PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
BENEFITS & ENTITLEMENTS
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Scott Boyce, NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities
Do you know when & how you can apply for Social Security benefits for your child with a disability? What’s the difference between Medicare & Medicaid and is your child eligible for these benefits? How about Food Stamps? Join Scott Boyce as he provides an overview of benefits and the eligibility criteria.
GUARDIANSHIP & THE ALTERNATIVES
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Ed Wilcenski, Attorney
At age 18 anyone with or without a disability has reached the age of majority. This means that, under the eyes of the law, anyone age 18 or older is able to make decisions without parental consent. In order to protect their children with disabilities, many families seek legal guardianship.
Join us on April 24 for an evening with Attorney, Ed Wilcenski. He will explain what guardianship is, how to apply, who needs it, and he will discuss the alternatives to guardianship.
SUPPLEMENTAL NEEDS TRUSTS
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Ed Wilcenski, Attorney
In planning for the future, many parents are concerned about maintaining their child’s eligibility for benefits such as SSI and Medicaid, but they also want to be sure that there are funds available for uncovered medical expenses, recreational activities, and the important “quality of life extras”. A Supplemental Needs Trust provides a mechanism by which families can appoint someone to manage funds for an individual with a disability. The trust can be used to provide a source of funds without jeopardizing governmental benefits.
Ed Wilcenski will explain Supplemental Needs Trusts and will also talk about the Wildwood Pooled Trust, which may be of interest to families who do not have a family member or friend to serve as a trustee, or who may not have sufficient resources to use a bank or other corporate trustee for a private trust.
Teaching Children with
Autism to Mind-Read
Alan Barnett, Psychologist,
Wildwood Programs
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 9-11 am
A relatively new idea in Developmental Psychology is that children commit as much effort to understanding their social surroundings as they do to understanding their physical world. Theory of Mind concerns the Child’s growing understanding of other people as thinking beings – individuals with different perceptions, emotions and reasoning. A growing child who fails to understand that other people’s minds hold beliefs would likely treat people in a more mechanical, impersonal and distancing manner. That child would then be expected to experience difficulty relating to others and communicating with them.
Dr. Barnett will review the development of a person’s Theory of Mind and the obstacles faced by children and adults on the Autism Spectrum. He will describe ways of enhancing the skills associated with understanding other people’s minds in order to help those on the spectrum improve their understanding of beliefs, emotions and pretense. The presentation will include developmental markers, evaluation techniques, and teaching strategies that offer practical approaches to helping those who struggle with this developmental challenge.
A Family Guide to Effective Advocacy & Building a Community of Support
Danielle Mazza, Director of Medicaid Service Coordination, Wildwood Programs
Michelle Brown, Community Bridge Builder, Wildwood Residential Programs
Victoria Shear, Parent & Medicaid Service Coordinator, Wildwood Programs
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 9-11 am
Obtaining services for your family member in the current fiscal environment can be a challenge. This workshop will share strategies on how to build productive relationships that will help you be an effective advocate for your family member. The session will help you understand the array of supports and services that are available to people with special needs, but it will also help you think about resources that occur naturally in your community that are not part of “the system”. The speakers will share their perspectives as a parent, as service coordinators, and as a community bridge builder who serves as an ambassador to help people build lasting connections in the communities in which they live.
Teaching Social Skills in the Natural Environment
Marianne Simon, Psychologist,
Wildwood Programs
Monday, May 21, 2012 9-10:30 am
For many of us, the ability to relate and communicate with others is so engrained into our daily lives that we don’t give much thought to how we go about navigating the routine social encounters we have with our families, friends, or co-workers. However, for some people with developmental disabilities social skills, such as being polite or waiting one’s turn can be far from automatic. Dr. Simon will explore the topic of social skill deficits in people with developmental disabilities and will provide concrete tips on how to engage the whole family in teaching social skills at home and in the community. It is often difficult for parents to explain their child’s difficulties in this area to other family members, so feel free to bring Grandma and Grandpa and Aunts and Uncles to this session.
To Register Call 640-3400
There is no charge for attendance.
All workshops meet at Wildwood Programs Latham Office
1190 Troy Schenectady Rd, Latham, NY 12110
