Caregiving, Finances, and Disability Insurance

In 2015, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and Easter Seals collaborated on Easter Seals Many Faces of Caregiving Study1, a study of caregivers2 in America. Financial impact topped the list of caregiver concerns, and the study found that 91% of caregivers are unpaid. That’s not an unusual statistic when you consider most caregivers are family members. But when family finances are a major concern, supplementing income or creating a good financial strategy to better […]

Disability Service Providers Raise Concerns about DOL Overtime Exemption Rule

Representatives from providers of community-based disability services from across the country converged in late April on Capitol Hill to meet with their legislators and express concerns about unintended consequences of the Department of Labor’s forthcoming Overtime Exemption Rule. The rule would update the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to more than double the salary threshold at which workers are exempt from overtime requirements, with the salary level increasing automatically over time. The rule was sent […]

10 Things to Know about Housing

1. Equal Access to Housing. Fair housing ensures access for everyone – under the Fair Housing Act, it doesn’t matter what race you are, what religion you practice or whether or not you have a disability. The Act protects you from discrimination when you are renting, buying or getting financial help for any housing. When it’s time to rent or buy a home, you should know your rights and signs of possible discrimination. The U.S. […]

National Count of Special Education Students Shows Uptick

By Christina A. Samuels After years of steady decline, the nationwide count of school-age students covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has shown an upswing since the 2011-12 school year based on the most recently available federal data, driven by rapid growth in such disability categories as autism. The count of students ages 6-21 with disabilities fell to a low of 5.67 million in fall 2011, but had risen to 5.83 million by […]

A GPS for Families of People with Special Needs – Part 7

BY LAUREN AGORATUS INTRODUCTION I wrote this manual to help other families of individuals with special needs and the professionals who work with them. My daughter now has five life-threatening conditions, and autism just to keep things interesting. We have been through everything from early intervention to currently going through transition to adult care. I hope this helps you on your journey. Part VII follows; to review Parts I – VI, see the September through […]