SNA attorneys have ongoing involvement with the wide-ranging issues faced by individuals with disabilities, their families and the professionals who serve them. Below is a sampling of posts from member blogs and newsletters. When You Suspect Your Child May Have a Disability... It can be overwhelming to realize that your child may have a disability. Read tips [...]
By Tara Anne Pleat, Esq. In many states, the Medicaid program can generally be seen as having a strong institutional bias when it comes to coverage of long-term care, forcing many families to place loved ones in skilled care facilities or similar institutional settings, despite longstanding efforts to serve individuals with disabilities in mainstream settings. [...]
By Ann Carrns, The New York Times
Shirley B. Whitenack, Esq. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed nearly six years ago and its insurance exchanges are over two years old. How have individuals with disabilities fared under the new system, which is meant to make health coverage universally available? Improvements are undeniable, but gaps remain. While there are more options, making [...]
Scott C. Suzuki, Esq., Parenting Special Needs
By Jason Frank, CELA and Jenna L. Snyder Both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court's related Olmstead decision support an individual's right to receive long-term care in the least restrictive manner possible. Yet when families ask if Medicaid can help them pay for home and community-based services (HCBS), the answer is [...]
By B. Bailey Liipfert, III, CELA Acting as trustee for a special needs trust (SNT) is a demanding responsibility, and one person or bank trust department may not possess all the knowledge and skills needed for the job. Families sometimes create a trust advisory committee to guide professional trustees who don't know the beneficiary well, [...]
By Michael A. Kirtland, CELA When a young person reaches the age of 18 (19 or 21 in certain states), they are legally considered an adult. For many it's an exciting threshold, full of promise. Still, they may face medical, financial and educational decisions which could benefit from the advice and assistance of others. Unless [...]
By Jo-Anne Herina Jeffreys, Esq. Holiday crowds, twinkling lights and unfamiliar scents can confuse and even frighten a child with disabilities. The season’s disruptions can be particularly painful for those who don’t handle change well. But with a little planning, you can contain the stress. Prepare Your Child Preparing your child in advance by revisiting [...]
By Shawn Majette, Esq. Over the last 30 years, I have participated in more than 10,000 involuntary civil commitment hearings. Each involved someone alleged to have been so seriously mentally ill or substance-addicted that he or she could not safely remain in the community. Each involved lawyers, handcuffs and forensic examiners. This note explains how [...]
By John Ariale, Esq., Guest Blogger One year ago, the chances for passage of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act seemed bleak. However, for those of us advocating for its passage, our lame duck strategy worked, and the ABLE Act was signed into law on December 19, 2014. The intent behind ABLE was [...]
U.S. News and World Report
By Jefferey Yussman, Esq. Employment is an important road to independence and self-esteem. But some individuals with disabilities worry that accepting a job offer will disqualify them for means-tested benefits, such as SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Income). Since such programs may be the bedrock of their financial security, what happens [...]
NYMetro Parents
The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Martha C. Brown, CELA, a Special Needs Alliance member in St. Louis, Missouri. Martha Martha Brownlimits her practice to elder law and special needs law. A Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a Certified Elder Law Attorney, Martha has been designated a Super Lawyer for the last six years. Through her numerous community presentations and continuing legal education presentations, Martha helps attorneys and the public understand and address legal issues concerning the elderly and people with disabilities. Currently Martha is participating in the statewide task force to rewrite the guardianship code in Missouri.
You are the trustee of a special needs trust. Your beneficiary (Beth) lives in public housing, receives SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and MA (Medical Assistance), and has just asked you for a $200 gift card to Target so that she can buy headphones, clothes, toiletries, and some food. Remember, a special needs trust (SNT) is [...]
SNA attorneys have ongoing involvement with the wide-ranging issues faced by individuals with disabilities, their families and the professionals who serve them. Below is a sampling of posts from member blogs and newsletters. Mother's Gifts to Children Create Dispute over Special Needs Daughter When planning for the longtime financial security of a child with disabilities, it's best [...]
The Clarion-Ledger
This file is part of the Documents Library.
By Emma Hemness, CELA Before representing the Special Needs Alliance (SNA) at the Glut1 Deficiency Syndrome Foundation's annual conference in Orlando, I knew very little about the disease being discussed. Unfortunately, my lack of awareness wasn't unusual. According to the National Institutes of Health, since first identified in 1991, only a few hundred cases of [...]