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2023 Virtual Family Connect Summit
- Thursday 10/05/2023
- 10:00AM - 4:00PM
AGenda
Welcome to ADAPT’s 2023 Virtual Family Connect Summit
The first virtual presentation will be a plenary session from 10:05 am to 10:55 am discussing the future of healthcare for people with disabilities. It will feature Edward Matthews (CEO of ADAPT Community Network), Courtney E. Burke (Senior Fellow in Healthcare Policy, Rockefeller Institute and Consultant, Sachs Policy Group), Dr. Vincent Siasoco (Family Medicine Physician and Medical Director at ADAPT Community Network), and Shaniqua Freeman, and will be moderated by Tracy Pickar (Vice President of Family Services at ADAPT Community Network).
Many parents have questions, concerns, or fears about special education. This session will address the most common parent reactions to the possibility of their child being recommended for early childhood special education. Dr. Mesh will provide clarity on the reality of early intervention and preschool special education to help parents take advantage of services when they can make the most difference in the lives of their children. From his many years of experience, Dr. Mesh will share how to move from challenging conversations to constructive conversations using words that work. This presentation will be highly interactive to address participants’ questions and challenges. Parents will find this workshop helpful in answering their questions. Professionals will find this workshop helpful in learning effective ways to have more positive conversations with parents.
Join us to learn how to help families plan for the future of a loved one and preserve a person’s financial eligibility for Medicaid and SSI benefits using a special needs trust, pooled trust, or ABLE account. Medicaid in New York significantly raised the income and resource limits in 2023, while also awarding Social Security recipient’s an 8.7% COLA increase. This workshop will discuss these changes and the impact on individuals receiving means-tested government benefits and organizations who manage assets for consumers.
With Medicaid recertifications set to resume this year, attendees will learn creative ways to spend-down funds and tools to help protect funds when a person is at risk of losing benefits. We will discuss the benefits and differences between trusts and ABLE accounts and how these tools can give the people we serve greater financial security and the means to enhance their quality of life.
Lunch Break
The transition from adolescence to adulthood does not always receive as much attention as is needed. Often transition services are limited, leaving individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) without the level of preparation needed for “adulting”. Areas such as communication, leisure skill development and vocational preference are often not fully addressed. We need to begin preparing individuals with ASD as early as possible for the future and place an emphasis on lifelong skills in our curriculum planning. The overall goal is for the individual with ASD to have the best quality of life possible. There are several variables that become increasingly important as a child with autism moves through adolescence and then onto adulthood. There will be a focus on the importance of communication, socialization, independence, and interdependence over time.
This session will discuss the importance of providing siblings of individuals with disabilities the information, support, and tools to advocate with their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to them and their entire families. Siblings often have the longest-lasting familial relationships and become the next generation of caregivers when parents are unable to provide care. Most siblings anticipate fulfilling greater supportive and caregiving roles, the older they get. The peer nature of the relationship makes siblings uniquely positioned to support their brothers and sisters with disabilities to lead self-determined lives. This support can include many areas such as employment, relationships, healthcare, and more. While support programs and services have been developed for individuals with I/DD and their parents, support for siblings has been limited. Siblings of people with disabilities often find greater comfort and support in communicating with other siblings.
Speakers
Dr. Vincent Siasoco
ADAPT Community Network
Plenary Session
(10:05AM - 10:55AM)
Tracy Pickar
Plenary Session Moderator
(10:05AM - 10:55AM)
Dr. Scott Mesh
Addressing Parents' Fears of Early Childhood Special Education
(11:00AM - 11:55AM)
Sarah Grimes
Preserve Benefits and Protect Funds to Enhance Quality of Life
(12:00PM - 12:55PM)
Dr. Mary McDonald
"Adulting": Effectively Preparing Individuals with ASD
(1:30PM - 2:25PM)
Linda Monterroso-Hurtado
The Power of Peer Support for Siblings of People with Disabilities
(2:30PM - 3:25PM)
Sponsors
Since 1972, NYSARC Trust Services has helped thousands of families plan for the future of loved ones with disabilities, preserve their eligibility for Medicaid and/or SSI benefits, and protect unexpected windfalls of money. Establishing a first- or third-party pooled supplemental needs trust through NYSARC Trust Services helps provide financial security to those with disabilities and peace of mind to their families and loved ones. Call (518) 439-8323 or visit https://www.nysarctrustservices.org/
nysarc-trusts for more information.
The Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center are dedicated to improving the lives of people with Cerebral Palsy of all ages through comprehensive care, basic and clinical research, and education of medical professional, patients, and caregivers.
NY Connects is OPEN and operating remotely! NY Connects program is a free, trusted place to go for information about benefits, resources, and services that support people with disabilities. We work with New Yorkers of all ages and with any type of disability. (Visible and Invisible) NY Connects can help people with disabilities:
• Remain independent
• Understand paths to care
• Discover transportation options
• Get answers about Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance
• Apply for benefits including Guardianship,Homecare SSI, SSDI, and CDPAP
• Learn housing options
• Get help with food resources
Get in touch today to let us know how we can help 1-844-862-7930. Find NY connects online at https://www.cindy.org/nyconnects
INCLUDEnyc (www.includenyc.org) is the leading provider of training and information for young people with any known or suspected disability from 0-26, their families, and the professionals who support them in New York City. Last year, INCLUDEnyc assisted more than 14,000 people and reached almost 450,000 individuals through digital communications and community outreach. Founded in 1983, INCLUDEnyc believes every young person should be fully included in school, in the workforce, in the community – and should have access to resources, services, and supports to succeed.
The Start Here website was created to offer a one-stop shop of helpful information and resources to support parents of children with disabilities. The content on this website is geared specifically towards parents. Information on how to advocate for your child, questions to ask your child’s pediatrician or simple apps that can help families along their journey are some of the selections you can find at Start Here. Please visit the website www.StartHereParents.org, as well as our social platforms on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
Multilingual Therapy Associates supplies bilingual and monolingual Speech-Language Pathologists, Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists on a contract basis to center-based preschools and a variety of school programs for special needs children. We provide early intervention and related services to children at all stages and ages, from 0 to 18 years of age. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality speech language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy services to multilingual populations. We hope to embrace and build on the diversity of the populations we serve in the New York metropolitan area. To reach this goal, we select therapists who will advocate for the children they serve in whatever ways are appropriate professionally and ethically. This includes choosing therapists who understand how important it is to initiate and maintain contact with the child’s parents so that the therapist may be a resource for them, as well as for the teachers and other educational professionals involved in the decision-making process that affects any child’s educational potential.
The NYC Poison Control Center is an emergency telephone hotline. Poison Control Centers are staffed by registered pharmacists and nurses who are certified in poison information. Our specialists respond to both intentional and unintentional exposures by providing callers information on patient treatment, poison prevention and educational programs. Assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls are free of charge and confidential. In addition, translation services are provided in more than 150 languages. Call 212-764-7667 or 1800-222-1222 with any questions about medicines, cleaners and disinfectants. Help is a call away!
Every day, we protect and promote the health of 8 million New Yorkers. Our work is broad-ranging. You see us in the inspection grades of dining establishments, the licenses dogs wear, the low- to no-cost health clinics in your neighborhood and the birth certificates for our youngest New Yorkers. We are also behind the scenes with our disease detectives, investigating suspicious clusters of illness. Our epidemiologists study the patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions in New York City neighborhoods. These studies shape policy decisions and the City’s health agenda. The New York City Health Department is tackling these issues with innovative policies and programs and getting exceptional results. Visit https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/index.page for more information.
Since 1972, NYSARC Trust Services has helped thousands of families plan for the future of loved ones with disabilities, preserve their eligibility for Medicaid and/or SSI benefits, and protect unexpected windfalls of money. Establishing a first- or third-party pooled supplemental needs trust through NYSARC Trust Services helps provide financial security to those with disabilities and peace of mind to their families and loved ones. Call (518) 439-8323 or visit https://www.nysarctrustservices.org/
nysarc-trusts for more information.
The Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center are dedicated to improving the lives of people with Cerebral Palsy of all ages through comprehensive care, basic and clinical research, and education of medical professional, patients, and caregivers.
NY Connects is OPEN and operating remotely! CIDNY’s NY Connects program is a free, trusted place to go for information about benefits, resources, and services that support people with disabilities. We work with New Yorkers of all ages and with any type of disability. (Visible and Invisible) NY Connects can help people with disabilities:
• Remain independent
• Understand paths to care
• Discover transportation options
• Get answers about Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance
• Apply for benefits including Guardianship,Homecare SSI, SSDI, and CDPAP
• Learn housing options
• Get help with food resources
Get in touch today to let us know how we can help 1-844-862-7930. Find NY connects online at https://www.cindy.org/nyconnects
INCLUDEnyc (www.includenyc.org) is the leading provider of training and information for young people with any known or suspected disability from 0-26, their families, and the professionals who support them in New York City. Last year, INCLUDEnyc assisted more than 14,000 people and reached almost 450,000 individuals through digital communications and community outreach. Founded in 1983, INCLUDEnyc believes every young person should be fully included in school, in the workforce, in the community – and should have access to resources, services, and supports to succeed.
The Start Here website was created to offer a one-stop shop of helpful information and resources to support parents of children with disabilities. The content on this website is geared specifically towards parents. Information on how to advocate for your child, questions to ask your child’s pediatrician or simple apps that can help families along their journey are some of the selections you can find at Start Here. Please visit the website www.StartHereParents.org, as well as our social platforms on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
Multilingual Therapy Associates supplies bilingual and monolingual Speech-Language Pathologists, Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists on a contract basis to center-based preschools and a variety of school programs for special needs children. We provide early intervention and related services to children at all stages and ages, from 0 to 18 years of age. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality speech language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy services to multilingual populations. We hope to embrace and build on the diversity of the populations we serve in the New York metropolitan area. To reach this goal, we select therapists who will advocate for the children they serve in whatever ways are appropriate professionally and ethically. This includes choosing therapists who understand how important it is to initiate and maintain contact with the child’s parents so that the therapist may be a resource for them, as well as for the teachers and other educational professionals involved in the decision-making process that affects any child’s educational potential.
The NYC Poison Control Center is an emergency telephone hotline. Poison Control Centers are staffed by registered pharmacists and nurses who are certified in poison information. Our specialists respond to both intentional and unintentional exposures by providing callers information on patient treatment, poison prevention and educational programs. Assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls are free of charge and confidential. In addition, translation services are provided in more than 150 languages. Call 212-764-7667 or 1800-222-1222 with any questions about medicines, cleaners and disinfectants. Help is a call away!
Every day, we protect and promote the health of 8 million New Yorkers. Our work is broad-ranging. You see us in the inspection grades of dining establishments, the licenses dogs wear, the low- to no-cost health clinics in your neighborhood and the birth certificates for our youngest New Yorkers. We are also behind the scenes with our disease detectives, investigating suspicious clusters of illness. Our epidemiologists study the patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions in New York City neighborhoods. These studies shape policy decisions and the City’s health agenda. The New York City Health Department is tackling these issues with innovative policies and programs and getting exceptional results. Visit https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/index.page for more information.
