On this episode of Parenting Impossible, the Special Needs Survival Podcast, Annette takes time to address a number of issues and challenges that could face the special needs community in 2020. Her guests are MacKenzie Mahoney, the newest attorney with Special Needs Law Group and Mark Worthington, a partner at the firm.

Annette and MacKenzie discuss the growing concern regarding the availability of direct support professionals that assist individuals with disabilities. In many states, there continues to be a lack of qualified professionals that support people with disabilities including in-home services as well as those that are employed by various agencies that serve those with disabilities.

Annette also brings up another issue facing the disability community which is aging parent caretakers. As people with disabilities get older, so do their parents and other supports. The two discuss what systems need to be in place to secure a bright and independent future for those who need various levels of care as they get older.

The discussion turns to federal funding for disability programs and the various ways in which those funds can support people with disabilities. There continues to be growing pressure on federally-funded programs such as Medicaid and other critical programs and Annette and MacKenzie discuss what they see for the year 2020.

And a discussion that doesn't seem to go away are the continued biases that seem to always be present regarding individuals with disabilities. These biases and old ways of thinking continue to affect the ability to have people with disabilities become part of the workforce and gain meaningful employment. And, biases also impede the ability for people to become part of a community and secure proper housing withing a community.

Mark Worthington joins Annette for the last segment of the podcast to discuss more on the outlook for 2020 including the passage of the SECURE Act in Congress and what that means for the disability community.

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!