Loud & Clear: Family Conversations is written by our member attorneys and guests for individuals with disabilities and their families. We tackle the day-to-day and long-range issues that affect the quality of life. Readers are welcome to comment on the discussion, though we can not answer legal questions here. For answers to specific legal questions, please find an attorney in our Directory.
Proposed Changes to Public Benefits Create Confusion
By Robert F. Brogan, CELA Public benefit programs are likely to see significant modifications. Legislators are already proposing major changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare [...]
A Place Of Her Own (Part II)
The 2014 CMS Home and Community-Based Settings Rule By James McCarten, Esq. This is the second in a series of three articles exploring the challenges, options and effects of new [...]
Retirement Funds and SNTs
Watch Out for the Details By Andrew H. Hook, CELA Retirement accounts are often among a family’s largest assets, so you may have thought about leaving a portion to your [...]
A Place Of Her Own
By James McCarten, Esq. First and foremost, I am Diane's husband and Kathryn's father. After that, I am an attorney and a "tax nerd," which is the title bestowed on [...]
New Rule Would Ban Required Arbitration in Nursing Home Disputes
By Shirley B. Whitenack, Esq. New regulations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), scheduled to become effective November 28, 2016, prohibit federally funded nursing homes from requiring [...]
Kids with Special Needs Learn about Air Travel
By Mary Alice Jackson, Esq. (From left) Joyce Fossmeyer, Kristina Ferguson and Mary Alice Jackson at the airport. It was a Saturday afternoon in early September when my staff and [...]
ABLE Implementation: Fall 2016 Update
By Taylor Woodard MPAff & MSSW, Program Associate, The Arc There have been numerous developments in ABLE programs since the enactment of the Stephen Beck, Jr. Achieving a Better Life [...]
Expanding ABLE: Three Bills to Improve the ABLE Program
By Taylor Woodard MPAff & MSSW, Program Associate, The Arc The Stephen Beck, Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act authorizes tax-advantaged savings accounts for some people with disabilities [...]
When Should You Consider a Pooled Trust?
By Janet Lowder, CELA, and Elena Lidrbauch, CELA Directly receiving a personal injury settlement, inheritance or other sizable sum of money can derail the finances of someone with disabilities. That's [...]
Government Programs for Children with Disabilities
By Mary Waltari, Esq. Are you aware of the federal government programs available to minors? Some cover all minors and some cover only minors with disabilities. They vary from cash [...]
Finding the Right In-Home Aide
By Paula Peaden, Esq. In-home services are often the key to keeping individuals with disabilities of all ages living in the mainstream community. But hiring and working with aides in [...]
How to Open an ABLE Account
By Stephen W. Dale, Esq. The first ABLE programs have been launched in Florida, Nebraska, Ohio and Tennessee, and three of them welcome applicants from other states. Since accounts can [...]
Coaches Can Help Job-Seekers with Disabilities
By Katherine N. Barr, Esq. Only 17.8 percent of U.S. working age individuals with disabilities have jobs. For adults who have autism, a developmental disability that has skyrocketed in prevalence, [...]
Building Lyn’s Future Plan: Through the Lockes’ Eyes
By Taylor Woodard, MPAff & MSSW, Program Associate, The Arc Janet Locke tossed her books down on the counter and got up her nerve. "Hey, Mom, there is something Lyn [...]
Adopting a Child with Special Needs
By Jennifer L. Lile, CELA There are up to 134,000 children with "special needs" awaiting permanent homes, according to the National Adoption Center, and the demand is growing. In the [...]
Consider Sole Benefit Trusts for Medicaid Spend Down
By Jane Skelton, Esq. Long-term care is expensive, and an older individual may consider Medicaid to pay for that care. If the individual has a family member or friend with [...]
Special Needs Trusts and Federal Student Aid
By Christopher W. Smith, Esq. When a special needs trust (SNT) is being set up, families are typically most concerned about government benefit programs like Medicaid and Social Security. But [...]
I Just Want to Raise My Child:
Discrimination Against Parents with Disabilities By Robert L. McClelland, CELA The National Center on Parents with Disabilities estimates that at least 4.1 million Americans with children under 18 (6.2 percent) [...]
Tips for Negotiating the Best IEP
By Linda M. Gorczynski, Esq. For many families, negotiating for their child’s special ed services is highly stressful. So much depends on a young student’s getting the tools to prepare [...]
Roundup: Family Case Study/Modified Curriculums/Paying Home Care Workers
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 [...]