Special Needs Family Hour

In this essential two-part episode of The Special Needs Family Hour, host Julie Ames and special guest Emma Hemness, a highly experienced elder law and special needs planning attorney, provide critical guidance for parents and caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, and neurodiversity.

Part 1: Guardianship & Guardian Advocacy Julie shares her family’s personal experience navigating guardianship for her two daughters on the autism spectrum. Emma explains what changes legally when a child turns 18, why parents suddenly lose decision-making authority, and the real-world problems this creates with doctors, pharmacies, insurance, and more.

They break down:

• The differences between full guardianship, Florida’s simplified Guardian Advocacy, durable powers of attorney, and healthcare surrogates.
• When legal documents are enough versus when court-backed guardrails are necessary to protect against exploitation, bad decisions, contracts, marriage, and financial risks.
• The step-by-step guardianship process, annual reporting requirements, standby guardians, and how to plan for the future.
• Florida’s strong protections for vulnerable adults.

Part 2: Long-Term Planning, SSI, Special Needs Trusts & ABLE Accounts Emma details how to secure your child’s future through proper estate planning. Topics include:

• Applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Florida Medicaid after age 18.
• Why a Special Needs Trust (Third-Party vs. First-Party) is crucial to protect inheritance and government benefits.
• How ABLE accounts work, their annual limits, and when to use them.
• Common mistakes (such as leaving money directly to a child or sibling) and how to avoid losing benefits.
• Choosing trustees, naming standby guardians in your estate plan, and creating peace of mind for lifelong care.

Filled with practical advice, real-life examples, and actionable steps, this episode empowers families to protect their loved ones’ rights, benefits, health, and financial security — both now and after the parents are gone.

Guest: Emma Hemness, Board Certified Elder Law Attorney, Hemness Fowler Elder Law, Board Member of the Special Needs Alliance.

Resources & Contact: Visit specialneedsfamilyhour.com for more episodes, the monthly newsletter, and show notes. To consult with Emma Hemness: hemnesslaw.com or search “Hemness Fowler Elder Law” in Brandon, FL. Phone: 813-816-2637

You are not alone. Plan ahead with confidence and give your special needs family the security they deserve.

Resident Therapist Julie Ames will be joined by Board Certified Elder Law Attorney Emma Hemness for an extended, updated conversation

• Guardianship with Emma Hemness, Attorney at Law. Emma Hemness, Special Needs Lawyer Emma will discuss the Guardianship process for your special needs child, 18 years old and older. 
• Long Term Care, SSI, Trusts, and ABLE Accounts with Emma Hemness, Attorney at Law. 

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Julie Ames interviewed with Bill Bunkley on The Attack by the Dept. of Labor Against Those with Disabilities. (January 17th Deadline for Public Comment)

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Bill Carl, the Morning Host for FaithTalk 570 AM & 910 AM interviews Julie Ames. They discuss Julie's new book A Very Special Journey of Grief, Grace, and Gratitude - No They are not Okay...but It's Okay! Raising Special Needs Kids.

A Very Special Journey is more than a memoir. It is a story that provides guidance, hope, and education to parents and professionals who have or work with special needs children. Julie gives her readers the guidance they need to navigate their own way through the educational, medical, and legal waters that special needs families find themselves drowning in.

Julie throws a lifeline to other moms and dads facing the same challenges.  Conversely, by presenting the parents' perspective, professionals working in these fields will gain a greater understanding and ability to provide services in a way that is truly helpful.

Every parent has to know how to be their own child's strongest advocate. They need to know what questions to ask, when to demand answers, and when to walk away from advice they don't trust. A Special Journey will provide these tools.

Julie's story is about more than a mother and two challenged daughters. It is about more than autism. This story is about love, faith, and family. It is about learning to accept something that cannot be changed and to embrace the gifts we are given, despite perceived imperfections. We cry. We adapt. We reflect. We rejoice. Most importantly, we continue to live, love, and grow together every day. It is indeed a special journey.

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Dear Friends,

This past Mother’s Day we celebrated our 5th Anniversary. This will be our last show for a while. This is not goodbye but a pause on our current format.

*             Our website will continue to be a resource for parents and caregivers who are caring for individuals with special needs.

*             Our newsletter will continue to provide you with up to date information.

The Special Needs Family Hour and I are evolving.

*             I am completing my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Liberty University’s accredited program, to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

*             My book, A Very Special Journey of Grief, Grace, and Gratitude, will be coming out in the next few months.

*             It is an exciting time with many things happening to include upcoming speaking engagements.

We appreciate our listeners, our guests who are making a positive difference in the world, our awesome sponsors, and our friends at Salem Media Group.

                                                          Julie Ames

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is Steve Rhatigan, the founding member of the Archer Consulting Group. His firm specializes in financial, legal, and life-time care strategies concerning special needs planning and wealth management.

95% of his cases concerns a mother where the father has filed for divorce. The dad has had as much time as needed to get his ducks in a row, so mom is already way behind the curve. The goal of this show is to make sure that the caregiver of the special needs child and the child's interests are addressed by the court system. 

"Your job is to educate your lawyer and judge.  By doing this, you will help your lawyer get a better result in your family’s divorce, and you will help the families who come behind you." - Steve Rhatigan  

Some major issues Steve sees when the divorce action begins:

1.     Not having knowledge or access to the marital finances: make copies of everything.

2.     No understanding of the difference of marital and a separate property.

3.     Failing to think long-term...Cost of Care

4.     Life insurance and retirement plans

5.     Understanding the change in the standard of life

6.     Letting emotions rule your decisions

7.     Not being realistic about costs associated with your child’s care

8.     Sharing an attorney

9.     Not understanding the relationship with your attorney and how best to maximize it.

Important Links to help you with your divorce.

Cost of Care
Tax Implications of Divorce
Divorce Checklist 
Child Support   
Archer Consulting Case Study – Divorce Modification with a Special Needs Child

     Steve Rhatigan - Founder of the Archer Consulting Group

Purposefully Preparing Families to Navigate the Complexities of Special Needs Planning and Dynamic Financial Modeling

Special Needs Divorce Services 

A detailed description of the child’s disabling condition with current and prospective care implications; 

Projections for the cost of care based on current needs plus analyses of multiple future options; 

An assessment of the lifestyle impact for both parties due to the unique care needs of the child; 

A review of currently available disability related benefits; a description of their eligibility requirements and an explanation of how they affect the design of the Final Decree; 

Recommendations for the need of non-standard child support payments and/or additional maintenance or property distribution payments when appropriate; and, 

Suggestions, when requested, on ancillary issues such as: 

ž Legal Custody and Guardianship; 

ž Alternate Parenting and Visitation plans; 

ž Lifetime Care Planning as part of the process; and, 

ž Adequate Risk Management to protect and guarantee the full performance 

    of the Final Decree.

Archer Consulting Group
Financial, Legal, and Lifetime Care Strategies

Website:
Archer Consulting Group

Contact Information:
1235 North Loop West
Suite 925
Houston, TX 77008
Phone: (713) 572-1717

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  He is the founder and Chairman of the Board for the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense. <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/>  We will discuss the ethicacy of the current vaccine program for children in the United States. Robert is an advocate for children who have been harmed by vaccines.

“The greatest crisis that America faces today is the chronic disease epidemic in America’s children.” - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Background:

Robert Kennedy is an attorney specializing in environmental law. For over three decades, he has been one of the world’s leading environmental advocates. He is the founder and president of Waterkeeper Alliance <http://waterkeeper.org/> , the umbrella group for 350 local waterkeeper organizations, in 46 countries, that track down and sue polluters. Under his leadership, Waterkeeper has grown to become the world’s largest clean water advocacy organization.

Around 2005, parents of vaccine-injured children began discovering Mr. Kennedy’s speeches and writings about the toxic mercury-based preservative thimerosal. They embraced new hope that this environmental champion would finally expose the truth about vaccine injury and win justice for injured children. Kennedy is known for his fierce and relentless brand of environmental activism and his advocacy for transparent government and rigorous science. He is now applying his tenacious energies and sophisticated strategies to exposing the fraud and corruption within the CDC and the pharmaceutical industry.

________________________________

The Children's Health Defense is an amazing resource for families. Below is a sampling of the articles and research available on the website.

10 Facts Every Parent Needs to Know About Vaccinations—In English & Spanish! Click Here! <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/protecting-our-future/facts-you-can-use/10-facts-every-parent-needs-to-know-about-vaccinations/>

Too Many Sick Children Click Here! <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/too-many-sick-children/>

25 Reasons to Avoid the Gardasil Vaccine Click Here! <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/news/25-reasons-to-avoid-the-gardasil-vaccine/>

Simpsonwood Documents (Proof of a cover up by the CDC in June 2000) Click Here! <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/government/federal-agency-documents/simpsonwood-documents/>

Read the Fine Print: Vaccine Package Inserts Reveal Hundreds of Medical Conditions Linked to Vaccines Click Here! <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/news/read-the-fine-print-vaccine-package-inserts-reveal-hundreds-of-medical-conditions-linked-to-vaccines/>

The Risks vs. Benefits of Face Masks- Is There an Agenda? Click Here! <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/news/the-risks-vs-benefits-of-face-masks-is-there-an-agenda/>

Even COVID-19 Can’t Kill the Anti-Vaccination Movement—Thoughts of a Vaccine Safety Advocate -- Article includes a history of vaccine failures beginning with the Polio Vaccine. Click Here! <https://childrenshealthdefense.org/news/even-covid-19-cant-kill-the-anti-vaccination-movement-thoughts-of-a-vaccine-safety-advocate/>

________________________________

"Mr. Kennedy does not hesitate to call out those with questionable ethics. If he were not telling the truth, these individuals and organizations would shut him down. Instead, he is ignored and not even allowed to debate the issues in the public arena." - Julie Clark Ames

<https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B9pRUifeH9hoWWxRYWxvS1lSWUE&revid=0B9pRUifeH9hoM3Z1czZwZytMNU5mdU1KR24yYWJtMWs1UW1jPQ>

Julie Ames

Special Needs Family Hour

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guests are  Misty Ross,  Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Dr. Nev Jones with the Department of Psychiatry & Behavior Neurosciences at the University of South Florida.

We will be discussing Success 4 Kids & Families Healthy Minds Program. Healthy Minds is an innovative program for youth and young adults who have recently begun experiencing unusual thoughts and behaviors or who have started hearing or seeing things that others don’t.

Enrollment Criteria

*              Individual has experienced symptoms for no more than 2 years (e.g. hallucinations, delusional thoughts, bizarre behavior, paranoia, and/or disorganized speech)

*              Symptoms are not caused by a medical condition or substance abuse

*              Individual must not have a documented IQ below 70

*              Individual must reside in Hillsborough County

For more Information Contact:

*              Misty Ross, LCSW, Healthy Minds Program Manager: 813-724-4679; [email protected]; www.s4kf.org <https://www.s4kf.org/services>

*              Dr. Nev Jones: [email protected]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is Brian West the Media and Community Relations Manager for Publix Super Markets. As Brian says, "We look at what a person is able to do, not what they aren't able to do."

Publix has been hailed as the No. 1 supermarket for customer satisfaction, one of FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies to Work For," and as an inspiration for its sustainability efforts and community involvement Publix has supported Special Olympics since 1972 when it's founder George Jenkins realized that Florida Special Olympians could not afford to go the National Competition in Los Angeles.

Mr. George paid for all of the Florida Olympians to fly to Los Angeles. Today, Publix Super Markets has over 800 employees who are Special Olympics Athletes in Florida. Each year in January, Publix associates and customers come together to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics. in 2020, Publix customers and associates contributed more than $4.5 million to the Special Olympics to ensure athletes were able to train and compete free of cost. This brings Publix total donation since 1993 to $56 million. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guests are Ido Kedar and Tracy Kedar. Ido Kedar is a non-speaking Autistic Young Man. He is a phenomenal 23-year-old Californian who, through the saving grace of technology and perseverance, now has a voice in his life and is using it to lobby for huge changes. He is an author and advocate who inspires and educates others. Tracy Kedar, Ido's mother, shares with us her journey as the parent of a non-verbal child with severe autism.

Imagine this: Your child is 7 years old and cannot speak one word. He is trapped, misunderstood, and living in the silent world of autism.  That was the unimaginable reality that Tracy & Sharon Kedar experienced with their son, Ido. Until there was a breakthrough.

While Ido was unable to talk due to motor apraxia and would flap his hands and make strange noises, no one knew he was fully aware of everything going on around him – and – he completely understood everything that was being said about him.  He just could not verbalize because of his severe disability.  Then one day Ido showed his parents that he had theory of mind, he was capable, and he was smart. He communicated by pointing on a low-tech laminated letterboard to spell words.  Later, through advances in computer technology, he learned to use an iPad so he could “voice” his thoughts and feelings. That is when everything changed.

To share his miraculous story, Ido wrote the novel In Two Worlds <https://www.amazon.com/Two-Worlds-Ido-Kedar/dp/1732291500/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=in+two+worlds&qid=1582644023&s=books&sr=1-1> .  It is one of the only works of fiction ever written by a person with nonspeaking autism.  After reading the book, Ido hopes people will look at autism in a new, different and more positive way.

Contact Ido Kedar: [email protected]

Like Ido's Facebook Page Click Here! <https://www.facebook.com/IdoInAutismland/>

 <https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B9pRUifeH9hoWWxRYWxvS1lSWUE&revid=0B9pRUifeH9hoM3Z1czZwZytMNU5mdU1KR24yYWJtMWs1UW1jPQ>

Julie Ames

Special Needs Family Hour

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Description:

Our guest is Patti Rendon of Rendon Support Services. Patti has been a Med-Waiver Support Coordinator for over twenty years and runs a support coordination agency. Patti is familiar with all aspects of the Florida Med-Waiver Program. She serves individuals in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Desoto Counties. Patti has extensive experience in Adult Day Training, Supported Living, and Supported Employment. She is an advocate for individuals with disabilities and believes that all individuals have the right to live a long full life.

We discuss Life Skills reference Meaningful Day Activities to include Companionship, Supported Employment Coaches, and Adult Day Training. These are activities that help give value to individuals with disabilities and help them to become contributing members of the community.

We also discuss living arrangements available to those with disabilities. There are various options that are available to include independent living, supported living, and group homes. There are different types of group homes based on the needs of the individual. Some group homes may focus on medical or behavioral issues.

Contact: Phone: 813-643-1054 Email: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> 

 <https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B9pRUifeH9hoWWxRYWxvS1lSWUE&revid=0B9pRUifeH9hoM3Z1czZwZytMNU5mdU1KR24yYWJtMWs1UW1jPQ>

Julie Ames

Special Needs Family Hour

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.