KentuckyWorks Blog – News from the KentuckyWorks Project

Seeing the Destination: Share Your Vision with Professionals

From the very beginning, we need to share our vision of the future with the professionals working with our sons and daughters with intellectual disabilities. In pre-school and Kindergarten, we can talk to teachers and therapists about how we plan for our children to work in the community and build inclusive lives. And in middle and…

Asking for Directions: Transition to Adult Medical Care

This week was a milestone where Andy signed into the doctor himself for the first time, signed his own medical forms to get some blood work done, and he produced his own insurance card and Medicaid card for payment. We’ve been working hard since he was 14 to gradually prepare him for this transition to…

Seeing the Destination: Independence

Andy finished his shift at the grocery store last week and headed over to the Mexican restaurant in the same strip mall. He was hungry after working about 15 hours that week and decided to treat himself to a meal. Dad was planning on picking him up, so Andy texted him and invited him for…

Figuring the Trip Budget: ABLE Accounts (A Piece of Cake to Set Up)

Back when Andy was little, it was drilled into us that we should never have assets in name … never, ever, never. Because if we did, he wouldn’t be able to receive necessary supports, such as healthcare benefits through Medicaid—which are often vital to people with disabilities. This put families and individuals with disabilities in…

Preparing for the Trip: Chores

One of the key important ways to prepare early on for employment is to give chores to our children, including our children with disabilities. When kids learn to do work in the home, they are better prepared for work in the real world. They learn to understand the value of work, as well as the…

Figuring the Trip Budget: First SSI Meeting as an Adult

Supplemental Security Income for adults provides financial assistance for daily living to people with disabilities who are 18 and older and who have limited financial resources. These are some of the basic things I’ve learned about SSI: Even though you apply through the social security office, SSI is not Social Security. It’s a financial assistance…

Preparing for the Trip: First IEP and Inclusion

When Andy was little, I was so revved up for him to be included all day every day. I had gone to conferences to learn that inclusion was the best model, and everyone loved him. I mean, who wouldn’t want this adorable kid in their class? When we moved from New York to Georgia, we…

Seeing the Destination: Looking from preschool to the future

When Andy was born 18 years ago, I was overwhelmed with worry about his future. Would he go to college? Would he get a job? Would he get married? Would people be kind to him? I realize now how lucky I was that so many people stepped in to show me what the future could…

Guidebook: Setting Up the First Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Visit

Yesterday I called the Social Security office to set up our appointment to get evaluated for Supplemental Security Income, and we’ll be heading over to the office in two weeks. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can help people with disabilities over 18 by giving them cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and housing (and children with disabilities under…