requires going to court. And for kids with developmental disabilities, there is the daunting clinical team report, which requires coordinating three different professionals.
Fortunately, guardianship (and its accompanying conservatorship) is not necessarily the answer for every family. For lots of kids, a Health Care Proxy and Durable Power of Attorney are the way to go. I don’t know why school special ed personnel are not educated on this, but the Health Care Proxy and Durable Power of Attorney are much more respectful of the young adult’s autonomy and cost significantly less – thousands of dollars less – with a fraction of the hassle.
To sign her Health Care Proxy and Durable Power of Attorney, the young adult needs to have a basic understanding of what she is appointing the named agents to do (usually her parents, but not necessarily – it’s up to her to decide whom to name). Ask yourself: Does she understand that money buys her things? That money must be saved and spent with care? Does she like to have someone help her manage money and make decisions? Does she like to have someone involved with her medical care? Would she like for someone to be able to tell doctors what to do if she can’t tell them herself?
If you think the answer to these questions is “yes,” then meet with a special needs attorney to discuss a Health Care Proxy and Durable Power of Attorney instead of guardianship and conservatorship. Technically speaking, the question of whether a person has the requisite mental capacity to sign these documents is a legal one, so the attorney will need to meet with the young adult alone – maybe more than once – to make that determination for herself.
And if the attorney decides that indeed this young adult can create and sign these documents, than the small investment you have made is more than outweighed by the savings of avoiding guardianship and conservatorship – in terms of the young adult’s autonomy and your family’s time, money, and emotional capital.
Thank You Eunice Kennedy Shriver
August 11, 2009
We learned this morning that Mrs. Shriver passed away over night. I love that all the stories today discuss that she was the founder of the Special Olympics. After all, mentioning the name “Kennedy” in your morning broadcast would be enough to catch the attention of commuters still in their morning fog. But they are all paying tribute to her great accomplishment, giving air time to a fantastic organization, reminding listeners that special needs kids and adults are in our communities, and that someone important loved them and devoted all of her resources and vast network to them.
Thank you to Mrs. Shriver and to so many in the Kennedy family for championing the needs of the special needs community and other groups that often need someone with some name recognition to get them into the spotlight. And to all of you who work tirelessly on behalf of the special needs community but don’t get your kudos on the front page – thank you!
Always Keep Time & Expense Records When Helping Another
August 6, 2009
So many children, nieces and nephews, and good neighbors pitch in to do heavy lifting for an aging or disabled family member or friend. You may be running errands, cleaning out a basement, doing weekly grocery trips. We do these things on a volunteer basis, usually receiving just reimbursement for purchases made. And when the hours pile up – like cleaning out a house or overseeing home remodeling – elders often insist on paying their helpers for their time.
If you are doing this sort of work for an elder or disabled person, it is imperative that the person you are helping (or you yourself, if she can’t), keep good records of expenses and time spent.
While this may feel wrong to you – afterall, you are doing this work out of kindness, it’s not a business arrangement – a lack of records can spell big trouble for the elder or disabled person later. If they will ever be turning to MassHealth (Medicaid) for care, whether at home, assisted living, or in a nursing home, MassHealth will examine the last 5 years of the applicant’s bank records. She will need to explain – and document – why she was paying you.
Without accurate records and receipts, MassHealth will likely reject the elder’s application. At that point, the only way for her to get the care she needs from MassHealth will be for you to return all the funds she paid you.
While it may feel awkward, do yourself and the person you are helping a favor and keep good time records and all receipts. And carry on with your good work.
