You know when your friend is complaining to you (of all people!) that life is just sooo expensive? Matching outfits for Yom Tov, summer vacation activities, and everything else that costs in frum life…
And then she turns to you – for real – and says, “Don’t you get, like, tons of money from the government for your special needs kid?”
Ummm… How do I explain that all of the com hab hours in the WORLD won’t pay for the expenses that come with this special child?
I bought triple the amount of pants than I did for any other kid… (will he EVER be fully trained?!)
I shelled out a small fortune for the therapy chair that her OT insisted will change her life… (but of course, insurance refuses to cover such life-saving equipment.)
I schlepped him every Monday and Wednesday, an hour each way, to that fitness class his doctor recommended, to bring him down to a healthy weight… (Because, why not? I don’t have to show up to my job. Or cook supper. Or take care of 99 other errands today… Right?)
Get ready for a bombshell…
Turns out your friend was right.
Well, kind of. If you live in NY, anyway.
OPWDD actually DOES give more than just com hab hours – they can provide reimbursement for many expenses your child incurs, such as clothing, equipment, and respite, through a program called FSS.
If your expenses for this child are piling up, take a look at this list of items that just might be reimbursable.
Truth be told, some people have better luck with this than others.
Not everyone who applies gets the reimbursement – but many do.
We say it’s definitely worth a try.
This week at Ezreinu
On Monday evening, Ezreinu, together with the organization REACH, had the pleasure of hosting a fantastic educational webinar for parents.
The workshop featured Eric Goldsmith and Stephen Ehrens, financial planners at Northwestern Mutual.
Among other topics, they explained how to set up Special Needs Trusts or ABLE accounts to keep your child protected as you age. The presentation was thorough and informative, yet simple enough for anyone to understand and gain from.
Did you participate in the webinar?
Email us at info@ezreinuservices.org to receive the slides and resources.
Wanted to attend, but the timing didn’t work for you?
Email us at info@ezreinuservices.org to receive a recording of the webinar.
- 3-year-old Chana had always struggled with various feeding issues, which meant she had an underweight body and an overwhelmed mother. Concerned family and friends were gently suggesting to get a feeding tube for Chana to help her stay nourished and decrease frustration. Chana’s doctor, however, maintained that she was gaining enough weight, and the tube was unnecessary. Caught between everyone’s well-meant advice, Chana’s mother called Ezreinu. Ezreinu is not a medical advice line, but they were able to confirm that Chana’s doctor was indeed a well-respected, very experienced and professional GI whose opinion could be trusted here. Ezreinu also hooked her up with an experienced mother who could help her clarify which direction to take with Chana.
- Although Dudi was a bright child, he didn’t have it easy. Everyday social interactions, sitting and listening in class, and sticking to a task until it was finished were all things that didn’t come naturally to Dudi. His self-esteem took a beating and soon after he was diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety came along to join the club. The years passed, and Dudi was already entering high school. He was still struggling mightily in almost every area. A friend mentioned to Dudi’s father that there are services available that could help Dudi. Amazed, the father reached out to Ezreinu, and he received accurate information about HCBS services and who to call to get the ball rolling. Today, Dudi is regularly receiving services through HCBS and he’s doing great!
- Malky was 11 years old and still not night-trained, and the pullups that worked for her were prohibitively expensive. Ezreinu put Malky’s family in touch with an insurance advocate who would help them get her pullups covered so that Malky and her family could sleep more comfortably.
- Zalman, a charming 12-year-old boy with high functioning ASD, was a real homebody. He never went to an afterschool program because he was happiest at home, surrounded by his family. One afternoon, Zalman’s mother got a frantic call from their daughter’s school nurse - there was an emergency with their daughter and she had to be rushed to the hospital, but Zalman was home and there was no one to watch him. Ezreinu found someone willing to take in Zalman right away and keep him overnight as well, and his relieved parents were able to drop him off and run to be with their daughter, their peace of mind intact.
Identifying details have been changed to protect client confidentiality.
$150 gift card!
And yes, you can still enter into the raffle:)