If you are a Georgia resident with a special needs child, one of the best organizations you’ll want to learn about is Parent to Parent of Georgia, which offers advocacy, resources, and support for Georgians with disabilities or special health needs from birth to age 26.
Emory University School of Medicine’s Pediatrics Department maintains an excellent webpage on Georgia Resources for Children with Special Needs.
The Georgia Advocacy Office makes a wide range of advocacy-related services available to Georgians with disabilities at no charge. Its services include:
- Information on and referral to programs serving disabled Georgians
- Technical assistance, advice, and support in self-advocacy
- Assistance in advocacy, negotiation, or mediation on behalf of individuals
- Investigation of allegations of abuse, neglect, or violations of rights
- Public information and education regarding the needs and rights of people with disabilities
- Multicultural outreach to unserved or underserved groups of persons with disabilities
- Identification of problems in the system of service delivery and advocacy for systemic change
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If you are in the Athens area, you will also want to check out Extra Special People, a fantastic non-profit that “empowers children with developmental disabilities to cultivate skills, self-confidence, and relationships through recreational therapy, community involvement, and the arts. With the support of volunteers and donors, the ESP team gives participants and their families the gifts of acceptance, hope, and the opportunity to not just survive, but to thrive.”
For issues which involve the DeKalb County Probate Court, take advantage of a free initial 15-minute phone call with a probate attorney in Atlanta who is intimately familiar with this court.
How I can help
The special needs planning aspect of my law practice is focused on helping Georgia residents who receive SSI & Medicaid. I have helped such individuals defend their benefits in Fair Hearing situations. I also help families who want to be able to spend additional money to improve their disabled child or family member’s quality of life.
Sometimes this person receives gifts, inheritance, or a settlement that would make them ineligible for SSI & Medicaid unless they place their excess resources into a Special Needs Trust and manage them accordingly. You can read more about my special needs practice, or check out Special Needs Planning- An Overview.
