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Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007

First Focus
Contact: Chris Spina
202.657.0677
202.674.2450 (mobile)
HEALTHY START LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW

WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, President Bush signed into law critical legislation to provide low-income children greater access to critical prenatal and early infant care. The Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007 provides community-based grants to help our nation's most disadvantaged children survive infancy and live longer, more productive lives.

Fulfilling America’s Promise to Americans with Disabilities

Link: Presidential Statements and Course of Action
A gathering of information published by the White House Committee concerning the US President's plan of action dealing with laws, funding, and the education of persons with special needs.

Congress Approves Mental Health Bill

Link: Mental Health Insurance
Congress approved legislation yesterday that would require private insurers to provide the same level of benefits for mental illness as they do for physical maladies, a change lauded by advocates as a great shift in the nation's understanding of mental health.

Milwaukee Public Schools to Pay in Special Needs Lawsuit

Link: Lawsuit

Milwaukee Public Schools must pay just more than $450,000 to the legal staff representing plaintiffs in a class-action suit over how the district serves students with special needs, a federal judge has ordered.

Understanding Special Education Laws and Rights

Link: Laws

Learn to locate accurate information on special education laws and rights that may apply to your child.

ADA Lawsuits May Carve Out New Protections for Caregivers

Link: Lawsuit

In two pending Americans With Disabilities Act lawsuits, employees of a privately insured company were fired as their loved ones battled cancer and racked up expensive medical bills. "This is outrageous behavior incompatible with the idea of health insurance as protection when you need it," says John Rother, AARP's director of public policy. "If employers are permitted to do this, then everyone with a serious illness is at risk."

Does Your Estate Plan Put Your Child at Risk?

Link: Estate Plan

Most parents of children with special needs are well versed when it comes to their child's government benefits. They know not to give the child any money outright, to establish a standalone supplemental needs trust to protect their child's assets, and they know all of the ins and outs of the SSI and Medicaid application processes. What many parents don't often think about is the effect that their own estate plan can have on their child's benefits.

Case Illustrates Dangers of Leaving Money Directly to an Adult Child With Special Needs

Link: Court Case

In a recent New York case, a court ordered the trustee of a special needs trust to repay trust funds the trustee had misspent on herself and her husband. The case illustrates the importance of planning in advance for a child with special needs as well as of choosing the proper advocate for your child.

Proper Planning Is Necessary to Protect Your Child's Settlement

Link: Planning

When your child is born with preventable birth defects due to medical malpractice, or suffers a catastrophic injury which leads to a lifelong disability, the resulting lawsuit can often take years. The end result of this long and arduous process will hopefully be a settlement or jury award which is designed to compensate your child for his injury...The following are several key points to consider before finalizing your child's settlement.

Wrightslaw.com: Legal Requirements of IEPs

Link: IEP

If you are like many parents, when you receive a notice about an IEP meeting for your child, you feel anxious. During IEP meetings, you may feel confused, overwhelmed and anxious. The best antidote to negative emotions is accurate, reliable information.

Because parents are not professional educators, many don't realize that they have a unique role to play in the IEP process. What is your role? As the parent, you are the expert on your child. That is why you are a member of your child's IEP team.

What can you do to feel more confident in IEP meetings? You can let Pete & Pam Wright teach you about the legal requirements of IEPs.