You spend so much time and effort creating the Future Life Care Plan for your family member with special needs.  Your estate and financial plans cannot be like everyone else’s.  You need to have special documents, very specific language with beneficiaries, special thought processes for your own retirement planning, specific tools to use that are not always widely known by professionals, extra special people and teams that will support your family member’s future and more.  We will work through a…

The SFN Dads Virtual Conference is for dads raising children with special needs, interested in:     - developing their fathering skills - gathering resources for their child and family, and - meeting and networking with like- minded dads Some of the guest speakers will include: Mary Anne Ehlert, David Hirsch, Joe Mantegna, Wayne Messmer, and Rob Johnson. Some agenda topics will include: Being Emotionally Present, Housing & Residential Issues, Sibling & Family Balance, Respite & Marriage, Grieving the Anticipated Life,…

Join the Local Planning Committee for a virtual race benefiting CdLS. Cornelia de Lange Syndrome or CdLS is a rare genetic syndrome that causes a broad range of physical, cognitive, and medical challenges for the diagnosed individual. Every two years the CdLS Foundation hosts a Family Conference where individuals with CdLS and their families from around the world can attend to learn about CdLS, how to care for individuals with CdLS, seek medical advice with multiple specialists, and bond with…

Please join us for a California Virtual Family Gathering. Hosted by the CdLS Foundation Family Service and RCs Karen Prada, Melissa Staggs, Susan Drexler and Dena Davis. Send a photo via email if you would like your child/family in the slide show. Saturday, June 5th, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. PST. This gathering will be held via Zoom. RSVP to Alisicia Jackson at families@CdLSusa.org.

A very important component of the Future Life Care Plan is the Special Needs Trust.  The careful selection of those who will make sure your goals for the Special Needs Trust implementation is key to the smooth transition and the future happiness and safety of your family member.   Making sure your Successor Trustees are qualified, caring, and able to fulfill their responsibilities will provide you peace of mind for the future.  We take a closer look at the best qualities…

Having a sibling with special needs is a reality many children are born into.  The advantages to having a sibling with special needs are numerous and include being more empathetic, more responsible and more resilient. However, these siblings also shoulder tremendous burdens that are not often or easily discussed.  We will talk about the role siblings play in day-to-day life and how to include, educate, and support them.

Finding the transition program that best meets the needs of your child with a disability is so important.  We will discuss the different types of programs, what type of program is best for your child, what types of community-based programs are out there, what programs will benefit your child, and how can you fund the programs your child attends.

We will continue discussing the importance of The Dream Team and choosing the right people for the right job to ensure your child’s future success!  We will talk more in-depth about how to build this team and keep moving them forward - making it easier for your future caregiver and educating your trustee.  We will go to the NEXT LEVEL in your utilization of the Dream Team Plan to make it a reality.