Disability Archives | Grady H. Williams, Jr. LL.M, Attorneys at Law

Category archives: Disability

Deadline for Electronic Check-in for Home Care Workers Pushed Back
7 years ago
Congress has passed and President Trump has signed a law delaying by one year the requirement that providers of home health care services clock in electronically with Medicaid prior to performing services. Disability rights advocates and a bipartisan group of senators had been calling for the... [read more]

New Qualifications for ALJs Are Bad News for Social Security Beneficiaries, Legal Experts Warn
7 years ago
On July 10, President Trump issued an executive order that could compromise the independence of federal agency judges, most of whom work at the Social Security Administration (SSA). "Nothing less than the integrity of the administrative judiciary is at issue here," the president of the American Bar... [read more]

Lawsuit Alleges Assisted Living Facilities Discriminate Against Wheelchair Users
7 years ago
A lawsuit in New York state highlights an issue with some assisted living facilities: No wheelchairs allowed. The lawsuit claims that state regulations and facility policies discriminate against residents and potential residents who use wheelchairs. Filed on behalf of the Fair Housing Justice... [read more]

Are State ABLE Programs Sustainable? Disability Advocates Raise Concerns
7 years ago
In the past two years, nearly every state in the country has passed legislation enabling people with disabilities and their families to open new savings accounts, modeled after popular 529 college savings plans, to save for disability related expenses. But early projections indicate that many of ... [read more]

SSA Liberalizes Rules on When Special Needs Trusts Can Reimburse Family Members for Travel
7 years ago
Travel is sometimes necessary when a family has a child with special needs. Family members may need to visit the person with special needs, or a medical emergency may require travel to care for the loved one, or the family may simply want to take the child with special needs on vacation. For... [read more]

Looming Deadline for Electronic Check-in for Home Care Workers Raises Concerns
7 years ago
Starting in 2019, providers of home health care services will be required to clock in electronically with Medicaid prior to performing services. However, disability rights advocates and a bipartisan group of senators are calling for the state-by-state rollout of these Electronic Visit Verification (... [read more]

Lawsuit Targets Education Department’s Handling of Discrimination Claims
7 years ago
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) receives tens of thousands of discrimination complaints, of which disability discrimination is by far the largest category. For example, complaints can allege that students with disabilities are not being given accessible textbooks, are being denied ... [read more]

Feds Expand Oversight of Representative Payees for SSDI and SSI Recipients
7 years ago
For most Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries, the Social Security Administration (SSA) issues monthly checks directly to the recipients. However, where the recipients are incapable of making their own financial decisions, the SSA sends the... [read more]

Is Your Child Eligible for Childhood Disabled Beneficiary Benefits?
7 years ago
Understanding what benefits might be available to your child or loved one with special needs can be confusing. Different benefits apply in different circumstances, and sometimes different benefit programs can work together to help meet the needs of an individual. Childhood disabled beneficiary bene... [read more]

SNT Is Created in Excessive Force Settlement Between Man With Schizophrenia and Police
7 years ago
In an underreported case involving police violence, the state of California has agreed to pay nearly $1 million to a man with schizophrenia. The money will be placed in a special needs trust (SNT) to enhance the man’s quality of life while preserving his eligibility for public benefits. On D... [read more]

SSA Gives Guidance on the Use of Prepaid Debit Cards by Special Needs Trust Beneficiaries
7 years ago
Trustees of special needs trusts are increasingly relying on “administrator-managed prepaid debit cards,” such as True Link cards, when disbursing funds to beneficiaries. These cards offer trust beneficiaries greater independence and the ability to get what they need more quickly. But such cards e... [read more]

New Rules for Appeals of Private Disability Insurance Claims Go Into Effect
7 years ago
Under new Department of Labor regulations that took effect April 2, workers filing for private disability benefits should have a more transparent and fairer appeals process. Many employers provide short- and long-term disability insurance for their employees as an important part of their bene... [read more]