Sibling Perspectives on Special Needs By Benjamin A. Rubin, Esq. When a family member has special needs, siblings grow up fast. Parents sometimes speak of how life changed for them when they began caring for a child with disabilities, but for me, and for many siblings, the special needs household is our only frame of reference. Growing up, even the [...] Read the full article » Posted: May 9th, 2012 | 2 Comments » Making a Difference with Sports By Scott C. Suzuki, Esq. I’ve been involved with Special Olympics for over a decade. Although anyone can benefit from sports— building self-confidence and a sense of belonging while improving overall health and fitness, strength and coordination—for individuals with disabilities, there are added dimensions… Changing a Life When I first started coaching, one of the [...] Read the full article » Posted: April 24th, 2012 | No Comments » Dogs with a Mission Service Dogs Can Change a Life By James Caffry, Esq., and Richard A. Courtney, CELA The relationship between canines and humans has been evolving for at least 14,000 years, and service dogs are a prime example of how we’ve benefited. Many people confuse the various types and roles of assistance dogs. According to Assistance Dogs [...] Read the full article » Posted: April 10th, 2012 | No Comments » To Plan or Not to Plan – That Is Not the Question By Mohan Mehra, President, The Arc Board of Directors, Washington, D.C. The Arc recently completed a national study of over 5,000 parents, siblings and caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The study, titled FINDS (Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports), asked about their needs and access to a broad range of supports [...] Read the full article » Posted: March 25th, 2012 | 3 Comments » Music as a Healing Art By Catherine Leas, CELA The arts are a gift to all of us, but for individuals with special needs, they hold special promise. When Willy, who has severe developmental disabilities, plays guitar in a country western band on Friday nights, he becomes another person. Willy (far right) plays with a country western band each week. Willy [...] Read the full article » Posted: March 12th, 2012 | No Comments » Special Education Under Siege By Andrew H. Hook, CELA Federal law stipulates that all children with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive setting possible. That’s a broad—and vague—directive. As a result, special ed procedures and services vary widely throughout the U.S., sometimes differing markedly throughout a single state. What remains consistent, though, [...] Read the full article » Posted: February 27th, 2012 | No Comments » A Few Thoughts about Special Needs Planning for Mental Illness By R. Shawn Majette, Esq. Advance planning is essential in providing for the well-being of an individual with severe mental illness. The shifting presentation of its symptoms, however, demands an adjustable approach. While even a person with severe mental illness may usually be perfectly competent, modest changes in circumstances can rapidly cause a sharp and [...] Read the full article » Posted: February 13th, 2012 | No Comments » Medicaid and Special Needs By Carol Battaglia, Esq. Medicaid, jointly funded by the federal government and individual states, is arguably the most important public benefit available to individuals with disabilities. While eligibility guidelines, services and payment rates vary widely, the federal government requires that all state Medicaid programs pay for physician visits, prescriptions, hospitalization, lab work, x-rays and nursing [...] Read the full article » Posted: January 30th, 2012 | No Comments » Advocacy in an Election Year By Lois M. Zerrer It’s an election year, and budget discussions at all levels of government are threatening decades of progress on behalf of individuals with disabilities. The stakes are high, and campaigning officials will be especially open to conversations with their constituents. If you’ve never before advocated with elected representatives, this is a good [...] Read the full article » Posted: January 16th, 2012 | No Comments » The Letter of Intent: Advice for the Future Team By Brian Rubin, Attorney and Parent of a 31-Year-Old Son with Autism A letter of intent (LOI), also referred to as a letter of guidance, is a roadmap for your child’s “Future Team,” the future trustees, guardians, and caregivers (both family and professional service providers). No one knows and understands your child as you do, [...] Read the full article » Posted: January 2nd, 2012 | 1 Comment »

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