I just had an eye-opening conversation with the brother of an individual with autism and his father. The Dad is in not only going through the process of creating a special needs plan designed to care for his son with autism but also prepare his eldest son to take over as caregiver someday. I wanted to […]

It is exciting to learn that technology giants like Google are working on ways to improve the lives of those with disabilities. At Google’s annual developer conference, CEO Sundar Pichai stated, “We believe technology can help us be more inclusive and (artificial intelligence) is providing us with new tools to dramatically improve the experience for people […]

Question:  I heard a report that stated the Social Security trust fund will be extinguished by 2034. Is that true, and if so how does that impact the plan for my adult son with autism? By law, Social Security OASDI trust funds must be able to pay benefits for at least the next 75 years.  […]

Question: I have heard of a Special Needs Trust. Can you share why my son with autism may need one? A Special Needs Trust is an important element in special needs planning because of what it can protect. For most individuals with an intellectual and developmental disability, government benefits are critical to providing a very […]

Question: How do state Medicaid waiver programs play a role in the planning for my son, especially with the long waiting list? State Medicaid Waiver programs can play a significant role in providing care for your son’s lifetime need for support.  While many families can be discouraged by the waiting lists that exist in most […]

United Cerebral Palsy and the ANCOR Foundation released their The Case for Inclusion 2019 report that analyzed how well state programs, especially Medicaid, are meeting the needs of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The study did find some continued positive changes including the move away from institutions into community living; however, the study also […]

Two new studies were released, one published in the Journal of JAMA Pediatrics and one by the federal government, at the end of 2018 that confirmed that one in 40 children ages three to 17 are diagnosed with autism.  This prevalence has increased from one in 150 children in 18 short years. As with many […]

According to statistics, an estimated 500,000 teenagers diagnosed with autism will become adults over the next 10 years.  As the rate of diagnosis continues to climb (1 in 125 in 2004, 1 in 59 US births in 2018), preparations must be made, not only by families but by our communities as well. Currently, nearly half […]

As 2019 begins, it arrives with optimism and excitement to start fresh, set goals, create action plans, and work to accomplish those goals. For so many of us, we begin the year with such great intentions, but we don’t always end the year reaching the goals that we set. Why is that the case? Ciara […]

Question: “As the holidays approach, I have been asked by my parents how they can gift money to my son with autism?  Can I tell them to give it to him directly or is there something specific I need to do?” Thank you for this question. Our planners hear this question quite a bit especially […]