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…
Read more on Figuring the Trip Budget: ABLE Accounts (A Piece of Cake to Set Up)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…
Read more on Preparing for the Trip: ChoresSupplemental 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…
Read more on Figuring the Trip Budget: First SSI Meeting as an AdultWhen 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…
Read more on Preparing for the Trip: First IEP and InclusionWhen 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…
Read more on Seeing the Destination: Looking from preschool to the futureOn January 28, 2019, we had our last IEP meeting, but at the time I wasn’t sure if it would be. Our son was 19 and finishing his senior year of high school, and we were faced with a choice. Our school district offers a transition program that helps students get job experiences and identify…
Read more on Milestone: Probably the Last IEP MeetingYesterday 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…
Read more on Guidebook: Setting Up the First Supplemental Security Income (SSI) VisitMy son, Andy, and I love road trips. Our whole family loves road trips. We usually end up somewhere wonderful with family and friends–like Boston, Utah, or Washington DC. And we have lots of fun along the way while lip syncing and eating at hole-in-the-wall dives, but we also deal with bumps in the road,…
Read more on Join Our Road Trip to Employment
Recent Comments