2012 Winter News Magazine

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Contents:

Needs of People We Serve Our Highest Priority
"He'll Talk... Eventually?"
The Alliance "Focus on the Future" Project
Colorado Gives Day: Donations More Than Double
DDRC Annual Meeting Highlights 2011 Award Winners
2011 Peg Johnstone Above & Beyond Direct Care Awards
2011 Special Recognition Award
Art Show - Celebrating Artist Paul Thompson
A Wheelchair Accessible Van Makes Life Easier
Garret Ringie Presents at a National Conference
3rd Year of Holiday Giving - Tillman Open House
10th Annual DDRC Bazaar
Peter Pan Performed by the DDRC Players
DDRC 2011 Information and Provider Fair
Three Educational Opportunities

Needs of People We Serve Our Highest Priority

By Art Hogling, PhD, Executive Director

Art Hogling As a doctoral student in Public and Nonprofit Administration, I jumped at the chance to take a seminar class taught by then sitting Colorado Governor Richard Lamm. Governor Lamm had been a university law professor and was well known as an expert in public policy research. Despite his busy schedule, he studiously analyzed emerging trends and routinely warned against future difficulties likely to confront our state and country.

In particular, he worried about the affordability of health care and the coming dramatic, and in his mind, unsustainable expansion of Medicaid. His dismal predictions gained him the nickname of "Governor Gloom." It was a fascinating class, held in a small modern theatre of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. The intrigue was heightened by the Governor arriving in a state limosine and being accompanied by armed state troopers. The course was entitled Hard Choices and convincingly made the case that major change must occur in future public services.

This year, my wife and another couple were attending a play in the same theatre, I was telling our friends it had been years since I had been in that theatre and that the last time I was there, Governor Lamm was the main attraction. To my surprise, our tickets placed us one row away from retired Governor Lamm and his wife. During the intermission we had a great conversation and I mentioned the class which Governor Lamm remembered very well. I reminded him of his many predictions. His response was a sincere regret that his difficult predictions are indeed coming to pass, that because of years of governmental inaction, public health care choice reforms are now all the more difficult and necessary to make. Years ago, he used the term "unsustainable," to point out that demographic trends, an entitlement methodology and expanding and aging populations require major changes in Medicare and Medicaid programs. The term "unsustainable" is now a Washington and policy forum buzz word. It accurately describes the situation confronting policy makers, service providers and service users.

Programs provided by the Developmental Disabilities Resource Center are 80% funded through Colorado and federal matching funds. Our existing programs and their accompanying multi-year waiting lists are going to experience major changes in the very near future. That change will occur is inevitable. What is not inevitable is that it be change for the worse. It is not too late to have thoughtful dialogue about the best reform approaches. Decisions must be made with family input, appreciation for the efforts of earlier efforts and be based on thoughtful outcomes and sound research analysis.

DDRC will work to encourage and be fully engaged in this debate. We will always seek to place the needs of the people we serve as our highest priority. We welcome family and citizen participation and comments in this time of hard choices.

"He'll Talk ... Eventually?"

From the DDRC Early Childhood "Connector" Written by Christine, Ian's mom

Ian In the Fall of 2010, our then two-yearold, Ian, still was not verbally communicating the way we, as parents, would have expected. I had expressed my concerns to his pediatrician, but was told that with an older brother at home, we did not need to worry, "He'll talk ... eventually." About this same time, we had been struggling with what can only be described as "outbursts" from Ian where, without warning, he would become extremely upset and often physically combative. The outbursts often involved times when we were getting ready to go somewhere, leave the house, and often involved his clothes, shoes, and most often his socks, or any quick change of routine. After thirty or so minutes of drama and sitting in a dark room, we would emerge (and I would be exhausted) and life would go on.

In October 2010, our daycare provider pulled me aside and told me that the visiting nurse who made frequent visits to the center was concerned with Ian's speech development. Honestly, I smiled. It wasn't just me. Someone else was seeing this too. I told her that we thought the same thing but didn't know what to do. The next day, I had the phone number for Jefferson County's Early Intervention contact and made the call. We set up a hearing screening (all normal), the next step was to meet with the Early Intervention staff and see if there was a delay, and what might be going on.

In November 2010, Ian was determined to have significant speech and cognitive developmental delays. We were referred to DDRC for speech services.

In late December 2010, our speech therapist made her first visit to our home. Looking back, I feel like an angel was sent to me. Within the first few minutes of our visit, and my explanation of what had been going on, she told me she thought Ian may be having some sensory issues. She explained very generally what Sensory Processing Disorder is, and it truly made sense. On our next visits, I was loaned a copy of the 'Out of Sync Child' and as I read the book, light bulbs just kept going off in my head. For the first time, it started to make sense. We began some basic exercises and saw immediate results and changes. Within the first few weeks of visits, we transitioned from focusing on speech to focusing on occupational therapy. The outbursts slowed and are almost non-existent now. Then all the words came.

Prior to Early Intervention and DDRC, Ian's main form of communication was various forms of ba-ba, na-na, ma-ma, and grunts and pointing to tell us what he wanted. We are now one year later and Ian is communicating using 3-5 word sentences consistently. While we continue to work on articulation issues, we are seeing ongoing progress. The first time he said 'mommy' instead of ma-ma, I cried.

Our last meeting with Marlo and Ania was just a few days before Ian's third birthday. By this time, we had already set up an Individual Education Plan and were ready to transition to Early Intervention services at the elementary pre-school program. I was scared to lose them. You see, Marlo and Ania had given me my son back. They had given me real answers to my questions, and taught us all how to move forward. I will be forever grateful to DDRC, and Marlo and Ania. They have given my son and my family something more valuable than they will ever know. I am eternally grateful for Early Intervention.

The Alliance "Focus on the Future" Project

In the 2011 autumn issue of the DDRC Magazine you read an article on this forward thinking project. Now you can read the entire report and take a short survey by going to the DDRC web site www.ddrcco.com.

Thank you for your interest, we value your insight!

Colorado Gives Day: Donations More Than Double

DDRC friends doubled their support on the second Colorado Gives Day. More than 100 donors gave over $40,000 on December 6-7, 2011. We deeply appreciate their support and will put these donations to good use in ways that benefit the people we serve. Thanks to 1st Bank for its sponsorship and support of this great yearly effort.

DDRC Annual Meeting Highlights 2011 Award Winners

Legislator Of The Year Award - State Representative Ken Summers

Over the years, DDRC has been fortunate to have the support of numerous elected officials. This year DDRC was proud to recognize a very deserving public servant, State Representative Ken Summers (HD 22). Representative Summers is not your typical politician. He is an ordained minister and a non-profit executive.

Art Hogling, PhD. Executive Director of Developmental Disabilities Resource Center, stated. "I first had the pleasure of meeting him when he was taking graduatelevel management studies at Regis University, where I am on the faculty. Over the years, he has gone out of his way to support DDRC and the people we serve. He has visited our program and is a regular participant in our annual legislative forum and State DD awareness day. When DDRC was threatened with having our county mill levy re-directed to statewide needs, Representative Summers lead the effort to reign in this troubling development. He has also fought for pro-active legislation, such as HB 1273, to assist families with a disabled child. Representative Summers has always heard the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. He truly cares about the well-being of the people served by DDRC."

Hero Award Winner - Tanja Helland

The Hero Award honors an individual who masters the day-to-day challenges of living with a disability. This is an award for people who maintain a positive attitude, contribute to their communities, exhibit perseverance and strive for personal achievements. This year's Hero Award was presented to Tanja Helland.

Tanja is a former member of the DDRC Board of Directors and was nominated by Paula Emeson, Adam Jones, and Bob Buckley. Last year, Tanja was diagnosed with a major medical issue that required a surgical procedure. She persevered through all the treatments, getting up very early in the morning to get to the cancer pavilion. During her treatments Tanja was thinking of others who were also going through their own treatment regime. She noticed that other patients had lost their hair and could get cold easily. She knitted each one of them a hat. Tanja has been knitting since she was 11 years old. She purchased some of the yarn and friends donated some. Tanja also knitted hats this year for new babies born to families from her church.

What impressed her support staff the most was that while she endured her own medical crisis, Tanja was more concerned about others. She was steadfast and handled her medical issue with dignity. A strong individual who never complained, Tanja Helland is truly a deserving Hero Award Winner. DDRC is proud to have Tanja as part of the DDRC family!

Charlie Allinson Award Winner - Chris Lawson

The Charlie Allinson award is named after a previous Director of the Division for Developmental Disabilities who was a strong advocate for people with Developmental Disabilities and believed in the great work of people within the Community Centered Board system. Chris Lawson is the recipient of this year's Charlie Allinson Award. Chris is the Customer Relations Manager for DDRC and is the go-to person at DDRC for human rights issues, investigations, incident management, and related training needs. She has an unwavering commitment to securing safe settings and quality of life for people with disabilities. Chris has worked with people with developmental disabilities for many years: as Program Manager with Adult Vocational Services, Director for the service agency Bethpage, and Assistant Director for Johnstone Developmental Center. In addition to being DDRC's lead investigator and complaints officer, Chris is the liaison for the Human Rights Committee and chair of our Quality Review Committee. Chris has been a Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilites (CARF) surveyor and chaired the DDRC safety committee. Chris has earned the great respect of her co-workers and providers, but perhaps even more important is the trust and rapport she has established with the people we serve which is key to promoting positive solutions and outcomes. Chris also has a high degree of credibility with colleagues across the state and is frequently asked to provide consulting services or training for other agencies. Chris has made a significant difference in the safety, welfare and dignity of people with developmental disabilities and that is why she is so deserving of this award. Congratulations, Chris!

Friend Award Winner - Lynn Johnson

The DDRC Friend Award is given to an individual or group who has been a true friend to DDRC, not for just one instance, but on numerous occasions and over several years. Previous winners have included former First Lady Frances Owens, Lucent Pioneers, Arvada-Jefferson Kiwanis, Nelson Nadeau, Kelly Stahlman and Adult Vocational Services volunteers.

This year's Friend Award Winner, Lynn Johnson, is Director of Jefferson County Human Services. Lynn has an incredible resume dedicated to helping others over many decades: as a parole and probation officer, mental health specialist, and as a key public policy advisor to Governor Bill Owens. Lynn has had a special concern for people with developmental disabilities and their families and has always worked to ensure they are included in state and county policy initiatives. She was instrumental in involving Frances Owens in DD matters, and has advocated for disability groups in political circles.

Since becoming Director of Human Services in 2007, Lynn has provided amazing leadership in revitalizing the County's Human Services Department, establishing broad outreach to nonprofits, religious and charitable organizations. This markedly improved the tone and collaboration in our county and enabled human service agencies to better weather the current fiscal crisis by efficiencies and effectiveness garnered through coordinated and mutually supportive approaches.

Lynn is never too busy to consult with DDRC leadership and truly "has the back" of persons with developmental disabilities in Jefferson County. For all these reasons and more, Lynn is very deserving of DDRC's highest award, the Friend Award.

Special Recognition Award Winner - Lou Bruno

This year's Special Recognition Award goes to Lou Bruno who is well known for his many years of service on the DDRC Board of Directors, including nine years as president. Since retiring, Mr. Bruno has been an active parent volunteer for the Adult Vocational Services Program. Mr. Bruno was instrumental in establishing and organizing the AVS Golf Tournament for 17 years. He has always been willing to lend a helping hand whenever needed.

Most recently, Mr. Bruno served as a parent representative on the Colorado DDD Non- Integrated Work Services Workgroup, and was key in advocating that work centers help people with developmental disabilities develop skills for community employment. He was not only instrumental in preserving these services at the committee level, but also presented the importance of these services to the Colorado legislature's Joint Budget Committee (JBC). His JBC presentation helped solidify meaningful work opportunities into the future for individuals who have not yet reached the goal of community employment. Thank you, Lou for your countless hours of work on behalf of people with developmental disabilities.

2011 Peg Johnstone Above & Beyond Direct Care Awards

The Developmental Disabilities Foundation is pleased to present the sixth annual Peg Johnstone Above & Beyond Awards for Direct Service Providers. Peg Johnstone was Art Hogling's predecessor as Executive Director of DDRC. She was the impetus to establish DDRC and the DD Foundation, as well as many other organizations in Jefferson County, and always went "above and beyond" herself.

Shirlene Clayton, Award Winner

Shirlene Clayton is a Certified Nursing Assistant at the Weiland Adult Vocational Services (AVS) Center. Since she joined DDRC in 2007, Shirlene has been a woman on a mission to provide excellent care to the people we serve. She has been instrumental in developing trusting parentstaff relationships that are crucial to the success of the program. Many individuals attending Weiland require extensive medical support such as feeding tube care, suctioning, chest compressions and seizure management. No matter what the need, Shirlene performs the task with respect and compassion while maintaining each individual's dignity. She makes time to discuss families' concerns and parents have come to rely upon her vigilance and support. They appreciate that, without Shirlene's knowledge, hard work and dedication, their family members might not be able to attend a day program due to their extensive medical needs. Shirlene has a strong work ethic and a "can do" attitude complemented by humility and respect for others. Congratulations, Shirlene!

Rebecca Cowart, Award Winner

Rebecca Cowart, a Vocational Instructor Supervisor, has been at AVS's Gray Street facility since 2005. She has consistently shown an extraordinary degree of effort with the people she serves, and is well respected by her colleagues. As Rebecca goes about her daily duties assisting 28 people with disabilities on her team, she models a professional manner to all–including coworkers–with her positive quiet demeanor. Rebecca learned American Sign Language and now is frequently observed signing to people in services to inquire about their needs and desires.

Rebecca is enrolled in a Master's level Behavioral Analysis program, while working full time at Gray Street. She demonstrates a keen sense of awareness of those individuals identified with behavior-related challenges. Recently an individual expressed heightened behavior challenges and needed additional supervision and support. Rebecca volunteered to be that person's "one on one" for several weeks and that person did extremely well under her kind direction and supervision. Congratulations, Rebecca!

Brad Ellsworth, Award Winner

Brad Ellsworth has been with DDRC for more than 20 years, primarily as the Lead Counselor at Desserich Group Home. He's well respected by all, and is known as a caring and thoughtful man, always putting the interests of the people we serve ahead of his own. Brad was very instrumental in nursing one resident through breast cancer treatments, taking him to every chemotherapy appointment even if it meant working past his regular schedule. Now, another resident is recovering from stomach cancer. Again, Brad never missed an appointment, always available to help - including coming in after his shift ended to take him to the after-hours emergency room. No matter how little sleep he got, Brad still returned to work the next day to work his shift. Brad has dedicated his life to adults with developmental disabilities, making sure they eat right, are active and happy. Brad takes care of all aspects at the Desserich group home and can be counted on to take care of any task that is asked of him. Congratulations, Brad!

2011 Special Recognition Award

Award Winner Mike Mills

Mike Mills, a tremendous advocate for individuals with Developmental Disabilities and DDRC, is one of those extraordinary individuals who has enriched the lives of many. Over the past 15 years, he has devoted over 3,000 hours coaching our athletes in Alpine Skiing and Unified Softball. He focuses on the needs of each individual, increasing their skills and allowing them the opportunity to perform to the best of their ability. Along with coaching, Mike also assists our athletes to acquire the equipment needed to participate safely and successfully. Even though he can be a tough coach, Mike makes sure everyone has fun. Through Mike's efforts, a highlight of the softball season is the opportunity for the entire softball team to attend a Rockies game together at no cost.

Mike has built a wonderful relationship with several DDRC participants. One of these individuals became very ill in the Fall of last year and was in the hospital for an extended period of time. Mike visited him, supporting and encouraging him to get better. Curtis would light up when Mike walked in the room, which told all of us how important it was for Curtis to have Mike there with him. It was the best medicine for Curtis, and his mom was extremely appreciative to have Mike be there for her son.

Art Show - Celebrating Artist Paul Thompson

Artist Paul Thompson. In November, DDRC hosted a local artist, Paul Thompson and his mentor Ruth Eitel for a celebration of his art. Paul has been involved with the DDRC Art & Soul Program for many years and has become a well know professional artist in the DDRC community. Many staff and friends came to chat with the artist and enjoy his art displayed in the DDRC Building's 3rd floor gallery. Refreshments were served in the break room to round out a wonderful time with the artist.

Paul Thompson wants to thank everyone who appreciated his art work, wrote notes in his book and came to visit during the reception. He was so excited ... talking with everyone, answering questions about each piece, and getting lots of support from the teams who brought groups in to celebrate with him. The break room was packed with people for several hours. Best of all, Paul sold a total of 5 pieces of art ... and his show continued for the rest of the month. Thanks to everyone who made it such a special day for Paul and his family.

A Wheelchair Accessible Van Makes Life Easier

Note from Bob and Kristina Halstead and Susanne Orth (mom) to DDRC:

"We are so happy to get a new van! This is our 1st van for Kristina and we are wondering how we ever managed in the past. Kristina is 19 and somewhere along the way, she grew into a young lady who is the size of her mom. It was becoming difficult to transport Kristina to activities, so that she could participate in the community, before we got the van. Kristina and her mom, can now pop into the van and take off for shopping, dining or visiting friends. She has also been able to enjoy nights out on the town with her friends, because she now has a way for her friends to take her along. Thanks to DDRC for helping out with the resources to purchase the adaptations and lift for the new van. We will have many years to enjoy it!"

Garret Ringie Presents at a National Conference
On transition from high school to life after

Garret Ringie The National Association for Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) held their annual youth centered conference in Chicago and Garret was a featured speaker. Garret helped kick off the three-day conference during the first general session by speaking on a youth panel, including two other youth from diverse backgrounds, in front of 350 conference participants. Garret shared his experience as he has transitioned from high school to life after, learning new skills and searching for a job.

In 2009, Garret participated in a pilot called Person-centered Independence Planning Project (PIPP), a two-pronged approach to a successful transition into adulthood. First he created a portfolio that holds information about all of his experience, education, work history, and resources. Then he attended a series of training sessions with tips and resources for preparing for life after high school. In fact, he made such an impression on the planning committee, he was asked to come back as a speaker for the person- centered planning session where he did an excellent job showing peers how he implemented his Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) plan.

Along with Patricia Fulton from The Arc of Jefferson, Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties, Jill Howard from Jefferson, Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties Workforce Center, and Peter Pike from Colorado WIN Partners, Garret presented about his experience putting all he learned into action. Some of the comments made by conference attendees were: "Loved Garret's presentation," "I always enjoy sessions where youth are a part of the presentation" and "Thanks Garret!"

Garret became a star after presenting on the youth panel, everywhere he went, folks would try to catch him to learn more about him and his accomplishments. The Key Note speaker for the conference invited Garret to join him and his colleagues for dinner the first night. For the remainder of the conference it was not unusual to find Garret surrounded by people from all over the nation wanting to learn more about him. Congratulations goes out to Garret, great work on your own personal and professional development and excellent job as a youth representative.

3rd Year of Holiday Giving - Tillman Open House

Christmas gifts The Third Annual Tillman Open House for DDRC was held on Sunday, December 6. Every year Mary Ann Tillman starts early in the year to put the wheels in motion to generate gifts for people in DDRC services so they too can have a joyous holiday season. The organizer this year was Becky Shreck who put in countless hours making sure this year's event was another holiday success. Heidi Leoni a member of the organizing group opened up her beautiful Arvada home this year. She decorated her home to fit this special occasion, opened her heart and served as a gracious hostess. Amanda DiVito Parle, Mary Glenn, Allison Lucernoni, Jill Polito and Mary Ann Tillman also served as hostesses this year. Everyone in the group invited their friends and personal contacts in for refreshments and gift-giving. These generous ladies are community "influencers" yet most of them knew little about DDRC until they got involved in the "Tillman Open House" project.

April Richey, Elizabeth Shinn and Bruce Fritz coordinated the logistics for DDRC and shared their knowledge about DDRC and answered questions at the open house. Bruce made sure to bring a vehicle large enough to transport all those beautifully wrapped gifts to DDRC after the event! About 60 guests attended; others sent checks and gift cards. Despite the very cold weather and a Bronco game day, it was a great turnout and generated lots of Christmas joy for many people with developmental disabilities whose families may not have the resources for presents during these difficult economic times. DDRC is thankful to this incredible group of ladies who sacrificed their time and resources to help others who are less fortunate. This is an example of the true holiday spirit!

10th Annual DDRC Bazaar

Hundreds of shoppers joined us for DDRC's 10th Annual Holiday Bazaar, Thursday, December 1st, benefiting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Unique gifts, handmade crafts, jewelry and fresh wreaths, musical entertainment, carolers, Santa and elves; bake sale, silent auction, food and fun was had by all!

Many, many thanks to everyone who helped make our 10th Holiday Bazaar a successful community event. Despite the snow storm and difficult driving conditions, our vendors and visitors made it in from all areas of town including Evergreen and Bailey. We had new folks that read about the Bazaar in newspaper event listings, our web site and facebook. Our DDRC business neighbors came as they saw our signs. And a special thanks to family members who make a special effort to support us each year. Even the local fire department stopped by and stayed to shop, sample the baked goodies and chat with shoppers and wide-eyed children. Lots of folks got some holiday shopping done and found exceptional gift bargains at the silent auction. And our luscious, better-than-ever bake sale raised over $500 at their table alone! We also had several DDRC participants who are entrepreneurs, sell their own products.

None of this would be possible without the individual contributions of soooo many ... You must always have the leaders and organizers to make any event of this size succeed year after year and those two people are April Richey and Elizabeth Shinn. They deserve a huge thank you since they spend an enormous amount of time and hard work organizing and coordinating all aspects of the Bazaar each year. Santa and Mrs. Claus were again a hit with Mrs. Claus, Joan Jurann, giving out candy canes with a big smile.

Steve Lewis provided entertainment, QLO's Santa ensemble, Deb Gordon's beautiful stained glass art, our carolers, maintenance and the work teams, AVS and their warm breakfast burritos, our volunteers Jo Stimson, Candy Markley and her sister Barb, Abi's technology support, and so many others. Thank you one and all for a wonderful event!

Peter Pan Performed by the DDRC Players

DDRC Players A DDRC Player's parent wrote, "My son learns so much through his experiences in theater. It seems to me a great teaching media for so many skills." In November of 2011, the DDRC Players performed "Peter Pan," their 10th production since 2004. The group started with only five actors, and has grown to an average of 20 participants. Audiences have grown from 50 to 350, and the greater amount of space needed both for the actors and the audiences has required a move to a building designed for theatrical productions. Colorado Heights University Theater was the site for the most recent performance. The actors were thrilled tobe seen and heard in a space which showcased everyone's expanding talent. Improvement in staging, costumes, and acting ability has been obvious.

Don't miss out on the next production in the fall of 2012. Look for information on DDRC's Facebook page and also its website. A delightful time is assured!

"As I was taking pictures during dress rehearsal, I heard actors laughing, joking and teasing each other. It is so heartwarming to see the smiles, conversation and camaraderie that occur behind the scenes." - Ron Marquez, Director of Community Relations.

"My son learns so much through his experiences in theater..." - DDRC Player's Parent

DDRC 2011 Information and Provider Fair

DDRC 2011 Information and Provider Fair We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the 2011 DDRC Information and Provider Fair. Hosted by Resource Coordination and Children and Family Services, over 150 people braved storm warnings to meet with 36 providers and vendors about their services and products. Fourteen special topic representatives were also on hand to share their expertise and answer questions on a wide range of topics, service options and community resources including the Elderly Blind and Disabled Waiver, guardianship, Planning for the Future, financial benefits, and the new Family Caregiver option. If you missed the event, don't worry. From quick guides and links on options and choices, to a full-length presentation on the waiting list, you will find all of this and more on the DDRC CCB website at http://ccb.ddrcco.com. Plan to attend this informative event in the future.

A Few Comments from Participants:
"I thought this was a total success. I was able to connect with many individuals who needed information about DVR. I also found it to be a great way to network with other service providers..." - Community Partner

"I enjoyed the fair tremendously and it was wonderful to see everyone and put a face with a name." - Provider

"Very informative! We felt like we only touched upon a fraction of what we need to know as a parent. Please have more of these! Invaluable!" - Parent

"The fair was great. I appreciated the opportunity to meet so many different people and talk about our services. I like that those in attendance were a mixture of Resource Coordinators looking for information on resources for and with the people they serve, as well as participants and families. Being an agency that provides primarily employment services, it was great to know that I could refer them upstairs to talk with DVR about how to get going with Employment." - Provider

Three Educational Opportunities

Mark Your Calendars for These Educational Opportunities!

Alert: Beneficiary Trumps Estate Plans
Have you double checked the beneficiary on your insurance, bank account and other legal documents? Even if you have done a will and a Special Needs Trust, the beneficiary designation trumps all your estate plans. Recently we have had people at risk of losing Medicaid and their DDRC program because when the parents passed away, they left their child with a disability named as the beneficiary of their insurance. Even though they had a trust the child inherited directly. Attorneys do the trust. You have to check that your beneficiary is stated in the name of the trust, not the child's name. If you want to learn more about Special Needs Trusts, please come to our session on February 23, 2012 at 1 p.m. at DDRC.

Plan for the Future
Perhaps you've heard how people lose their Medicaid funding and DDRC?s programs if you do not make good long-term plans for a person with disabilities. Learn how to do a Special Needs Trust to protect resources. Understand the importance of beneficiary designations. Learn how people with disabilities and their families buy homes on the open market–more than 1850 have already done so. Join us: Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 1 p.m. The session is at DDRC, 11177 W. 8th Ave., Lakewood in Summit East. Please call 303-462-6590 to register.

Guardianship and Alternatives
Join us for a panel discussion to learn about guardianship and answer questions about your responsibilities. Explore alternatives that are available to everyone. The overview is Monday, April 9, 2012, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at The Arc of Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties, 8725 West 14th Ave; Suite 100, Lakewood, CO 80215. The next week we'll be going over the paperwork in detail, but you MUST attend the first session before doing the paperwork. Please register with Megan Martin at 303-462-6590.