For most parents raising a child with a disability, the greatest source of anxiety isn’t the next Individualized Education Program meeting or the next doctor’s appointment.
It’s what happens when they’re no longer here.
As advances in medicine, early intervention and community-based services help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live longer, healthier lives, a new challenge is emerging across the United States: Who will become the next generation of advocates?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, roughly 1 in 4 American adults lives with a disability, while millions of children receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act each year. At the same time, family caregivers are aging. Many parents who have spent decades navigating Medicaid, Social Security, housing programs and complex support systems are now entering their 60s, 70s and 80s. The result is a growing national conversation about succession planning—not for busines…
