Family Resources
Family Conference 2023 Presentations
Keynote Presentation “My Life, My Rights”
Heather Connors, Executive Director of The Center for Guardianship Excellence, strives to ensure that those in need of guardianship have guardians trained to support their values, goals and preferences. At LIFE Family Conference, Heather presented her talk titled “My Life, My Rights.”
Aging at LIFE
Summary of the LIFE Aging Committee reports, results of the aging survey, and the two workshop sessions held during the LIFE Family Conference weekend.
Benefits Workshop
Chris Wiklund, LIFE Benefits Specialist and Director of Admissions, provides a valuable list of benefits for medical, transportation, housing and community resources. If you have any questions, contact Chris at 774-313-0305 or email [email protected].
Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts (AFAM)
View a list of 2023-2024 legislative priorities in Massachusetts including workforce priorities, police training, safety, housing, equitable access, healthcare, and education bills. If you are interested in getting involved with advocacy work in Massachusetts or have any questions, please contact Ilyse Levine-Kanji via email or 508-574-9528. Ilyse is on the Executive Committee of AFAM – Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts, which works closely with The Arc of Massachusetts. Her son joined Plymouth LIFE in 2020.
Able Accounts and Trusts
Fred Misilo provides an overview of Able Accounts, OBRA ’93 trusts, and pooled trusts. Fred is Chair of the Trust and Estate Department of Fletcher Tilton, a regional law firm with offices in Boston, Framingham, Providence, Worcester and Cape Cod. He is a trust and estate attorney with over thirty-five years of experience and brings a seasoned approach to clients who have complex needs in succession planning in a variety circumstances, including special needs. Fred is also an active member of the LIFE Board of Directors and his expertise is very much appreciated by our community.
Health Care Coverage for Adults with Autism and Other Disabilities
This presentation focuses on health care coverage for adults with autism and other disabilities. Topics include: private and public insurance benefits as children transition into adulthood, keeping adult disabled dependents on a parent’s private insurance past the age of 26, social security and how it impacts coverage, and strategies for maximizing access to insurance-funded treatments.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Amy Weinstock is the Director of the Autism Insurance Resource Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, and an instructor in the medical school’s Department of Psychiatry.
She has an extensive background on insurance issues related to autism and has played a key role in passing several significant pieces of autism insurance legislation in Massachusetts, including the groundbreaking 2010 law requiring health insurance to cover medically necessary treatment for autism. Amy also serves as a trustee of the Riverview School, and as a Commissioner on the State’s Autism Commission.
Following a successful career in real estate and banking, Amy, the parent of a child on the autism spectrum, decided to merge her personal passions and professional experience. She completed a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) fellowship at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center in 2005.
Following this, she served as President of the outreach organization of the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital for two years prior to her appointment as Chair of the Insurance Committee for Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts (AFAM).
Amy’s work has been recognized through numerous awards including the Federation for Children with Special Needs Martha H. Ziegler Founders Award, the Margaret L. Bauman Award for Excellence, the Massachusetts ARC’s Distinguished Citizens Award, the Autism Speaks Advocacy Award, the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation’s Shining Star and Essential piece awards, and the Northeast ARC’s Edward C. O’Keefe Memorial Award. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and received a Masters of Architecture from Harvard University.
CAN YOU PICTURE
YOURSELF AT LIFE?
Call to schedule a tour: 508.790.3600
Main office: LIFE, Inc., 550 Lincoln Road Extension, Hyannis, MA 02601
Living Independently Forever, Inc. is a non-profit with multiple locations throughout Southeast Massachusetts supporting adults with autism, learning disabilities, and intellectual disabilities in their pursuit of a happy, independent life.
