ASA's 36th National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders (July 13-16, 2005)

The goal is to educate families so they can be in charge of the planning process and direct their advisors. The audience will come away with in depth knowledge of the Special Needs Planning area. The Question and Answer period will identify resources to help resolve life planning issues specific to their situation. In addition, I hope to empower them to take the necessary action and to help develop solutions and resolutions to enable them to provide the security and quality of life for their person with special needs, today and in the future.

Finally, the presentation explains in greater detail, how to begin and complete the planning process addressing Lifestyle, Legal, Financial Needs, and Government Benefit issues. Ultimately, audience members will leave the session armed with the knowledge to prepare a plan with the necessary documents to assure a smooth transition, security, and quality of life while giving all peace of mind.

The opportunity will exist for a Q&A session, addressing specific issues important to the audience. In addition, more specific and detailed information will be discussed covering the four areas outlined below:

• Lifestyle Planning: Provides detailed information about the abilities of the person. Where assistance is needed, the type and how to provide it. This information is recorded in a document called the “Letter of Intent.”

• Legal Planning: Discussion on Wills, Special Needs Trusts, Guardianship and Structured Settlements

• Financial Needs Assessment: Addresses current and future budgetary planning and options for providing funds to support the persons budget.

• Government Benefits: Includes Social Security (SSI, SSA, SSDI), Medicaid and Medicare.

Description of Professional Experience:

In 1993, after a 20 year career in business and estate planning, Bart Stevens, founded Bart Stevens Special Needs Planning, LLC to exclusively educate, provide information, and assist families and professionals in planning for the current and future care, supervision, and security of a person with special needs. He is one of the first planners to have earned the professional designation of Chartered Lifetime Assistance Planner (ChLAP) from the National Institute on Life Planning for Persons with Disabilities. In addition, Bart is an Arizona Certified Legal Document Preparer. He is an Associate Member of the Arizona Bar Association, the Maricopa Bar Association and the Society of Settlement Professionals.

Bart speaks at local, state, national and international conferences including the Brain Injury Association of Arizona, Autism Society of America, National Down Syndrome Society and Congress, Spina Bifida Association, and Epilepsy Foundation. In addition to assisting families, Bart is a future planning consultant to attorneys and financial advisors. He also speaks to professional organizations including the Certified Financial Planners Association, The Society of Financial Professionals of Phoenix, Arizona and the Arizona and Oklahoma Departments of Developmental Disabilities. His presentation has been praised for its easy to understand yet comprehensive and educational format.

He has helped thousands of families overcome the obstacles to special needs planning through his educational seminars, individual planning assistance and group planning workshops throughout the United States. In November 2003, Guardianship Filing Services began operations in Arizona. This service provides assistance to families and professionals in petitioning for guardianship. This service will gradually be expanded nationally. He has written articles for publications including The Advocate (The Autism Society of America's newsletter) and Paraplegia News. He has been a guest on radio and television shows and been interviewed by The New York Sunday Times; Mature Outlook Magazine; Kiplinger Reports; The Washington Times; The Chicago Tribune and the Arizona Republic.

He also serves as the Future Planning Consultant for the iCAN-online and Autism Today disability websites and authored the Estate Planning brochure for the National Down Syndrome Society. He is the author of the groundbreaking book, The ABC's of Special Needs Planning Made Easy. He has worked with hundreds of organizations, support groups, government agencies, school districts and professional groups nationwide.

Credentials:

BSSNP Founder & Executive Director Chartered Lifetime Assistance Planner Arizona Certified Legal Document Preparer Past Fellow of the National Institute on Life Planning for Persons with Disabilities Past Arizona State Director – Estate Planning for Persons with Disabilities Past Member Board of Directors and Advisory Board – Scottsdale Foundation for the Handicapped Past Committee Member – Arizona Dept. of Economic Security Guardianship Work Group Author - The ABC's of Special Needs Planning Made Easy© and The Special Needs Planning Kit© I-Can Online Disability website Special Needs Planning Consultant Autism Today website Special Needs Planning Consultant Columnist for Exceptional Parent magazine Associate Member Arizona Bar Association Member Maricopa (AZ) Bar Association Member Society of Settlement Planners Member The Autism Society of America Member The National Down Syndrome Society