It’s time for our resident holiday expert, Kate Schye, to share this year’s tips for the families we serve! We hope you enjoy these tips as much as Kate enjoyed personally testing and visiting each
Takeaways Many people who rely on intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) services are not receiving the level of service they should receive. In part, experts say this is because for the past several years private equity firms
Takeaways In 2014, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act established tax-advantaged savings accounts for people with disabilities to cover qualified disability-related expenses. With an ABLE account, eligible people with disabilities can put aside
Takeaways For many parents of children with special needs, caregiving is not a temporary role but a lifelong responsibility. This role can be deeply meaningful and filled with love, yet it often comes at a
Takeaways The Challenge of Needs-Based Benefits More than one in three people with disabilities rely on Medicaid, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Jointly funded by states and the federal government, Medicaid is a public assistance program that
Takeaways A slight raise in benefits payments is coming in 2026 for Americans who rely on Social Security disability benefits programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Every October, the Social Security Administration
Takeaways The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, enacted in 2014, revolutionized financial planning for people with disabilities by allowing them to save money in tax-advantaged accounts without jeopardizing their eligibility for critical public benefits
Takeaways The Trump administration has proposed rescinding a Biden-era rule that expanded eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Under the proposed rule, hundreds of thousands of SSI recipients, including many disabled adults and children, would have their
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities face significant barriers to meaningful employment. In Illinois, just 10-15% of those seeking competitive, integrated jobs are employed. Stigma and outdated misconceptions around this specific population’s abilities often are
Takeaways The modern family is no longer defined by the nuclear model. Today, blended families — where one or both partners bring children from previous relationships — are increasingly common. So-called “nontraditional” families, including blended
