Special Needs

Articles

...traction An automated nerf turret mounted on the back for playtime A built-in entertainment system with video screens and game controllers Personalized decals, upholstery,...surfaces is life-changing. It allows them to participate in activities with family and friends, explore nature, and...

...there can be a hard and long one. This idea is especially true when traveling with a special needs child. Here are some helpful hints to make your family's next road trip a little smoother. Renting the Right Car If you decide to rent a car for your journey, make sure to call ahead if you need special...

...Google Calendar with Google Home, connecting Alexa to Google or Outlook, configuring daily briefings that read a schedule aloud, and setting up shared family access so a caregiver can manage appointments that the user hears announced. If you're already using a voice assistant for dementia care reminders,...

...as a parent advocate, would shift the burden of proof in special education due process hearings from parents to school districts. Currently, when a family disputes how their child is being served, the parents must prove the school failed them. Last school year in Louisiana, only 1 of 43 due process complaints...

...Commission on People with Disabilities. The commission will have up to 30 volunteer members appointed by the governor, including people with disabilities, family members, and experts in relevant fields. Members serve two-year terms. Shapiro said the commission would have direct access to him, creating a formal...

...consumer-controlled, meaning they're run by and for people with disabilities. National Family Caregiver Support Program: Provides respite care, counseling, and training...Caregiver Support Program: Provides respite care, counseling, and training for family members who care for older adults and people with disabilities. National...

...show up on a paycheck. The new AARP report puts a number to it: 59 million family caregivers provide 49.5 billion hours of care each year, valued at $1.01...HCBS cuts are shifting even more unpaid burden to families. And 7.3 million family caregivers ages 18-64 rely on Medicaid for their own health insurance, coverage...

...lot of ground, from apartments with grab bars and wide doorways to single-family homes with zero-step entries and roll-in showers. What makes a home accessible...makes a home accessible depends entirely on the person living there. For one family, accessible might mean lever-style door handles and visual alerting devices...

...needs changes. The ramp you've been thinking about for six months. The bathroom that's becoming harder to use safely. The kitchen countertops your family member can't reach from a seated position. The question isn't whether modifications matter. It's where to start when everything feels urgent, and how...

...education. No more IEP. The support structure that's been there since preschool ends, and if you haven't been building a bridge to adult services, your family hits what advocates call the cliff. Transition planning is that bridge, and it's required by law. But schools don't always lead with this information,...

...go further than IDEA requires, but not below it. What this means for your family: the services your child received in one state may reflect protections your...families off guard, especially when they moved for good reasons. A new job, family nearby, a better neighborhood. No one expects the services their child spent...

...states develop their own definitions within the federal framework. That means a child who qualifies in one state may not qualify in another if the family moves. 1....