Stuart Flaum

Stuart is personally motivated and sincerely dedicated, helping individuals live self determined and financially secure lives. To that end, Stuart has spent the past 20 years advocating, preparing and designing strategies for successful outcomes. Stuart was appointed by Governor Cuomo in 2013 to serve on the NY State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, a government agency that addresses the needs of people with developmental disabilities. Stuart has served as treasurer of Parent to Parent of New York State, secretary National Autism Association Metro NY, Autism Speaks NYC walk chair, vice president Strokes of Genius and on the Planning and Advisory Committee Devereux Glenholme School. Stuart is a graduate of Hobart College and received a Chartered Special Needs Consultant designation from the American College. Stuart is a New York State Housing Navigator and completed training as a Work Incentives Planning and Benefits Practioner. In addition, Stuart is a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners.

Special Needs Planning Financial, Legal and Health Records Management

I have received many e mails from people with disabilities and their families concerned over the Social Security Agency proposal to conduct more frequent disability reviews.

In addition, the governor of NY addressed a very significant issue last week that will affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In Governor Cuomos’ 2020 State of the State address last week in Albany, the governor intends to empower the state legislature to close the state medicaid deficit with an eye out for OPWDD.

    The time has come for families and individuals to take a more active role keeping a lifetime of personal health records in HIPAA compliant virtual vaults. Your information must be organized and readily available for any disability reviews through the lifetime. One’s financial, legal and health special needs planning is under attack.

    Be on the look out for the launch of SFC’s ‘s virtual vault for record keeping.

    Coming soon.

    Chalimony

    In my role as a special needs planner, I have refrained from writing about a financial remedy concept called chalimony. Chalimony is a financial remedy concept which can impact special needs outcomes for families in which divorce is present or a non shared household.

    For most of these families, child support and alimony are the traditional remedy. However, chalimony bridges the gap, and would be more effective in allocating the financial burden between payor and care taking parent.

    In the spirit of systemic change in family law, chalimony increases incentives for both parents to advocate for changes in employment, education, childcare, and community practices that will make it possible for all people with special care needs to access the care they desire.

    Learn more about chalimony and engage systemic change for our kids with special needs!

    Happy Holiday and New Year 

    Happy, Healthy and Financial Security – Possible or Not?

    The recent settlement by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities with the plaintiffs in the Union Avenue IRA re: abuse and neglect does not address the root of the problem.

    In the settlement, OPWDD relinquishes ownership of the group home to a private not for profit entity. The lead lawyer for the plaintiffs stated ” We lost all faith the the agency ( OPWDD ) to run the house effectively. The most important thing the families want is for their loved ones to be safe, and they have no confidence that the state would keep them safe”.

    Strategies?

    Is this a solution to a systemic problem in which direct service workers, and their oversight is perceived as a big part of the problem? We have created a punitive culture, one whose role is to prosecute and punish DSP’s and their authorities.

    What can we can do foster a DSP culture which is energetic, dedicated, and progressive?

    Recruit high school graduates or the equivalent? Develop management tracks for training? Offer more aggressive tax benefits and loan forgiveness to people willing to work as DSP’s for a specified number of years. Offer scholarships for DSP’s who study and move up the ladder. Create a positive culture. Consider loosening work visas for DSP’s. Allow for federal and state waiver dollars for intentional communities.

    Social work is a business. It used to be the work of government.

    Institutional Roadblocks to Supported Decision Making

    I have the privilege for over 20 years to advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In that capacity, I have served on the board of local and state agencies, councils, schools, and task forces. I have asked a lot of questions and made many recommendations on behalf of individuals and families.

    I am particularly disappointed at school transition coordinators and administrators advocating guardianship at the age of majority, which commences on the eighteen birthday. Though most states lack data on guardianship, I can say with certainty as a special needs planner, that in New York City, my domicile, most schools encourage guardianship over less restrictive decision making options.

    I will address this troublesome fact in more detail for those of you who subscribe to the Stuart Flaum Consulting newsletter. However, I ask you:

    ” How can you expect your children to be safe, make informed decisions, and build independent living skills when culture does not encourage their self determination and self advocacy from birth? I define the culture as families, schools and the legal system.”

    Social Security and People with IDD

    All of our clients are people with disabilities and their families; this is the Stuart Flaum Consulting mission as of 2008. We would like to let you know our focus is special needs planning. We are holistic planners, providing pragmatic, thoughtful and measurable strategies. Can you think of an obstacle in special needs planning?

    ” Why is SSI, SSDI and the myriad SSA rules so intimidating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities?”

    The Social Security Administration is an independent agency within the US federal government.The agency employees 60,000 people and recently provided over 66 Million services to beneficiaries. There are thousands of pages in the POM as well as pages and pages of not personally useful information on the internet.

    However, I have found that understanding the rules specific to the program, be it SSI or SSDI is possible for families. 

    At Stuart Flaum Consulting, we make it our business, working with caregivers, parents and individuals, advocating special needs planning best practices, coordinating earned and unearned income, in a customized, easy to understand individual financial plan. In other words, incorporate the Social Security Administration’s benefits, of parents and beneficiaries, into a person’s financial life plan and/or special needs plan. special strategies.

    Why Special Needs Planning

    We are all connected by the singular desire to enrich the lives of our dependents. Why we enrich the lives of our dependents sets the stage for successful outcomes? Where, what, how, and who enriches our dependents is a significant challenge for families and societies

    My goal and that of Stuart Flaum Consulting blog is to share anecdotal stories about special needs planning, as well as to comment on anything, everything special needs.

    So for now, ask yourselves “Why special needs planning? “

    Housing for People with Developmental Disabilities

    Our current newsletter features TEDx Talks  “Reimagining Housing for People with Developmental Disabilities.” The presenter is David Buuck, who was not known to me prior to the presentation.

    My first takeaway was incredibly disturbing.  At Stuart Flaum Consulting and at Special Needs Family Planning, we drive home the value and opportunity in self-determination, social capital and financial planning. We temper fear with realistic, reachable goals for successful outcomes for individuals who happen to have intellectual and developmental disabilities

    I particularly like David’s ideas on harnessing anger, controlling environment and changing rules if you do not like the game.

    Are you angry that it is virtually impossible to apply a state housing stipend to an intentional community? Or for any community that a person desires and chooses? Is CMS and the federal government preventing housing solutions so desperately needed?

    David suggests that most parents fear that they will predecease their children with IDD. Does that not fly in the face of people living self-determined, self-directed and meaningful lives?

    That makes me angry. Let’s change the federal guidelines as to what is willful choice by an individual and their supporters.

    About Us

    Stuart Flaum Consultants is a firm motivated and sincerely dedicated to helping individuals live self determined and financially secure lives.

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