PTI Nebraska
2564 Leavenworth St,
Suite 202
Omaha, NE 68106
800-284-8520
What PTI Nebraska
Can Do For You and
the Families You
Serve
NINA BAKER – PTI NEBRASKA,
402-403-3908
SUSAN WILLIAMS – PTI NEBRASKA,
402-403-3917
WHAT IS PTI
NEBRASKA?
A statewide resource for
families of children with
disabilities or special healthcare
needs, enabling parents to have
the capacity to improve the
education and healthcare
outcomes for their children.
Parent Training and Information for Families of
Children with Disabilities
• Non profit organization funded by both the
Federal and State Departments of Education.
• There is at least one parent center in each state
and Nebraska’s is located in Omaha.
• PTI serves the whole State of Nebraska.
• It provides training, information and support to
parents who have a child or children that receives
special education services.
Every State has at least one Parent Training and Information Center
(PTI) to offer families just this kind of information. Many States also
have a Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC), which offers the
same type of support and training to parents of children with
disabilities.
•http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/
FAMILY TO FAMILY
HEALTH INFORMATION
CENTER
PTI Nebraska is the home of
Nebraska’s Family to Family
Health Information Center
Funding for the center was received from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA),
Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB),
Division of Services for Children with Special
Health Needs and developed to serve families in
Nebraska.
There is no charge for any service provided
by PTI Nebraska
NOT EVEN
• Conversations are kept confidential
• PTI serves families of children with special needs
age birth through twenty six
• PTI Nebraska is the home for the Family to Family
Health Information Center in Nebraska
•The Staff at PTI Nebraska are
parent/professionals who are available
to talk to parents and professionals by
phone, e-mail or in person about special
education, other services, and disability
specific information
Why Parent Training and Information Centers?
• To help families get information about services for
their children with disabilities
• To provide one on one support to parents.
• To help families with decisions that make a
difference in the lives of children with disabilities.
• To connect children with disabilities to community
resources that address their needs.
• Because every year many mothers become
mothers of children with disabilities.
Parents need lots of information
Parents
• What’s out there when my child is
no longer in school?
• Who is there to talk with about my
child’s adult needs?
• How will my child’s needs be carried
on?
• Where do we go from here?
College Success for Students with
Disabilities
A growing number of students with
disabilities are attending colleges and
universities across the nation. More and
more teenagers, along with their parents
and high school counselors , are searching
for programs that will be appropriate for
their needs.
HIGH SCHOOL VS COLLEGE
HIGH SCHOOL
COLLEGE
Overall Legal Principals
Every student with a disability has a right to a
high school education and a diploma under
IDEA. Most of the responsibility for his
success falls upon his parents and teachers.
Every student has an opportunity to earn a college
degree, under the ADA and section 504 of
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Every student is
responsible for his own success or failure.
Who Identifies and Documents Accommodations
School districts are responsible for identifying
the students as needing accommodations
Students must identify themselves and provide
documentation to justify accommodations. Colleges
may not seek out students with disabilities.
The Role of the Parents
Parents are responsible to make sure the
school is accommodating their child
appropriately
It is not the students’ responsibility to initiate
accommodations and make the appropriate office
aware if he is not being accommodated.
Parents may have access to any information
the school has about the students’ disability
and the services provided to him.
The student must give permission for his parents to
obtain any information about the services including
grades.
Parents receive regular cntact ad feedback
from the school.
College contact with parents is limited by privacy laws.
Confidentiality of Student’s Disability
The student’s disability is discussed by his
parents, teachers, administrators, and others
on the IEP team. It may be discussed with
people diagnosing or working to
accommodate the disability.
The student’s disability is covered by FERPA, the
student right-to-privacy act. It may not be discussed
even with the parents without written permission
from the student. It will only be disclosed to teachers
with the student’s permission.
Self-advocacy
Primary advocate is the student’s parent or
guardian. Students at this time are learning
about their disability, their accommodations,
and how to self-advocate
Students are expected to advocate for themselves.
Some colleges, especially the four most disabilityfriendly, offer training in this area.
By giving parents the tools to be a
better team member for their
child
They will not fear to ask
questions.
Will I have to do this alone? NO!
Many families don’t
know that there may
still be a TEAM for their
child. It looks different
and won’t include
Public Education.
Who is There?
Each team will look
different and be
comprised of different
people or agencies.
PTI helps families with
this process.
Contact us or visit the office if:
• You would like information about your child’s
disability
• You have a question about your child’s program.
• Workshops are available for families growing into the
adult services world
• Workshops can be offered in your community or on
the internet
• Contact PTI Nebraska to get more information.
What is Advocacy?
The act of supporting a
cause or proposal;
pleading the cause of
another.
•
Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition,
1999
PTI Nebraska offers workshops for families with
children of all ages, caregivers, students,
educators, administrators and health
professionals about education, health and
community services.
The Advocate
The advocate can serve in these
ways:
Supports, helps, assists, and aids
Speaks and pleads on behalf of
others
Defends and argues for people or
causes
Parents are Natural Advocates
•
•
•
•
•
•
First teachers for our child
Child’s role model
Responsible for our child
Have our child’s best interest at heart
Know our child better than anyone
Have the right to make decisions for our
child
SSI
• Supplementary Security Income
• Is a Federal program funded by general tax revenues
(not Social Security taxes)
• Helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little
or no income
• Provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing,
and shelter.
• In Nebraska, with SSI eligibility the person is eligible
for NE Medicaid
• www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityssi/ssi.html
Two Different Applications
• SSI for a Child with a disability
• Resources of family are considered
• Address needs of the child in the family
• SSI for an Adult with a disability
• At age 18 - application is for an adult
with a disability
• Based on the person’s income
• There are different criteria based on age.
How to apply for SSI benefits
• Call SSI at 1-800-772-1213
• to make an appointment.
• Go to:
www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityssi
/ssi.html
• Follow directions to start the
process
• Someone else may call and make the
appointment for you and attend the
interview with you
• Visit the SSI office to apply without
making an appointment. You may
have to wait awhile.
• Do the application over the phone
with an appointment
Apply as soon as possible
• The date of your call to make an
appointment is your application
filing date.
• Keep this appointment
• Reschedule if necessary
• They will use the date of your
original contact as your SSI
application date.
With SSI, You Have The Right:
• To apply
• To receive help from Social
Security
• To a Representative
• To examine your file
• To appeal
APPEAL, APPEAL, APPEAL
Every decision process can be appealed
Every public or private agency has an
appeal process
ASK
• What is the appeal process?
• What are the time lines for appeal?
• Ask the doctor or other professional to
assist with the appeal
• Always appeal.
SSI Appeal
• A procedure for those who disagree with
the decision(s).
• The levels of appeal are:
• Reconsideration
• Administrative Law Judge Hearing
• Appeals Council Reviewing
• Federal Court
Appeal
Medicaid
• Nebraska Medicaid is funded
jointly by the State and federal
government
• Provides health care services to
eligible elderly, disabled
individuals and low-income
pregnant women, children and
parents
Medical Coverage Options in Transition
• Medicaid
• Eligible with SSI eligiblity – need apply through ACCESS Nebraska
• Medicaid Waiver – as an adult
• Review occurs between child and adult
• Different eligibility criteria for adult
• Stay on Family private insurance until 26.
• Purchase as an individual on the MarketPlace.
• www.healthcare.gov
Forms of Substituted Judgment
• Power of Attorney
(Uniform Power of Attorney Act, Neb. Rev. Stat.
§§30-4001 – 30-4045)
• Representative Payee (Title XVI, Social Security Act)
• Conservatorship (Conservatorship & Guardianship, Neb. Rev. Stat. §30-2601
– 30-2661)
• Guardianship
Guardianship
• Court appointed; terminated
• Periodic reporting requirements
• Decision making about the person (may also make decisions about
the person’s money and property if also a Conservator)
Guardianship
Guardianship should be used sparingly, precisely because Guardians
have so much power. (NebGuide)
• Limited guardianship
• Full guardianship (most restrictive of all substituted decision
making)
Considerations…
• If a parent becomes a guardian or assists in decision-making
for an adult son or daughter, the role changes.
• Any person who chooses to become a guardian should
consider the time required and their own willingness to serve
in this role
• The person is the Guardian’s primary responsibility
• The person must be included in decision making to the fullest
extent possible
• Guardians must consider the balance between a desire to
protect the person and the recognition that there must be
risk to have a full, satisfying life
• The guardian works to ensure that placement is in the least
restrictive alternative
The need for a Guardian should be reassessed
regularly
• As people have learned how to make informed decisions the may have:
• Overcome the need for a guardian
• The opportunity to change the guardianship from full to limited
• The guardian has a duty to return to the court to legally reduce or remove
the guardianship if it is no longer necessary!
PTI Nebraska offers
Information & Support for:
•Guardianship
•Adult services
•SSI application
•Medicaid application
•Appeals when services are denied
•Funding options when no one else will pay
•Health insurance information and application
PTI Nebraska offers
Information & Support for:
•Agencies providing adult services
•Housing options
•Higher Education options
•Economic Assistance programs available
•Linkages with other state programs (if
moving)
•National Organizations
•Other information as requested
PROVIDERS DIRECTORY
• http://dhhs.ne.gov/developmental_disabilities/Documents/Provider
Profile.pdf
Family to Family Health Information
Center offers:
• Information about:
• Health conditions and disabilities
• Preparation for transition from high school
• Adult Health services & resources
• Adult Health professionals for young adults
who can’t see pediatricians anymore
• Medical and financial resources necessary to
achieve improved health outcomes
Our English/Spanish web-site:
www.pti-nebraska.org
•Current information on local and national
conferences and events.
•Recreational Opportunities for children and
youth with disabilities.
•Instant access to other sites that will provide
relevant and helpful information regarding
their child who has a disability.
•Information on services and supports that are
available to parents, locally, statewide, and
nationally.
QUESTIONS?
For Families, You
Make the Difference