Autism
News
Network
New Parent Packet, continued
I have loosely organized the following information based on type
(books,
articles, newsletters, therapies, etc). I should note that I am
predisposed
to favor information about ABA and checking for abnormal
overnight
EEGs. This preference is simply because those therapies help my
kid
- other parents have kids whose respond better to different therapies,
dietary treatments, etc. You will be able to access those parents
and find out more then I provide here about those topics by, again,
attending
support groups, and contacting the sources I do include in this
packet.
What therapies you invest your time, money, and hopes for
improvement
in you childís quality of life need to be carefully
considered.
Ultimately,
you will base your choices on what proves to help your child the most,
not on any doctor or therapistís charisma, or pressure from
other
parents
to do what they have found helps their kid. Given that caveat,
let
us proceed - the first book I wish to mention is one I
recommend
as a very balanced and objective overview of available treatments.
Before you do anything else, read the following and make the phone
call:
**Illinois
Family Assistance Program**: pays a monthly stipend to help with
the
costs of caring for a child (17 or under, there is a separate program
for
18 and up called the Home Based Support Services Program) with a severe
mental disability. Autism is a covered disability. It pays $446 per
month
or $5352 yearly. This money is awarded by lottery only. There is
a family income requirement of less than $50,000 per year after
deductions
(I have heard this amount may be raised). The number for more
information
on this program (request a sign-up card!) is at the Department of
Mental
Health and Developmental Disabilities - 800/843-6154.
Funding for this program is being reduced. Contact jmicmac@yahoo.com
to see how you can help.
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$2500
Consumer
Stipends And The Importance of PUNS
In the not to
distant
future, there will be about $350,000 available for
one-time consumer & family support stipends. Criteria for the
stipends
are not
yet finalized. The maximum amount of a stipend will be up to
$2,500.00. Attention
will be given to geographic distribution. The two main priorities for
the
stipends are goods and services that improve the independence,
productivity,
and community integration of the person with a disability; and goods
and
services that increase the stability of the family unit and assist the
family in supporting the person with a disability in the family home.
The catch is
that in order to qualify for one of these stipends, you need tobe
signed up on the Illinois
Prioritization
of Urgency of Need for Services
(Illinois PUNS)!
The fact is
that all future services/supports or changes in
services/supports will be through the PUNS database. The PUNS database
is for
infants,
children, adolescents and adults.
- You
need to
sign
up for PUNS to get the one-time
stipend.
- You
need
to sign up for PUNS to get after
school respite for your
school-aged child.
- You
need to
sign
up for PUNS if you are going to require employment or
day services after special education.
- You
need
to sign up for the PUNS if you need or want a community
living opportunity.
To register for
the PUNS, you must contact the local Individual Service
Coordination Organization in your area. If you do not know who that is,
you can
call the Illinois Life Span Project at 800.588.7002 or visit their
website http://www.illinoislifespan.org/
For further
information, contact the Illinois Life Span Project:
800.588.7002 or Mike@IllinoisLifeSpan.org
Thanks to Tony
Paulauski for this info!
The
Arc of Illinois
The Arc of Illinois is committed to empowering persons with
disabilities
to achieve full participation in community life through informed
choices.
708.206.1930
TonyPaulauski@aol.com
Illinois Life Span is the
statewide information and advocacy coordination system for people with
developmental disabilities.
| Lifespan Resources http://www.illinoislifespan.org/ |
- NAVIGATE THE ADVOCACY & SERVICES SYSTEMS
|
- Protecting the Educational Rights of Our Children
|
- Arc Training Calender 2004-2005
|
- Parents' Guide - Educ. Rights of Students w/Dis.
|
- Sibling Support Project Offers Workshops/Training
|
- Promoting Incentives-Employment & Self-Employment
|
- Navigating Medicare & Medicaid 2005
|
- Keeping Medicare & Medicaid When You Work 2005
|
- The Arc of Illinois Family Manual for Transition
|
The Illinois
Department of Human Services (DHS) is implementing a
statewide
process to determine the number of developmentally disabled Illinois
residents
who are in need of services.
The PUNS process (Illinois Prioritization
of Urgency of Need for Services) will allow Illinois to establish a
database
of developmentally disabled individuals and also prioritize their need
for services. DHS has hired a consultant, Ms. Celia Feinstein, to
oversee
this process and initiative. She has been very successful in five other
states in obtaining additional funding. The process involves completion
of a PUNS form. The form is to be completed with a face to face
conversation
with the individual to be served, and the individualês guardian,
primary care giver, or parent and the individualês PAS agency. If
you donêt know your pass agency visit
www.dhs.state.il.us/OfficeLocator/
or call: Springfield: 217-524-0260 or Chicago: 312-814-2735.
The PUNS initiative is for
developmentally
delayed individuals of all ages and its purpose is to establish an
accurate
database. It is the first step in establishing a list of who needs what
service. It is important to remember that ñinclusion in the
database
does
not assume eligibility for services or guarantee the receipt of
services.î
Since DHS has been given the opportunity to collect this data, contact
your PAS agency to obtain further information and determine your next
step.
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