Planning for Inflation and the Rising Costs of Senior Care
By Brian L. Miller, Esq. Over the years we have all witnessed the steady rise in the cost of senior care, be it nursing home, assisted or independent living, or home health aides. Unfortunately, with the increased inflation we’ve experienced over the past year, the cost of senior care is rising at an alarming rate.…
What Happens if Someone Dies Without a Will?
By Brian L. Miller, Esq. If someone dies without a valid will, the court will divide their assets according to the New York intestacy laws. These rigid laws are intended to be a backup plan to ensure that someone’s assets have somewhere to go upon their death and do not end up escheating to the…
Preparing for Back to School for Your Child with Special Needs in Challenging Times
by Marion M. Walsh, Esq. Preparing for back to school in September always brings hope and a sense of expectation for both students and parents. For the 2022-2023 school year, this remains true. However, it has been a difficult two years for students, who are still recovering from isolation during the pandemic, the adjustment to…
How to Prepare to be a Successful Advocate for Your Child in College
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq. It’s that wonderful time of year, when parents are helping their children prepare for college and sending them off. It is also the time to adjust to a new type of parenting and advocacy. By taking careful steps, you can ensure that you remain an effective advocate in your new capacity,…
A Hidden Trap for the Unwary
By Nicholas N. Khayumov, Esq. Are you helping a loved one going into a Skilled Nursing or Assisted Living Facility? Beware of some hidden traps for the unwary. Imagine coming home to find a letter from a facility or their legal team addressed to you demanding payment for tens if not hundreds of thousands of…
Supported Decision Making is now the Law in New York State
By Sandi Rosenbaum, Special Education / Special Needs Advocate Supported decision making is now the law in New York State. On July 26, 2022, the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law creating statutory authority for supported decision making (SDM) agreements. These agreements provide for a less-restrictive alternative…
Office for People with Developmental Disabilities Must Address Staffing Crisis in New York
by Sandi Rosenbaum, Special Education / Special Needs Advocate New York’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) will release its long-overdue new Statewide Comprehensive 2023-2027 Strategic plan in November 2022, following feedback and discussion. The draft Strategic Plan has been available since Spring 2022. A plain language version is also available. While OPWDD’s in-person public forums have…
Legislation Empowers Families to Support Charitable Organizations Providing Essential Services for Loved Ones
By Amy C. O’Hara, CELA The Special Needs Alliance commends the Senate Finance Committee for unanimously approving legislation that would give families greater flexibility in choosing the remainder beneficiary of trusts established for a loved one who has a disability or chronic illness. Partners Bernard A. Krooks, a past president of the Special Needs Alliance,…
What Services are Available through the Office of Mental Health?
By Sandi Rosenbaum and Marion Walsh, Esq. According to new CDC data (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0331-youth-mental-health-covid-19.html), in 2021, more than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year. Undoubtedly, mental health needs for all increased in…
Students with Disabilities are Granted Extended School Year Services
By Arshi Pal, Esq. Now that summer has started, parents may have questions about the purpose of Extended School Year (ESY) Services and whether your child is eligible. ESY services are services and programming provided to students with disabilities during July and August for approximately six weeks. CSE Determines Eligibility for ESY Services The Committee…
