Funding Autism Treatment
Published by Michelle N. McFarland-McDaniels at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Michelle N. McFarland-McDaniels
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Planning is Crucial
Create an Autism Intervention Action Plan
Develop an Autism Treatment Plan
Evaluate Your Financial Status
Strategies
for Funding Autism Treatment
Personal Financial Resources
Make
Shopping Pay
Get the Most from Passive Savings Programs
Private
Health Insurance
Health Care Flexible Spending
Accounts(FSAs)
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
(FSAs)
Tips for Getting the Most from your FSAs
Coverdell
Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)
Supplemental Security Income
(SSI)
Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
State Assistance
Programs
Local Assistance Programs
Consumer Stipend
Programs
Grants for People Who Have Autism
Grants for People
Who Have Special Needs Charitable Organizations
Scholarships from
Service Providers
Negotiate Discounts
Be
Willing to Barter
Host a Fundraiser
Selected
Grants for People with Autism
Introduction
Autism is an extremely expensive disorder to treat. As the mom of two children who have been diagnosed with autism, I know firsthand how taxing autism treatment can be on a family budget. That's why I started a blog to help other families find resources to fund treatment, and that's why I wrote this booklet.
The cost of assessments, therapies, treatments, equipment, supplies and materials can easily approach six figures annually. Most families that are affected by autism do not have access to unlimited personal funds that can be applied to treatment. In addition, many health insurance policies provide little or no coverage for the specialists and interventions children who have autism can benefit most from. If your family (or a family you know) is coping with autism and is having difficulty affording the cost of treatment, use the funding strategies in this booklet to help finance the treatment your loved one with autism needs.
You can also find information about grants, financial assistance, funding strategies and other resources for families coping with autism and other disabilities, as well as links to autism treatment funding resources, by visiting my Autism Assistance Resources and Information blog (www.autismassistance.blogspot.com).
Please feel free to contact me at autismassistanceinfo@yahoo.com to share success stories, resources, comments or other feedback.
Planning is Crucial
Before you even begin to start trying to figure out which tools, resources and strategies you will use to fund your child's autism treatment, you must create an autism intervention action plan. An autism intervention action plan will help you to easily and efficiently identify your child's needs, develop treatment goals and objectives, assemble an autism treatment plan and prioritize your child's treatment, therapy, equipment and service sequence.
After you've created your child's autism intervention action plan, use it as a blueprint for developing an autism treatment plan. Your next step should be to analyze your finances and available resources to determine exactly which funding sources you can leverage to provide your child with the interventions he or she needs in order to thrive.
Use the resources listed in this booklet as a starting point.
Create an Autism Intervention Action Plan
As soon as possible after your child is diagnosed with autism, you need to develop a plan for addressing your child’s needs and coping with the impact autism will have on your family. Autism can present both difficulties and challenges, but it does not have to prevent your child from growing up to lead a productive, meaningful and fulfilling life…and it does not have to prevent you and your family from enjoying a wonderful life together. The key to conquering autism is to understand autism, to understand how autism affects your particular child and impacts your particular family life, and to create and implement an effective autism intervention action plan to help your child reach his or her full potential and to help your family successfully cope with autism.
Follow these steps to create and implement an effective autism intervention action plan for your family:
1. Learn as much as you can about autism and treatments for autism. Conduct research using books, magazines, journals, the Internet…any sources you can find that will help you learn about and understand autism. Don’t be shy about asking the health care and therapy providers, social workers and case managers who are part of your child’s treatment team questions about autism. Write your questions down so they are easy to find when you are ready to ask them. Ask for clarification of anything you don’t understand or need to have further explained.
2. Learn as much as you can about how autism affects your child who has been diagnosed with autism and your other family members. Observe and take note of how autism presents in your particular child. Be aware of your child’s strengths, deficits, behaviors, capabilities and needs. Be mindful of how your child’s autism affects the rest of your family. Knowing as much as you can about how autism affects your child and family will be immensely helpful when it’s time for you to determine how your family will respond to the effects of autism.
3. Make a two-column list. Write your child’s strengths, deficits, behaviors, capabilities and needs in the left hand column. Write possible interventions to address them in the right hand column.
4. Investigate the costs of the interventions you believe might benefit your child. Compile a list of resources you have for paying for the therapies, treatments and other interventions you believe will help your child.
5. Seek the support of other people and families who are affected by autism. Contact parent groups in your area. Join groups and forums online. Participate in meet-ups and social activities. Autism affects your entire family so everyone could use some support. Encourage family members to join support groups for people who have autism and their parents, siblings and extended families.
6. Seek professional help when you need it. Autism can take a toll on a family. If your family needs the intervention of an experienced professional to help it make it through tough times dealing with autism, enlist the assistance of a counselor, social worker, psychologist or member of the clergy.