Stone Soup Group Board Member, Matt Findley, explains how his son reached the lifetime cap imposed by his employer-based healthcare plan in less than two years. Hear one way Alaskans like his son who are living with a disability would be impacted by potential changes to healthcare. Thank you Matt for sharing your story!
The Alaska Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education would like your comments, suggestions, and feedback on the 2017 Amendment to the 2017-2021 State Plan. Every year the council has an opportunity to revise and update the 5-year state plan. While the goals are the same, this year some of the objectives have been revised…
Between the CBO report and political tensions in DC, there is a lot of information to sort through regarding the Senate’s health care bill known as “The Better Care Reconciliation Act”. One thing is certain, these changes will affect Alaskans, and these changes will affect families caring for children with special needs. The Governor’s Council on…
My son Tyler turned 18 this month. With that came a whole new world called guardianship. What a weird feeling it was. Being in a courtroom. Sitting across the room from my son, who was sitting at a table with an attorney he just met. Answering questions and waiting for a judge to grant me…
The conference committee for the budget had their first meeting this week. It was an organizational meeting and no action was taken, but we expect legislators will begin acting soon. If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes to send an email, letter, or phone call to the legislators about the budget items (listed…
Opportunity to Comment on Draft of ESSA State Plan is Extended to May 28 The Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) is seeking public comment on the first draft of the state plan to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the new federal education law. ESSA provides states with greater flexibility than the…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Victoria Shanklin Communications and Outreach Manager victorias@stonesoupgroup.org Main: 907-561-3701 Direct: 907-792-3404 Special Education law and advocacy training coming to Alaska With the anticipated closure of Mount Iliamna Elementary and anticipated changes to our education system, there is no better time to bring the Wrightslaw Training to our state. Wrightslaw is a…
There will be opportunities to meet with legislatures across Alaska in February and March! If you are involved with special education this is a good opportunity to let your voice be heard. Active Surveys: Some legislators are conducting weekly surveys, links in their newsletters Rep. Matt Claman http://akhouse.org/claman/survey/index.php Rep. Paul Seaton http://akhouse.org/rep_seaton/survey/
Having a child with a rare genetic disease or a lifelong disability opens your eyes up to a whole new understanding of how medical care, prescriptions, and insurance work. Before my kids, I thought I understood… You had insurance, you had a co-pay and a deductible, and you got the treatment and medication you needed…
