The Parent Coalition of Whatcom County presents this opportunity to learn about long term financial planning, special needs trusts, guardianship and alternatives to guardianship.
 
Planning for the future of your family members with special needs is important. There are financial considerations for providing not just lifetime care, but quality of life. Guardianship, Powers of Attorney, Representative Payees, and Trusts will all be discussed as ways to support and advocate with our family member.
 
 

Regence has announced that effective October 1, 2010 they will no longer provide child only health care policies.  Both Senators Murray and Cantwell have made very strong statements to Regence about this decision and warn they will fix the problem legislatively if necessary.    

We need to put a face on those that are affected by their decision our children and teens.

This decision will impact you if you are:

1. A parent and or child/teen that has a child/teen that is currently covered by a child only policy.
   
   
2. A parent or family that needs a child only policy to cover their child or teen and their family is currently shopping for coverage for their child.
   
   
3. A parent or family that can speak to the importance of having several policy options available to them including family and child only policies given the volatile economy.  Health coverage is usually tied to employment and if a parent loses a job they can at least know they can purchase a child only policy even if they cannot provide coverage for themselves. 
   

Please contact Senators Murray and Cantwell to express how this decision will affect you.

Statute Enacted Adopting
Respectful Language

On October 8, the enactment of Rosa's Law was celebrated at the White House. Numerous self advocates with intellectual disabilities attended the event, including Rosa Marcellino of Maryland, for which the statute is named. 

Rosa's law changes the terms "mental retardation" and "mentally retarded" to "intellectual disabilities" and "intellectually disabled" in federal laws regarding education, employment and certain health programs. 

The statute does not alter eligibility, services or rights under these laws nor does it compel states to change their terminology.  Many states have already changed their terminology.

President Obama signed Rosa's Law into law on October 5 (P.L. 111-256).