[Grannyweatherwax10]

I am looking for information on services for the disabled in the Las Vegas area. My husband and I are looking to move from Michigan to a warmer climate. We both like Las Vegas for many reasons. We have a son who will turn twenty this month. He has several disabilities but is very stable medically. He attends a center based school here in Michigan. I do know that all other states only let students with disabilities go to school until age 21, where Michigan it is 26. I will have to find ways to keep him busy and challenged during the day. We also need to find a handicapped assessable house to buy or build. Any suggestions would be great.

[Julia B.]

Originally Posted by Grannyweatherwax10

I am looking for information on services for the disabled in the Las Vegas area. My husband and I are looking to move from Michigan to a warmer climate. We both like Las Vegas for many reasons. We have a son who will turn twenty this month. He has several disabilities but is very stable medically. He attends a center based school here in Michigan. I do know that all other states only let students with disabilities go to school until age 21, where Michigan it is 26. I will have to find ways to keep him busy and challenged during the day. We also need to find a handicapped assessable house to buy or build. Any suggestions would be great.

Is your son developmentally disabled? If not, just ignore my post. If so, here are some links and tips to get you going:

**To get him into the state system, he has to be registered with the Nevada Div. of Mental Health. The regional arm of that state office is called Desert Regional Center (DRC).

Nevada Div. of Mental Health/Desert Regional Center:
http://http://mhds.nv.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemi d=35 (broken link)

The DRC is the regional clearinghouse for information about and help with finding the appropriate services. There's an application process, so gear up for that. You'll have to gather lots of documentation. If your son is getting Medicaid benefits in MI, please ask lots of questions (of the DRC reps) regarding qualifications and income limitations. Just make sure you'll be able to get comparable services, as benefits are not directly transferable from state to state. With Medicare, all I had to do was call Social Security to report our address change.

**Bear in mind: legal guardianship does not transfer to Nevada from other states. You have to start from square one, assuming this is an issue for you. And if it is, you'll understand how guardianship is relevant even between parent and child. If not, just ignore me (The DRC can further inform you.)

**My brother, who has Down syndrome and is about to turn 42, is obviously well beyond school age, so I can't help you there. But the DRC can!

**Brother attends Nevada Adult Day Healthcare Center: http://http://www.nevadaadultdaycare.com/ (broken link)

**Opportunity Village: http://http://www.opportunityvillage.org/ (broken link) Among OV's offerings is job training.

Good luck!!

[Grannyweatherwax10]

Thank you so much for the information. I was having trouble finding a place to start.

Yes, my son is developmentally disabled from a traumatic brain injury that he suffered in an auto accident when he was seven.

He does not have medicaid or medicare at this time because of private funds from the settlement.

We do not have "legal guardian" because we have not needed it so far. We have looked into the process and been advised that in Michigan we do not have to get the guardianship until needed. We have wills drawn up that state our wishes regarding who should take care of him when we die etc. We have a trust and conservatorships set up also. We have not had a problem with his doctors or school on this issue. We do know that Nevada may have other thoughts.

[Grannyweatherwax10]

I'm not against having guardianship for my son (Justin), I just don't like the long process. I also don't like our probate court judge, he can be pretty bossy.

I do have to file annual reports to the court regarding his funds. Do you know what court I would be dealing with?

Does you son live on his own or with you? Does he like going to the day program he is in? What kinds of things do they do there? How inclusive is it? How inclusive is your community?

If any of these questions are too personal please skip them.

In Michigan we have what is called Community Mental Health and that is the system that families have to go through to get services. My son is not in that system because I don't like it and he is going to school. We have an ARC that provides all of the services in our county for the DD population. I was trying to work with them to get my son there without going through CMH. Most families of young children do not like how controlling CMH is. Anyway, since Justin is still in school until 26 in Michigan we haven't did much.

I know that in Nevada it will be different. Again thank you so much for the starting point. I will look at the information today. Sorry this is long.

[Grannyweatherwax10]

Sorry, I said your son and it's your brother.

[Julia B.]

Originally Posted by Grannyweatherwax10

I'm not against having guardianship for my son (Justin), I just don't like the long process. I also don't like our probate court judge, he can be pretty bossy.

I do have to file annual reports to the court regarding his funds. Do you know what court I would be dealing with?

Does you son live on his own or with you? Does he like going to the day program he is in? What kinds of things do they do there? How inclusive is it? How inclusive is your community?

If any of these questions are too personal please skip them.

In Michigan we have what is called Community Mental Health and that is the system that families have to go through to get services. My son is not in that system because I don't like it and he is going to school. We have an ARC that provides all of the services in our county for the DD population. I was trying to work with them to get my son there without going through CMH. Most families of young children do not like how controlling CMH is. Anyway, since Justin is still in school until 26 in Michigan we haven't did much.

I know that in Nevada it will be different. Again thank you so much for the starting point. I will look at the information today. Sorry this is long.

I'll do my best to address your questions:

**I don't think ARC is very active in the Valley. I say that NOT because I know for certain but ONLY because I was told about a meeting (last Friday, 1/11) with the national coordinator of ARC, to "discuss the possibilities of expanding the advocacy efforts in Nevada to bolster and strengthen advocacy efforts for people with disabilities." Maybe I deduced wrongly from that quote, but since you deal with ARC in MI, you might want investigate their operations here in NV.

**DRC will fill you in on how you should proceed regarding trusts, the courts (you might be dealing with Clark County Family Court; DRC will send you in the proper direction). Guardianship came into play in my family because the courts deemed my bro incompetent. I was made his legal guardian at that time, since my mom was looking ahead to a time she'd likely (and did) predecease my brother. We have only praise for the particular DRC intake coordinator who helped us and for John's case manager, who's coming to visit us tomorrow (she makes house calls ).

**John lives with me and attends daycare--with "normal" elderly folks and dev. disabled adults--5 days/week.

Shoot--I'll have to return to this later. I need to get going and will likely be gone all morning. In fact, later on, I'll PM you with my phone number. It might be more efficient to talk all this info rather than write it. There's a lot to convey...

"Talk" to you later...

[Julia B.]

Hey! It was a pleasure speaking with you. So glad you called.

Wanted to let you know that when John's caseworker came by yesterday, I talked to her about your situation. She herself has never represented a TBI client. In fact, she thinks the DRC will refer you to agencies that specifically help TBI clients. She urges you to call the DRC as soon as possible so that you can be appropriately directed, if that's the case.

She also said that schooling here in NV ends at age 22. She couldn't speak to the specific type of schooling Justin would get, again, because she's never represented anyone with TBI.

She also thinks you should look into Medicaid so that you can get more mileage from the funds for Justin's care. BTW, she asked me if Justin was injured before the age of 18, and she brought up the issue of guardianship, saying that in your case, it may help your situation once you move here. So, you might want to bring up these two issues with whoever ends up helping you.

Good luck, and please stay in touch!

[Grannyweatherwax10]

Thank you for being so helpful. I will be contacting the DRC on Monday. I will print off all of the information you gave me so that I don't forget to ask all the right questions. Have a great weekend.

Lisa

[jfkIII]

Julie...I just tried to rep you, but it told me to give it more time (I must've repped you recently.) What a very nice thing you did here...and a good example of the positive that can come from this site (and the internet, in general). Cheers.

[Julia B.]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Julie...I just tried to rep you, but it told me to give it more time (I must've repped you recently.) What a very nice thing you did here...and a good example of the positive that can come from this site (and the internet, in general). Cheers.

Hey, no sweat. It takes a village!

Thanks for the attempted rep. I've repp'd you, too (on previous posts), even though you don't live here!!