Should We Celebrate Mental Illness Awareness Week?

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) celebrates Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) during the first week in October.  In 1990, the U.S. Congress established MIAW in recognition of NAMI’s  efforts to raise mental illness awareness. MIAW has become a NAMI tradition. According to NAMI, the week “presents an opportunity to all NAMI state organizations… Read More »

The Difference between Medicaid and Medicare

Previously, I discussed the differences between Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) .  Two other government programs that frequently confuse people, including professionals, are the differences between Medicaid and Medicare. Medicare Medicare is a health insurance program for persons over the age of  65 and for those with certain disabilities who… Read More »

The Difference Between SSI and SSDI is More than Just a Letter

Many people, including lawyers, confuse two very different government programs for disabled persons.  Although both are overseen by the Social Security Administration (SSA), there are some significant differences  both in how the programs are funded, and to whom  the money is distributed. Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) SSDI is a program for disabled persons.  It… Read More »

Why Use a Special Needs Pooled Trust?

When is it appropriate to choose a pooled supplemental needs trust instead of an individual special needs trust? A pooled trust has many of the same purposes as an individual supplemental needs trust.  A pooled trust is established to provide for a beneficiaries’ supplemental needs without jeopardizing the disabled person’s government benefits. Funds that are… Read More »

Are Schools Prepared for an Increase in Autism-Related Special Needs?

The reported rate of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has significantly increased and is now expected to affect 1% of children ages 3 to 17, or approximately 1 in every 100 children, according to two recent major studies.  Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a study published in the journal Pediatrics indicate… Read More »