ABCs of Disability Planning

Although this interview is all about Maryland's Assistive Technology Program, I want to make sure the listeners know every state has a similar program. And, if they're anything like Maryland's, these programs are probably being underused.

If you'd like to do more of your own research, I encourage you to check out The Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP). From their website, they are "a national, member-based non-profit organization, comprised of state Assistive Technology Act Programs funded under the Assistive Technology Act (AT Act). ATAP facilitates the coordination of state AT Programs nationally and provides technical assistance and support to its members. Established in 1997, the organization strives to enhance the effectiveness of AT Programs on the national, state, and local level. ATAP promotes the national network of AT Programs, represents the needs and interests of the programs, and serves as the national representative of state AT programs."

Nothing About Us Without Us (book) - https://amzn.to/3lzH4sm

Assistive Technology Act of 1998 - https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/2432

MDTAP Website: http://mdod.maryland.gov/mdtap/Pages/MDTAP-Home.aspx

MDTAP Blog: http://blog.mdtap.org/ MDTAP

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MDTAPVideo

MDTAP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MDODTAP/timeline/ MDTAP

Twitter: @MDTAP

Here are links to the equipment closets mentioned during the show

Lollipop Kids Foundation - https://www.lollipopkidsfoundation.org/

Equipment Connections for Children - https://www.equipforchildren.org/

As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

For more information about True North Disability Planning you can find us here:

Web: https://truenorthdisabilityplanning.com/

Blog - https://ejorgensenwordpresscom.wordpress.com

Podcast (ABC's of Disability Planning) - https://anchor.fm/abcs-disability-planning

Waypoints - https://waypoints.substack.com/

Facebook: @TrueNorthDisabilityPlanning

Twitter: @NeedsNavigator

Resource store (free downloads too) - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/True-North-Disability-Planning

Website: https://ushagent.com/jimcrump Phone: 404-788-9621 (most calls last 8 - 10 minutes)

Schedule: https://calendly.com/jimcrump

This interview was more than I expected. I recorded a video trying to explain health insurance terms, but I realized how little I knew. So I reached out to Jim Crump. We have a conversation about what the terms meant. He reviews the Exchange health plan colors, coinsurance, deductible, copay, and max out-of-pocket.

I ask him about insurance policies for our kids, expecting him to tell me it usually doesn't make sense. His answer surprised me. I had no idea employer plans may often be more expensive to include a spouse and children. Not to mention they may not cover everything you need if your child has complex medical needs or disabilities.

There is a LOT to unpack in this episode. I will be coming back to it myself because even though I was taking notes I still feel like I might have missed something. When you have questions please reach out to Jim directly, his contact information is above. Below is a link to his resource, the book "Medicare for Dummies".

https://amzn.to/3noomWf

As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

For more information about True North Disability Planning you can find us here:

Web: https://truenorthdisabilityplanning.com/

Blog - https://ejorgensenwordpresscom.wordpress.com

Podcast (ABC's of Disability Planning) - https://anchor.fm/abcs-disability-planning

Waypoints - https://waypoints.substack.com/

Facebook: @TrueNorthDisabilityPlanning

Twitter: @NeedsNavigator

Resource store (free downloads too) - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/True-North-Disability-Planning

Navigating Live as we Know It is a podcast that started to provide an educational and entertaining way to help the people around those with Special Needs better find the way to live their best, most self-determined life possible, and how to manage the challenges of the systems.
Click below to learn more:
Navigating Life As We Know It: http://envisionmediaservices.com/
Facebook: @NavigatingLifeasweknowit

Twitter: @NLAWKI

Its hosts, Steve & Kerry Johnson, use their personal experiences to get the most out of each guest. Their son, Liam, has Cerebral Palsy and is Autistic. They have been working within the disability space for over 30 years. Prior to starting the NLAWKI podcast, Steve was a Financial Advisor. He also co-founded the Oasis Community of West Michigan (https://www.oasiscommunity.info/).
Throughout the episode, Steve and Kerry mention resources they've found helpful along their journey. I've included links below.
Resources Mentioned:

Gilda's Club (now Cancer Support Community): https://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/
Illinois Center for Independent Futures: https://independentfutures.com/
Gracious Grounds (Grand Haven, MI): https://graciousgrounds.org/
Charting the Life Course: http://www.lifecoursetools.com/
Hidden Brain (Podcast): https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain
Snap Judgment (Podcast): https://snapjudgment.org/
Trello (project management software): https://trello.com/en-US
As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

For more information about True North Disability Planning you can find us here:

Web: https://truenorthdisabilityplanning.com/

Blog - https://ejorgensenwordpresscom.wordpress.com

Podcast (ABC's of Disability Planning) - https://anchor.fm/abcs-disability-planning

Waypoints - https://waypoints.substack.com/

Facebook: @TrueNorthDisabilityPlanning

Twitter: @NeedsNavigator

Resource store (free downloads too) - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/True-North-Disability-Planning

Autism and Special Needs Life Coach: https://www.asnlifecoach.com/
ASD Life Coaches: https://www.asdlifecoaches.com/
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: @AutismAndSpecialNeedsLifeCoach
Twitter: @asnlifecoach
Autism and Special Needs Life Coach, LLC is a group of coaches specially trained to teach real-life skills, social skills, communication skills, independent living, and college/career development to adults on the Autism Spectrum. Each new client will be paired with a coach who understands his or her unique individual needs. The majority of their sessions are conducted over Skype. These types of sessions are highly effective!
The main objective of ASD Life Coaches is to help the ASD population not only function in society but to thrive by building upon each individual's strengths, improving on his or her weaknesses, and helping each client set and achieve goals that will lead to overall contentment and success in life!
They work on:
- Real-Life Skills
- Social Skills
- Communication Skills
- Independent Living
- College/Career Development

Non-Verbal Communication Skills

Breaking down large goals into smaller pieces

Reframing thought processes
- Understanding the perspectives of others
- Skype Sessions
- Business Coaching
When asked what resource Jaclyn has found the most useful, she replied "Anything Dr. Temple Grandin". Below are links to Temple Grandin's TED talk and books (affiliate links).
https://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
"Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets For Helping Kids on the Spectrum" - https://amzn.to/3ENXqWi
"Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals" - https://amzn.to/3lPmqE9
"The Autistic Brain: Helping Different Kinds of Minds Succeed" - https://amzn.to/3EJYavE
"Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism" - https://amzn.to/3udKvZa
As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

For more information about True North Disability Planning you can find us here:

Web: https://truenorthdisabilityplanning.com/

Blog - https://ejorgensenwordpresscom.wordpress.com

Podcast (ABC's of Disability Planning) - https://anchor.fm/abcs-disability-planning

Waypoints - https://waypoints.substack.com/

Facebook: @TrueNorthDisabilityPlanning

Twitter: @NeedsNavigator

Resource store (free downloads too) - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/True-North-Disability-Planning

What leads a serial tech entrepreneur to start a Financial Services company designed to help seniors, people in recovery, and people with cognitive challenges? The same that drives so many of us - a personal experience and a desire to fix a broken system. Kai's grandmother lived with Alzheimer's, which led to a loss of independence.

Website: https://www.truelinkfinancial.com/

Phone (for those w/o a card yet): 1-844-904-6515

Email (for those w/o a card yet): [email protected]

Facebook: @truelinkfin

TrueLink offers a reloadable Visa with customizable spending rules. Individuals can set limits to how much may be spent and where someone can shop. As I shared in the interview, I didn't know they existed until recently. TrueLink was started in 2012, and I didn't get my son his card until 2021. Up until then I was buying reloadable Visa cards and using an Excel spreadsheet to track his spending.

TrueLink's website makes this much easier. I find the dashboard to be simple to use. Kai highlights his Customer Support Team as the company's "crown jewel". He credits their strength in listening and asking questions as the reason the company offers many of the services they've expanded into - like not allowing the card to be used at grocery stores.

The website has a robust FAQ, so Kai and I don't spend too much time in the weeds. I wanted to understand more about who he is, and what makes him tick. His vision for the world really resonates with me. One quote sticks out more than the rest. "Every animal is born with the skills they need to survive. Humans are born with the ability to ask for help."

Very frequently I'm told my son/daughter/sibling is incapable of managing their money. My own son has challenges with understanding this concept, it can be pretty abstract. TrueLink gives us, as caregivers, the ability to allow our loved ones to be "independent" with a safety net.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

For more information about True North Disability Planning you can find us here:

Web: https://truenorthdisabilityplanning.com/

Blog - https://ejorgensenwordpresscom.wordpress.com

Podcast (ABC's of Disability Planning) - https://anchor.fm/abcs-disability-planning

Waypoints - https://waypoints.substack.com/

Facebook: @TrueNorthDisabilityPlanning

Twitter: @NeedsNavigator

Resource store (free downloads too) - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/True-North-Disability-Planning