FINANCIAL PLANNING
Future Independence
for Special Needs Linked to
Technology and Money
By Ryan F. PLATT, MBA, ChFC, ChSNC
A
s parents guide their children
through the stages of life, there
comes the point where adult-
hood becomes ever so real. That
time usually comes somewhere
between 14 and 17 years old,
when parents realize their chil-
dren will become adults and will no lon-
ger be attending school. Some of those
young adults may have some college op-
tions or some college-like options, but
most will stay in high school until age 21
or 22. Then they are welcomed into the
“real” world. This transition is fraught with
questions such as:
Will my child work? If so, where? Will
he/she need supports at work to be
successful and to keep the job? Will
he/she earn enough money to support him-
self/herself? If not, what do we do?
Where will my child live? With me? Can he/she
live independently? If so, will he/she need sup-
ports? What do those supports look like? Who
provides them? Who pays for them?
These answers will be different for every individual
and every family. We also know that, currently, many
supports have been provided by the government.
In 2017, we saw quite a bit of conversation and ac-
tion on trying to change how some of those gov-
ernment benefits operate, especially Medicaid. It is
not surprising that the federal government is trying
to change Medicaid. They know the statistics of the
ever-increasing number of people on Medicaid, the
growing population of adults with developmental
and intellectual disabilities, and the exploding na-
72 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 71
tional debt. Although no changes to Medicaid oc-
curred, it is quite apparent that the above formula
and the political rhetoric points to a high probability
of Medicaid not being the backbone of support for
those with disabilities in the future that it has been
in the past. This fact, although challenging to grasp,
provides families, individuals, and the marketplace a
great opportunity to go beyond government bene-
fits into a better place, and that better place will in-
clude technology.
Technology continues to surge forward and can
change the lives of individuals with disabilities. We
already see a ride-sharing program for individuals
with disabilities in Kansas City that will provide them
more independence. We also know that technology
exists to up-fit homes that can “communicate” with
the individuals living in it—to remind them to turn